EXA-PROG
USB programming adapter for AVR-ISP, AVR-UPDI, STM32, LPC, ESP8266, ESP32
Page 3
TESTING FUNCTION
If you have problems to program an attached microcontroller you can use the following option to check whether there is an
error in the programming adapter. EXA-PROG contains integrated testing hardware which can be used to check the signal
level of the programming interface.
For this please start the EXA-PROG Tool in Windows (file name: Exa_Tool_xxx.exe; xxx = version) which you can find in
the EXA-PROG program package.
1.
Select the tab “TEST”.
2. Select the COM port of the EXA-PROG. If you don
’t know ex-
actly which COM port is used by your EXA-PROG you can
identify it simply by comparing the COM port list before and
after plugging the programmers into the PC.
3. Select the voltage (power).
4. Set the DIP switches on the programmer according to the
pattern shown.
5. Remove all wires from the EXA-PROG programming con-
nector.
6. Push the button
“Start Test“. All ports are now queried one
after the other and the signal levels are measured.
For the test please leave the programming port of the pro-
grammer unconnected. There may not be any connections to
a microcontroller or an external circuit.
Via the tab “UPDATE” you can also make an update of your EXA-
PROG
’s firmware if this is necessary.
POSITIVE:
If all signal levels are ok the programming problem is probably located in the connection to the microcontroller or the reason
is an incorrectly set programming software.
NEGATIVE:
In case the test is negative, first check if the right voltage was selected and if the DIP switches on the EXA-PROG agree
with the switch position which gets displayed. Are there really no external components connected to the programming port?
Also check the USB voltage with a multimeter by setting DIP switch 1 to ON and measuring the voltage between PIN2
(plus) and PIN10 (minus) at the programming port. This power level must be between 4.5V and 5.2V.
If, despite all tests and further checks, it turns out that your EXA-PROG is defective please contact the seller you bought it
from. Please always give the exact error description and perhaps a screenshot of the EXA-PROG tool.
PREVENTIVE:
Unfortunately, it happens again and again that the programming adapter gets destroyed throughout experiments with the
programming of microcontrollers. That also happens to absolute experts which is why they usually have another program-
mer as a reserve so that the current project does not get slowed down. In order to prevent the defect of a programmer you
should note the following things:
Always connect the GND line (PIN10 of the programming port) to the circuit first in which there is the microcontroller
that is to be programmed. So there is a potential equalization between the programmer and the circuit.
Do not connect output signals on the programming connector (e.g. PIN1, PIN3, PIN5, PIN7) directly to GND or to
the power supply. The output drivers could get destroyed.
Make sure that that the pins on the programming connector are not exposed to a higher voltage than the voltage
set on DIP switch 1.
