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Hardware => Lynx Wireless DMX => Topic started by: grossg on December 01, 2010,

Title: Won't Receive
Post by: grossg on December 01, 2010,
I've got two Tx/Rx v2.  One is jumpered for Tx with no other jumpers - so universe 1.  When plugged into my dongle, the green flashes.  The other is jumpered for Rx and also on universe 1.  It doesn't flash green.
I can swap them, re-jumper and the second one will flash green, but then the first won't.
I have re-flashed them with the file: Wireless v2_8_2010 but no joy.
I have re-soldered all of the connections so they are all nice and shiny.

Any ideas?

Best regards,
Glen
Title: Re: Won't Receive
Post by: rrowan on December 01, 2010,
Hi Glenn

I don't have any wireless but I can ask you the basics

1 - Did you check the second wireless box power supply? Is it putting out the required voltage
2 - Are the parts in the right location and orientation (pic in backwards, 100uf caps, etc)
3 - Put a volt meter across the .1uf cap (yellow cap below the pic) and see if there is 5 volts.
4 - Did you check for solder bridges?

If everything above checks out than please provide photos of the pcb front and back

Hope that helps

Rick R.
Title: Re: Won't Receive
Post by: smartcontrols on December 01, 2010,
What is the distance between them? I have had problems if they are not at least a few feet from each other, with the transmitter higher. Also is the RX connected to anything? Never tried it unconnected, so not sure how it acts unconnected.
Title: Re: Won't Receive
Post by: grossg on December 01, 2010,
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1 - Did you check the second wireless box power supply? Is it putting out the required voltage
2 - Are the parts in the right location and orientation (pic in backwards, 100uf caps, etc)
3 - Put a volt meter across the .1uf cap (yellow cap below the pic) and see if there is 5 volts.
4 - Did you check for solder bridges?
1. Both power supplies are putting out the required voltage
2. Orientations triple checked
3. The meter reads 1 volt not 5
4. The two .1up caps directly under the pic are very close and I've done my best not to bridge them, but even with a magnifying glass I'm not positive anymore if they are bridged or if it's just flux.

...so what do I do about the 1 volt? And is the bridge a problem or  are they that close because they are in series?

And smartcontrols the two units are 20 feet from one another.

Thanks for your responses.
Glen
Title: Re: Won't Receive
Post by: rrowan on December 01, 2010,
If there are no solder bridges than I would start with the volt regulators

Just looking at the picture in the wiki

There are two volt regs

A 3.3 volt and a 5v

Make sure they are in the correct spot (3.3 on the left and 5v on the right (with the antenna at the top)
The metal plates on the volt regs should be facing the pic chip

Rick R.
Title: Re: Won't Receive
Post by: grossg on December 01, 2010,
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A 3.3 volt and a 5v
Make sure they are in the correct spot (3.3 on the left and 5v on the right (with the antenna at the top)
The metal plates on the volt regs should be facing the pic chip

I have verified they are in the correct positions and facing the correct way.

Here are some pictures.
Title: Re: Won't Receive
Post by: RJ on December 01, 2010,
You sure you do not have a bad wall wart? We have seen them go bad before.

Do you get red power indicators on them both. Does the issue follow the pcb or the wall wart?

Just trying to give you some ideas based on the info we have.

How far apart are they when you try this. Are you sending DMX out of something when testing.

RJ
Title: Re: Won't Receive
Post by: grossg on December 01, 2010,
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You sure you do not have a bad wall wart? We have seen them go bad before.
Do you get red power indicators on them both. Does the issue follow the pcb or the wall wart?
RJ

Well here are some more pics.  How can I tell if I have a bad wall wart?  Am I using my meter correctly to measure the power?  As you can see the red led lights and the green flashes once a second.  Both wall warts work the same giving the same numbers interchangeably.

I've tried them 20 feet apart running a show that will run if the Lynx is directly wired by cat 5.

Thanks for your continued assistance.
Best regards,
Glen
Title: Re: Won't Receive
Post by: n1ist on December 02, 2010,
Both of those voltage measurements should be made with the meter set to "DC Volts" instead of "AC Volts".
/mike

Title: Re: Won't Receive
Post by: grossg on December 02, 2010,
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Both of those voltage measurements should be made with the meter set to "DC Volts" instead of "AC Volts".
/mike
Thanks Mike,
Here are some more pics with the multimeter hopefully set properly.
My Lynx is a v3 so perhaps I've attached the motherboard to it incorrectly?  I've tried with the chip in and out.  In any event shouldn't the receiver green led blink?
Best regards,
Glen
Title: Re: Won't Receive
Post by: n1ist on December 02, 2010,
The voltages look reasonable, so I think the wallwart is OK.
/mike
Title: Re: Won't Receive
Post by: grossg on December 02, 2010,
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The voltages look reasonable, so I think the wallwart is OK.
/mike

Thanks Mike!
Can anyone tell me if the receiving unit is supposed to flash green?
Best regards,
Glen
Title: Re: Won't Receive
Post by: rrowan on December 02, 2010,
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Can anyone tell me if the receiving unit is supposed to flash green?
Best regards,
Glen

I think if you are sending something (sequence, test pattern, etc) it should be flashing.
On the LE, it looks like you had a on-board wireless at one time. I can't tell if you removed the RS-485 chip next to the RJ-45 connector, there is a blue cat5 in the way

Cheers

Rick R.
Title: Re: Won't Receive
Post by: grossg on December 02, 2010,
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Can anyone tell me if the receiving unit is supposed to flash green?
Best regards,
Glen

I think if you are sending something (sequence, test pattern, etc) it should be flashing.
On the LE, it looks like you had a on-board wireless at one time. I can't tell if you removed the RS-485 chip next to the RJ-45 connector, there is a blue cat5 in the way

Cheers

Rick R.

I've never been able to get either TX/RX to talk to one another swapping them in the Tx and Rx role.  I tried last year to get wireless working.  Built two transmitters v1 and now two v2, several v1 receivers.  Nothing seems to work for me.  I've built two dongles, two MR16s and 6 Lynx v3, all work, but the wireless seems a no go.

Regardless of if the RS-485 chip is in or not, I'm guessing the green led on the Rx should flash to indicate it is receiving data.

Thanks for everyones continued help.

Any other ideas out there?

Glen
Title: Re: Won't Receive
Post by: rrowan on December 02, 2010,
Hi Glenn

I am really sorry you are having problems with the wireless for two years now.

I strongly suggest you get in teamspeak and ask RJ to help trouble shoot the problem.

Cheers

I need to apologize first but I can't let this go any longer

Bad Joke time: Maybe the wireless is telling you at this time of the year its better to send then receive

Again I apologize

Rick R.
Title: Re: Won't Receive
Post by: RJ on December 02, 2010,
Swap pics and see if the issue moves with the pic.

RJ
Title: Re: Won't Receive
Post by: RJ on December 02, 2010,
Does the Green led flash when you first plug in the power on the one that is the problem?

Since you have had problems getting wireless to work on mutliple devices are we sure the issue is not on the express? Was this the same one you had trouble getting the other wireless to work? For forget for the moment about the led. Are we sure you are not getting data?

If the led does not flash when the power is applied then we need the meter put on the led leads of the green and plug it in to see if you see power trying to flash the led.

Let me know and I will make time to help in teamspeak.

RJ
Title: Re: Won't Receive
Post by: grossg on December 02, 2010,
Success!

I twigged to the solution from a comment Rick made.  I had been removing the RS-485 chip next to the capacitor instead of the RJ-45 connector.  Also I believe that I pooched the second v2 Tx/Rx that I made as I have been unable to "unbridge" the two caps directly below the pic.

I now have a v2 Tx talking to a v1 receiver.

Thank you all for your patience.  I'm really glad that I didn't have to get another Lynx to see if it was the problem as the weather in Brandon Manitoba right now is -20 C which is -4 F, but with the wind-chill feels like -36 F.

Now I just have to venture out to setup this last controller...

Thank you RJ, Rick, smartcontrols, and n1ist for all your time and patience! ;D

Best regards,
Glen