Programming start address in SS controllers

[trekster]

Its 12:45 am.  Sleepy!  I built my hub and ss controllers.  I get the power light on the hub.  I programmed pixelnet on my dongle.  I can hook up a lynx to the dmx out and make blinky on the lynx.  All pic chips programmed with correct check-sum.  I downloaded and set up the smart string utility.

Where do I find how to connect up the ss controller to program it.  Where do I set the  universe jumpers.  Right now all 3 are on "1".  I have a string of 20 rectangle on a ss controller.  I have it plugged into the hub and the power on.  I move the jumper to program and click program on the utility.  Then stop and move my jumper back.  Then play a random sequence.  I have blinky on the lynx but nothing on the ss lights.

I am not sure if I am setting them up correctly.

Goodnight

Ron

[RJ]

Ron

Do you get flashing light when you progam the ssc with the ss utility?

If not did you flash the ssc with firmware using your pickit?

The pics are not programmed.

You can test just the ssc and lights by flashing the test firmware to the ssc. It will cycle colors to show the ssc & lights are working.

RJ

Sent from my Charge by Tapatalk

[cBell]

Its 12:45 am.  Sleepy!  I built my hub and ss controllers.  I get the power light on the hub.  I programmed pixelnet on my dongle.  I can hook up a lynx to the dmx out and make blinky on the lynx.  All pic chips programmed with correct check-sum.  I downloaded and set up the smart string utility.

Where do I find how to connect up the ss controller to program it.  Where do I set the  universe jumpers.  Right now all 3 are on "1".  I have a string of 20 rectangle on a ss controller.  I have it plugged into the hub and the power on.  I move the jumper to program and click program on the utility.  Then stop and move my jumper back.  Then play a random sequence.  I have blinky on the lynx but nothing on the ss lights.

I am not sure if I am setting them up correctly.

Goodnight

Ron

Not sure if it is related or not because I haven't had a chance to fully troubleshoot, but I have a SSC connect to a string of pixel nodes and they were programmed successfully by the SS Utility, but I have a string of rectangle nodes on another SSC that I as of yet have been unable to program using the SS Utility.  The test firmware works fine on this SSC/Rectangle nodes combo, but can't seem to program the start address on it when using the latest regular firmware.

[trekster]

I re-checked the ss controller hex.  It was not A598.  But last night it was.  I verified and read the chip and it was A598 last night.  I re-programmed it and have checked it a few times.  It is A598.  When I program with the ss utility I do not get any blinking.  I do not see the green light on the dongle blink.  I do see it blink if I play a sequence.  I can make blinky on a lynx plugged into the dmx out of the ss hub.  I think that tells me the dongle is right.  It was the dongle I used last year for my show.  I just reprogrammed it with the pixel net hex.  Here is my comport settings.  It is on com 3.  If it not a setting then I need to start looking at my soldering.

Ron

[trekster]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

In building kits, sometimes it is only worth one word.  "WRONG" 

I am mad at myself for this dumb mistake.  I now have pixelnet blinky! 

In the manual it shows in the last step of the ss controller to solder on the red, green and blue wire.  The picture shows from bottom to top red, green and blue on top.  I am not using pig tails.  I just soldered the wires of the lights onto the pcb.  If you look at the labels on the lights, I had the green and blue switched.  So I switched the blue and green (minus and data) around and blinky started!!!!!!!!!!! 

I am not complaining in any way shape or form on the manual.  I thank you guys very much for making it.  It is my fault.  I should have paid more attention. 

  I'm  So  Excited 

Thank you....

Ron

[RJ]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

In building kits, sometimes it is only worth one word.  "WRONG" 

I am mad at myself for this dumb mistake.  I now have pixelnet blinky! 

In the manual it shows in the last step of the ss controller to solder on the red, green and blue wire.  The picture shows from bottom to top red, green and blue on top.  I am not using pig tails.  I just soldered the wires of the lights onto the pcb.  If you look at the labels on the lights, I had the green and blue switched.  So I switched the blue and green (minus and data) around and blinky started!!!!!!!!!!! 

I am not complaining in any way shape or form on the manual.  I thank you guys very much for making it.  It is my fault.  I should have paid more attention. 

  I'm  So  Excited 

Thank you....

Ron

Congrats,

No this is good feedback as if it confused you we should try to fix it. And remember you can go into the manual and rewrite that part to make it where you would not have been comfused and help others. That is why the manuals are all in wiki format.

This is how the manual get good after a while is the users fixing what confused them. When I look at manual it never confuses me because I designed it and likely wrote the first draft of it.

RJ

[RJ]

I re-checked the ss controller hex.  It was not A598.  But last night it was.  I verified and read the chip and it was A598 last night.  I re-programmed it and have checked it a few times.  It is A598.  When I program with the ss utility I do not get any blinking.  I do not see the green light on the dongle blink.  I do see it blink if I play a sequence.  I can make blinky on a lynx plugged into the dmx out of the ss hub.  I think that tells me the dongle is right.  It was the dongle I used last year for my show.  I just reprogrammed it with the pixel net hex.  Here is my comport settings.  It is on com 3.  If it not a setting then I need to start looking at my soldering.

Ron

Understand just like an express once you flash the firmware and program the ssc it no longer will read the same since you saved different data in the chip.

RJ

[wwwgator]

unfortunately, I am still stuck in the vix pixelnet works, the SSC set up doesnt. I do know that the test hex onthe SSC does work, so I believe I am doing it correctly. Both set to COM3 all the parity/stop/baud is correct. I went over the hub with a mag glass, so did another electrician in our shop and cannot see any issue with soldering. Ohming traces and componants now...but think Im on wrong road. Device manager is consistant with vix plug in set up and works (green blinky) but SSC (same com port3) does not. Trying DL again from the wiki of the setup utility.

[rrowan]

unfortunately, I am still stuck in the vix pixelnet works, the SSC set up doesnt. I do know that the test hex onthe SSC does work, so I believe I am doing it correctly. Both set to COM3 all the parity/stop/baud is correct. I went over the hub with a mag glass, so did another electrician in our shop and cannot see any issue with soldering. Ohming traces and componants now...but think Im on wrong road. Device manager is consistant with vix plug in set up and works (green blinky) but SSC (same com port3) does not. Trying DL again from the wiki of the setup utility.

Hi wwwgator

If you have the test firmware loaded onto the SSC then Vixen/Computer CAN'T control the SSC
Please DL the SSC firmware and use your Pickit to program the SSC (Note: When you load the Pickit Utility, do a erase first and then import the firmware (hex file) then write to the SSC)

Is your Dongle loaded with Pixelnet?
If not then you also need to put that on the dongle before anything will work. Note: You will need a programming zif socket to program the dongle pic since there is no ICSP port on that board.

Hope that helps

Rick R.

[wwwgator]

Dongle is loaded w/pixelnet flash (check sum- 613B)
 when I launch vixen, I get green dtat led on dongle.

 I flashed the SSC with the test hex- powered though hub- led ribbon cycles colors as they should.
re-flashed to the 6-15 SSC hex and try to use the set up utility (same com port/ driver/ settings) no data led
close set up utility and
I can launch vixen and it broadcasts the pixelnet just fine ( blinky green)

I appreciate all those smarter than I who are helping me with this....
G8R

[rrowan]

Hi wwwgator

Sounds like you are really close. The only I can tell you don't have working is the Smart String Utility.

I believe you already set the com port in the SS Utility.

Steps to Program the Start Address and info info:
1 - Move the Jumper on the SSC to Program Mode (Blue Jumper on both pins)
2 - Power up the SSC (Plug cable into powered up Hub)
3 - Set options you want in the SS Utility (Start Channel, Mode, Direction, Node Count, Device type)
4 - Click the Transmit button

Lights should be flashing White

5 - Click the Stop button
6 - Power off the SSC
7 - Move Blue Jumper back to just one pin (Run mode)

Test new settings with Vixen

Hope that helps

Rick R.

[RJ]

One thing that will help is this.

Flash the SSC first with Test firmware. Power up and see if it cycles throught the colors.

If not go no farther. You either have power not getting to the SSC or an issue on the SSC.

Once this is working then:

Flash your SSC with the normal code. It will be setup to channel #1, forwar , 128 nodes, independant pixels, node strings at this time as the firmware is already programmed for this. These will work on any setup even other modules they will just be the wrong color.

So what I am getting at is do not program the SSC with the utility until you get it to work. This takes one set of variables out of the troubleshooting. If it does not work you know it is not power (cause the test firmware is working), you know it is not the lights hooked up wrong or bad(cause they worked on test firmware) then you know you are not getting data to the SSC. So we know where to look (software setup wrong, wrong type of cable to the Hub, Jumpers not on postion #1 on both Pixelnet universes, Rs485 chips in backwards, ect)

One you get the unit to respond then you can program it to what you want with the SSC Utility.

This is a much cleaner troubleshooting method that will help us help you even more. 

If you still have issue post a clear closeup picture of the Hub and SSC we are working with front and back so the eagle eyes and the techs can try to see any issues. 

RJ

[cBell]

Not sure if it is related or not because I haven't had a chance to fully troubleshoot, but I have a SSC connect to a string of pixel nodes and they were programmed successfully by the SS Utility, but I have a string of rectangle nodes on another SSC that I as of yet have been unable to program using the SS Utility.  The test firmware works fine on this SSC/Rectangle nodes combo, but can't seem to program the start address on it when using the latest regular firmware.

I saw you were having trouble with the rectangle nodes, and I was having similar trouble, thought it might be something to do with the rectangle nodes.  Turns out I had the two data wires reversed going into the SSC that I was using with the rectangle nodes.  Just goes to show you shouldn't just latch onto the first possible solution you see, and also that it pays to put it aside for a day or two and come back with fresh eyes.  I looked that thing over 6 or 7 times and still didn't notice the reversed data lines, but a few days later is when I noticed. 

I have no doubt you'll get it working, especially with RJ's and everyone's help!