I am having trouble using FT232RL Tiny Breakout board.I have used the break out board with some success. Now it will not communicate at all. I see the break out board giving three short burst but no response from the board. I have wrote a few programs and it executed it fine.Now I have changed computers and had issues talking to the R board. I thought it was the usb driver and installed a new driver. after about after two DAYS 100 tries I was able to upload to the Rboard. Now all of sudden it will not work again. PERHAPS AFTER A MICROSOFT UPDATE. I might have a bad programmer, how would I check? When I had success I had installed a driver from the arduino drivers folder. and it asked me to shut my computer down to activate. but now when I install a driver it will not ask me to shut down the computer   . any suggestions.

Ok i have eliminated the Rboard. I have used my brothers laptop and the Rboard behaved great!. I also took a look at a few things. It does not matter if I use the usbtiny or let it default to the arduino program it still works on that computer. this computer also overrides the baud rate to 57600 when uploading. and it was also programmed on a usb 3.0. so this debunked 3 of my thoughts.Thanks.

I have an Rboard from Iteadstudios that has a duemilanove bootloader loaded on it from Itead . This board has only been around for six months and unfortunatly has no following, but It would work perfect for me If I can get it to communicate. I have had an issue before loading programs on it but I have since figured it out. My lap top died and I now have a new cheaper quad core amd with windows 7 on it. My mega 2650 works fine on this computer. My Rboard will not communicate  I have seen this error message in hundreds of places in the forums and have read every post on google.... I am frusterated at this point. My Com. port is right my programmer and board was selected correctly even though I still see the arduino programmer below in the message center regardless of the programmer that I select. The baud rate is always at 57600, not at the 9600 that I have set the com port to. Will this board Handle this Baud rate? and if Not how can I keep it from overriding. The new computer also comes with usb 3.0, will this make a difference? I have one more piece of info. I did the serial test by grounding the reset and and jumping the rx tx pins and it definately is not commumicating, but every time I go to the tools menu it seems as if it is resetting the mcu because the program that I have on there toggles a relay by a sensor, if the relay is on it will go off for asecond when I I select the tools menu? Strange but true! this maybe when it checks the comms and it might turn the comm on and off again?There must be some advance settings in the computer that I have not figured out. I feel that I have exhausted my resources so I need some Help. thanks in advance.

Code:

         
System wide configuration file is "C:\Users\weldsmith\Documents\arduino-1.0.2\hardware/tools/avr/etc/avrdude.conf"
         Using Port                    : \\.\COM3
         Using Programmer              : arduino
         Overriding Baud Rate          : 57600
avrdude: Send: 0 [30]   [20]
avrdude: Send: 0 [30]   [20]
avrdude: Send: 0 [30]   [20]
avrdude: Recv:
[glow=yellow,2,300]avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00[/glow]
avrdude done.  Thank you.

Have you thought of using an encoder or home made rotary pulser. and compare the drive signal to the feed back signal. This is a bit crude but it would be an easy blockage detector. This sounds like a neat project but there is no one way to do this one. have fun!

The diagram is close, minus the limit switches and diodes. connect the right relay to the motor lead and you have the motor circuit.  then add two photo sensors to two different inputs on my Rboard and you have the full circuit. I am 99 percent sure this is not a wiring issue. That is why I posted this in the programming section. I must have a syntax thingy or something wrong.Please tell this rookie what is wrong. I will keep playing with it. This program is a small portion of a larger programming project and I am trying to take baby steps. once I can run the motor in reverse by placing an object in front of sensor 4 and go in reverse and then go forward by interrupting sensor 5 I will expand this program. Thanks!!

Guys, thanks for responding I do apologize for not telling you what the problem is. I was in a hurry to get it in and I missed the point. Let's try again.

Only one relay will turn on as the sensor is blocked. as it should. and the second sensor should turn on the other relay but it does not. I did check input data with using serial window. and it does not matter if the relays are on at the same time because it will just insert 12Volts to both sides of the motor windings resulting in a braking action which is what I intended to do. I did try to include some of the call outs in the same line to reduce code and could not get that to work either.

I have a dc motor that I am trying to start and stop with a limit. I am turning the motor on by using two DPST relays. on both relays the N.C. terminal has +12V terminated and the N.O. contact for both relays have -12V connected to them. when both relays are deenergized at the same time it will produce a -12V signal on the center pole in which I have the motor legs connected to. turn relay a on and it gives one leg a positive charge and goes forward. if you energize relay B and release A the polarities will change and the motor will run the other direction. release both and the -12 volts on both legs produce a break. (a diagram would have been easier but I do not have that option right now). I have two limit swithces that I have connected to my board. I got one limit to turn on one relay but the other relay will not come on. I have attached code below.could someone please help!

Code:

const int tcrt1Pin = A4; // connected to the TCRT5000 C pin
const int forward = 4; // operates on board relay #4
const int tcrt2Pin = A5; // connected to the TCRT5000 C pin
const int Reverse = 5; // operates on board relay #3

// variables will change:
int tcrt1State = 0; // variable for reading the TCRT5000 status
int tcrt2State = 1;

void setup() {
// initialize the LED pin as an output:
pinMode(forward, OUTPUT);
pinMode(Reverse, OUTPUT);

// initialize the tcrt5000 pin as an input, and turn on the internal pullup resistors:
pinMode(tcrt1Pin, INPUT);
digitalWrite(tcrt1Pin, HIGH);
pinMode(tcrt2Pin, INPUT);
digitalWrite(tcrt2Pin, HIGH);

}
void loop(){
// read the state of the tcrt5000:
tcrt1State = digitalRead(tcrt1Pin);
// check if the tcrt5000 sensor detects something.
// if it is, the tcrtState is high:
if (tcrt1State == LOW) {
// turn motor off:
digitalWrite(forward, LOW);
}
else {
// turn forward relay on:
digitalWrite(forward, HIGH);
}
{

 // read the state of the tcrt5000:
 tcrt2State = digitalRead(tcrt2Pin);
 // check if the tcrt5000 sensor detects something.
 // if it is, the tcrtState is high:
 if (tcrt2State == LOW) {
 // turn motor off:
 digitalWrite(Reverse, LOW);
}
else {
  // turn forward relay on:
  digitalWrite(Reverse, HIGH);
 }
}
}

Moderator edit: Tags corrected

No this circuit actully will not short circuit. It is a circuit that I have come up with using two relays to have three modes forward/brake/and/reverse.
if both relays came on at the same time you would have the same 12 volt + going to each side of the motor. and when both relays are off it has - 12volts on each side. When I get more time I will make a little diagram and post. In the mean time can anyone help me with my code. it may be simple for some I am new to the arduino IDE.

Hello all,

Project explanation
Using an Rboard (atmega328) I am trying to use a reflective sensor that turns on reverse motor relay and second reflective sensor would turn on forward relay.

project progress
I have sucessfully written a program that turned on the reverse relay when I ran my finger in front of tcrt1sensor. Then modified this program to add the second sensor and relay that does not work.
The reverse sensor still works as it did but the other relay will not come on. I have tested the sensor, if I swap the two sensors it will operate the rev. relay. So the mechanical aspect has been proofed. I have included code below Thanks for your help

Code:

const int tcrt1Pin = A4; // connected to the TCRT5000 C pin
const int forward = 4; // operates on board relay #4
const int tcrt2Pin = A5; // connected to the TCRT5000 C pin
const int Reverse = 5; // operates on board relay #3

// variables will change:
int tcrt1State = 0; // variable for reading the TCRT5000 status
int tcrt2State = 1;

void setup() {
// initialize the LED pin as an output:
pinMode(forward, OUTPUT);
pinMode(Reverse, OUTPUT);

// initialize the tcrt5000 pin as an input, and turn on the internal pullup resistors:
pinMode(tcrt1Pin, INPUT);
digitalWrite(tcrt1Pin, HIGH);
pinMode(tcrt2Pin, INPUT);
digitalWrite(tcrt2Pin, HIGH);

}
void loop(){
// read the state of the tcrt5000:
tcrt1State = digitalRead(tcrt1Pin);
// check if the tcrt5000 sensor detects something.
// if it is, the tcrtState is high:
if (tcrt1State == LOW) {
// turn motor off:
digitalWrite(forward, LOW);
}
else {
// turn forward relay on:
digitalWrite(forward, HIGH);
}
{

 // read the state of the tcrt5000:
 tcrt2State = digitalRead(tcrt2Pin);
 // check if the tcrt5000 sensor detects something.
 // if it is, the tcrtState is high:
 if (tcrt2State == LOW) {
 // turn motor off:
 digitalWrite(Reverse, LOW);
}
else {
  // turn forward relay on:
  digitalWrite(Reverse, HIGH);
 }
}
}

I just tried what you have suggested no good! The foca does have tx and rx LEDs. There was not an attempt to light up when I tried to load the program? wierd so I thought I would just load a blinking light program on to the board and it worked. Go figure! why would it load and not light up the RX and TX LEDs? John thanks alot for your help!

It does recognize it I can go to the device manager and I can see what port it is on (port 7). It says it recognizes it as a FT232R usb uart. the arduino IDE brings the #7 port up as an option even.

I have looked at hand bag and may use it to play with but, it seems a quality app creation is not an option. I could be completely wrong, I only skimmed the APP when I looked at it. I found out about the ADK boards after I bought a mega 2560. I believe there are only a few minor differences. I am not opposed to buying one for this project. What the heck it's only Money.

Good Point! I have been aware of the memory limits. I think I will be fine. I will be using the Rboard with Xbee on board each motor unit. The programming on each unit is minimal (see a signal move the motor until a limit is reached and get a signal and move it again, send a signal wirelessly back letting the base unit know it has acuated). There will be an adruino Mega 2560 with a dual bee shield with Xbee and wifi bee on this base unit. This is the unit that will be the coordinator for all of the units and it will talk to the android device via wifi. The 2560 will carry the bulk of the code that it needs for that mode of operation. Now the fuzzy part starts. The serial communication between the 2560 and the android with two different languages. Ultimately I would like the android to download new programs to the 2560 to change the mode of operation. The android would carry all of the unused code and only load to the 2560 as needed. is there some sort of translator? Maybe it is the handbag app or something alike?

I have an isp device. it is a USB Tiny, Itried that first but did not work so I tried several other things.When I plug in my Rboard to the computer the computer chimes in as if it knows its there but I still can not get it to load.

Foca v2.1 : FT232RL Tiny Breakout (Port 7) was verified I tried every programmer that arduino had in the drop down menu. I have an error that reads      avrdude: Error: Could not find USBtiny device (0x1781/0xc9f)
This is a relay board and is not typical of the unos and the others on this site. it should have the Duemilanove bootloader. I have checked the trouble shooting guide and have come up short.The device manager recognizes it and says it is working properly. I do see two quick tx and rx lights com on when I connect the USB. The power lights are on,but Nobody is home. Please help.

I can understand where you are coming from. I am new and do have an ambitious project.

I am not some one who wants to light up a few LEDs I have done that, the blinking LED and even used the pwm to brighten and dim an LED. I will continue to tinker. All I want to know is when I am tinkering with the Arduino IDE am I using an environment that will interface with the android platform or should I start with something else that maybe universal for the two platforms.