Lost dongle output (solved), Now Vixen won't play (solved)

[Corey872]

[Summary] Over the course of several hours, my dongle 'transmit' LED would no longer light up.  After troubleshooting why the dongle would not 'transmit' I recalled the LED was a little brighter when I started, and a little dimmer after several hours use.  Turns out the LED had died and simply would no longer flicker.  Replacement with a new LED restored the transmit indication.

After that, I found I could use the SSC program utility and get the strings to flash white indicating they were programmed, but could not get vixen output to the strings - even though the dongle indicated transmitting.  I set up Vixen on a separate computer and got the exact same result which seemed to point back to the hardware.  Looking at the Hub, I found the top row of solder joints had been missed.  I resoldered those and found the strings still wouldn't light - so I went back and re-ran the SSC set-up utility.  Same flashing result, though the string would then see output from pixelnet and work fine [/summary]




Ok - DHL dropped a box off at the door today...couple of 4m flex strips to test with.  Got my boards all soldered up a few days ago and been working on setting everything up, programming, etc today.  After a bit of a learning curve, I think I have everything programmed, but no blinky...

So far, I've set up hub, programmed the PIC, then set up the SSC's, programmed the PIC's with the test hex and used the utility to set them up for a 120 channel LED strip.  Then I get the R, G, B, W color cycle.  I then programmed the SSC with the latest HEX for full operation.  When I play a sequence in Vixen, I see the green light blink on the dongle, but the strips don't blink

In troubleshooting, I found I had put the top row of 485 chips on the hub in backward  , so I flipped them.  Still no blinky.  Then it dawned on me that I probably need to use the set-up utility again after switching from test to operational hex on the PIC (?)  So I did that.  Still no blinky. 

About this time, I noticed the green LED on the dongle was no longer blinking when I would play a sequence, though the red power LED comes on when plugged in.  At one point, I accidentally plugged the dongle into a hub out (Too many blue cat 5 cords running around!)  Though I don't recall that as the specific moment when the dongle quit transmitting. 

So far, I've double checked the port settings, and the PIC programming on the dongle.  all seem to be fine and unchanged from when I was able to program the SSC's for the 120 node strip.

Does the LED show actual 'connection' status to the hub or just 'transmitting' from the dongle?

If I power up the dongle with the test jumper set, should I see the green LED blinking?

I've looked at the traces on the board, it doesn't seem as though plugging in a 'hub out' into the dongle input would cause an issue...would it?

Any thoughts appreciated!

[pk]

The green LED on the dongle indicates there is data being transmitted. 

Disconnect the dongle from the hub and see if the green LED is on when a sequence is played

If not replace the ST485 chip in the dongle.  It may have been damaged if it got plugged into the wrong port on the hub.

Be sure to let us know what the problem was.

[rm357]

OK. Lets tackle a few things...

- Did you use the pixelnet firmware for the dongle?
- When transmitting pixelnet, the blinking of the green light is not always obvious like the DMX dongle. If you are transmitting actively changing data, you should see it blink some...
- You don't need the SSC setup for the test.hex firmware - it works just fine with no setup.
- When you ran the SSC setup with the normal SSC firmware, did the pixels flash after programming?

- Did you damage anything when accidentally pluggin in the wrong cable? As long as you had just a strait through cable, it should be OK. At most you may have fried the '485 chip - which is why they are in sockets... The only other connection on the dongle end of the cat5 is a ground wire, which on the hub end that pin is also ground...

Do you have a working express that you can plug into the DMX out on the hub? When I first started and got no blinky, I plugged in one of my expresses to the dmx out and played a test sequence. When I saw the channel leds changing in the express, I knew that I had done something wrong with the SSC (I tried to run it with the program jumper in place...).

next option is to take good pics of your boards and post them. THe folks here have good eyes and catch things that we miss...

Good luck!!
RM

[bisquit476]

Did you reboot the computer, sometimes after a long period, the usb port will quit working. It's happened to me and others, try that then look in other places,

Bill

[rm357]

If you did fry the '485 chip, you probably fried both of them... The one in the dongle and the one driving that channel on the hub. Each of the 485 chips across the top drives the 4 sockets below it.

Incidentally, I don't know, but plugging the 485 chips in backwars might have fried them...

RM

[Corey872]

Thanks for the quick replies.  in response:

Reboot - 
- Good thought!  Tried it, didn't change anything though.

Disconnect hub and see if LED flashes
- No, the LED does not flash regardless if the hub is connected or not (though earlier in the day the LED was flashing with the hub connected and I believe I noticed it flashing with the hub disconnected as well)

Did you use the pixelnet firmware for the dongle?
- Yes and after the green LED quit, I double checked the firmware and verified the PIC was still working.

When transmitting pixelnet, the blinking of the green light is not always obvious like the DMX dongle. If you are transmitting actively changing data, you should see it blink some...
- Good info.  I've been running a random flicker/flash pattern as a test.  Earlier the green light was flickering at a pretty good rate.

You don't need the SSC setup for the test.hex firmware - it works just fine with no setup
- Additionally good to know. I've noticed that now in putting together my 3rd strip.  I was able to get the RGBW test pattern, but can't get the blinking white anymore.

When you ran the SSC setup with the normal SSC firmware, did the pixels flash after programming?-
- Earlier they did, though not now.

Did you damage anything when accidentally pluggin in the wrong cable? As long as you had just a strait through cable, it should be OK. At most you may have fried the '485 chip - which is why they are in sockets... The only other connection on the dongle end of the cat5 is a ground wire, which on the hub end that pin is also ground...
- Guess I may need to get some more chips on order and throw these in my bushel basket of dead silicon (which is about half full from previous projects )

Do you have a working express that you can plug into the DMX out on the hub? When I first started and got no blinky, I plugged in one of my expresses to the dmx out and played a test sequence. When I saw the channel leds changing in the express, I knew that I had done something wrong with the SSC (I tried to run it with the program jumper in place...).
- No express, though maybe I could plug in an O scope and see if the data is coming out.

I've also pulled some of the other 485's off the hub (ones which weren't in the backward top row) and swapped the one on the dongle - still no green transmit LED.


Question - if I set the 'TEST" jumper on the dongle, then apply power, should I see the LED blink?  I'm hoping to exclude anything on the PC / USB configuration side.

Thanks again.

[chrisatpsu]

when you plugged in the dongle to the output of the hub, was it the dmx, or pixelnet out, or was it one of the 16 12volt powered outputs?

if it was one of the 12volt powered outputs, could the added influx of power do anything.

[Corey872]

It was one of the smart string outputs, so 12V.  Though if I'm looking at the wires correctly, only three pins of the dongle cat 5 connector are actually 'live'...they would correspond to the data+, data- and a ground wire.  Plugging back to the hub would just plug back into the data wires and add a ground - so at least on the surface it doesn't seem catastrophic.  Also, I've checked all the fuses on the hub and they are all good.

OK - well now I feel rather stupid... Typed the above and was doing a bit more troubleshooting to add to the discussion and I started thinking...that green LED was brighter when I started this exercise, and a bit dimmer after a few hours working, then a few hours after that, my dongle wasn't indicating 'transmit' any more.  Maybe it's just a LED dying?  I popped in another one and sure enough...blinking like Rudolph's nose now!  So I guess that LED just gave up the ghost...even double checked to make sure I had the proper resistor value.  So who knows!

With the dongle transmitting again, I salvaged a 485 chip off a spare SSC and put the correct way in one row of the hub and I can get the blinking white 'SSC programmed' pattern to the strip now.  Using that as a test I checked my other chips and found the original 5 in the top row which won't generate the white blink pattern.  Those are all replaced now.

So NOW, I have a Tx light at the dongle, I can program the SSC with the utility, get the blinking white 'confirmed' pattern, but still can't get the Vixen pattern to display.

[chrisatpsu]

are you setting up the pixelnet plugin in vixen (and NOT the entec PRO)

[Corey872]

The only plugin I have in Vixen is pixelnet.  It's set for channel 1-360 (120 channels x 3).  In the advanced settings I have 115,200 baud, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit.  Should any of that be changed?

[rm357]

The test jumper on the dongle does not do anything right now. It was put there for future diagnostic use, but never got programmed...

It sounds like everything should be working, but it's not... here are a few more double checks...

- did you flash the SSC with the most current firmware (6-15). The test software will not actually run normal pixnet data.
- When programming the ssc
  - did you use the drop-down to select the number of nodes equal to or greater than the number of nodes you have connected - there was an issue with typing in the number.
  - did you put the jumer on to program and remove after the lights started flashing

good luck!
RM

[Corey872]

- did you flash the SSC with the most current firmware (6-15). The test software will not actually run normal pixnet data.

Yes, I downloaded "Smart String Controller 6-15-2011.hex" from the wiki yesterday afternoon, loaded that on the controller with my pickit3 and verified the A598 checksum.  Also same thing with the hub and dongle PIC's - latest software flashed yesterday and checksums verified.

- When programming the ssc
  - did you use the drop-down to select the number of nodes equal to or greater than the number of nodes you have connected - there was an issue with typing in the number.

I used the dropdown to select 120 nodes.  Other options checked: Start Channel 1, USB dongle, individual pixels, forward direction, flexible ribbon.  Click transmit and within a second I get all nodes on the strip blinking fast white.

  - did you put the jumer on to program and remove after the lights started flashing

set jumper to program
attach pickit 3 to the ssc and usb
started pickit3 programmer
pickit decided it needed to download firmware (the first time)
selected proper device in pickit programmer
imported hex and made sure checksums matched
erased and programmed pic, verified program
unplugged pickit 3 from ssc (SSC now has no power)
plugged in the USB>Dongle>Hub>SSC chain
configured the SSC program utility
click transmit button
lights flashing White
click stop
power off the SSC
move blue jumper out of program (to just one pin)
reattach SSC
transmit random flashing sequence on 1-360 channel in vixen
green LED is blinking on dongle
no output to strip.

The jumpers on the hub are Pixelnet 1 / Universe 1, DMX Universe 1 and the programmer is using COM 7.  Pixelnet is the only plug in I have in Vixen, also set to COM 7 with the 115,200, 8, N, 1 settings I mentioned above.

In my thinking, the successful programming of the SSC (blinking white) seems to confirm the PC>USB>Dongle>Hub>SSC>Node communication chain (?).  So that would most likely leave some improper setting in Vixen (?)  Is there anything besides setting up the pixelnet plugin and com port which needs to be changed in Vixen?

[RJ]

In my thinking, the successful programming of the SSC (blinking white) seems to confirm the PC>USB>Dongle>Hub>SSC>Node communication chain (?).  So that would most likely leave some improper setting in Vixen (?)  Is there anything besides setting up the pixelnet plugin and com port which needs to be changed in Vixen?

I would agree with you. The power and data has to do the same thing to program the SSC as it does to run a seqence. So that hardware is working.

The String has to function well to flash so that is working. The only thing different is software sending the data to the dongle.

RJ

[rm357]

A couple of side notes...

The program jumper has no effect when you are using the pickit.
I think I moved the program jumper while the SSC setup was still transmitting after the lights started flashing. I don't know if that would make a difference or not - I've only programmed 1 SCC so far...

RM

[Corey872]

Little video of my setup / programming.  If you see anything I'm doing horribly wrong, just let me know!

Is there a step-by-step set-up for Vixen?  Maybe I've left some obscure check box undone?

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