Analogue-sequencer

hi there,

I've just upgraded my DIY P3 to version 1.006  it was working well
till yesterday. the problem is that the lcd lights up but the P3
doesn't boot and nothing appears on the screen.

I suspect that the cpu is dead. 
Could someone help me? I can't understand where's the bug.

thanks 

Honoré

> I've just upgraded my DIY P3 to version 1.006  it was working well
> till yesterday. the problem is that the lcd lights up but the P3
> doesn't boot and nothing appears on the screen.
> 
> I suspect that the cpu is dead. 
> Could someone help me? I can't understand where's the bug.

There is a very small chance that the CPU can corrupt its flash contents.
This has happened to a couple of the new type CPUs, and a few of the older
CPUs too.
It's not a significant number, but that doesn't make it any less annoying if
it happens to yours.
It certainly should not do this - the device has a power management
controller on board, that forces it into reset as soon as the Vcc line goes
out of spec, and the bootloader code itself is so simple there really isn't
any chance it can be a bug there.

If you do find your P3 CPU fails to boot after running without problems,
just let me know and I'll send you a new CPU to swap for the one with
amnesia.
A re-flash with the serial bootloader has fixed all rogue CPUs, so it's not
a permanent failure - but you can't do it yourself.

I'll be trying out a different manufacturers CPU, and will switch to that if
it works out, rather than take the chance Atmel have some weird chip bug
going on.

Best regards,
Colin Fraser
Sequentix Music Systems Ltd
http://www.sequentix.com

hi,

There is nothing to do, it doesn't boot, I've even
changed the cell  just in case. Do you think the issue
could come from the beta firmware?
If I swap the cpu will I loose all my sequences?
Could you send me a new one, how do we proceed?

regards, Honoré

--- Colin f <colin@colinfraser.com> a écrit :


---------------------------------

> I've just upgraded my DIY P3 to version 1.006  it
was working well
> till yesterday. the problem is that the lcd lights
up but the P3
> doesn't boot and nothing appears on the screen.
> 
> I suspect that the cpu is dead. 
> Could someone help me? I can't understand where's
the bug.

There is a very small chance that the CPU can corrupt
its flash contents.
This has happened to a couple of the new type CPUs,
and a few of the older
CPUs too.
It's not a significant number, but that doesn't make
it any less annoying if
it happens to yours.
It certainly should not do this - the device has a
power management
controller on board, that forces it into reset as soon
as the Vcc line goes
out of spec, and the bootloader code itself is so
simple there really isn't
any chance it can be a bug there.

If you do find your P3 CPU fails to boot after running
without problems,
just let me know and I'll send you a new CPU to swap
for the one with
amnesia.
A re-flash with the serial bootloader has fixed all
rogue CPUs, so it's not
a permanent failure - but you can't do it yourself.

I'll be trying out a different manufacturers CPU, and
will switch to that if
it works out, rather than take the chance Atmel have
some weird chip bug
going on.

Best regards,
Colin Fraser
Sequentix Music Systems Ltd
http://www.sequentix.com


      

      SPONSORED LINKS  
                                                Music
sampler                                    Midi
sequencer                                   
Synthesizer                                           
                    Sampler                           
           
    
---------------------------------
  YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS

  
    Visit your group "analogue-sequencer" on the web.
   
    To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
 analogue-sequencer-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
   
    Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo!
Terms of Service.

  
---------------------------------





	

	
		
___________________________________________________________________________ 
Nouveau : téléphonez moins cher avec Yahoo! Messenger ! Découvez les tarifs exceptionnels pour appeler la France et l'international.
Téléchargez sur http://fr.messenger.yahoo.com

> There is nothing to do, it doesn't boot, I've even
> changed the cell  just in case. Do you think the issue
> could come from the beta firmware?

The problem is not related to the firmware.
There are two separate programs in P3 ROM - the bootloader and the main
program.
The bootloader is a small program which is the first to run when P3 is
turned on.
It does a check on the main program, then passes control to it unless you
hold the keys for a firmware update.
When you do a firmware update, the bootloader program receives the sysex
dump and writes it into the main program space.

If the main program was damaged in any way, or the writing wasn't
successful, the bootloader can handle it.

The only way P3 will stop booting is if the bootloader itself is damaged, or
some of the hardware status values are corrupted.

According to the chip manufacturers, this can't happen since there is a
special circuit to prevent spurious operation.
But in a very small number of cases, something has happened.

> If I swap the cpu will I loose all my sequences?

No. The sequences are held in the pattern RAM, not on the CPU.
Removing the RAM chips or cell will lose the sequences, but not the CPU.

> Could you send me a new one, how do we proceed?

Yes, just send me your postal address by private email, and I'll swap out
the chip for you.
I'll take a look at the contents of the chip that has stopped booting to see
what happened.
Then I can either take it up with Atmel, or just switch to another supplier
for the CPU.

Best regards,
Colin Fraser
Sequentix Music Systems Ltd
http://www.sequentix.com

Hi Colin,
 
I've just received the CPU. There is one problem now, the lcd lights up very weakly and no info is displayed. I wonder if I plugged the cpu in the right way, Is there a particular way to do it? Do I need to load  the firmware?
 
regards, Honoré

----- Message d'origine ----
De : Colin f <colin@colinfraser.com>
À : analogue-sequencer@yahoogroups.com
Envoyé le : Lundi, 3 Avril 2006, 12h05mn 47s
Objet : RE: [analogue-sequencer] my P3 is 3o


> There is nothing to do, it doesn't boot, I've even
> changed the cell  just in case. Do you think the issue
> could come from the beta firmware?

The problem is not related to the firmware.
There are two separate programs in P3 ROM - the bootloader and the main
program.
The bootloader is a small program which is the first to run when P3 is
turned on.
It does a check on the main program, then passes control to it unless you
hold the keys for a firmware update.
When you do a firmware update, the bootloader program receives the sysex
dump and writes it into the main program space.

If the main program was damaged in any way, or the writing wasn't
successful, the bootloader can handle it.

The only way P3 will stop booting is if the bootloader itself is damaged, or
some of the hardware status values are corrupted.

According to the chip manufacturers, this can't happen since there is a
special circuit to prevent spurious operation.
But in a very small number of cases, something has happened.

> If I swap the cpu will I loose all my sequences?

No. The sequences are held in the pattern RAM, not on the CPU.
Removing the RAM chips or cell will lose the sequences, but not the CPU.

> Could you send me a new one, how do we proceed?

Yes, just send me your postal address by private email, and I'll swap out
the chip for you.
I'll take a look at the contents of the chip that has stopped booting to see
what happened.
Then I can either take it up with Atmel, or just switch to another supplier
for the CPU.

Best regards,
Colin Fraser
Sequentix Music Systems Ltd
http://www.sequentix.com






YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS 


 Visit your group "analogue-sequencer" on the web.
  
 To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
 analogue-sequencer-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
  
 Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. 

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> I've just received the CPU. There is one problem now, the lcd 
> lights up very weakly and no info is displayed. I wonder if I 
> plugged the cpu in the right way, Is there a particular way 
> to do it? Do I need to load  the firmware?

You don't need to load the firmware.
You do need to put the CPU in the right way round.
There is a small notch in one end of the CPU, which should match the small
notch in one end of the socket.
The notch is at the end nearest the edge of the PCB.
The CPU may be permanently damaged by insertion the wrong way - you'll soon
find out if it is.
I have tested one the wrong way for a short period, and it survived OK, so
they may have internal protection.

Best regards,
Colin Fraser
Sequentix Music Systems Ltd
http://www.sequentix.com