Author Topic: The next of my ssr4 issues  (Read 7289 times)

Offline IndianaChristmas

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The next of my ssr4 issues
« on: November 16, 2013, »
I can't set the starting address.  I used the Lynx Address Utility (RJ) and the Start Pattern (Rrowan).  No luck.
Using DMX dongle.  Jumpers set to Program.
I have tried with and without power attached to the controller. 
What is the sequence one must follow to set the start address for the SSR4?
This seems easy and basic but I can't get it done!

Offline IndianaChristmas

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Re: The next of my ssr4 issues
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2013, »
I  have followed the instructions in the manual to do this but still no good. :(

Offline rrowan

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Re: The next of my ssr4 issues
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2013, »
Reflash the pic. I seem to remember that with that pic after a few failed tries it wouldn't work again. Also after you re-flash the pic see it you can control lights with it. Default start channel is 1

Rick R.
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Warning SOME assembly required

Offline drlucas

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Re: The next of my ssr4 issues
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2013, »
Use the option B for programming....power on device in operate mode, then start transmitting, then move jumper over to program, wait 5 seconds, turn off ssr, stop transmitting, put jumper back. see if that helps amongst the reflash of pic.
-Ryan Lucas-
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Offline animal

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Re: The next of my ssr4 issues
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2013, »
That's the way I get it set. Works everytime. ( well maybe not everytime )

                                                                              <la..

   animal
« Last Edit: November 17, 2013, by animal »

Offline IndianaChristmas

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Re: The next of my ssr4 issues
« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2013, »
That is what I had to do as well.  No issues other than if I didn't do the process exactly as noted.  The pics were good. 
Thanks.

Offline taybrynn

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Re: The next of my ssr4 issues
« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2013, »
I keep trying either method, reflashing pic, then trying method B ... nothing seems to work.   Have had it work on dmx channels 1-4 ... but using lynx address utility with dmx dongle (flashed dmx) on COM7 I just can't seem to get any channels to take on a ssr4 using either method.
Scott - Castle Rock, Colorado   [ 2 homes, 100% RGB in 2016; since 2008; over 32k channels of E1.31 ]
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Offline urthegman

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Re: The next of my ssr4 issues
« Reply #7 on: November 26, 2013, »
Couple of questions as I only tried to program the channels on one of mine. Does it matter if the controller is on terminate or not? What are the two pins with "S" next to it? I will see if it works on channels 1-4 in the morning.

Offline taybrynn

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Re: The next of my ssr4 issues
« Reply #8 on: November 26, 2013, »
Good question, I was wondering if the terminate mattered or not.  I have tried it both ways without success.

This reminds me a bit of the holidaycoro programmer, at least in the early days ... program would crash and it seemed like it you tried to program a start channel enough times ... it would eventually work.  I'm sure thats been improved these days.

I've the jumper set as follows:

C+S
XX

Operate+++Program
            XX - for operation
              XX - when programming start channel
S
++
  (not jumpered, i.e. jumper on one pin only)

Term
++
XX - was going to terminate since would be last device in DMX signal chain

There seems to be a somewhat confusing collection of information about the SSR4.

[ EXCERPTs FROM DMX USB DONGLE WIKI MANUAL BELOW ]

The SSR4 controller first needs to be programmed for its starting channel. This is the channel that #1 output cable will be addressed by in the DMX data. If you want this controller to handle channels 80 – 83 (4 channels) you would assign it the starting channel of 80.

Note2: Dongle DMX & Pixelnet Firmware - Require different software in order to set the start address
   [ I TAKE THIS TO MEAN THE SOFTWARE DOES WORK USING A PIXELNET FLASHED USB DONGLE ]
Note2: DMX Firmware you can use RJ's Lynx Address Program or DMX Deck
   [ I TAKE THIS TO MEAN THE DMX FLASHED USB DONGLE WOULD WORK WITH THE LYNX ADDRESS PROGRAM ]
Note2: Pixelnet Firmware you can use Start Channel or xLights or your Sequence software with Pixelnet
   [ NOT SURE WHAT THIS MEANS AT ALL OR HOW XLIGHTS WOULD BE USED TO PROGRAM THE START CH# ]

[PROGRAMMING START CH# - METHOD A]
Step 1 - Turn off power to controller and move jumper to program mode Leave Power OFF until Step 3
Step 2 - Use appropriate software (see Note2 above) and select address you need. Click on Program button
Step 3 - Turn on controller and count to 5
Step 4 - Turn off controller and move jumper back to operation mode Leave Power OFF until Step 6
Step 5 - Click Stop on the Lynx Address Program
Step 6 - Turn on controller and use your selected program to see if controller is now on the correct start address.
Either exit selected Program or go back to step 1 to program another controller

[PROGRAMMING START CH# - METHOD B]
OPTIONAL Way if the above doesn't work - From RJ
Step 1 - Power up Controller.
Step 2 - Using selected program start to send the address you want.
Step 3 - With power ON carefully move the jumper to Program.
Step 4 - Count to 3 seconds.
Step 5 - Turn OFF the controller.
Step 6 - Put the jumper back to operate and power up controller to try/test.

[ JUMPER INFO FROM MANUAL BELOW -- SEEMS PRETTY STRAIGHT FORWARD ]

The SSR4 jumpers are setup like this:

The C/S (Controller / SSR ); for Controller set it to C and for SSR set it to S.

The (S) jumper is needed to be on for SSR operation and off for Controller operation.

The Operate/Program jumper is the same as on my other systems. You set it to operate to use it and program to program it.

The Term jumper is to terminate the DMX line if this is the last device on the line.
Scott - Castle Rock, Colorado   [ 2 homes, 100% RGB in 2016; since 2008; over 32k channels of E1.31 ]
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Offline urthegman

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Re: The next of my ssr4 issues
« Reply #9 on: November 26, 2013, »
Thanks for putting all the info in one place, I also tried reflashing the pic and was having difficulty until I realized on the Jsys icsp adapter 20a board that the pic didn't belong in the uppermost slot, for an 18 pin pic it was supposed to go in the second from the top. It is clearly labeled on the adapter, just a duh moment for me. I will be working on this in the morning and I will let you know if and how I get it programmed. I have 9 of them and only tried one, so I am bound to get lucky sooner or later!!! Thanks once again.

Offline urthegman

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Re: The next of my ssr4 issues
« Reply #10 on: November 26, 2013, »
Hey, I just wanted to add, when I reflashed the pic, I got an EEPROM message on Pickit3 instead of the normal "Done" message. Is that what I am supposed to see?

Offline taybrynn

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Re: The next of my ssr4 issues
« Reply #11 on: November 26, 2013, »
I have been using the pickit 2 and haven't had any eprom errors.  I did read somewhere that if you try enough times (to program the start channel) that sometimes you have to reflash the PIC.  Well I did verify that was sometimes the case, as one of the times I went to reflash the PIC it has a different checksum in it.  THe other time, it had the same checksum still.

I've wondered if the programmer is going through some kind of loop and if you enter or leave too early, that maybe it doesn't work?  So maybe there is some element of getting lucky with it.
Scott - Castle Rock, Colorado   [ 2 homes, 100% RGB in 2016; since 2008; over 32k channels of E1.31 ]
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Offline tbone321

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Re: The next of my ssr4 issues
« Reply #12 on: November 26, 2013, »
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There seems to be a somewhat confusing collection of information about the SSR4.

[ EXCERPTs FROM DMX USB DONGLE WIKI MANUAL BELOW ]

The SSR4 controller first needs to be programmed for its starting channel. This is the channel that #1 output cable will be addressed by in the DMX data. If you want this controller to handle channels 80 – 83 (4 channels) you would assign it the starting channel of 80.

Note2: Dongle DMX & Pixelnet Firmware - Require different software in order to set the start address
   [ I TAKE THIS TO MEAN THE SOFTWARE DOES WORK USING A PIXELNET FLASHED USB DONGLE ]

The software is not the problem.  It doesn't know or care what protocol the dongle is outputting but the SSR4 does.  The assumption was that if you are using PixelNet,that you would be connecting the SSR4 to the DMX output of a smart hub but that has been proven to have issues.


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Note2: DMX Firmware you can use RJ's Lynx Address Program or DMX Deck
   [ I TAKE THIS TO MEAN THE DMX FLASHED USB DONGLE WOULD WORK WITH THE LYNX ADDRESS PROGRAM ]


That would be correct and was the way it was done prior to PixelNets existence.

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Note2: Pixelnet Firmware you can use Start Channel or xLights or your Sequence software with Pixelnet
   [ NOT SURE WHAT THIS MEANS AT ALL OR HOW XLIGHTS WOULD BE USED TO PROGRAM THE START CH# ]


Setting the start channel is simply a matter of setting the dimming level of channel 1 and 2 to the start channel that you want the device to have.  You use channel 1 for starting addresses between 1 and 255 with channel 2 set to zero and if you need to go higher, you set channel 1 t 255 and set channel 2 to a value that when added to channel 1 equal the start channel desired.  Setting these 2 channels and sending the output to the controller while in program mode sets the start address.
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Offline urthegman

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Re: The next of my ssr4 issues
« Reply #13 on: November 27, 2013, »
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I have been using the pickit 2 and haven't had any eprom errors.  I did read somewhere that if you try enough times (to program the start channel) that sometimes you have to reflash the PIC.  Well I did verify that was sometimes the case, as one of the times I went to reflash the PIC it has a different checksum in it.  THe other time, it had the same checksum still.

I've wondered if the programmer is going through some kind of loop and if you enter or leave too early, that maybe it doesn't work?  So maybe there is some element of getting lucky with it.
So the EEPROM message is an error message???

Offline tbone321

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Re: The next of my ssr4 issues
« Reply #14 on: November 27, 2013, »
It sounds like one.  What is the exact message?
If at first you don't succeed,
your not cut out for sky diving