FTDI, USB-serial adapter

[Funkymonks]

Hello world!

I have recently bought the book "Make: AVR Programming" by Elliot Williams because I really want to learn about microcontrollers. Everything has been going fine until now...

So here´s where I´m at:

Implementing seriel communication on the AVR.

For this I needed a terminal application, I choosed CoolTerm. I also needed a USB to serial adapter:
"5V 3.3V FT232RL USB To Serial 232 Adapter Download Cable Module For Arduino"

I´m using an Arduino Uno as programmer to reach an Atmega168a as the AVR.

I have Mac OS X Yosemite version 10.10.3

When I open up Coolterm it can´t seem to find the right serial-port. I´ve been spending this whole day browsing the internet for answers and there seems to be a problem with OS X Yosemite when it comes to this.

I have tried a lot of different drivers and sudo code to get around this problem. The port just won't pop up!

Is there anyone who knows how to make CoolTerm recognize this FTDI usb-port?

Thanks and regards,
Erik

 

[Gryd3]

Hello world!

I have recently bought the book "Make: AVR Programming" by Elliot Williams because I really want to learn about microcontrollers. Everything has been going fine until now...

So here´s where I´m at:

Implementing seriel communication on the AVR.

For this I needed a terminal application, I choosed CoolTerm. I also needed a USB to serial adapter:
"5V 3.3V FT232RL USB To Serial 232 Adapter Download Cable Module For Arduino"

I´m using an Arduino Uno as programmer to reach an Atmega168a as the AVR.

I have Mac OS X Yosemite version 10.10.3

When I open up Coolterm it can´t seem to find the right serial-port. I´ve been spending this whole day browsing the internet for answers and there seems to be a problem with OS X Yosemite when it comes to this.

I have tried a lot of different drivers and sudo code to get around this problem. The port just won't pop up!

Is there anyone who knows how to make CoolTerm recognize this FTDI usb-port?

Thanks and regards,
Erik

I am not as well versed in Mac as I could be.
Can you please confirm the computer has recognised the device? There should be an associated VID and PID for it.
If you can tell for sure the device has been recognised, you can move onto why the software cant detect it.


*A while back, FTDI intentionally bricked a number of devices that used aftermarket / knock-off 'FTDI' clones. If your device has one of these clones, and has ever been plugged into a windows machine that happens to have the hostile FTDI driver, then your device is now bricked too. Checking the VID & PID of the device will help confirm if the device has been tampered with from FTDI as well as confirm the computer has recognised it's been plugged in.

 

[Harald Kapp]

I have recently bought the book "Make: AVR Programming"

A nice book. I wish you lots of fun with it.

As for the driver issue: Sparkfun offers a solution here.

 

[Gryd3]

A nice book. I wish you lots of fun with it.

As for the driver issue: Sparkfun offers a solution here.

Thank you friendly Mac user

It's a slim chance now that windows and FTDI pulled the aggressive drivers... but you never know if an affected windows PC has ever touched one of those things, but I like to be careful.
Give Harald's link a go, and let us know if you still have issues.. Then I'll google my brains out and figure out how to find a VID and PID on an operating system I don't use

 

[Harald Kapp]

Then I'll google my brains out

Don't do that unless you have a spare brain for replacement . I'd love to see you here for some more valuable comments.

 

[Martaine2005]

Yes @Gryd3 the driver was part of a Windows update. Microsoft are not happy about it and apparently pulling it from the update.
But the damage is already done for so many people.
Dave Jones in the above video tackled them and they rplied.
Quite a funny video.

Martin

 

[Funkymonks]

A nice book. I wish you lots of fun with it.

As for the driver issue: Sparkfun offers a solution here.

Thanks for the replies!
@Gryd3, the computer doesn't recognise the device. But it´s turning up if you enter the mac system information. Maybe that´s a way of recognising it. Im quite new to computers and all that comes with it. I can then see it has a VID but no PID.

The FTDI has never been plugged in to a windows PC. I ordered it from eBay couple of days ago. Should be brand new.

I will look into it Harald!

I also mailed my electronics professor who said this usually is a problem for a lot of people. I´m meeting up with him later today to see if we can solve it. I´ll let you guys know how it goes!

Erik

 

[Gryd3]

Thanks for the replies!
@Gryd3, the computer doesn't recognise the device. But it´s turning up if you enter the mac system information. Maybe that´s a way of recognising it. Im quite new to computers and all that comes with it. I can then see it has a VID but no PID.

The FTDI has never been plugged in to a windows PC. I ordered it from eBay couple of days ago. Should be brand new.

I will look into it Harald!

I also mailed my electronics professor who said this usually is a problem for a lot of people. I´m meeting up with him later today to see if we can solve it. I´ll let you guys know how it goes!

Erik

Thanks for the update.
Just so you know. The way FTDI bricked the devices was setting the PID to 0 ... Every computer relies on a unique VID and PID value to determine what to device is... so zeroing out one or the other... or even changing it to something other than standard will break it.
Oh.. and just because it's an EBay part does not mean it's never been plugged into a computer yet. It's unlikely, but still possible... so if you see the PID set to 0, you know what the cause is and if not hopefully the professor can get you rolling