Arduino FIO questions

Hi,

I’ve been playing with the Arduino FIO DEV-10116. I’m using a ZigBee module.

I know i can’t program the ZigBee wirelessly.

I know i can’t program the FIO with the ZigBee in place.

I can download the “Blink” sketch to the FIO.

I have 2 questions:

It seems that the switch on the FIO only controls power to the ZigBee. Is this correct?

Does the ZigBee (XBee series 2) work with this version of the FIO?

My problem is i haven’t been able to access the ZigBee module through the FIO via FTDI

Does anyone have experience with this setup? oops that’s 3 questions.

Notso schmartguy

Well i just answered my 1st question. the switch on the FIO does turn Vcc on and off IF it is powered by a battery and/or the USB connection. It does not do anything if an FTDI cable is connected. Apparently Vcc from the FTDI is connected after the on/off switch and regulator.

I’m still unable to talk to the ZigBee with X-CTU. I have another ZigBee on an Arduino UNO but to access that i have to hold the UNO in reset with a jumper from Gnd to Reset. This is the same as holding the reset button on the UNO or just removing the processor chip completely while testing the ZigBee. I’ll test that. There is no easily available reset connection on the FIO.

Here is what i found:

The Adafruit 3.3V FTDI cable provides 5V at the FIO’s FTDI connector. since the FTDI connection is past the regulator, 5V is applied to the ZigBee VCC. The FIO can be programmed but so far there is no way to access the ZigBee with the ftdi cable without converting 5V to 3.3V. The ZigBee doesn’t work in 5V.

When only a battery is connected the FIO provides 3.3V to the ZigBee. Kind of a “catch 22”. So i have no way to access the ZigBee through the board as it is now.

Is their any reason not to connect 5V from the FTDI cable directly to pin 1 of the MAS1555? FIO-V2 doesn’t appear to use that input.

Regards

Notso