DiyLightAnimation
Hardware => Lynx USB DMX Dongle => Topic started by: jandelee on July 28, 2010,
-
Built my first DMX Dongle, having a little trouble, and could use some help.
I built a V2 Dongle, had the PIC programmed, installed the CDM20600 driver, plugged in the dongle (came up initially as COM port 5), downloaded and installed Vixen, set up the Enttec DMX Usb Pro Add-in as COM5 at 115k, and when I tried to run a sequence I got the message "Access to the port 'COM5' is denied. Any ideas? I have attached pics of the dongle for reference...any help would be appreciated.
The picture shows that I have the test jumper in place...but I also tried it without the test jumper with the same result. Also, none of the LED's are on (should they be?). Also, I have not connected anything via the ethernet port.
-
Hi Jandelee,
First thing is to make sure the DMX option is turn off on the menu Add-In as shown below.
Which version of Vixen are you using?
More ideas after the caffenine kick in :)
Cheers
Rick R.
-
Rick,
I'm using Vixen 2.1.4.0. I'm brand new at Vixen, having only used LOR in the past. I can't get the DMX Add-In option to turn off. Is there a trick to making this happen? Interestingly enough, though, I accidentally turned on the Comet Conversion Add-In (no idea what this is), and suddenly the error message is gone...the sequence seems to play just fine. I don't have any DMX devices hooked up, though, so I can't tell if the dongle is actually doing anything. I suppose I'll have to build the DMX to LOR converter cable and hook up one of my LOR controllers to see if it's actually working. Seems strange that I would have to turn the Comet thing on, though.
-
Its been so long that I had to look and try it myself
To uncheck the DMX option click on the checkmark and not the DMX name
Hope that helps
Rick R.
-
You should have both the red and green LED's light when you plug the box into the usb port. Red first, then green.
-
It hard to tell from the photo, but some Isopropyl alcohol and a brush may help.
there maybe a solder bridge ?
-
jandelee,
"Access to the port ~ is denied" sounds like an operating system access violation instead of a USB HW error.
What operating system (Windows version) are you running? And do you have administrative rights on the system?
If it's Windows Vista or Win7, you might need to try "Run as Administrator" (in the right-click menu) - though I'm not sure this will work.
I'm using Windows XP for my control system and haven't run into the problem (though I use Vista & Win7 at work, so know that these OS's are very over-protective & try to keep you from accessing hardware that they don't think you're supposed to).
Other possibilities are that some other application is trying to access the com port, or that the port is mis-configured (maybe Vixen is trying to send a baud rate that the port doesn't support or something). If you're running an older version of Windows (XP, for example - so you don't have to worry about the administrator privileges as much), try detaching the dongle, rebooting the system, closing all applications (especially those that might try to access the com port), plugging in the dongle (waiting for device detect) & starting Vixen.
Let us know what you learn...
Hope this helps,
Dave
-
one thing that will cause an "access denied" response on a specific comm port every time is if you unplug/disconnect the dongle that is already attached to that comm port inside of Vixen. That specific comm port is now locked until Vixen reboots. Removing this specific comm port from the sequence or active profile can sometimes get you around this... but it has to be done before disconnecting the dongle.
You can add another dongle (different comm port) with Vixen 2.1 open but this would require a different dongle.
this is a known Vixen issue. If memory serves me right, Vixen 2.5 mitigated this problem some.
Larry
-
I had repeated comm port errors until I finally secured a quality USB A>B cable.
More here: http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=723.0
John
-
If you have no Led's then you likely have a hardware issue. Does it ding when you connect it to the computer?
RJ
-
Yes, the computer does ding when I connect the dongle...and the device manager shows a USB serial port (COM5) when it is connected. Under Device Status, it says the device is working properly. I also used my meter to verify that power is available on the USB245 on the dongle. I think something is up with the LED...there's 5v on one side and nothing on the other. I think I'll swap it out tomorrow and see if that helps.
-
If there is 5v on one side and nothing on the other then the led is likely in backwards. It happens to the best of us including me so just swap it around and you will be good.
Who Programmed the Dongle PIC chip for you?
RJ
-
Bisquit476 programmed the PIC...he checked it out in his dongle first and it worked fine, so I'm thinking it's not the programming.
Made some progress...I swapped the polarity of the two LED's, and now I have red and green lights. I'm going to fire up Vixen in a bit and see if it is happier...I'll post again after that test.
Would the green light mean that the PIC is working correctly?
John
-
Good news (hopefully)...after swapping the polarity on the LED's and installing a fresh copy of Vixen on a different computer, everything appears to be working. At least, there is no access denied error anymore. Next step is to wire up the DMX/LOR ethernet converter cable, and I'll try a sequence with one of my LOR controllers (since I don't have an L/E built yet).
Thanks to everyone who posted suggestions and ideas!
John
-
Glad you got it working! it is usally something simple in the end.
RJ
-
...after swapping the polarity on the LED's and installing a fresh copy of Vixen on a different computer, everything appears to be working. ...
BTW, you might consider trashing the copy of Vixen that was on the first computer and reinstall it ... the dongle will probably work on the first computer then too.
\dmc