DiyLightAnimation
Hardware => Lynx USB DMX Dongle => Topic started by: holland lights on March 02, 2011,
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So i got the board built today, and programed the chip. I installed the FTDI driver that it says to.I have windows 7. And when i pluged in the dongle, windows installed drivers and the dongle doent work.Now what do i do. When i try to set it on the com port it has an error message.
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http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm
Make sure you have the correct Operating system (Windows), and correct architecture (32bit, 64bit)
see if that helps
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Great tip ... make sure its the correct one 32 or 64 bit.
Just a wild guess ... but sometimes you have to remove the driver installed by windows ... and as long as you installed the correct one onto the system ... do a reboot and let windows re-detect it again. Sometimes crazy stuff like that works when your having problems.
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What error message are you getting?
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Hi H.L.
Try this little program I wrote to test for the Dongle and what com port its connected to.
http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=4031.0;attach=4409
There is no install, you just unzip it and run the program.
See if it finds the com port. If not than the drivers are not correctly installed
Cheers
Rick R.
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Hi All,
And remember FTDI recommends that you install the drivers before you hook up the device.
Ray
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which OS are you running?
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I am running windows 7 x64 bit. In the attached photo almost in the center it shows the drivers. Then the error is when i try to play a vixen sequence it says Access to the com port 9 is denied. Com 9 is what its on.
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Heres a picture that shows the list usb and the com port setting
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Is it showing up in the device manager under ports and com. Does it show it is installed and working properly?
Ron
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also, check vixen that you're using the Enttec DMX USB Pro plugin, not the Open DMX.
while in Vixen, make sure the you're NOT using the DMX addin (Menu Add-ins... make sure there is not a check mark beside it.)
also, just to be safe, make sure the dongle is plugged directly into the computer, instead of into a hub at first.
and as strange as this sounds, try a different USB cable. try one from somthing you know that works well, like a printer.
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yes it is on there. And it says its functioning properally.
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On your graphic above your USB Serial Port is showing up as Com10 in the Device Manager, but you said the error in Vixen was coming from Com9. I have found that devices that use the FTDI virtual com port often change com port numbers when the devices are removed and reinserted or moved to a different USB port. You may have already done this, but just make sure your com port settings in Vixen match the current com port settings in Windows.
-Mike
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yea i completely removed the driver and reinstalled it and pluged it back in is why it changed.
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Is anything besides the red light supposed to be on, on the dongle itself? When trying to get it to work.
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I also only get a solid red light only. The green does nothing. This is the same problem I am having.
Mike
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i got it to run, and then vixen frooze and wont let me do anything.
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Have you tried to use the Lynx DMX Deck to make sure it is not a vixen configuration issue. The Lynx DMX Deck is much easier to setup and get running.
Charles S.
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I got a different error on there because it couldnt connect.
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Im basically having the same problem hes having. http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=4788.0
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Holland Lights,
I had a similar problem. The pc recognized the dongle but when I tried to do a channel test in Vixen it froze up. I retouched all of the solder joints and it worked. Check out this thread:
http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=2787.0
Hope that helps.
John
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Do you have another computer to try it on? That would say if it is the PC or the dongle.
Ron
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Do you have another computer to try it on? That would say if it is the PC or the dongle.
Ron
I have the same problem & checked another computer. When I went to Play Vixen froze & will not play.
Mike
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Hi Mike
Some things to try.
There is no reason to have the Enttec pro dmx dongle enabled unless you are really controlling lights
Make sure you don't have DMX in the Add-Ins Menu checked. This will cause lock ups
Did you try to run Vixen as administrator? ie: Right click on the Vixen.exe file
See if any of that helps
Rick R.
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Hi Mike
Some things to try.
There is no reason to have the Enttec pro dmx dongle enabled unless you are really controlling lights
Make sure you don't have DMX in the Add-Ins Menu checked. This will cause lock ups
Did you try to run Vixen as administrator? ie: Right click on the Vixen.exe file
See if any of that helps
Rick R.
Does it not freeze with a controller pluged into the dongle? And would the green light blink then.
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The dongle doesn't know or care if there is a controller connected to it or not. It gets the data from the PC, formats it intoa DMX stream, and sends it down the line. If there is nothing down the line to receive it...... so what. The green light means thatit is sending DMX data.
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Then why isnt it blinking, im not the only one with the of vixen freezing when the dongle is set up with the dmx pro output
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Check / recheck all solder joints use a magnifying glass - reflow anything that is not bright
Is the pic programed?
Is the pic facing the correct way and or fully seated in the socket. Any bent pins?
make sure all parts are in correctly
Cheers
Rick R.
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Rick is right. Post some pictures of your dongle top and bottom. A lot of times the sharp eyes on this forum can see something. Double check that all your chips are facing the proper direction. If the green LED is not on, it is not getting dmx. You need to figure out why.
You will figure it out. Someone here will help you find the problem.
John
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I took the pic out and reprogramed it. I took all the chips out and it still freezes in vixen when its hooked up/ And the dmx tab is not checked. But when i unplug it vixen unfreezes and stops. I guess ill get the pictures taken, if i dont get it figured out i guess ill have one to sale and be non computerized again.
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Holland, don't give up so easy. I am about 36 miles away. We could meet and look at your problem. I could bring my dongle and my laptop so we could narrow down the problem.
Ron
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Have faith. It is probably something simple. With all the help here, you will figure it out.
John
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Holland, don't give up so easy. I am about 36 miles away. We could meet and look at your problem. I could bring my dongle and my laptop so we could narrow down the problem.
Ron
but 36 miles is so long aways lol
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pictures of board
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pictures of board 2
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pictures. Its just not bright in here
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Only soldering issue that was obvious to me was...
A few of the other joints looked a little "cold" though, but it is hard to tell in the picture.
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I dont see any bad joints though
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One problem that some of them had was a bad crystal. You would need a scope to find that problem. The board looks good otherwise. You might want to contact the person that lives near you and work with him. At least that way you will know if it is the dongle or the PC.
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yea i build my own stuff. im into electronics, but no i dont have that type of testing equipment. yea theres 2 guys here that would probally help me figure it out.
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ok i put it back in the programmer and loaded the hex file and in pic kit 3 program i clicked the power on button like usual, then i clicked this button called /mclr and it programed it and i can red from the chip. Now when i plug it in,I Got THE GREEN LIGHT TO COME ON, but both the green and red light stays on solid. But vixen doesnt freeze up now while running.
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Sounds to me like you got it.
Way to go!
John
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so the green light is supposed to stay on solid to when nothing is hooked to it.
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so the green light is supposed to stay on solid to when nothing is hooked to it.
Yep
Per RJ last year: "This is a transmitter so it does not show if a cable is connected or not. It is on (meaning the green light) if DMX is being transmitted. It is transmitting even with out a cable connected".
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Once the dongle is up and running it still sends out the DMX data even if its just all zeros
Its a hard worker, not a lazy state worker like myself LOL
Cheers
Rick R.
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IT WORKS!!! I made the adapter to make the rj45 into 3 pin xlr and i saw blinky lights on my professional stuff. And i made a one channel sequence and that channel turns on and off. Its scary after all of this diagnosis on the thing andd it was as simple as puting a check mark in the box that says /mclr.
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N I C E
congrats
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Me included, a hugh sigh of relief went out all across diyland!!!!
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Good job sticking with it. I'm glad it was just the PIC programming ... as your soldering looked good to me.
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WOO HOO!! Great job.
It usually turns out to be something simple.
John
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All right now that holland lights has his problem solved lets take a look at my solder job & see if anything is bad. I to had his same problems, but I sent my Pic out to be programed so if that needs to be redone I will have to mail it off.
Mike
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in the pictures for the top of the board, i cant see the pins that come up through the board. check around the pic, and around the usb component, to make sure there arent any solder bridges top side.
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mike it looks like you missed a solder in the middle of the board under neath were the pic is
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remember to remove all the chips from sockets before doing resoldering work. in case you leave the iron on too long, THOSE chips would be safe out of the device.
don't need any <md..
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yea one of the things i done was go to each pin and heat it up and apply more solder if it needed it. I went to bed and laid there and thought and thought about what could still be wrong, then i remembered that box that wasnt checked, hmm i wondered. so i clicked on it and reprogramed it. and wa la it worked. mmais68569 might consider buying your own programmer sometime, so you dont have to wait to come back to you when you need one done.
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Hey dude, congratulations on your dongle! Now you are ready to control DMX devices. Today a dongle. Tomorrow a light show! ;D
Good job!
Ron
You just didn't want to drive the "so long" 36 miles <yk..
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Hey dude, congratulations on your dongle! Now you are ready to control DMX devices. Today a dongle. Tomorrow a light show! ;D
Good job!
Ron
You just didn't want to drive the "so long" 36 miles <yk..
lol yea your like a days drive away.I mean i could control them via the stage designer 50 which is a dmx controller, just didnt have anything for computer control.
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I have taken a magnifying glass to ever solder joint on the backside & can not see any that are missed. I guess it is either off to bisquet to check the program of the PIC or in the trash & back to LOR.
Mike
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Mike,
You have the test pins jumpered from the looks of the picture.
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The Triac? is in backwards
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It is not a triac but it is in backwards
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Mosfet, the fingers typed too fast for the brain, lol
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I undid the test pin & will reverse the tric in the morning & then give it a try.
Thanks all for your help will keep you up to date.
Mike
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I undid the test pin & will reverse the tric in the morning & then give it a try.
Thanks all for your help will keep you up to date.
Mike
This is a mosfet transistor to allow the USB port to power the dongle off if it needs to. It is in backwards and your dongle would do just what you say it does because of this. Take your time it will be had to remove without damage to the board due to all three pins having to be heated at the same time and kept hot will removing it.
RJ
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Wouldnt a solder sucker or desolder braid work well for these types of boards.
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These work great. I have screwed up a lot of soldering and this has saved me. I think Bill is the first one that recommended this.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062731
John
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I've used that (even have it warmed up with my normal iron, and i aldo use the desolder wick
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yea everyone makes mistakes. I mean last year i put all of my triacs on a 10 channel board i made in wrong. Didnt notice till i pluged im to much pull and smoked the chips. Because if the triacs arnt working it pulls it through the chips. But i had a back up, which turns out i put them in right.
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I second the motion withthe radio shack desolder you can heat up 1 leg at a time it will suck all the solder out of the holes just don't ask me how I know LOL best 11.00 dollars I have spent
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are all the people that are having trouble with the dongle taken care of?
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All except for mmais68569 . Hes needing a new mosfet, he broke the pins off of his.
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I re soldered the broken piece & now I have a red & green light so that must mean it is now correct & going to work.
Mike
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Way to go Mike!
John
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Yeap sounds good. Now see if you get blinky lights. Im almost done with my first controller, its not a lynx 16, it only has 10 channels.
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What has 10 channels and it is not a Lynx controller? ........................................................... Times up.... <yk..
Gee I don't know? <pop..
What does have 10 channels, can be controlled by DMX and makes blinky lights?
Tell us please ;D
Ron
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Its a 12 channel protocol converter board for profesional equipment that runs off of the dmx protocol. Dmx is just a protocol, theres alot out there that runs off of dmx.I built my own ssr boards, the controller is also capable of controling itself if the dmx protocol is down for some reason. None of my equipment i built just runs off computer only.
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What has 10 channels and it is not a Lynx controller? ........................................................... Times up.... <yk..
Gee I don't know? <pop..
What does have 10 channels, can be controlled by DMX and makes blinky lights?
Tell us please ;D
Ron
And i ment 12 channels lol