DiyLightAnimation
Hardware => Lynx Aether => Topic started by: Steve Gase on November 03, 2011,
-
Powered on new AetherII and it has different behavior from the first -- which is working.
The second goes immediately to white. It happens whether the cat5 is connected, it happens regardless of position for either of the switches.
I removed the PIC and verified that it was programmed, it was and it had the correct checksum. For good measure I programmed it again, and verified it. Still all white. I tried to be thorough as I soldered each connection, but must have done something wrong.
ANY IDEAS?
Thanks!
-
Is there a manual mode that might be shorted on?
I am not sure on the new Aether II but the old had a manual mode so it could be used as a flood light with all white light.
Bill
-
I think there was one label marked on the PCB said "MAN". I'm guessing its for manual mode? I hope so, since I would like to use it for flood light after the show.
-
There is a "Man" pinout on the board, but it is so far away from the other items I don't see how I'd have bridged it. I'll take a look tonight. Thanks!
-
Yes that is the manual jumper for a switch like the original.
Hopefully i can start to catch up this weekend with posts and pms so i can help everyone that have questions on the aether II. I have hardly been on and my pms are behind about 5 days I think!
Sent from my Charge by Tapatalk
RJ
-
Update: more confusion.
Last time I presented my problem, here was the scenario.
..built one aether2 without problems, set the address to 321-324
..tested with vixen, all was well.
Second aether2 and when I connected it, it was all white. no matter what I did, still white.
..pulled it out of the case, examined all solder points, no noticible change
..applied heat to all exposed solder connections, no noticible change
..pull off the wires to from the pcb heading to the led
..added solder to anything questionable, made sure there were no bridges, used ohm meter to check most connections. all good.
..reattached, and applied power -- and it seemed to now work (great!)
..no matter what I tried to do, could not set the address. it was always (0),1,2,3
..reprogrammed the pic (crc was not matching before, but after program it verified), now all I get is white. I am back to where I started.
..pulled the pic out and programmed in the zif socket... the crc was wrong again, and again I programmed and again it verifies. but it is still white.
questions:
why does it go white? it worked at one point -- except for the addresses, so I know that it can show the colors and can be controlled.
why could I not program it to 325? I resoldered all of the connections to the PIC socket, and I suspect that as the original white problem. But I don't think it is the problem now.
any ideas?
does anyone in the forum take in destressed kits to lend a hand with an attempted repair?
-
Will it program to any address?
Bill
-
When power is applied, it is white.
This is irregardless of whether the dongle is connected, or not... whether the program or operate switch is left or right, or DMX terminate is left or right.
It won't do anything but white when the configuration is attempted or vixen is used to manipulate channels.
At one point -- much later in my attempts to get it working -- I left off the PIC not returning it to the socket -- still white.
There is a trend here somewhere. :)
-
I wish that I had one, so I could help a bit better. I know that you have checked several times but can you give the drivers another look?
Would it be possible to post some pics of the PCB front and back?
Bill
-
When power is applied, it is white.
This is irregardless of whether the dongle is connected, or not... whether the program or operate switch is left or right, or DMX terminate is left or right.
It won't do anything but white when the configuration is attempted or vixen is used to manipulate channels.
At one point -- much later in my attempts to get it working -- I left off the PIC not returning it to the socket -- still white.
There is a trend here somewhere. :)
[/quote
If its all white as soon as you turn it on then I would check the rj-45 jack input and the rs-485 chip. The pic is not seeing data from the dongle and going to landscape mode.
Rick R.
-
Hmmm... doing pics from the front I found something troublesome, hopefully the only cause. The bad unit has been resoldered a couple times (I swapped resistors when there were no pictures), and later when I was learning about the extra heat needed to get a good connection to the LED pads. So, it looks uglier than the working unit.
I just noticed with a blowup of the pics that the little black specs are electronic components. huh. And comparing to the working unit I see that a black spec is missing. Comparing the bad and good pics, you might see that the LEDENGIN, INC 'should' have a small black spec. I think I might have flicked it off when trying to clean up some of the solder spittle and that messy heatsink compound that oozed out.
Now to ask RJ if he has extras... :(
Edit: (attaching the correct -- good2.jpg file)
TURNS OUT THAT I HAD A PIECE OF TISSUE OBSCURING THE CHIP IN THE PHOTO. I was about to pull the old one off and saw the tissue. So that is unlikely my problem. I've exhausted all of the obvious at this point.
-
Isn't that 2 photos of the same unit?
-Mike
-
fixed. ;) (...as in, "fixed the attached picture" the aether2 is still broken :()
-
Pretty sure that based on the layout, those are little Schotky diodes. You also will want to clean that Conductive transfer compound from the pads prior to soldering them....you may be providing a short to the heatsink.
-
RJ hasn't been available to respond to my request for a replacement Aether2 LED Emitter.
I see that mouser has LedEngin products available, but I'm not sure which to order... anyone have an idea?
Thanks!
-
40 watt rgbw I think there is only one rgbw that is 40 watt
-
This one should work
http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=897-LZCA0MD00&bdprt=1&projectguid=91B232A8-80BF-4D2F-8BC3-6B4A02505404&projectid=11619261
Rick R.
Thanks to lonewolf41 for the mouser bom link
-
THANKS!!
-
Sorry been away from the forum. Got back tonight for the first time in a few days and have almost 200 pm's waiting to answer. <yk..
RJ
-
Built my first two Aethers.
Get red blinky. Get white flash. Will not respond with any commands given from DMX Dongle (dongle checks out). I haven't resoldered the RJ-45 connection yet, but I will try later. I checked the connection on the RJ-45 dongle (on the spot case) using a RJ-45 tester. It seems to check out (well, for the first pair which correspond to orange and orange/white).
Decided to go and build the second. Reflashed the PIC as I saw the PIC that was sent did not have the correct checksum. Finished the build and am now getting all white all the time (no matter what position I put the switch in). I checked to see if I was experiencing the same lost mini-chip on the LED, but haven't found that to be an issue. I will re-flash the PIC later tonight, to jsut make sure that this isn't the issue.
I will wait to do the third. This is the first time I have ever had issues with any build from DLA.
Kurt
-
I was experiencing a lot of frustration with the start programming, but kept trying all kinds of things that had a myriad of interesting results. Finally I now have four Aether IIs obeying my every wish. The final kicker for me was to power up the light in whatever state it was in; start the addressing utility, hit program and get it sending data. Then I kept toggling the program switch to program (red flashing) and back to run (random results) until a white flash finally occurred and the light went dark. At that point all colors worked correctly, in order RGBW at the desired start channel.
There are still two cases where I can force them to display a color without my permission:
1) Applying power to an Aether that has no cat5 attached. This can result in solid white, red..just a flash.
2) Running all four channels at once..nothing but solid bright white.
Hope this helps...
Mike E.
-
MEMAN you are a FREAKIN genius!
Your method also worked for me. Mine took on the second flip of the switch. When it did a quick flash and went out, I knew it was programmed. I tested in Vixen and VIOLA, RGB+W.
BTW I recall that when the White channel is on it overrides the RGB output. So it's either RGB or White.
-
Awesome, glad we have anther Aether working. Until RJ has time to look at this and explain the theory, I think it's just a matter of timing in the flip of the switch and catching a wave on the right edge.
__ __ __ __
|__| |__| |__| |__
-
how about I send you my broken one, and you send me your working one? it would be loads of fun to figure this one out, too! :)
-
I also have one bad one left to figure out. It just gives me a flash of light when I power it up. Thats all it will do no matter what I try. I reflashed and still the same thing.
I had one that was white all the time and it turned out to be a solder bridge on the white voltage regulator pins. No matter what I did, it was always white.
On another one, I found that I had accidentally swapped the 7805 & 7812 regulators. On that one, I got a dim red led aftet programming the start address and it would not respond to commands from Vixen.
Finicky little buggers those Aethers are!
-
UPDATE on the first unit stated above: (This is the unit that only flashed once no matter what I did)
I took it apart and un-soldered the LED and Cat5 connections. Checked all soldering with an eye-loop. Reheated all the socket pins and added a little more solder on a few. Re-soldered Cat5 and LED. WORKING!
I guess the major culprit on all of my units was soldering issues. So I would suggest going over all your soldering with a magnifying glass. I was was very frustrated but I wasn't going to give up.