Problems with Bluefruit EZ-link shield Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit

[jwalter]

I am having problems uploading sketches to an Arduino Duemilanove using a Adafruit Bluefruit EZ-link shield. I was able to pair the shield with my Mac without problems. I can receive data from the shield without problems. I have been unable to load sketches using the shield using two different Macs and two different Arduinos. I have carefully checked all my solder joints. I have checked to make sure that the switch is set on "direct" on the shield. I have no problems uploading the sketches using a USB cable when the shield is set to soft serial. I next examined the behavior of the conn, rx and tx LEDs when attempting to load a sketch using the shield. I noticed that the rx led did not flash. If I manually reset the arduino during the upload process, the rx led began to flash and the sketch uploaded without problems. I therefore assume that the shield is not resetting the arduino properly. Unfortunately, manually resetting the Arduino to upload a sketch defeats the purpose of the shield.

Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated! I thought I read the tutorial carefully, but I probably missed something.

[adafruit_support_rick]

Please post pictures of both sides of the shield. It's probably a connection problem on the reset pin.

[jwalter]

Photos are attached. I suspected this might be a problem and had double-checked the solder joints. I can't get the board to work even with a manual reset now. Thanks for the help!

[adafruit_support_rick]

Solders all look good. Let's try replacing the shield. Please email support@adafruit.com with a link to this thread.

[jwalter]

Thanks for sending a replacement shield. Unfortunately, I am still unable to upload sketches to the shield using bluetooth. The problem is the same as before. I can pair with the shield using bluetooth, upload sketches via a USB cable, and receive data from the shield using bluetooth. I've tried two different Arduinos and computers (both Macs with Bluetooth version 2.1). Any suggestions for getting around this problem would be sincerely appreciated!

[adafruit_support_rick]

So I finally got hold of one of these shields, and I have the same problem. I'm checking into a solution...

[adafruit]

Rick: Try the DTR test on the EZ-Link breakout page - can you get the Arduino to reset? we have a buffer for the reset circuitry so probe with a scope to make sure you see the DTR pin toggling

jwalter: can you try with an UNO not a Duemilanove, we actually don't have any old Duemilanove's to test against. Does the arduino reset when you open up the 'serial console'?

[jwalter]

I tried an Uno without success. I deleted the pairing between my mac and ez-link and then reestablished pairing. The first attempt to upload the sketch returned the following error:

Problem uploading to board..... error message: avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding.

Subsequent attempts to upload a sketch yielded a different error:
avrdude: ser_open(): can't open device "/dev/cu.AdafruitEZ-Link3f5a-SPP": Resource busy
ioctl("TIOCMGET"): Inappropriate ioctl for device.

If I quit the Arduino program, restart it and attempt to upload a sketch, I receive the following error message: avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding.

Opening the serial console using bluetooth. does not reset the Arduino. The console shows the output of the loop without going through the setup.

It seems that the shield can transmit information via bluetooth but not receive it. A connection is made but it isn't productive. My macs haven't been responding well; both crashed multiple times while running the above tests.

Thanks again for checking into this. Happy New Year!

[adafruit_support_rick]

Yes - toggling DTR causes the Uno to reset. Didn't bother checking with a scope - I loaded a sketch that outputs "Hello World" in setup(), so I know it resets. Serial loopback works, too.

Code: Select all | TOGGLE FULL SIZE

/*
  Serial loopback
 */

// the setup routine runs once when you press reset:
void setup() {               
  Serial.begin(9600);
  while (!Serial) ;
  Serial.print("Hello, World");
}

void loop() {
  if (Serial.available())
    Serial.write(Serial.read());
}

On upload, I get "avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding".
Based on the blink pattern on the red LED, it seems like the connection comes and goes. Appears to switch between fast blink and slow blink 2-3 times before the error pops up. I get flickering on the blue TX LED. Mmmaayyyybe a little bit of flicker on the blue RX LED - hard to see.

Switch is set to Direct.

Tried downloading with both /dev/cu and /dev/tty selected - same result.

[BradK-adaf]

Has there been any update on this issue?
I am experiencing a very similar issue if not the same.
Before the holiday I purchased two Bluefruit Ez-Link Shield and an Arduino Uno R3
I finally has some free time yesterday and started to work/play with them.

I can get the Bluetooth Connection but if I try to upload code via bluetooth, I am getting the "avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding"

If I remove the shield and connect via the USB Port - I am able to upload the sample code, monitor the port and get the "HelloWorld" and keyboard Echo back. If I then attach the Shield and connect via BlueTooth I can see the "HelloWorld" and Echo Back.

I have also observed that if I have the shield connected and try to upload via USB I also get the "avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding" message but if I flip the shield switch from "Direct" to the "other position" I can upload code via USB with the shield attached. I am not sure what that means if anything.

I have also tested this with a second Arduino Uno that I previous purchased back in May.
And both BlueFruit EZ-Link Shields have the same results.

Thanks
Brad

[rayzon]

Hi,

Having the same issue here. Would very much appreciate to get a fix for it.

Regards,
Marc

[adafruit]

We are investigating it right now!

[adafruit_support_rick]

We think we've got the problem cornered - it's a timing issue with the Uno bootloader.

Until we can come up with a fix, we have a workaround: I got mine working by installing the Duemilenova bootloader on my Uno.

Unfortunately, this is something that requires an external programmer, like a USBtinyISP. If you have one, attach it to the ICSP header on the Uno. Pin 1 has the little white dot next to it.

Then, go into the Arduino IDE Tools Menu
- select Board Type "Duemilenova with ATmega328".
- select Programmer "USBtinyISP"
- select Burn Bootloader

[jwalter]

Would this explain my inability to get the shield to work using a Duemilanove? I tried both an Uno and Due without success. Are you suggesting that I try loading the Duemilanove bootloader on one of my Uno's? If so, I will give it a try later today and let you know if it works. Thanks, John

[adafruit_support_rick]

Yes, I'm suggesting loading a Duemilanove bootloader on the Uno.

So you couldn't get it to work with a real Duemilanove? That's disturbing.