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shop.itaca-innovation.com uChip Simple VGA Console Kit Guide
YES: go to step 8
NO: fix connections or try with another monitor.
8) Check the 74AHC245: check if there is any short or missing solder joints on U2, uChip connectors
and the VGA. Check also resistors R11 and R13. These should be 22 Ohm (red-red-black-gold), and
check if they are correctly soldered. Carefully measure the voltage between pin 20 and 10. Check if it
is 3.3V. Try replacing the 74AHC245.
Problem: no audio
Check for jack, speaker volume, resistors R12 (1k Ohm 1%, brown, black, black, brown, brown), R14 (10k
Ohm 5%, brown, black, orange, gold), capacitors C8 (1 µF ceramic) and C9 (22nF, polyester) and the jack
audio socket.
Problem: cannot load files from SD card.
1) Is the card formatted using FAT32 ?
NO: The card MUST be formatted with the FAT32 file system. Older FAT16 or FAT12
are not supported.
YES: go to step 2.
2) Is the red LED briefly flashing when you reset uChip ?
NO check the RED Led and resistor R15 (390 Ohm 1%, orange, white, black, black,
brown). Check also the solder joints on uChip pin 4, and U3 pin 1.
YES: Check if there are any shorts on J2, or on the 74AHC245 or uChip. Check also R1 (10k
Ohm 5%, brown, black, orange, gold). If problem persists, try with another SD card.
Problem: colors are too dark, missing, flickering or “weird”.
Check for all the resistors R3-10, and VGA solder joints. If these are ok, try with another monitor.
Check also the voltage at the 74AHC245 (between pin 20 and 10, it should be 3.3V).
INSTALLING OR UPDATING THE USVC GAME LOADER
Normally the uChip shipped with the uSVC kit is already programmed with the game loader, which sits on top
of the standard uChip bootloader. However, to update, modify or simply upload it, this section is for you.
1) Download and install Atmel Studio 7 from Microchip’s website.
2) Download the “uChip Quickstart Guide” from the Download page of https://shop.itaca-
innovation.com.
3) From the “uChip Quickstart Guide”, follow the indications shown in section “Integration with Atmel
Studio 7 IDE”.
4) Download the uSVC game loader source code.
5) Unzip the archive, and open the file uChipSimpleVGAConsoleBootloader.atsln (either by double
clicking on it or using Atmel Studio (Menu File Open Project Solution).
6) Build it (Press F7).
7) Double tap on the reset button of uChip to enter bootloader mode.
8) Upload the built binary with selecting from the Tools menu, the “Program uChip” entry you created
on step 3.
The game loader should be now installed / updated.
CONTACT US
For any question, bugs, support, suggestion, etc, contact info@itaca-innovation.com.
Due to the large number of emails, we kindly ask you to be very concise, clear, while being exhaustive in order
for us to reproduce your issue.
