LEDs Xbee adapter don't work + FTDI Friend, settings?

[bartgrefte]

Hi,

I got a FTDI Friend. Right now it's hooked up to an XBee Adapter kit with an Xbee GPS receiver on it. To get this working (judging from the picture below it works)

I did not had to change anything, just hook it up, install drivers and tell the terminal at which speed it's supposed to communicate.

However, the LEDs on the Xbee adapter kit don't do anything. Got 2 kits and with both LEDs that stay off. I checked the polarity several times, they are positioned correctly.
Both LEDs are functional, I just tested them with the diode-test setting on my el-cheapo multimeter. So they aren't defective.

Is this because of the GPS module? As in, maybe the LEDs only work with specific Xbee modules.

And how will I know if I have to change the settings on the FTDI Friend for *insert-random-device-with-FTDI* and how/where can I find out what settings are required?

Ps. http://www.ladyada.net/make/xbee/solder.html is incomplete, the voltage regulator suddenly appears on the pictures somewhere along the way

[adafruit_support_bill]

Is this because of the GPS module? As in, maybe the LEDs only work with specific Xbee modules.

They work with all the Digi XBee radios. We do not have any experience with the GPS-Bee.

And how will I know if I have to change the settings on the FTDI Friend for *insert-random-device-with-FTDI* and how/where can I find out what settings are required?

Most devices are happy with just Tx/Rx and V+/GND. There are no real standards beyond that. Some use DTR or RTS for resetting the device. Almost nobody uses flow-control anymore.

Ps. http://www.ladyada.net/make/xbee/solder.html is incomplete, the voltage regulator suddenly appears on the pictures somewhere along the way

I will notify the proper authorities.

[bartgrefte]

They work with all the Digi XBee radios. We do not have any experience with the GPS-Bee.

Hmm. So what triggers the LEDs anyway? Activity on certain pins that are used by XBee radios and not by the GPS-Bee?

Most devices are happy with just Tx/Rx and V+/GND. There are no real standards beyond that. Some use DTR or RTS for resetting the device. Almost nobody uses flow-control anymore.

Okay . And what if I run into such a device? Hope there wont be smoke involved if I notice too late it requires a different setting.

I will notify the proper authorities.

Yay

[adafruit_support_bill]

Hmm. So what triggers the LEDs anyway? Activity on certain pins that are used by XBee radios and not by the GPS-Bee?

One is connected to RSSI (signal strength) the other to DIO5. No idea what GPSBee does with those pins. They are not used for serial communication.

And what if I run into such a device? Hope there wont be smoke involved

Most likely, it just won't talk. One place where damage can occur is when interfacing 3.3v devices to 5v devices. This applies to all logic signals - not just serial communication.

[bartgrefte]

I just came across http://www.seeedstudio.com/wiki/GPS_Bee_kit
This is the pin-layout:

1 Vcc Power suppl, 2.7-3.6VDC
2 TX Serial Port 1
3 RX Serial Port 2
4 NC Reserved
5 EX Reserved
6 NC Reserved
7 NC Reserved
8 NC Reserved
9 NC Reserved
10 GND Ground
11 NC Reserved
12 NC Reserved
13 NC Reserved
14 NC Reserved
15 TP Configurable Pulse output (default 1Hz, max 4Hz)
16 NC Reserved
17 NC Reserved
18 NC Reserved
19 SCL I2C clock pin (configuration only)
20 SDA I2C data pin (configuration only)


Does this tell you anything? Don't know which pins are used for DIOS and RSSI with the XBee radios so don't know if you can use those LED's to display activity with this one.

[adafruit_support_bill]

Here is the Adapter pinout. As you can see, the GPS Bee doesn't do any thing with those pins.

[bartgrefte]

So why not use pins 2 (TX) or 3 (RX) as activity indicators? I believe those are always used, but could be wrong.

[adafruit_support_bill]

The adapter was designed to work with XBee radios, and RSSI indicates signal strength. That is more useful when trying to diagnose radio communication problems. There are plenty of other ways to monitor Rx/Tx.

[bartgrefte]

Okay