Author Topic: Panther DMX Player - What is it, Build Instructions, Status Codes, & Testing  (Read 5776 times)

Offline TexasStingray

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The Panther DMX Player is a Master DMX Transmitter Device that transmits a full 512 DMX Signal that it reads from sequences stored on a SD Card without the use of a computer. The signal is transmitted at approximately 100ms. It has an operating voltage from 9-12 Volts DC.

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS:
For the time being the assembly instructions can be found here until it is public and made available in the wiki.

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FIRMWARE:

Version
Suported
Boards

Links
2.0.0
V2
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1
V1
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B3
Beta
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CASE CUT OUTS:
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Mouser BOM:
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Programmer from Ebay:
I recommend a USBasp Programmer and 10 pin to 6 pin converter. Here are some links.

Programmer:
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login You can get one cheaper without the case if you want.

Converter:
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STATUS CODES:
The status green led is used to assist in debugging. When everything is working correctly this led will be a steady on. In the event that there is a error this led will provide feed by blink. The number of blinking and their meaning are described below.

1 or 2 blinks - Unable to initialize the SD Card. This could also be a hardware issue related to the SD Module.
3 blinks        - Unable to find SHOW.TXT file. This file and all sequences files must be in the root directly. This file must be upper case.
4 blinks        - Total size of the SHOW.TXT file is less then 8 characters. This file should be more if you have 8 for the name and a CRLF (carriage return line feed).
5 blinks        - Unable to read the requested SEQ file specified in the show file. All Sequence files must be upper case, 8 characters, and then then with ".SEQ". example "PANTHER1.SEQ".
6 blinks        - Stopped (Frimware B2)
7 blinks        - Unable to read CONTROL.TXT file. (Firmware B2).
8 blinks        - Unable to read TRIGGERS.TXT file. (Firmware B3).

TEST SEQUENCE:
Here is a new test sequence, this should be the same as the video that I created.

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SEQUENCE FILE LAYOUT:
For the time being the SEQuence file layout documentation can be found here.

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PANTHER SEQUENCE CONVERTER:
The current version of the Panther Sequence converted reads Vixen 2.1 & 2.5 Sequence files and converts them to Panther SEQ file. The vixen sequence file must have event periods of 100ms (Looking for feed back on this limitation). The converter is currently available here.

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CONTROL FILE:
Version B2 of the Panther DMX Player firmware introduced the control file "CONTROL.TXT". The control file is a comma delimited file.
Meanings & Values of the Control file are as follows:

StartupDelay, values are in milliseconds. Acceptable value are from 0 to 4294967295. 1 second would be 1000, 10 seconds would be 10000, and so on.
RepeatCnt, value is the number of time to actually run thru the show. Acceptable values are from 0 (infinite) to 4294967295.
RepeatDelay, values are in milliseconds. Acceptable value are from 0 to 4294967295. 1 second would be 1000, 10 seconds would be 10000, and so on.
SequenceDelay, values are in milliseconds. This is the time to wait before playing the next sequence. Acceptable value are from 0 to 4294967295. 1 second would be 1000, 10 seconds would be 10000, and so on.

example of CONTROL.TXT for 10 second startup delay, repeat count of 3, repeat delay of 1 minute, and a sequence delay of 5 seconds would look like this;

        10000,3,60000,5000,

TRIGGER FILE:
Version B3 of the Panther DMX Player firmware introduced the trigger file "TRIGGERS.TXT". The trigger file is a comma delimited file. It contains a list of 15 trigger SEQ file names in upper case. Example:

TRIGGER1,TRIGGER2,TRIGGER3,TRIGGER4,TRIGGER5,TRIGGER6,TRIGGER7,TRIGGER8,TRIGGER9,TRIGGER0,TRIGGERA,TRIGGERB,TRIGGERC,TRIGGERD,TRIGGERE,

The Panther DMX Player should be compatible with the Lynx Conductor Trigger Board. Version 1 of the Panther DMX Player will have a set of trigger header pins to connect to the Lynx Trigger Board. You can also make you own trigger board using the diagrams and 32 diodes.

SHOW FILE:
Show File "SHOW.TXT" Reserved Words & Meanings
   
   --STOP--, When the Panther DMX Player reaches this word in the show file the the show will stop playing.

Simple Tests:
   Test SD Card File (Test 1):
        Step 1. Remove the power source from the Panther DMX Player (PDMXP).
        Step 2. Remove the SD Card from the PDMXP.
        Step 3. Supply Power to the PDMXP.

        Results: The Green Status LED should provide a 1 or 2 blink signal then a pause then repeating.

   Test Control File (Test 2):
        Step 1. Remove the power source from the Panther DMX Player (PDMXP).
        Step 2. Remove the SD Card from the PDMXP.
        Step 3. Using a PC edit the contents of the SD Card and rename the CONTROL.TXT file to CTRL.TXT.
        Step 4. Insert the SD Card in the PDMXP.
        Step 5. Supply Power to the PDMXP.

        Results: The Green Status LED should provide a 7 blink signal then a pause then repeat the 7 blink signal.

      Finish: Rename the CTRL.TXT file on the SD Card back to CONTROL.TXT using a PC.
      
   Test Trigger File (Test 2B):
     Firmware B3 introduced the Trigger File TRIGGERS.TXT which allows you to play up to 15 different sequences based on a trigger (contact being made between a ground ping and a trigger pin, which can up to 15 using a Lynx Trigger PCB.)
        Step 1. Remove the power source from the Panther DMX Player (PDMXP).
        Step 2. Remove the SD Card from the PDMXP.
        Step 3. Using a PC edit the contents of the SD Card and rename the TRIGGERS.TXT file to TRIGGER.TXT.
        Step 4. Insert the SD Card in the PDMXP.
        Step 5. Supply Power to the PDMXP.

        Results: The Green Status LED should provide a 8 blink signal then a pause then repeat the 8 blink signal.

      Finish: Rename the TRIGGER.TXT file on the SD Card back to TRIGGERS.TXT using a PC.
      
   Test Show File (Test 3):
        Step 1. Remove the power source from the Panther DMX Player (PDMXP).
        Step 2. Remove the SD Card from the PDMXP.
        Step 3. Using a PC edit the contents of the SD Card and rename the SHOW.TXT file to SHW.TXT.
        Step 4. Insert the SD Card in the PDMXP.
        Step 3. Supply Power to the PDMXP.

        Results: The Green Status LED should provide a 3 blink signal then a pause then repeat the 3 blink signal.

      Finish: Rename the SHW.TXT file on the SD Card back to SHOW.TXT using a PC.
      
   Test Show File (Test 4):
        Step 1. Remove the power source from the Panther DMX Player (PDMXP).
        Step 2. Remove the SD Card from the PDMXP.
        Step 3. Using a PC edit the SHOW.TXT file on the SD Card. Delete all the contents of the SHOW.TXT file, leaving nothing in it. Basicly making the file smaller then 8 total bytes.
        Step 4. Insert the SD Card in the PDMXP.
        Step 3. Supply Power to the PDMXP.

        Results: The Green Status LED should provide a 4 blink signal then a pause then repeat the 4 blink signal.

      Finish: Edit the SHOW.TXT file on the SD Card adding your/demo sequences back into file.
      
   Test Sequence File (Test 5):
        Step 1. Remove the power source from the Panther DMX Player (PDMXP).
        Step 2. Remove the SD Card from the PDMXP.
        Step 3. Using a PC edit the SHOW.TXT file on the SD Card. Add ABCDEFGH to the list of sequences as the 2 sequence in the list.
        Step 4. Insert the SD Card in the PDMXP.
        Step 3. Supply Power to the PDMXP.

        Results: The Green Status LED should provide a 5 blink signal.

      Finish: Edit the SHOW.TXT file on the SD Card and remove ABCDEFGH from the list.
      

NOTES: During any delays or stops the DMX Signal will stop being sent. What that means is that on equipment that has a DMX Signal indicator like the Lynx Express the indicator (LED) will not show a signal being received. So, if you want to all channels to be set to a specific value such as all off '0' or all on '255' then be sure you create a sequence with that value and add it to you SHOW.TXT file before the --STOP-- or anywhere in the SHOW.TXT to turn all on or off or in between your sequences.
« Last Edit: March 05, 2014, by TexasStingray »
Scott Wanner
TX

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