# Board of Education with USB to Serial Adapter - Setup

- DO NOT connect power to your board until instructed to do so!

## Affixing the Rubber Feet

Your board should come with four adhesive rubber feet:

- Remove each rubber foot from its adhesive, and affix it to the underside of your board. There are circles to show correct placement.

## Making the Board Connections

- Use the silkscreen pictures that show the three prominent chips on the BASIC Stamp to determine how to orient it before inserting it into its socket. There is also a small semi-circular notch at in the top-center of the BASIC Stamp module that indicates which way is “up.” Match this reference notch to the notch in the socket.
- After correctly orienting the 24-pin BASIC Stamp module, gently insert it into its socket as shown at (1) in the picture below.
- Make sure that each pin is seated in its corresponding socket hole, then apply firm downward pressure with your thumb. The module should sink about ¼ of an inch (~0.6 mm) into the socket, and only the flared portion of each BASIC Stamp leg should be visible above the socket.
- Visually inspect the legs to make sure each pin is in its socket and that no pins are folded underneath the module.
- Connect the larger "A" end of the USB cable to a USB 2.0 port on your computer.

USB 3.0 Port Caution

USB 2.0 ports are recommended for BASIC Stamp boards. On some computers, the internal USB hub will freeze when disconnecting a USB 2.0 device from a USB 3.0 port. This may cause all USB ports on the computer to become unresponsive, requiring a reboot of the computer to remedy the situation. System updates from your computer manufacturer may correct the problem.

USB 3.0 ports can sometimes be identified by a blue tab inside the socket.

- Connect the smaller "Mini B" end of the USB cable to the USB connector on the USB to Serial Adapter, as shown in (2).
- Connect the male DB9 connector on the USB to Serial Adapter to the female DB9 socket on the board (3).
- Connect one of the two power sources (see Power Supplies).

- a 6 to 9 V wall-mount power supply with a 2.1 mm center positive barrel jack (4);

- OR -

- a 9 V alkaline or rechargeable battery (5).

- Set the 3 - position switch to Position 1 to turn on power to your board.

Tip: If you have a BASIC Stamp program running and want to take your board away from your computer, always disconnect and reconnect at the DB9 socket. Leave the USB to Serial Adapter connected to your computer. This will leave the virtual COM port open, allowing you to reconnect your board without the USB port resetting your BASIC Stamp. See the article USB Resets BASIC Stamp for more information.

You are ready to test your programming connection!

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BASIC Stamp Help Version 2.5.4

Copyright © Parallax Inc.

8/8/2012