Problems Uploading Code: Programmer is not Responding

[AVDweeb]

Hi All,

I'm attempting to go through the tutorials for my newly purchased Reef Angel, and when I'm trying to upload the code I'm receiving the error "avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding".

I'm working on a MacBook Pro, running 10.7.3, have attempted PRAM, SMC and booted to a known good 10.6.8 image and this issue is persisting. I've done some searching on the web, but still can't find the right solution.

Help?

Russ

[rimai]

Did you use the Reef Angel Installer to install the arduino software?
In that disk image, there were drivers to be installed. Did you install them?
Which board and serial port you have checked on arduino menu Tools?

[AVDweeb]

Hi Roberto!

I have installed the drivers. I attempted to use the Reef Angel with OptiBoot board as my primary, but have tried all of them out of desperation. I've done the same thing with the serial port, both ports that showed up have been attempted.

I also attempted to use Windows and the Reef Angel installer, but after the driver gets installed the USB device does not get recognized by Windows and then the driver assigned.

All of this has been done on the same Mac, which does not have any other hardware issues to speak of. I'll try on another computer as well, but I'm hoping I'm simply missing something small.

-Russ

[rimai]

What are the serial ports listed on your Mac?

[AVDweeb]

Looks like it's happening on the other machine as well.

The serial ports that are listed on the new machine are: /dev/tty.usbserial-A900F1G2 and /dev/cu.usbserial-A900F1G2.

I've tried both, and the issue is persisting. In System Profiler, I'm showing the connected device as:

FT232R USB UART:
Product ID: 0x6001
Vendor ID: 0x0403 (Future Technology Devices International Limited)
Version: 6.00
Serial Number: A900F1G2
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: FTDI
Location ID: 0x1d100000 / 2
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 90

Hope this helps!

Russ

[rimai]

Well, you need to use for sure the /dev/tty.usbserial-A900F1G2 and not the /dev/cu.usbserial-A900F1G2.
Does the controller reboot a few seconds after you press upload button.

[AVDweeb]

Nope. I only get the error I posted.

[rimai]

I was asking you to watch the controller and see if it reboots after a few seconds after you click upload.

[AVDweeb]

I was asking you to watch the controller and see if it reboots after a few seconds after you click upload.

Ah, gotcha. No, I just tried again and the device did not reboot after the code attempted to upload.

-Russ

[binder]

Silly question, but is the USB cable plugged into the controller the correct way?

[gaberosenfield]

I am having the exact same problem as AVDweeb. When I try to use my older PC running Windows XP, I get

Code: Select all

avrdude: Version 6.0, compiled on Apr  6 2012 at 19:29:19
         Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
         Copyright (c) 2007-2009 Joerg Wunsch

         System wide configuration file is "C:\Program Files\Reef Angel Controller\hardware/tools/avr/etc/avrdude.conf"

         Using Port                    : \\.\COM5
         Using Programmer              : arduino
         Overriding Baud Rate          : 115200
Rebooting Reef Angel Controller
avrdude: Send: 0 [30]   [20] 
avrdude: Send: 0 [30]   [20] 
avrdude: Send: 0 [30]   [20] 
avrdude: Recv: 
avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x64

avrdude done.  Thank you.

So I tried updating my drivers and uninstalling and reinstalling all the RA software, but the error is still the same.

Then I tried it on my macbook pro, running 10.7.4, and I get exactly the same error as AVDweeb

Code: Select all

avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding

Which is weird cause I get different errors on different computers...

In system information on my mac, I have almost exactly what AVDweeb has for the connected USB-serial converter cable, with just the serial number and location ID different. I am using the correct serial port: /dev/tty.usbserial-A900F1FH.

I have looked at the picture in the manual, and I am connecting the USB-serial cable correctly on both ends (to the computer and the controller); on the controller side the cable is plugged into the pins just to the right of where the relay box cable attaches, such that the USB-serial cable's plug is as far right as it can be on those pins, leaving the left-most two pins exposed, and the little blue wire on the USB-serial cable's plug is on the left and the black wire is on the right. I did install the drivers. I am selecting Reef Angel with Optiboot as my board.

The controller recognizes that a signal is being sent to it when I try to upload to it from my mac: the red status light blinks, stays on, then blinks again, then goes out and the screen lights up and my LEDs that are dimmed by my RA suddenly go to full power, then the LEDs go back to normal, the screen goes out, the status light blinks again and the cycle repeats itself once more before everything goes back to how it was before I tried to upload anything. The controller does not, at any point restart.

I have tried unplugging the controller and plugging it back in several times and trying to upload to it again with the same result. I have also tried unplugging my temp and pH probes and uploading to the controller with the minimum number of things plugged in: same result.

Finally, nothing looks at all corroded. All the metal components I can see look shiny and new. My RA was working well for about 4 months now. Then I moved my tank into another location, and moved the RA with it, and now the above issue is occurring.

What is going on? I am really hoping that there is a way to resolve this without having to send in my RA for repairs, cause I'm not sure how I could make my lights work without my RA sending PWM signals to their drivers... Please HELP ME!

[AVDweeb]

So,

I've just about given up, but I thought I'd try again with two new builds – a 10.8 build and a Windows 7 build. I'm still having problems.

Sucks man.

[AVDweeb]

Hi All,

I worked with Roberto and we found the issue. Though the cable was plugged in to the far right of the unit, leaving the left two pins exposed, the cable was upside down. The black lead is supposed to be to the right. Roberto has updated the instructions so others don't run in to this issue, and I'm hoping if someone searches for the problem they'll run in to this thread.

Thanks again, Roberto!