Data Link OK but no channels react

[johno123]

Hey All,

One of my V5 controllers seems to be a bit wonky - after assembling successfully and running a perfect test on all channels, when I connect either wirelessly or manually through Cat5 to my DMX stream, I have no recognition or reaction from DMX channels being sent to that controller.  I've attempted:
- changing the DMX address
- swapping main chip
- swapping 485 chips
- swapping wireless boards
- changing to manual DMX in via Cat5
- resoldering all joints that I can tell between DMX in and main pic

The odd thing is - I get a strobing Data link LED when DMX is being sent, so the board is recognizing it from at least that point forward.

Other boards set to the same channels work great without any probs.....

-John

Any ideas on how to do a little more troubleshooting?

[lineman]

Can You Post Some Pics of The Front and Back of LE might help us better

[rrowan]

Hi John,

While switching back and forth between wired and wireless are you connecting or disconnecting the jumper for wireless?

I could be wrong (many times I am) but I believe the current LE firmware shows a data link strobing when the wireless is connected. Even is there is no signal do to DMX timing

Rick R.

[johno123]

Sure, not a problem.

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I've tried both wired and wireless, with power restarts in between .  When I have tried wireless, I remove the wireless jumper, and wired I have the jumper on.  I've kept the term jumper on in both cases.

This seems to just stump me!

[bisquit476]

John,

Board looks good, only thing I saw was the possible bridge on the back of the board, just above the PIC, most likely it's an illusion. Also, on the front left, the H11AA1 Optocoupler is hardwired instead of in a socket, mine all had sockets for that, don't think it makes a difference, just thought I'd mention it. Just below the DMX Out are 3 small holes without parts, one of them looks filled with solder, which may be bleeding over into the next hole. Hope you find the problem and get it fixed, it's too close to blinky to be fixing stuff. Good luck,

Bill

[johno123]

Thanks Bill.  I'll try doing some desoldering and I think I have a spare opto laying around, I didn't even notice that I hard soldered that one in! 

[bisquit476]

I wouldn't desolder on my account, I just wanted to mention what I noticed in the picture. Like I said, it probably doesn't matter one way or the other, the socket would just make life easier if you had to replace the opto,

Bill

[rrowan]

Check the RJ-45 jacks for any solder problems and continuity check from the connector to the rs-485 chip

Rick R.

[johno123]

Checked the RJ45's, everything looks good.  Continuity is great from those jacks to 485 chips.  Good from 485 to PIC.  DMX is being passed from either wireless or direct DMX in into DMX-Out an into another board.  Self-test mode shows that the PIC can control the channels just fine.  Just seems to be an issue with the PIC communicating.  Attempting to replace both 485's to see if that helps.  I can't see any breaks in any of the copper paths...

Grrr!

[johno123]

Swapping out the 485s didn't seem to help.  I also checked continuity from RJ45 to 485 to "remove for wireless" jumper to PIC.  All perfect.