Plugged pixelnet cable to active hub

[rmp2917]

You don't have to change the start channel on the SSC.

In Nutcracker, just add the following value to whatever channel you have the SSC set to.
for universe 2 add 4096
for universe 3 add 8192
for universe 4 add 12288

Of course you will have to make sure you have nutcracker configured for those channels.

[PIC]

Thanks for clarifying the universe setup.  Tried changing the universe.  Still no good.  Looking at the board now for solder issues.

[tbone321]

I am looking at the pic that you posted of the hub and it looks like in that picture, your PixelNet jumpers are not set correctly.  Both jumpers need to be on the same universe and an the universe that you want the hub to work with.  From the picture (and I could be wrong) it appears that you have the first jumper set to universe 2 and the second one set to universe 1. It will never work if that is the setup. What I would suggest is that you set up your devices how you are testing them and then take and post a few pics so that we can see how you are testing.

[PIC]

Etd blue to hub.  Yellow to ssc.  Both pixnet universes in 1.  (The angle if the picture is deceiving they are both on1).   Ssc utility v1.0 start channel 1. Node count 16.  Voltage on both sides of ssc 11.6vdc.  I unsoldered and resoldered the hub pixelnet in jack also.  Any other ideas. 

[tbone321]

These pics are too small for me to see what is going on on my notebooks screen, especially the SSC configuration screen.  Could you possibly make them bigger.  What would also help would be a screen shot of the Xlights screen that you are using to run the test and again, big enough for people like me looking at a notebook screen to be able to read it.

[PIC]

Sorry about pics.  Here are better ones.  I will be out of town next couple days.  I went ahead and order parts to build a new passive hub.  Any other ideas or items to check would be appreciated.

[PIC]

This pic I had the universes set to 2 to test.  I used 4097 on ssc utility for that test.  They are now back to one and one and ssc set to channel 1.

[tbone321]

Don't confuse the SCC utility channel number and the show channel number.  A show channel number keeps climbing sequentially, regardless of universe limitations.  On the hardware side, universe limitations do exist which is the reason that we have and use multiple universes.  To test on universe 2, the beginning show channel number would be set to 4097, the hub jumpers set to universe 2, and the SSC would be set to a starting channel of 1. 

I do however have a few questions for you.  How are you setting the start channel of the SSC?  If the hub is not working, by what method are you connecting to the SSC to set the start channel?  What software are you using to run the test?  Did you load the test firmware into the SSC to see if it is working at all?

[PIC]

Never making it to the xlights setup.  Just using the ssc utility to set start Channel and # of nodes.  When I do the RGB lights do not flash to confirm ssc is programmed.  I have not tried test firmware.  Is this the one under v3 on wiki?  After I dump to pic do I just plug up to the hub.  What should happen with lights. 
I did use 4097 as start address on ssc utility to program ssc on universe 2.  So I can try the universe 2 (with corrected start #1 ) and try test firmware.  I am out of town today and can try tomorrow evening.   Thanks for advice on testing the ssc and correct universe setup.  You guys are extremely helpful and patient.  I will get this.

[tbone321]

The test firmware does not use a start channel.  All that the SSC needs with the test firmware is power.  It will then cycle a color pattern on the nodes by itself.  This proves that the Pic and basic circuitry are working.  If you are not getting the flash on the nodes, then the SSC is not taking any settings or is not functional at all.  The test firmware can confirm at least the output functionality of the SSC.  The fact that neither the SSC or PixelNet devices connected to the PixelNet outputs are working indicates that none of the 485's are working.  I find it hard to believe that ALL or the signal buffers were cooked by your connecting the wrong device to one of the hubs controller outputs.

OTOH, the PS could be more damaged than you think.  You need to check the PS and make sure that it is still putting out 5V.  All of the chips except for the Pic run on 5V so if that rail of the PS was damaged or failed when the wrong device was connected to the controller output of the hub, then the hub would be pretty much disabled.  Don't go by the power LED on the hub, because that could be getting its power from either the 12V or the 3.3V rails of the PS.  You can measure for 5V from the PS connectors by measuring from the red wire on one of the 4 pin connectors to ground (black wire).

There could still be damage to the hub but we need to find and repair one thing at a time.  Measuring for 5V on the PS is the easiest thing to do followed by loading the test firmware on the SSC.  If this is a V3 SSC, then yes, the test firmware is located in the WIKI under the Ver3 SSC section.

[PIC]

Checked power supply.  5.31vdc.  Also checked each hub 485 chip voltage all 5.31vdc. 
Tried universe2, 3, &, 4 with ssc start channel of 1.  Nothing.
I have a ssc4.  Used test firmware under ssc3 on wiki.  The checksum does not match.   Wiki=21F8, mine=1E3D.  I download and plug back to hub.  Nothing.   
Ssc 485 chip has 5.01vdc between pin 5 & 8.
Ssc pic chip has 3.971vdc between pin 13 & 14
Ssc in and out main power is 11.52vdc.
Also checked two different ssc boards. 
Any ideas???

[PIC]

Shot of pickit3 screen when trying test 3 firmware.  FYI all the other pics firmware matched the correct checksum.  Just the test one does not match.

[tbone321]

If it a Ver4 SSC, then there currently is no test firmware for it so you can put the Ver4 standard firmware back on it.  It appears that the hub may be far more damaged than I thought possible.  I would go ahead and built the passive hub and see if that works.  If so, then we can get back to working with the active hub but it looks like just about all of the 485's are toast.

[PIC]

Thanks for feedback.  Let u know when I get parts in for passive hub. 

[bakerlights]

Are you putting the jumper on the two pin program header when trying to program the start channel? If not, that is probably your not getting any flashing lights when trying to set the start channel.