Unable to connect to Heart and Brain box in Linux

[ckemere]

Perhaps the issue is a mismatch of baudrate? Theerror I'm getting looks something like this:

1643760566 748 - askForBoardType - Ask for Board type 1643760566 748 - writeToPort - Try to write 4 bytes to port 1643760566 748 - writeToPort - 4 bytes written to port 1643760566 748 - writeToPort - 4 bytes written to port 1643760566 848 - checkAllPortsForArduino - Read board type response. checkAllPortsForArduino - Read board type response. Baud rate: 500000 1643760566 908 - Serial read error: Timeout 1643760566 909 - checkAllPortsForArduino - After reaading board type response. # of Bytes: -1 checkAllPortsForArduino - After reaading board type response. # of Bytes: -1

[stanislavmircic]

Most of our devices use 230400 baud rate. Some new devices, that are not yet public, will use 500000 baud rate.
That is why Spike Recorder will periodically try to connect with 230400 baud rate and 500000 baud rate. It will try multiple times each of the baud rates for newly connected USB device.
Each time it will ask for board type by sending string:
"b:;\n"
and expect to receive response that contains name of the board. Responses will have keyword HWT and unique name of the board like in this example for Muscle SpikerShield device:
HWT:MUSCLESS;

Also, the newest branch that has code for nonblocking serial communication is:
serial-in-background

Hope this helps.

[ckemere]

Can you let me know what version of linux you are developing for? Neither the master branch for the serial-in-background branch compile without error for me.

[ckemere]

Also, I'm trying to locate in the code where the baudrate is set to 230400. It seems like the current values that get evaluated are either 222222 or 500000.

[ckemere]

I should clarify that the Muscle Box works fine, but not the Heart and Brain Box

[stanislavmircic]

@ckemere In previous period we didn't have enough resources to update Linux code so the compile process will probably throw an error. Unfortunately.
Regarding baud rate. You are right in the last code we use 222222 baud rate instead of 230400. We had to change the baud rate because of some mismatch between clocks on FTDI and ATMEGA microcontrollers on our devices. So please try to connect with 222222 baud rate.
Also, when you say that Muscle SpikerBox is working do you mean Muscle SpikerBox Pro? If you are referring to Muscle SpikerBox Pro please note that Muscle SpikerBox Pro device are HID USB device class (not serial) so the devices will not communicate using ArduinoSerial class.

[ckemere]

Ah ha. It makes sense that my code edits didn't have much effect once the Muscle SpikerBox Pro started working.

In previous period we didn't have enough resources to update Linux code so the compile process will probably throw an error. Unfortunately.

I understand. I'm going to see if I can fix it so it works!

You are right in the last code we use 222222 baud rate instead of 230400.
I'm not sure if this is why things are not working or if it's because the DTR signal is not being used. I've definitely communicated with an FTDI device under linux before, and I see the serial port.

For the Heart and Brain Box Pro, how is the firmware programmed to the device? I see the firmware repository, but I'm unclear on your process.

[WenboByB]

Hi there,
There seems to be a misunderstanding in our product names. We have Heart and Brain SpikerBox, Heart and Brain SpikerBox Pro (unreleased), and Muscle SpikerBox Pro.
For Heart and Brain SpikerBox and its Pro variant, we use Atmel-ICE programmer with Tag-Connect Cable to bootload and flash the firmware using Atmel Studio. For the firmware alone, the micro-USB port can be used with the Arduino IDE.
For Muscle Pro, we use a Texas Instruments MSP-FET programmer and debugger box, and the same Tag-Connect cable, with MS CCS to flash the firmware.
Let me know if it helps, and I can send you the appropriate files for your PCB version.
Best,
Wenbo

[ckemere]

Thanks! Yes it's the Heart and Brain SpikerBox. I'm currently struggling to get the reply to the "b:;\n" string, so I'm going to start by debugging that code.

Any further details about using the micro-USB/Arduino IDE for firmware? Like what board type should I set?

(I currently can see the "Startup!" string get created when using a baudrate of 230400, so I suspect that that is working ok.)

[WenboByB]

We use ATmega328PB as the MCU of our Heart and Brain SpikerBox, and we bootload it to Arduino UNO. So you can set the board type to be Arduino UNO.