Is the Voltage Too Low for MSP430 Programming?

[Lagomorph]

Hi,
I have an MSP430 USB interface that comes with the MSP-FET430UIF and a JTAG MSP430F2131 header board. Problem is, I have no idea how to load the program onto the MCU that's on the header board through the JTAG connector. I have the IAR Embedded Workbench KickStart software and I haven't been able to find a way to use that with the header board.

What software would I need to load a program onto the MCU that's on the header board using TI's USB to JTAG interface that I have right now?

It would be excellent if this software was free.

Thanks in advance.

 

[light_bulb]

when you pull the stick apart their should be some open vias, that is the interface, havin't read the documentation in a while as all I've done with mine is make the led flash at a different speed lol. docs are on the kickstart cd.

on second look it's seems that you can take off the usb part and connect it sideways.

http://microcontrollershop.com/product_info.php?products_id=1298

 

[Lagomorph]

To be more specific, here is what I have:

http://microcontrollershop.com/product_info.php?products_id=1298
http://focus.ti.com/docs/toolsw/folders/print/msp-fet430u28.html

The picture of the USB interface that I have is here:
http://www1.conrad.de/xl/1000_1999/1700/1700/1702/170258_BB_00_FB.EPS.jpg

So I'm not exactly sure what you're saying. Are you talking about TI's MSP430 USB Stick Development Tool (EZ430)? The programming interface has a JTAG connector going out, so I don't have any physical connection issues. I just need to find a way (software) to load it onto the MCU on the header board above.

 

[light_bulb]

select the j-link option in kickstart.

if that's not what you mean then i guess you'll need your uc data sheet, a good understanding of asm in kickstart and a copy of ieee 1149, good luck :D

 

[Lagomorph]

select the j-link option in kickstart.

if that's not what you mean then i guess you'll need your uc data sheet, a good understanding of asm in kickstart and a copy of ieee 1149, good luck :D

I think the reason that doesn't work is beacuse I have a TI USB-IF and not a J-Link, so if I select J-Link as the connection type, the software can't detect it.

What about something like this? Would this work?
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=606

I mean... all I want to do is load a program onto an MSP430F2131 that's on a header board. Isn't this a common thing to do? Shouldn't it be fairly simple?

 

[light_bulb]

got me, you can't go low level and get simple.

 

[Lagomorph]

So I figured that it might be a power issue, so instead of powering the board through the JTAG connector (which dicumentation says I can do), I decided to apply external power. So I connected the P_OUT jumper and powered the board by appying 3V (2 brand new C's) and then tried going into debug mode in IAR.

I got the following message:
"External voltage too low: 1.1V".

I tested the voltage at the Vcc of the MCU and it was 3V. I tested the voltage at the JTAG connector Vcc_OUT and that was also 3V with or without the interface connected. The notes of the Olimex F2131 say that the voltage of the debugger should follow the power supply of the board, so why would it be reading it as 1.1V?