I have a brand new LimeSDR Mini V1.2, which I am trying to use on a proven Raspberry Pi Digital TV Transmitter software/hardware build (RPi 3B with powered USB2 hub, Raspbian Stretch Lite, LimeSuite v18.10.0).
The problem is that it reports “Programming failed! Read operation failedled! Read operation failed (/home/pi/.local/share/LimeSuite/images/18.10/LimeSDR-Mini_HW_1.1_r1.27.rpd)” whenever I try to update it to Gateware Version 28 (which is required for the application). Full transcript below:
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ LimeQuickTest
[ TESTING STARTED ]
->Start time: Sun Jan 13 17:04:12 2019
->Device: LimeSDR Mini, media=USB 2.0, module=FT601, addr=24607:1027, serial=1D424017823C56
Warning: USB3 not available
Serial Number: 1D424017823C56
[ Clock Network Test ]
->REF clock test
Test results: 39040; 52269; 65466 - PASSED
->VCTCXO test
Results : 6711014 (min); 6711181 (max) - PASSED
->Clock Network Test PASSED
[ FPGA EEPROM Test ]
->Read EEPROM
->Read data: 12 07 19 12 07 19 02
->FPGA EEPROM Test PASSED
[ LMS7002M Test ]
->Perform Registers Test
->External Reset line test
Reg 0x20: Write value 0xFFFD, Read value 0xFFFD
Reg 0x20: value after reset 0x0FFFF
->LMS7002M Test PASSED
[ RF Loopback Test ]
->Configure LMS
->Run Tests (TX_2 -> LNA_W):
CH0 (SXR=1000.0MHz, SXT=1005.0MHz): Result:(-14.8 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - PASSED
->Run Tests (TX_1 -> LNA_H):
CH0 (SXR=2100.0MHz, SXT=2105.0MHz): Result:(-14.2 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - PASSED
->RF Loopback Test PASSED
=> Board tests PASSED <=
Elapsed time: 2.67 seconds
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ LimeUtil --make
Make device
Device name: LimeSDR-Mini
Expansion name: UNSUPPORTED
Firmware version: 5
Hardware version: 2
Protocol version: 1
Gateware version: 1
Gateware revision: 26
Gateware target: LimeSDR-Mini
Serial number: 0x1d424017823c56
Free connection... OK
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ LimeUtil --update
Connected to [LimeSDR Mini [USB 2.0] 1D424017823C56]
Programming failed! Read operation failedled! Read operation failed (/home/pi/.local/share/LimeSuite/images/18.10/LimeSDR-Mini_HW_1.1_r1.27.rpd)
Programming failed! Read operation failed
Programming update failed! : Programming failed! Read operation failed
pi@raspberrypi:~ $
After this, all further attempts to communicate with the LimeSDR over USB fail until the power is recycled. After powering up again, I get exactly the same behaviour.
The device does seem to transmit, although the waveform/spectrum is not good because of the gateware mis-match.
The software build (The BATC Portsdown DATV Transmitter) has worked without problems with other LimeSDR Minis and LimeSDR USBs, and the problem with this particular LimeSDR Mini is reproducible on multiple hardware instances.
Is there anything that I can try to get it to program, or does the device need RMA?
Does this file exist and is it non-zero in size? I’ve seen it before where failure to download has resulted in a file of zero bytes being created, which obviously then results in a programming failure.
I would suggest to set max_usb_current=1 in config.txt file. Use a decent power supply for RPi (5V @ 2.5A at least). Do you have a chance to try update procedure on different machine?
My normal test setup has a powered USB hub (having had power problems with RTL-SDRs and video capture dongles). Using this, I monitored the 5v rail (on the LimeSDR Mini JTAG Connector) with an oscilloscope during programming and there were no visible events. After a reboot, I repeated and monitored the 3v3 rail during programming and again it was rock steady. Have also tried on different RPis - same result.
The same setup successfully programmed another LimeSDR Mini V1.2 on Friday and has previously programmed my Mini V1.1 multiple times (when I was struggling with the effects of a firmware change).
Download this application. If you get an error about missing ‘MSVCP140.DLL’ when launching the application, then you need to install C++ Redistributable.
Then just push Program EEPROM.
Unfortunately, I don’t have much digital test/programming equipment as my main interest is in generating RF (in case you hadn’t guessed), so it’s going back for RMA.
