ESR meter upgrades

[Per Hansson]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

I posted my message above also on eevblog, madires replied with:

The HEX and EEP files are the firmware in Intel encoded format, not any direct binary image.

My reply:
Aww thanks!
When I open the firmware file for the flash my programmer asks if it should be in Intel encoded format which I answer yes to.
Next for the EEPROM "data" window I simply used drag and drop.
It does not ask then about the format so I assumed it uses the same as for the flash.
Well turns out that is not what happens at all!
The files I've tested are named TransistorTester.hex for the flash and TransistorTester.eep for the EEPROM.
Well turns out if I rename the TransistorTester.eep to "Something.hex" it also does not ask about encoding format.
But it does then convert it to Intel encoded format!

And now while testing it some more to get some screenshots it always converts even the eep file to Intel hex without asking!
Murpy's law!!!

just looked at the programmer foto's

tick "erase" and "blank-check"
otherwise the eeprom could have crap left in it written by older firmwares.

I do a manual erase, then power off and on, then blank check, then write each time I program the chip.

[stj]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

this is why i recomend using AVRdude

[Per Hansson]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

Ok, so I've gone back and tested all firmwares again after realizing this annoying culprit with my programmer!
All of the firmwares that I wrote "Only backlight" on they don't work, probably wrong LCD type and parallel communication with it instead of serial.

But all of the ones where I wrote that they had "one line of scrolling characters" or the same but a "BOLD scrolling line" instead were caused by this issue!
So all of those firmwares are actually working fine:
GM328A ESR tester (SVN663).zip
testing-ramshift.zip
testing-chips.zip > 8MHz-7565
testing-x1.zip
testing-tuning3.zip

Works but upside down & inverted:
mega328_st7565
testing-almost.zip
testing-bg-kit.zip

[stj]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

so, the final-test ones i just posted?

[Per Hansson]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

Ok, I retested them now.
"testing-final-test.zip"
Both the "8MHz(+eeprom)" & "8MHz(no-eeprom)" gives the same results.

1uF film capacitor
Before cal: 964nF 0.02ESR
After cal: 974uF 0.01ESR
Bob Parker MKII ESR meter: 1.2ESR
I'm honestly not sure what it's actual ESR is though.

Still got the ugly font though, would be nice with the previous bold one

[stj]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

[stj]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

once you realise the big-ass fonts are a bad idea when you need lots of onfo on the screen,
you can flash it with the correct one.

[vinceroger69]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

sorry only just got back to this thread, so stj if i use the above firmware with small fonts is fine for me, does the esr read ok in this version as thats mainly what i use these testers for many thanks

[stj]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

it will work fine if your chip is good.

you need to talk to mr Hansson about your programmer settings, because it looks like your problems are down to settings!
you should have used the USBasp & fitted the header!

16MHz build also tests crystals and resonators upto about 10MHz btw.

[vinceroger69]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

Have you got the zip for the 16 mhz one please? and yes if per hansson dosnt mind letting us know what the issue was with his programmer that will be great (i have read most of the posts im sure he mentioned something about re naming them although i didnot do that with mine) stj i will upgrade it still with the header and use the usbasp but programming through avrdude etc is one thing i need to read up on a learn but i will add the header and the crystal ready thanks again stj and per hannson i wish i had more time to test some of your test firmware myself but have been so busy with job searching and interviews etc.

[stj]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

combined in the zips posted.

[vinceroger69]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

Thankyou.

[Per Hansson]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

vinceroger69: In post #453 I posted a picture linked again here.
That shows the TransistorTester.eep file added incorrectly, in binary format instead of Intel HEX.
You can see it because the ASCII code window shows the same code as if you open the file directly in Notepad: I.e. it has not been converted to Intel HEX.
As I don't have your programmer I can't give direct advice, but if you want I can connect via Teamviewer or your choice of software, just send me a PM and I'll have a look...

[vinceroger69]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

vinceroger69: In post #453 I posted a picture linked again here.
That shows the TransistorTester.eep file added incorrectly, in binary format instead of Intel HEX.
You can see it because the ASCII code window shows the same code as if you open the file directly in Notepad: I.e. it has not been converted to Intel HEX.
As I don't have your programmer I can't give direct advice, but if you want I can connect via Teamviewer or your choice of software, just send me a PM and I'll have a look...

Thanks per hansson i will have a go with programming with the latest firmware later today and see how i get on any issues i will get back to you many thanks again.
I have just ordered two spare ics just incase ones needed etc, have you upgraded yours to 16mhz? or are you keeping yours at 8

[stj]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

it's a handy upgrade,

i had a board the other month, nicad battery had leaked on a crystal and eaten the surface.
i thought i was fucked, but put it in the tester and it said "4,000KHz" yay - just need to find a 4MHz crystal in the scrap to fix the board - i already sorted the other damage.

[vinceroger69]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

i will certainly upgrade this 2016 tester to 16mhz as have the crystals then i will work on my first tester the one i need to change the smd atmega on and too add the 16 mhz crystal and caps (stj im sure i read you said solder one leg of the capacitor to the crystal leg the other too the crstal can? is that rite) if not i need to find a ground for the caps.

[stj]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

if you have smd caps, then yes - between the legs and can - and earth the can.

if not then just go to the nearest earth point.

[vinceroger69]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

I have normal caps i will find a earth point then thanks

[Per Hansson]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

Now I have tested the 8MHz build from "GM328x ESR tester (SVN684).zip" that stj posted above.
As I wrote back in post #446 I have realized my ZIF socket is really poor.
The seller has already promised to send a new one. (It for example does not open all the way!).
I did some more tests and after calibration and using my 1uF film capacitor:
I get 0.09 ESR in the top left slot of the ZIF socket.
In the top right I get 0.17 ESR
Lower left I get 0.13 ESR
Lower right I get 0.16 ESR
These differences where one cause for my unstable readings: I didn't always use the same port for calibration...
So using the calibrated top left slot I now get:
Sanyo SEPC 4v 820uF: 0.05 ESR
5.6Ω resistor: 5.70Ω
68Ω resistor: 67.9Ω
So quite good

once you realise the big-ass fonts are a bad idea when you need lots of onfo on the screen, you can flash it with the correct one.

I understand what you say, but for example in this post I showed the bold font testing an, as you put it:
"fet or a transistor with reverse-diode in it and see how much text it has to display!"
Well the small font is the same, it also has to scroll through three pages to show all the info so it does not seem better to me?

have you upgraded yours to 16mhz? or are you keeping yours at 8

No, I don't have a 16MHz crystal, I will order that and a 20MHz one.
Plus some more stuff to hotrod the meter a bit

Also following on with my posts above about the programming issue, I posted a video on Youtube showing the issue clearly.
I also attached the video to this post if you prefer it, in much better quality but compressed to less than 3MB in size

[stj]

Re: ESR meter upgrades

the smaller font gives more characters across, to stop linewrap, it wont help with the number of lines

it also uses a lot less memory,not so important at 8MHz, but at 16MHz with the crystal-testing enabled we are at 98% full!!
and that's with the calibration using short instructions.
using the full instructions like on the 8MHz build took it over 101%.