Author Topic: Aether II problem  (Read 4096 times)

Offline arw01

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Aether II problem
« on: September 01, 2015, »
Got a strange one.  Just finished assembly of the 3 Aether II bought in the 2014 co-op.

Found the pics were not programmed.  Flashed the TEST program on all three of them, power them up and they go through their 4 colors BGRW no problems.

Power down, reprogram with the downloaded HEX files with changes to the start address on each one in HEX at 2800 memory space.

Un hook the pickit, hook up to an active hub, power up the flood, goes green, and stays green. Fire xlights up and go into alternate test mode.  NOTHING happens.. Hmm odd.

Grab a set of regular lights plug into one of the 16 active hub ports and the pixels start flashing so I know the etherdongle is working and the active hub.

Go get one of my 2013 known to work Aethers.  Hook it straight to power, run the cat 5 to the active hub dmx out, turn on the flood and it alternates just fine, adjust the back ground to all blue, off blue off blue etc..

Shut down, power up a new aether II, go from the hub to the new aether, then out to the old Aether, and the old aether no longer alternates, just sticks with blue!

change to a different aether II (new ones) same thing, and the third the same thing.

Reprogram the new aether with the original non modified start address that matches the checksum.  Try it all again, nothing.  If the old aether is going through the new aether no response to xlights.  Plug straight to the active hub and off we go with the pattern.

Have tried with all three.

Thought maybe the pigtails were not right, so plugged a cut off male end with stripped leads, tested orange to the circuit board where orange comes in, good.  Testing to orange white, about 123 resistance.  Tested orange white coming in, same.

I'm at a loss on this one.

Alan

Offline rmp2917

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Re: Aether II problem
« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2015, »
Do you have the "Man" jumper installed? If so, try removing it.

Also make sure both switches are towards the LED.

Make sure that Orange/White is going to pin 1 on the cat5 cable and that Orange is going to pin 2.

The DMX is straight through on the board. So, the old Aether connected to DMX out of the new one should work even if the new Aether doesn't. Since your doesn't, this would indicate that there is an issue with the wiring. Or something on the board is shorting the DMX not allowing it to pass to the second Aether. You can try removing the RS-485 chip to see if that allows the DMX to pass to the next device. Also, check that the Cat5 connections are not shorted to power or ground somewhere.

Rick

Offline arw01

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Re: Aether II problem
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2015, »
I have determined that the 485 chips are causing the new Aethers to NOT WORK.  If I remove those chips and replace with the rs485 chip from my 2013 working just fine Aether they work.  Take one of the new 2014 co-op chips and place into my 2013 aether and IT WON'T WORK, change back to the original RS485 chip and off it goes.

Anyone else have an issue with the 2014 Aethers?

Photo of what does not work, what does.


Offline lonewolf41

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Re: Aether II problem
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2015, »
I want to say that I have heard of one other issue with 485 chips.  Don't remember if it was for this or another coop.  I'll try and remember to order some extra chips when (if) I order for the current coop and send you new ones.

Thanks,
-Keith

Offline arw01

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Re: Aether II problem
« Reply #4 on: September 03, 2015, »
I found some ST485BN on ebay and ordered them.  Appears only the lot number on the bottom of the screen prints on the to pof the chip package differ.  Same makers logo etc.

Offline LasVegasF250

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Re: Aether II problem
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2015, »
I had this problem as well. There is a work around you can find it on the last post of this thread. Not sure how well it works I just purchased some older 485 chips and everything works as planned.

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« Last Edit: September 08, 2015, by LasVegasF250 »