Introduction

This document describes how to set up your HandyBoard microcontroller so that you can download programs from either Macintosh or Microsoft based personal computers.

The HandyBoard

The HandyBoard is a simple computer in a small package. It is powered by a Motorola 68HC11 microprocessor and can hold up to 32k of information in battery backed RAM. The basic HandyBoard has four motor outputs, numbered 0-3, 9 digital inputs numbered 7-15, one of which can optionally drive a servo, and 7 analog inputs numbered 0-6. If your HandyBoard includes an expansion board, only 5 analog inputs (2-6) are available on the main board, but more analog inputs are provided on ports 16-23, along with support for up to six standard servos.

The Buttons

The HandyBoard is provided with two buttons on the surface, labeled the “Start” and “Stop” buttons. These buttons are programmable—you can use them in your program to obtain input, but they perform two functions that are not obvious from their labeling if the HandyBoard is powered on with either of these buttons depressed. Turning the HandyBoard on with the “Start” button held down will cause any program stored in memory not to be run. The normal behavior is for the HandyBoard to automatically run the program stored in memory. Turning the HandyBoard on with the “Stop” button held down will put the board in download mode. When the Board is in download mode, the program will not be run, and the firmware (see below) can be added or replaced.

Power

The HandyBoard is powered by a NiCd rechargeable battery pack, which is housed in the plastic case below the board. It is charged by the AC adapter, which can be connected directly to the handy board or through the interface box. When connected to the interface box, you have a choice of charge modes: normal, or zap. Normal mode trickle-charges the batteries. A trickle-charge takes longer, but there is no chance of damage to the batteries. Zap mode provides a faster charge (zero to full charge in ~ 1 hour) at the expense of battery life. If you leave the HandyBoard charging on normal mode overnight, you will do no harm. But if you leave the handy board charging on zap for even a couple hours, you will overheat and kill the battery! When you plug in the HandyBoard charger, make sure the yellow LED is on. This indicates normal charging mode.

Setup

The HandyBoard setup consists of: HandyBoard, 4-pin modular cord, 9 to 24 pin serial port cable, Serial Interface Box, 12V DC adapter, and the Interactive C Software (not shown).

Figure 1. The HandyBoard with components connected.

Physical Connections

The HandyBoard communicates with its host computer by means of an interface box to a serial port. The interface box has connections for the battery charger, 25 pin serial cable, and 4-pin modular cable. Start by plugging in the battery charger. Then connect the HandyBoard to the Interface with the modular cable.

Serial Ports: PC

A serial port allows a computer to communicate with other devices, such as modems, or mice. Nearly all Intel based PCs have at least two serial ports usually labeled COMM1 and COMM2. You should first connect the serial-port cable to one of these ports on the backside of your computer. Newer PCs may only have a USB port, in which case you will need to add an USB-to-Serial adapter. You should plug the small end of the beige serial cable shown in figure 1 into one of these ports. Try to make a note of which port you select.

Serial Ports: Mac

Macintosh computers used to come with two built-in serial ports usually labeled the “printer” port and the “modem” port. However, Apple has not shipped Macs with serial ports since the introduction of the iMac. Instead, new Macintosh computers are equipped with USB ports, for which USB-to-Serial adapters can be purchased. For users of these Macs, we suggest the Keyspan line of serial adapters, as they have given the best results during our testing of IC. If you do have an USB-only Mac, then install your serial port adapter first. In most cases, you can do this without restarting. If everything went well during the adapter installation, IC 4 will see the new serial port just as it would see a built-in serial port.

If you have an older PowerMac, plug the round end of the serial cable into a free port on your Mac. If you have successfully installed a USB serial adapter, it may require a 9-pin trapezoidal serial connector like that used with a PC. You will want to make a note of the port that you choose. To determine the port name on an USB serial adapter, refer to the instructions that came with it. The ports on an older Mac are labeled with pictures—one looks like a printer, and the other looks like a phone with ones and zeros coming out of it. The former represents the printer port, and the later represents the modem port.

Installing IC

Before you can continue, you need to have the IC application installed on your computer. The IC application program can be obtained from http://www.kipr.org/ic/, or on the BotBall CD. Find the directory that pertains to your computer and operating system, and copy the installer file to your hard drive. Run the installer file, and follow the instructions on the screen.

These installation instructions differ slightly for the Macintosh: If installing from the above address, first download and decompress the archive. To do this you will need Stuffit Expander, from Aladdin systems (http://www.aladdinsys.com/), which is probably already installed on your computer. If installing from CD, just drag the application folder to a suitable location on your hard drive.

Firmware

Before the HandyBoard can be used with IC, it must have the proper firmware: that is, the firmware version number must match the version number of the IC software. To use a HandyBoard with IC version 4.01, it must have firmware version 4.01. If the firmware version does not match, IC will not recognize the HandyBoard. This means that IC 4 will not work with firmware provided by the older versions of Interactive C. To tell what type of firmware is installed, turn on the board. If the firmware is compatible with IC 4.01, you will see “IC 4.01” on the top line of the screen, and something like “Handy Board 1.2” on the bottom of the screen. If the version number does not match, or no identification shows on the display, then you will need to replace the firmware.

To replace the firmware, open the IC application.

Click “HandyBoard” when the above dialog appears. Then select “Download Firmware” from the “Tools” menu. IC will prompt you for the serial port.

Select the port to which the HandyBoard is connected. If you don’t know, just guess. Then follow all the instructions on the screen. A status bar like the one shown below will then appear. The bar should begin moving to the right.

It will take around two to three minutes to complete the download. Go get a cup of coffee or soda or something while you wait. The HandyBoard will beep twice when the download is completed and IC will load the libraries. You will then be ready to program.

If the progress bar doesn’t move for about 10 seconds, another dialog will appear to tell you that the download failed. Just hit "OK". You will then be back at the serial port selection dialog box. Try a different serial port. If it works, you will be ready to program. If it fails, then the HandyBoard is not connected properly. Check all connections, pay close attention to the instructions on the screen, and try it again.

Conclusion

If you followed all the instructions in this document, you should now be ready to program your HandyBoard. If you are new to computer programming, follow the link to the Programming Tutorial, which describes the basics of C programming. If you want more information on using Interactive C, follow the link to the IC 4 tutorial, which describes how to use IC 4 in conjunction with an RCX or HandyBoard. When you are comfortable with both IC 4 and the C programming language, you can follow the link to the first activity.