Trying to program the ssc for the first time.

[mmciver]

Hello Everyone,
I have had ssc's for a long time, but haven't had the time to play with them much.  I am now working with them and running into some issues.
I finally got my etherdongle working and talking to LSP.  Green light comes on the smartjack at power up.  When I load up LSP and load a sequence I see the yellow light blinking rapidly.
I programmed the PIC on the Smart Hub and connected them.
I then connected an express to the smart hub and got the DMX light to turn on.
I created a pixel net controller in LSP of 512 channels starting at 1 for testing purposes.
When i go into test controller mode with LSP I see the channels light up appropriately on the express.
I think that shows the the etherdongle and smart hub are working.  Correct me if I am wrong.
I also have a SSC that is moded to v2.  Here is where I need help.  With test firmware loaded, it runs my pixel string thru the color sequences once power is supplied.
i loaded the v3 software on it.
i thought that when you fired them up in default mode they started with channel 1-128 so I should see something.  Nothing happens.
I changed the program jumper, loaded the programming utility and tried to send programming to the -ssc.  nothing happened.  no blinking, nothing.
i could be doing things completely wrong and am looking for instructions but was unable to find any.  can someone point me in the correct direction?

Thanks,


Mike

[caretaker]

Mike,

First make sure you have the correct Smart String programming utility: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Next you can follow these directions: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

If you still have problems let us know.

[tbone321]

If you are getting the Express to function thru the DMX port of the hub, then the ETD is working.  If you are getting the SSC to work with test firmware, then at a minimum, you are at least plugged into a correct port on the hub and it is supplying the SSC with the power it needs so lets get the versions sorted out.  What version of the test firmware are you running?  There is no V2 mod that I am aware of.  There is the Ver1 and Ver2 SSC and the Ver3 mod that can be done to either the Ver1 or 2 SSC.  There is also the Ver 4 SSC but that is fairly new and probably not what you have.  The first thing that you need to do is to locate the correct firmware for the SSC that you are using.  Whatever version of the test firmware works with it is the running firmware that you will need.  This will also indicate the version of the configuration utility that you will also need.  If you load the incorrect firmware or use the wrong version of the setup utility for the firmware that you have loaded, you will get a whole lot of nothing.

[mmciver]

The SSC's I am using are V2 SSC's with the mod's on it.  I loaded the firmware for the moded SSC's and I think I have the correct programming software.  I could really use a good step by step on how to program the sac's with the utility.  When do you put the jumper on/off?  do you reset?  what is the expected behavior during the process.

Thanks for the help.

MIke

[mmciver]

this morning i checked my versions and here is what i have.
V3 Firmware successfully installed with a ED60 checksum.  Check
SSC configuration utility is ver1.  I looked at the new utility, installed it correctly  and still get version 1, but i am not sure if this is the version i should have.  if not, i need help with that and proper programming steps.

[tbone321]

As for the utility, the version number was not changed and should have been so that is of no help.  What you need to do is look at the file date for the SmartStringUtility.exe file.  If the date is 7/10/2011 then that is the older file.  If the date is 9/30/2012 then you have the correct utility for the version 3 SSC.  The file is located in the C:\Program Files\DLA\Smart String Utiliy directory.  The update consists of just the SmartStringUtility.exe file the link for it can be found in the SSC Ver 3 area of the WIKI with the link "new file". 

You may want to post a screen shot of how you have the utility configured so that we can see if you have it set up correctly.  Make sure that you have the Program With section set to EtherDongle before pressing the send button.  The default is set to USB dongle.  Otherwise, set the program jumper on and power up the SSC.  Set the options required in the utility and press the send button.  When the settings are accepted, the SSC will flash the attached nodes.  Unplug the SSC from the hub and remove the program jumper.  Plug the SSC back into the hub and you should be good to go.

[mmciver]

Finally got it working.
Not sure if it was the SSC or the Software, but i got one working.  now to try others

[mmciver]

o.k.  I hate to rehash this thread, but.....

I am back to working on my pixels and I am trying to program them with little luck.
I have connected my ETD to a smarthub whose universe jumpers are all on the #1 position.
I hooked a Lynx Express to the DMX out and tested output using LSP controller text.  I am getting output on the DMX side and everything seems to work fine.
I have an ssc that is modded to version 3.
I programmed the test code into the ssc and plugged it in.  The pixels light up and run thru the testing sequence and that works fine.
I then reflashed the ssc with the proper firmware.
I downloaded the new ssc utility software listed under the ver. 3 SSC on the wiki.
I set the program jumper on the 2 pins and fired up the programming utility.
I set the correct parameters for the string, number of nodes, type of node, direction, grouping, etc.  I set it to use ETD and hit transmit.
I get nothing, the pixels never flash.
When I try to test it in LSP, nothing.

I have read the rest of this thread and everything I could find on the wiki and cannot figure out what I am doing wrong.

I have about 500 pixels here to start configuring start addresses for my elements and I am stuck.

Mike

[bcstuff]

Two things I have had happen to me.

1) The firmware doesn't copy correctly. So what I do is when I write the firmware to the SSC, I hit verify so it can compare what was written to the chip to what was the actual Hex.

2) I have had it where I do everything as I was suppose to with programming and got nothing when I hit program. I believe I remember RJ saying something about timing to get the program to stick. When this happens to me, I stop the programming, verify that everything is connected as it is suppose to be, program jumper on, verify the settings and hit program again. I believe one time it took me 3 times to get them to blink (or I changed something in the 3rd try that I overlooked the first 2 times).

[tbone321]

Please post a screen shot of the utility so that we can see if you are using the correct one.  The utility versions have gotten a bit sloppy as of late and it can be a bit tricky finding the correct one.

[mmciver]

Brian,

Thank you for the feedback.  I always verify once i flash.  in the process of checking SSC to make sure it worked I ended up flashing and verifying the pic multiple times, all with no apparent issues.  As far as the timing, I must not have the touch:)  I actually let the send run for several minutes with not affect.

Attached is a screen shot of the utility I am using.  If this is the incorrect one, I don't know where to find the correct one.  I looked quite a few different places.

[bcstuff]

Brian,

Thank you for the feedback.  I always verify once i flash.  in the process of checking SSC to make sure it worked I ended up flashing and verifying the pic multiple times, all with no apparent issues.  As far as the timing, I must not have the touch:)  I actually let the send run for several minutes with not affect.

Attached is a screen shot of the utility I am using.  If this is the incorrect one, I don't know where to find the correct one.  I looked quite a few different places.

I believe this is the right programming utility because it has grouping. Obviously make sure to choose Etherdongle before programming.

I believe RJ has the firmware setup by default to be channel 1 and 128 nodes, independent and forward direction (at least it used to be). After flashing and verifying the firmware, see if you can get the nodes to respond to the SSC on channel 1. This verifies that SSC works from the input, to receive data, through to the lights . The test firmware only tests the power coming in and then data only from the pic to the lights.

For the timing I was talking about ( if I remember correctly, of course it could just be in my head) if it doesn't flash immediately after hitting transmit then waiting is not going to do anything. Stop the transmission, check for correct connections, and then transmit again.

Couple of things that popped in my head:
- This is a plain etherdongle and not a conductor correct?
- The etherdongle is on the same network as the computer you are using the Smart string utility on?
- Do you have a USB Dongle you can flash to pixelnet to try?
- You said you got a Express to respond appropriately off the active hub, this was off the hub's DMX output correct?
- Your input wires are correct on your SSC, check to make sure data+, data-, power and ground are all the correct colors going to the correct holes?Does the port on your Smart string hub have the fuse blown?
- Your Smart hub is powered while trying to program the SSC?
- After programming to test the SSC, you remove the program jumper?

That is all I can think of at this time.

[mmciver]

Thanks for the feedback. 
I am copying some of Brians Questions to answer.

Couple of things that popped in my head:
- This is a plain etherdongle and not a conductor correct? Yes it is plain Etherdongle.
- The etherdongle is on the same network as the computer you are using the Smart string utility on? Yes.  Etherdongle is connected with crossover cable to the computer.  Smart String Utility on same computer.
- Do you have a USB Dongle you can flash to pixelnet to try? I do, but since the ehterdongle sends data to smart hup, and smarthub is sending DMX to Express and that works, why would a USB Dongle give any different results.
- You said you got a Express to respond appropriately off the active hub, this was off the hub's DMX output correct? YES
- Your input wires are correct on your SSC, check to make sure data+, data-, power and ground are all the correct colors going to the correct holes?Does the port on your Smart string hub have the fuse blown?  They match the wiki docs.  no blown fuses.  I can move SSC in test mode to any port and it will drive LEDs thru test mode.
- Your Smart hub is powered while trying to program the SSC? No.  Should I?
- After programming to test the SSC, you remove the program jumper?  I didn't at first   After reading this I made sure i did:)

That is all I can think of at this time.


Hope this answers help.  Now let me give you some new data.
I finally got one of my SSC's to work and program.  I got flashing lights and everything.  I closed it up, fired up LSP and was able to control the pixels from lsp.  Just as expected.

Many of my dongles are not working that same way.  I have some ver.1 and some ver2 that have all been upgraded with the MOD3 changes.  Some have the RJ48 connector and some are using the 4pin waterproof connection.

All of them will run the test sequence properly but out of the 6 or 8 i have, so far I have only succeeded in getting one to work properly.
My first questions is:  Since the test sequence is working correctly, what in the data stream could be hosing up communication from the etherdongle and smarthub?  Could the 485 ship be bad?  Any other component?

Looking forward to your responses.

Mike.

[mmciver]

bump

[TexasStingray]

Mike, where are you located?  Maybe you could meet wirh another member or arrange to ship it to someone for help.