DiyLightAnimation
Hardware => Lynx Zeus => Topic started by: rrowan on October 11, 2013,
-
Hi Folks,
Just wanted to let you know that the assembly manuals for the Zeus 16 and Zeus 8 are in the wiki.
Many thanks to the beta team for fully testing the Zeus boards and to twooly for taking the pictures and writing up the text for the manuals.
Rick R.
-
Thanks for the great work Rick. Now when are you coming over to get those lights on my roof for me?
-
Can we get the mouser BOM? I need to order some parts for another project and I want to add a couple of spare parts for the Zeus to my order.
-
The BOM is not normally released until the parts for the first coop are ordered but anything is possible.
-
Thanks for the work on the manual Rick and betas! <res.
The build looks pretty straight forward, but I might have to take a break during the soldering of them chip sockets... ;D
One thing I have been anticipating is the new SS utility with all the color orders. My gear was all over the place...
-
You need the updated firmware which is not out yet for the ssc to be able to use the new orders. It takes more than just the utility. The Zeus firmware already supports them.
RJ
-
I kinda expected that and moved folks towards modding older SSCs to accommodate this. The string programming appears to be straightforward. Very slick.
-
(1) Does the Zeus have the ability to span more than one pixelnet universe?
I'm going to assume its like a SS HUB and you just jumper the single PN universe you want to use.
I thought there was a hint at one point that it might be able to span multiple PN universes.
(2) I just read in the wiki - assembly manual for the zeus that configuration is done via. the latest SSC utility -- see below.
So same utility for SSC and Zeus configuration, correct?
To configure the Zeus for the color order and the start address along with other options use the updated version of the Smart String Utility.
Some of the options:
1 - Start Channel
2 - String Number (1 - 16/All)
3 - Mode (String, Hybrid, Nodes)
4 - Forward/Backwards
5 - Node Count
6 - Null Nodes (optional)
7 - Grouping
8 - Color Order
-
(1) Does the Zeus have the ability to span more than one pixelnet universe?
I'm going to assume its like a SS HUB and you just jumper the single PN universe you want to use.
I thought there was a hint at one point that it might be able to span multiple PN universes.
Like the Hub, you can select the universe it is operating on, but it will only work on the one that you select.
(2) I just read in the wiki - assembly manual for the zeus that configuration is done via. the latest SSC utility -- see below.
So same utility for SSC and Zeus configuration, correct?
I think that this is where the manual is weak and in serious need of editing. I can see from the picture that there is no ICSP header which indicates that the chips cannot be flashed on the board and the manual makes no mention of that at all. I see that there is a program jumper but how exactly do you configure the individual chips?
-
tbone is correct there is no icsp(s) connector on the Zeus family pcbs. Otherwise there would be the need for 8 or 16 icsp connectors or one with another jumper selector for each chip.
The chips come pre-programmed from microchip
Here is a snapshot of the new Smart String Utility program.
Rick R.
I forgot the second picture showing the Zeus option where you can program all the chips at once or select one at a time with the drop down
-
If the chips will alway be coming preprogrammed then it may be a good idea to note that in the manual. I see that the new utility has a Zeus option. Does this indicate that the utility can select the the chip that you are working with. If so then that is really cool.
-
If the chips will alway be coming preprogrammed then it may be a good idea to note that in the manual. I see that the new utility has a Zeus option. Does this indicate that the utility can select the the chip that you are working with. If so then that is really cool.
Yes sorry I forgot the second picture. Yeah the manual does need some work. The programming section was just a place holder until we could show the options in the utility program. Was waiting for Dad's approval LOL.
I just added the picture
Rick R.
-
RJ explained this at the academy. The 8 or 16 channels are programed by the new to be released utility. There will be an option for each channel or all channels, and ssc.
If you want to program 16 channels of 50 pixels with 2 null nodes starting at channel 1, then selecting all will program 16 channels with the same configuration, but each will have its own start address.
first channel starting at 1
second starting at 151
third starting at 301
etc
etc
Now if you find that channel 3 must be changed to reverse order, You simply program channel 3, the other channels will remain unchanged.
The chips will be programed with the firmware, no pickit required, so no header.
Nice work by RJ, and the beta testers.
<;d Can't wait for my kit order to arrive. <;d
-
Thanks, this looks great !! <res.
-
If the chips will alway be coming preprogrammed then it may be a good idea to note that in the manual. I see that the new utility has a Zeus option. Does this indicate that the utility can select the the chip that you are working with. If so then that is really cool.
I am glad that the chips are being preprogrammed by Microchip. I don't think I could program the 4592 chips from this coop in the next month. I am sure that RJ will provide the file to program the chips if they ever need to be replaced.
John
-
That looks great Rick, thanks for the clarification but here is a question. If you select all like in the picture, does the utility calculate the starting channels of all of the strings based on the options and the starting channel selected or does it just set them all to the channel selected in the box.
-
That looks great Rick, thanks for the clarification but here is a question. If you select all like in the picture, does the utility calculate the starting channels of all of the strings based on the options and the starting channel selected or does it just set them all to the channel selected in the box.
It increments each start channel for each string based on options selected. If you want them all the same start channel then you would need to do that manually. Just so you know I was Not on the beta team. I can only go by what the beta folks were saying.
Rick R.
-
Cool, it appears that this system was well though out and I am looking foward to the kits getting here.
-
If you select all like in the picture, does the utility calculate the starting channels of all of the strings based on the options and the starting channel selected or does it just set them all to the channel selected in the box.
If you select all you select the number of nodes and the utility programs each string in order. For example if you select all and 50 nodes string 1 start channel will be 1, string 2 will be 151, string 3 301 and so on. You can also select the start channel number on string 1 so it does not have to be 1, but the total of all strings must stay within the 4096 limitation. Make sense?
-
Programming that many chips would be nearly 5 days for 24 hours straight at 90 seconds per chip... :o
The new utility looks awesome and especially dig the Zeus "all" option and color order options!
-
I hope that you are talking about the time it will take the coop manager to flash them all. >.d9
-
Yep; Just a number I needed to run since I am still baffled how much time and effort that COOP managers have invested into a COOP. <res.
Looks like this was a very wise choice for the chips to be factory programmed.
-
While I agree that it was a good idea to have Micro Chip preprogram them, they could have also been sent out unflashed as well. There is no real need for the coop manager to program or flash any chips. Unless all you intend to work with is a USB dongle and a few LE's, you really need to get a Pickit3. Not doing so would be like taking up golf and not bothering to purchase a putter. Any hobby requires certain tools and equipment and this one is no exception.
-
While I agree that it was a good idea to have Micro Chip preprogram them, they could have also been sent out unflashed as well. There is no real need for the coop manager to program or flash any chips. Unless all you intend to work with is a USB dongle and a few LE's, you really need to get a Pickit3. Not doing so would be like taking up golf and not bothering to purchase a putter. Any hobby requires certain tools and equipment and this one is no exception.
Agreed t, but this chip takes an adapter and the standard jumper settings do not work. We got a work around, but for at least the first go being pre-programmed is much better.
-
LOL, don't get me wrong. I agree that it IS a good idea to get them that way. I was saying in general that there really is no need for the coop manager to pre-prgram the PIC's for ANY coop, especially if it is time consuming. As for these PIC's, you could always use an SSC v4 to flash them on if needed since they use the same PIC as the Zeus. If there is a need for a work around then it should be added to the assembly manual. I would also suggest posting the firmware for these PIC's by the time the Zeus ships incase someone gets a bad PIC or the flash was missed or corrupted so they can reflash it or flash a replacement. I have gotten bad PIC's on some orders so it does happen and there is going to be a very small window bewtween when this ships and the start of the holiday season for this kit.
-
LOL, don't get me wrong. I agree that it IS a good idea to get them that way. I was saying in general that there really is no need for the coop manager to pre-prgram the PIC's for ANY coop, especially if it is time consuming. As for these PIC's, you could always use an SSC v4 to flash them on if needed since they use the same PIC as the Zeus. If there is a need for a work around then it should be added to the assembly manual. I would also suggest posting the firmware for these PIC's by the time the Zeus ships unless someone gets a bad PIC or the flash was missed or corrupted so they can reflash it or flash a replacement. There is going to be a very small window bewtween when this ships and the start of the holiday season for this kit.
Absolutely agree. I believe that the work around has been or is going to be posted.... I have not looked myself. <fp. It is basically just installing jumper wires on an adapter. If it is not out I am sure that once the coop is done that it will be posted. I know that one of the beta testers took a picture of his.
-
Here is the pin chart from the wiki
http://www.diylightanimation.com/wiki/images/9/9e/J1SYS_PIC24F04KA200_SSCV4_FIX.png (http://www.diylightanimation.com/wiki/images/9/9e/J1SYS_PIC24F04KA200_SSCV4_FIX.png)
-
Here is my pic of my setup I used to flash the pics for the Zeus. After getting into assembly line mode I got all 24 of the pics programmed in a few minutes :)
This is how I have the wires
Wires ran from the header to each leg of the pic
Pic chip ICSP header
pin pin
1 1
14 2
13 3
3 4
2 5
n/c 6
-
This is what RJ used
http://www.diylightanimation.com/wiki/index.php?title=Red_Neck_Pic24_programmer
Rick R.