64 replies to this topic

[nbruk]

Hi all,

 

I'm trying to install and configure Pinscape on the KL25Z - the initial install using the programming port appears to go fine, but when prompted to connect to the joystick port at step 5 the config utility doesn't detect the board. I've tried the reset, reinstalling the firmware, a different cable, 2 cables at once but nothing helps.

 

I did read about issues with Win 10 here: https://www.vpforums...showtopic=44005, and I've followed the instructions to add the registry key but I'm still getting the same issue.

 

It's a brand new board - the newer shape with square corners and USB C ports.

 

Any ideas please?

Edited by nbruk, 03 March 2025 - 05:26 PM.

[mjr]

There’s been another report of the same thing. My guess based on the one report is that they changed something in this new run that makes it incompatible with the Pinscape software.  SInce you’re seeing the same symptom, I’m getting more confident that’s what’s going on.  Apparently NXP kept the KL25Z name but is actually selling a somewhat different board, which seems misleading at best.  (In fact, my initial reaction on seeing the physical changes to the board is that these aren’t NXP boards at all, but some counterfeiter passing them off as NXP boards.  But the packaging looked legitimate on the first example, and it came from a perfectly reputable distributor, so I think it actually is NXP that’s at fault here.)

 

Out of curiosity, does your copy of the board have an accelerometer chip installed?  That’s the other change, based on the other report - the MMA8451Q chip that they formerly used as the accelerometer is no longer in production, and we’re all guessing that they “solved” this problem by just not installing an accelerometer on these new boards.  But we’ve only seen one example so far so it could just be a fluke.  If you could take a close look at your board and see if there’s a chip installed on the pads marked ACCEL, that would be another data point.

Edited by mjr, 03 March 2025 - 06:08 PM.

[nbruk]

Thanks for the quick response mjr. Just checked - I can see the pads marked ACCEL but there doesn't appear to be a chip.

 

Do you think I should return the board if possible?

[mjr]

>  I can see the pads marked ACCEL but there doesn't appear to be a chip.

 

Thanks for checking.  Probably not a fluke, then.  They must have made a deliberate decision to just ditch the accelerometer.  It really doesn't seem honest of them to label these boards "FRDM-KL25Z" if so.

 

> Do you think I should return the board if possible?

Unfortunately, yeah, that's what I'd do.  The USB problem is probably fixable, but it would take some work to investigate, and I'm not sure it's worth the effort if they're shipping these boards without accelerometers.  That was a key feature that made the (original) KL25Z such a great platform for virtual pinball.

 

You might take a look at the new Pinscape Pico project. It's still immature, so it might not be what you're looking for, but it's meant to be the long-term replacement for the KL25Z verison.  There are a couple of other Pico projects out there as well, such as Arnoz's Dude's Cab.

 

https://github.com/mjrgh/PinscapePico/

[nbruk]

Thanks again mjr - will take a look at the Pinscape Pico project you linked to.

My main drivers for going with the KL25Z were the nudge and physical plunger features.

[mjr]

> My main drivers for going with the KL25Z were the nudge and physical plunger features.

 

I think that's true for a lot of people, which is what makes it so disappointing that the accelerometer is missing from the new boards.

 

Can I ask where you bought the board?  The first example we've seen here was from Farnell.  I want to add a warning to my KL25Z project pages about this new batch, and it would be good to include who's selling them.

[nbruk]

Yep - I got mine from CPC/Farnell too. Interestingly the pic is of the old board type, and they still list the accelerometer as a feature on the site: https://cpc.farnell....C12826?st=kl25z

[mjr]

> Yep - I got mine from CPC/Farnell too.

 

Thanks.  I just checked DigiKey and Mouser to see if they're showing new stock - Mouser yes, DigiKey no.  Mouser hasn't had any in stock for at least three years, so this is undoubtedly from the same new batch.

 

> Interestingly the pic is of the old board type, and they still list the accelerometer as a feature on the site: https://cpc.farnell....C12826?st=kl25z

 

Indeed.  I don't think it's Farnell's fault at all, though.  NXP hasn't updated anything on their site to suggest the changes, either, and Mouser is still linking to the "data sheet" (more of a marketing brochure) that shows the rounded corners, mini-B USB ports, and accelerometer installed.  This seems like a screw-up by someone at NXP.

Edited by mjr, 03 March 2025 - 08:26 PM.

[R23D2]

Hello,

I bought one here in February this year: https://www.amazon.c...ed_asin_title_1 just to have a spear part.

I just programmed it successfully, it also has a chip at the ACCEL-pad.

Last year in April I fried my frist one and the replacement I bought at this link: https://www.amazon.c...ed_asin_title_2

It also has the ACCEL-chip.

[Suikazz]

Hello,

I bought one here in February this year: https://www.amazon.c...ed_asin_title_1 just to have a spear part.

I just programmed it successfully, it also has a chip at the ACCEL-pad.

Last year in April I fried my frist one and the replacement I bought at this link: https://www.amazon.c...ed_asin_title_2

It also has the ACCEL-chip.

is the recent one from february of the new design or an old one with rounded corners and mini-usb?

[R23D2]

 

Hello,

I bought one here in February this year: https://www.amazon.c...ed_asin_title_1 just to have a spear part.

I just programmed it successfully, it also has a chip at the ACCEL-pad.

Last year in April I fried my frist one and the replacement I bought at this link: https://www.amazon.c...ed_asin_title_2

It also has the ACCEL-chip.

is the recent one from february of the new design or an old one with rounded corners and mini-usb?

 

 

It is the old one!

[R23D2]

@nbruk

have you considered checking out Arnoz?

[GobbledygookPinball]

I got one from a reputable eBay seller but it turned out to be the new board missing the accelerometer. Sure it wasn't their fault based on what's being said above, and they took it back for a full refund including return postage.

 

Onto something else then as I don't fancy building around an old board. I had a quick look at the Pico project but got confused, if I want a basic set of buttons (flippers, magna, navigation), a plunger and accelerometer, is that all handled with a single Pico board?

[mjr]

 I had a quick look at the Pico project but got confused, if I want a basic set of buttons (flippers, magna, navigation), a plunger and accelerometer, is that all handled with a single Pico board?

 

Yes, except that the Pico doesn't have an on-board accelerometer, so you'll need an external one.  The easiest one to use at the moment is probably LIS3DH, since you can buy a nice little breakout board for that from Adafruit or Sparkfun for about $5.  It's pretty easy to hook up with the breakout board, but it's not as neatly self-contained as the KL25Z, obviously, so I wouldn't recommend it unless you're comfortable with a little DIY wiring and configuration work.  The downside of "highly configurable" is that you have to configure it.  The plunger connection will also require custom wiring.

 

As for buttons, the Pico has 26 exposed GPIO ports.  You'll need two of those for the accelerometer, and if you're going with a potentiometer-based plunger, you'll need one more GPIO for that.  If you don't plan on any feedback devices, that will leave 23 GPIO ports that you can use for button inputs.  That's enough for a pretty well-equipped pin cab.  If you wanted to add even more buttons, or if you plan on also adding feedback devices, things get more complicated - you'd probably want to look into some kind of expansion board setup.  But for the simple configuration you described, the Pico + LIS3DH + potentiometer should be all you need.

But even so, it's not a nice retail solution that you can just take out of the box and start using.  If you can find an original KL25Z, that's a bit less work to set up.  And there are a few actual retail options you can look at as well, such as Arnoz's boards.

[GobbledygookPinball]

Thanks so much for the additional input regarding the potential of the Pico. I shall have another read now I've got that concept straight.

The Dude's Cab and the PinOne are both on my radar as well but they both get quite costly when considering how to get them both to the UK.

[mjr]

The Dude's Cab and the PinOne are both on my radar as well but they both get quite costly when considering how to get them both to the UK.

 

Yeah, I can imagine, international shipping is insanely expensive these days.  And it's tough to beat the Pico on price even before shipping.  I have to admire the care that went into designing a great little microcontroller that they could afford to sell at $4 a unit.

If you do get a Pico to try out, feel free to ask here if you need help getting it configured once you've figure out the basic setup you want.  It's new enough that there aren't any tutorials yet, and I know it's a slog to go through the gigantic JSON configuration reference manual.

[nbruk]

Hi mjr, I'm setting up Pico Pinscape but hit a snag - tried posting on the Github Q&A for support but they don't get published in Discussions for some reason.

 

Could you take a look and let me know what you think please: https://github.com/m.../discussions/19

 

Thanks, nbr_uk

[mjr]

> ... but they don't get published in Discussions for some reason.

 

It looks like github is taking that literally - the page you linked is giving me a 404.  I'm guessing your github login isn't working, or something like that.

[nbruk]

> ... but they don't get published in Discussions for some reason.

 

It looks like github is taking that literally - the page you linked is giving me a 404.  I'm guessing your github login isn't working, or something like that.

 

Strangely I can still see the post - seem to be logged in fine but certainly seems account related. Details of the issue are:

 

I've connected my VCNL4010 proximity sensor VIN, GND, SCL and SDA pins to the 3.3v, GND, I2C0 SCL and I2C0 SDA pins on the Pico, uncommented lines 695 to 699 in the config to use the VCNL4010 and used the "Save to Pico" option, but the plunger still shows blank for sensor type.

I've rebooted the Pico and the config still shows in the json, but still showing blank.

In the log it shows "invalid/undefined I2C bus", however there is a value of 0 by default so should be valid. I've also used the right-click "check for errors" option on the code section and it shows success.

Is this likely to be a hardware issue? The log makes me think it's the config but I've used the default.

 

Any ideas on how to resolve please?

[mjr]

I’m guessing that you didn’t enable I2C0. Find the comment block for i2c0:, uncomment it, and fill in the GPIOs you’re using.