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ShendoXT / memcarduino

Arduino PlayStation 1 Memory Card reader
GNU General Public License v3.0
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Read error: check connections #12

Closed DieKatzchen closed 6 years ago

DieKatzchen commented 6 years ago

I cannot get this thing to read a card. I'm using an official card, I can put my multimeter into the card slot and read continuity all the way to the correct pin on the chip, and only that pin, and my 3.6v line reads rock stable 3.614v. I don't know what else I can check. It's an elegoo brand nano clone, using a ch340 for the serial chip... could that be it? MemcardRex correctly identifies it as a memcarduino v0.4, though.

TheBlueTroll commented 6 years ago

well if memcardrex can identify it as v0.4, its on the latest version, and it more then likely is a issue with either elegoo brand nano clone or with how its wired to the memcard. Double check that all the wires are in the correct pin numbers. also be aware that the card uses a significant amount of power on the 3.6 line.

also if memcardrex can tell its v0.4 then it can read the arduino fine, irrespective of the ch340.

if it continues to not work, you could try using the provided python script to try and test reading the card. it does require downloading python2 and installing pyserial via pip, but i've used it to test reading cards with much more description than memcardrex's read card, and it saves the card allowing you to edit it with memcardrex as well.

DieKatzchen commented 6 years ago

I did that and I got error: mc read failure, check connections. I've tested continuity all the way from the chip to test pads on the memcard, and double checked that I have the correct pins multiple times. I guess the next step is to test it with my genuine Uno and see if that works.

TheBlueTroll commented 6 years ago

Well mc read failure means that when the arduino tried to read the memory card it got nothing back. How are you generating the 3.6volt for the card? Is the supply dipping when the card starts reading? Whats the voltage when the card is attempted to read?

DieKatzchen commented 6 years ago

I'm using a 3.6v linear regulator. I thought that might be it too, but when I put my multimeter on it and issued a read request it stayed at 3.614v rock steady.

TheBlueTroll commented 6 years ago

i've looked up the nano, the pins are the same for the spi interface, and as covered in issue #6 and #7 , arduino nano's and clone nano's have been known to work, but being a cheap clone i would suspect that potentially one of the spi pins (pins 10,11,12,13)may not be functional, and that would result in reading failure. and again, check that your wiring matches http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jV7QoFBGHLg/Ucm9LsFZRzI/AAAAAAAAADo/7Brq8LHLKzQ/s1600/MemCARDuino.png because if it doesnt, it WILL cause this exact error.

pins 10 thru 13 are critical, pin 2 can be optional but recommended, and i have a working reader on my desk right now following those instructions.

DieKatzchen commented 6 years ago

Wait, I had it wired to chip pins 10-13 and 2. I didn't realize it meant D10-D13 and D2. That explains so much.

TheBlueTroll commented 6 years ago

Soo its working fine now? Nice. :)

DieKatzchen commented 6 years ago

Well, I just got off work so i haven't tested it yet, but I suspect that will fix it. Somehow I never realized that the pin definitions are based on functionality and not bare metal pin numbers.

DieKatzchen commented 6 years ago

Yup. Confirmed working now. Luckily, I wired it so wrong I didn't have to clear the solder out of the holes. Because nothing I had hooked up was supposed to be hooked up at all.

TheBlueTroll commented 6 years ago

yeah, its fairly common to refer to the pin numbers as found on http://www.pighixxx.com/test/pinouts/boards/nano.pdf not by physical but by the silkscreen. i.e pin 13 refers to D13 and not D9

DieKatzchen commented 6 years ago

That makes way more sense. This way you don't have to refer to a chart every time you use a different board. The spi pins will always be pins 10-13. The compiler does the work of figuring out what physical pin you're talking about.