Parallax 27150 User manual

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Copyright © Parallax Inc. P8X32A-Q44 SchmartBoard (#27150) v1.2 9/10/2009 Page 1 of 9
P8X32A-Q44 SchmartBoard (#27150)
Want to learn how to surface solder but don’t know where to start? Parallax Inc has partnered with
SchmartBoard to bring an easy electronic circuit prototyping system in the form of a kit. This kit is a
perfect starting point; the SchmartBoard technology makes surface mount soldering easy. Once
completed, the board will host Parallax's most powerful microcontroller on this convenient development
platform, allowing access to all 32 I/O pins of the multi-core Propeller chip.
This board is designed to accommodate either surface mount or through-hole components in some
circuits. Wherever there is an option, both types of components have been included. The surface mount
soldering options, while more challenging, provides easier access to the J5 header.
Features
yPropeller microcontroller
yHeaders for easy access to the I/O pins
for prototyping
yAC barrel jack for power supply
convenience
ySchmartboard technology for easy
surface mount soldering
y3.3 & 5.0 VDC on-board regulators
ySurface mount and through-hole
component configuration options
Key Specifications
yPower requirements: 6 to 9 VDC
yCommunication: Serial for programming
via Prop Plug (not included)
yOperating temperature: -32 to +158 °F (-0 to +70 °C)
yDimensions: 2 x 2 x 0.56 in (50.60 x 50.60 x 14.45 mm)
Precautions
yPlease read entire document before beginning assembly.
yTake all the necessary precautions for handling a hot soldering iron, solder, and soldering
equipment, including a well ventilated work area and proper safety gear including eye protection.
yDo not power unit until all parts are attached.
yCheck soldering joints throughout the project, this will help ensure no cold solder joints have
been overlooked; and help when it comes to troubleshooting.

Copyright © Parallax Inc. P8X32A-Q44 SchmartBoard (#27150) v1.2 9/10/2009 Page 2 of 9
Warning
Any attempt to assemble or complete this kit voids any warranty that is covered by Parallax Inc. and/or
SchmartBoard. Inspect your board carefully for manufacturing flaws before proceeding. If you have
questions regarding assembly please review the steps and if further questions arise you can call our
Technical Support staff at 888-997-8267 and they will be happy to help with your questions.
Bill of Materials
Please refer to the schematic appended to the end of this PDF for the Location Used references.
Part # Description Quantity Location Used
150-01031 Resistor, 10 k[ brown, black, orange ] 2 R2, R3
150-04710 Resistor, 470 [ yellow, violet, brown ] 1 R1
150-11031 Resistor, 10 kSMT* 2 R2, R3
150-14712 Resistor, 470 SMT* 1 R1
200-11503 Capacitor, 10 µF * 3 C1, C2, C3
201-01050 Capacitor, 1 µF electrolytic 1 C4
201-01062 Capacitor, 10 µF electrolytic 3 C1, C2, C3
213-01051 Capacitor, 1 µF SMT* 1 C4
251-05000 5 MHz Crystal 1 Y1
300-27150 PCB SchmartBoard 1 N/A
350-00006 LED-Red - T1 1 D1
350-10001 LED-Red 0603 SMT* 1 D1
400-00025 Push Button 1 SW1
451-00201 2-Pin Header [ single row ] 1 J3
451-01002 10-pin SIP Socket 4 J5, J6, J7, J8
451-04001 40-pin SIP Header [ optional header ] 1 J5, J6, J7, J8
451-04002 4-pin Header [ right angle ] 1 J2
452-00007 Power Jack [ 2.1mm ] 1 J1
601-10335 3.3 Voltage Regulator [ 17-33 ] SMT 1 U4
601-10340 5.0 Voltage Regulator [ 117-5 ] SMT 1 U3
700-00037 PCB Rubber Feet 1 Underside of PCB
602-10001 512K EEPROM 1 U2
P8X32A-Q44 Propeller Chip [ P8X32A-Q44 ] 1 U1
* These SMT are surface-mount options for the corresponding through-hole parts supplied.
Tools Required (Not Included)
•Basic soldering iron with 2.4 mm soldering tip
•Lead-Free Solder (with or without resin core)
•Standard flux
•70% or higher isopropyl alcohol & cleaning utensils (soft bristled brush works nice)
•Probe soldering tool (or other non conductive tool)
•Helping Hands tool w/ magnifier (not needed, but helpful)
•Soldering Wick
•Wire Cutters

Copyright © Parallax Inc. P8X32A-Q44 SchmartBoard (#27150) v1.2 9/10/2009 Page 3 of 9
Assembly Instructions
This kit can be assembled in two ways; using mostly surface mount or through-hole parts. This set of
instructions covers the through-hole component options where available; for those interested in a
challenge you can use the surface mount parts in place of the through-hole parts to complete the project.
Step 1: Unpack contents of package and
compare with the Bill of Materials above to
ensure all parts are accounted for. If any
parts are missing, contact Parallax directly
(contact information is at the top of the first
page).
Step 2: Wash the PCB with alcohol to clean
the surface of any grease or oils, and allow it
to dry before soldering.
Step 3: Solder is in place on the board for U1
and U2.
Place the P8X32A-Q44 on its pad (U1) so the
Pin 1 indicator on the chip and on the board
are matched, and the legs of the chip are
aligned with solder grooves.
Then, add some flux.
(To position the chip you can use tape or a
non-conductive tool like the one shown;
which worked very well.)

Copyright © Parallax Inc. P8X32A-Q44 SchmartBoard (#27150) v1.2 9/10/2009 Page 4 of 9
Step 4: Carefully solder each chip leg to the
SchmartBoard, by pushing the solder from the
outside of the groove to the chip leg; hold
iron by pad about 2-3 seconds.
You do not need to add any solder to this
step. Put the soldering iron tip in the first
electronic pad groove at the outside point of
the groove and push it forward until it
touches the chip leg. Do not put pressure in a
downward position; the solder will melt and
be pushed towards the leg. Do this in each
groove that has a leg.
Step 5: Repeat Steps 3 to 5 to solder the
EEPROM chip (U2) as you did the P8X32A
chip.
Step 6: Open the P8X32A SchmartBoard
Schematic.pdf; this will be a reference while
assembling.
Each of the parts that you will install from
here out will need the appropriate portions of
solder and flux; depending on the type of
solder you use will determine the heat needed
for the soldering iron; please see solder
package for details. The SchmartBoard uses
lead-free solder and is suggested as the type
to use.

Copyright © Parallax Inc. P8X32A-Q44 SchmartBoard (#27150) v1.2 9/10/2009 Page 5 of 9
Step 7: Following the schematic, you can
identify each part placement on the board; for
example, C4 is a 1 µF capacitor and R3 is a 10
kresistor. You may notice that there are 2
components for many of the connections; this
is because there are two styles of components
for this kit.
Do not connect both the surface mount
and through-hole components for a
given location, as that will alter the
operation of the whole unit.
A good rule when soldering is start from the
inside and work out, so I am starting wit the 5
MHz crystal and work clock-wise, leaving the
header pieces for last.
Step 8: The next components to put on will
be the capacitors and regulators.
C1 - 10 µF capacitor
C4 - 1 µF capacitor
U3 - 5 V regulator
U4 - 3.3 V regulator
The regulator with “117-5” etched on it is the
5 volt regulator and should be soldered on
U3.
Step 9: Continue soldering on the following
components.
C3 - 10 µF capacitor
C2 - 10 µF capacitor
R1 - 470 resistor
D1 - Red LED
J3 - 2-pin jumper
J1 - power jack
R3 pad for 10 k
through-hole resistor
R3 pad for 10 k
surface mount resistor

Copyright © Parallax Inc. P8X32A-Q44 SchmartBoard (#27150) v1.2 9/10/2009 Page 6 of 9
Step 10: Add these components:
R3 - 10 kresistor
R2 - 10 kresistor
SW1 - reset switch
J2 - 4-pin programming port header
Step 11: For the next step, choose and add
either female or male headers:
J8, J7, J6, J5 - 10-pin female headers
J8, J7, J6, J5 – 10-pin male headers
If using the male headers, cut the 40-pin SIP
header into 4 equal parts with the wire
cutters and solder them in the same fashion
as shown in the picture; place the shorter side
of header into the PCB for soldering.
Step 12: Carefully clean off any extra flux
that may be on the board and allow to fully
dry before connecting to power or
programming tool.

Copyright © Parallax Inc. P8X32A-Q44 SchmartBoard (#27150) v1.2 9/10/2009 Page 7 of 9
Step 13: Before proceeding, Make sure you
have installed the Propeller Tool software with
the FTDI USB VCP drivers appropriate for
your operating system:
www.parallax.com/usbdrivers
Using a Prop Plug, connect programming port
to the PC. Then, connect a 6-9 VDC power
supply to the jack.
Step 15: Connect pin 10 of J7 to the anode
(+) of an LED, and pin 1 of J5 to the cathode
(-) of the LED.
Using the reference above, pin 10 on J7 is
connected to I/O pin P23 on the Propeller.
This is information we will use to run a
sample program.
Step 16: Run this test code that blinks the
LED on I/O pin P23 to confirm operation.
Change the Pin constant and circuit to test
the rest of the I/O pins.
'' Title: SchmartBoard Kit Test
'' Author: Parallax Inc.
CON
_clkmode = xtal1 + pll16x 'System clock
_xinfreq = 5_000_000 'set 80 MHz
Pin = 23 'select I/O pin to test
PUB MAIN
dira[Pin]~~ ' Sets Pin as output
outa[Pin]~ ' Sets Pin low
repeat
!outa[Pin] ' Toggles Pin
waitcnt(clkfreq + cnt) ' Wait 1 sec

Copyright © Parallax Inc. P8X32A-Q44 SchmartBoard (#27150) v1.2 9/10/2009 Page 8 of 9
Pin Definitions and Ratings
Location Name Function
J5, J6, J7, J8 P0 – P31 * Propeller I/O pins able to source / sink 40 mA each at 3.3 VDC
J5, J6, J7, J8 +3.3 VDC Regulated +3.3 VDC able to source up to 400 mA **
J3 +5.0 VDC Regulated +5.0 VDC able to source up to 400 mA **
J3, J5, J6, J7, J8 G Ground
J1 Power Jack 6 to 9 VDC center-positive (2.1 mm) power supply
J2 G, Resn, P31, P30 Programming / Debugging header for Prop Plug
* Pins 28 – 31 have a special purpose upon power-up/reset but are general I/O afterwards.
** Total output of board is 400 mA based on traces and heat dissipation of module.
Additional Resources
Breadboard - 6 7/8” L X 2 9/16” W X 3/8” D #700-00078
Pluggable Wires Male-Female 12.5" - (1 pack of 10) #800-00029
Pluggable Wires Female-Female 12.5" - (1 pack of 5) #27926
Parallax Object Exchange: http://obex.parallax.com
Parallax Forums: http://forums.parallax.com
P31 P30 P29 P28 P27 P26 P25 P24 +3.3V G
G
+3.3V
P0
P1
P2
P3
P4
P5
P6
P7
G +3.3V P8 P9 P10 P11 P12 P13 P14 P15
P23
P22
P21
P20
P19
P18
P17
P16
+3.3V
G
G RESn P31 P30

Copyright © Parallax Inc. P8X32A-Q44 SchmartBoard (#27150) v1.2 9/10/2009 Page 9 of 9
Troubleshooting
There are a handful of things to keep an eye out for while putting this kit together.
1. Before you try to troubleshoot any issues, first clean off all excess flux and any other materials
that might cause a short or other malfunction before powering the module.
Error: “No Propeller Chip Found on COM Ports”
1. Verify that the USB drivers have been successfully installed for the Prop Plug to be used. The
latest driver can be found at www.parallax.com/usbdrivers.
2. Check the connections at J2 to ensure that there is connection with the programming pins.
3. Check continuity between pins I/O pins 30, 31 (on J8) with the RX and TX on the programming
port and ground to the boards ground.
Error: “Could not verify EEPROM”
1. Verify if there is an issue with the EEPROM only, trying to download a program to RAM only (F10
in the Propeller Tool).
2. Check the SMT EEPROM pads to make sure all the legs are touching the pad, and that there are
no solder bridges from leg to leg.
3. Verify that EEPROM pins (5 and 6) have continuity with I/O pins 29 and 28 (on J8).
4. Verify voltage of the power going to the EEPROM; Vdd (pin 8) should be ~3.3 VDC.
For further assistance, contact Parallax Tech Support ([e-mail], or call 1-888-997-8267 toll-
free in the Continental US, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time.

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27150 A Propeller_Schmartboard
1 1Thursday, April 30, 2009
Title SizeDocument Number Rev Date: Sheet of
PIN_31
PIN_36
PIN_23 PIN_34 PIN_3
PIN_20
PIN_24
PIN_4
3.3V
PIN_25
PIN_9
PIN_31
PIN_15
PIN_2
PIN_35
PIN_4 PIN_19
PIN_38
PIN_10
PIN_28
PIN_11
PIN_10
3.3V
PIN_44
PIN_33
PIN_42 PIN_11 PIN_26
3.3V PIN_37
PIN_44
PIN_1
3.3V
PIN_34
PIN_15
3.3V
3.3V
PIN_16
PIN_13
PIN_28
PIN_35
PIN_3
PIN_22
PIN_37
PIN_32
PIN_7
PIN_42
PIN_38
PIN_36
PIN_9
PIN_29
PIN_14
PIN_16
PIN_2
PIN_29
PIN_13
3.3V
3.3V
PIN_21
5V
PIN_23
PIN_19
PIN_20 PIN_24
PIN_32
PIN_25
5V
PIN_1 PIN_43
PIN_36 PIN_35PIN_26
PIN_21
PIN_37
PIN_43
3.3V
PIN_14 PIN_33
PIN_7
PIN_41
PIN_41
3.3V
5V
PIN_12
PIN_38
PIN_7
PIN_22
PIN_12
C3 10uF
J6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
J1 POWER
1
2
3
R1 470
C1 10uF
U2
AT24CXXX
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8
A0 A1 A2 VSS SDA
SCL
WP
VCC
D1 RED LED
J5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Y1
C4 1uF
U1
P8X32A-Q44
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
P4 P5 P6 P7 VSS BOEn RESn VDD P8 P9 P10
P11
P12
P13
P14
P15
VSS
VDD
P16
P17
P18
P19
P20 P21 P22 P23
VSS
XI
XO
VDD
P24 P25 P26
P27
P28
P29
P30
P31
VSS
VDD
P0
P1
P2
P3
R2 10K
J8
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
J7
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
U4
NCP1117_3.3V
3 2 1
4
VIN VOUT GND
VOUT
SW1 U3
NCP1117_5V
3 2 1
4
VIN VOUT GND
VOUT
C2 10uF
R3 10K
J2
1 2 3 4
J3 1
2