usb Pixelnet dongle/16 port hub/ssc major issues

[tbone321]

ok, the first thing I would do to the hub it take some Isopropyl Alcohol and an old tooth brush and clean off the flux. Then if it were me, knowing that the USB Dongle works is as follows

1. Re-Flash teh USB Dongle for pixelnet.
2. Take an ethernet cable and cut one end of it to expose the orange-white and orange wire these 2 are used to send the signel hook then directly to the SSC.
3. Using 2 20 guage wires hook the +12 volts to the positive of the SSC and ground to the negative of the SSC. if you search google for pc power supply connector you will find which pins are +12 and Ground. You will also have to use a jumper wire between two of the pins.

This way you can TEST (NOT FOR GENERAL USE) using the USB Dongle, a 12 power supply such as a PC Power supply, and the SSC.

This will verify that your SSC is working.

Be sure to hoolk up some lights to the SSC.

I'm not sure but you may be able to flash the SSC with the TEST firmware and only supply the 12 volts and then maybe the test pattern will run. I'm not sure on this part.

I would advise NOT doing this because if you have wired the SSC incorrectly you could damage the Dongle.  The hub isolates the dongle from the SSC's.  If you have a version 1 SSC then you can flash it with the test firmware and it should flash the lights a soon as it is plugged into the hub and the hub is powered up.  I you have a ver 2 SSC, don't install the test firmware because it can cause damage to the SSC.  One thing that you can do is to test for voltagfe accross the fuses.  If you get a reading then the fuse is blown which is almost always due to an issue with the SSC wiring.  Also be sure to measure for voltage at the 12V inputs.  If your power supply is giving it voltage, you will see 12 VDC there. 

[lawn patrol]

i tested for voltage at ssc awhile back and i was getting 12v...couldnt figure out what was going on so i built the two express units to see if the was bad. Now that we know the dongle is sending dmx to express units it should work for pixelnet once i flash the pic. I have v2 ssc so cant use the test firmware.

[lawn patrol]

Im trying to program the pic on the hub and I keep getting no device detected. Is this becasuse the board needs power to it? I selected 3.3 power on program and still get nothing I also powered up the hub and same result. I had no problem before trying to program the hub. Im wondering if when I fried the board if that affected something. Ive even tried using a new pic.

Should I try and make a jumper now and where does it go?

[lawn patrol]

ok got the pic programmed now...Had the pickit3 in backwards

I made a jumper wire from the 24 pin connnector to the 3 4 pin power cables just not sure if jumper needs to go to a chip also

[lawn patrol]

would it make a difference by the wiring diagram for cat5? Should I be using a or b?

[caretaker]

Use B it is the most standard so if you every buy pre-made cables they will all be the same.

[lawn patrol]

well all my ethernet patch cords are A since the company i work only using that standard. but ill make some 568b cables when i get home tonight.

[rm357]

As long as they are strait through, it doesn't matter.
If you use a crossover cable, you will have issues and probably pop the fuse...

[tbone321]

Cross over cables make no difference either.  Where the problem might be is if you are connecting based on the wire color since A and B use the same pin pairs but use different colors on some of the pairs.  That would have you connecting the wrong pairs to the inputs of the SSC.

[mykroft]

I thought cross over cables reversed 2 of the  + and - for power and would short?

Mk

[RJ]

Yes crossovers do matter and will short out stuff. They are bad on Smart String stuff. I think he means at a different level but I do not want any confusion for the users.

RJ

[TexasStingray]

I think this keeps comming up, maybe it should be in the wiki under a cables section. What type to use and what type not to use. With the what not to use in red and bold and approved in bold and green. Just a thought.

[lawn patrol]

i was using 568b from the dongle to the hub and 568a from the smart string to the hub. Ill be out of town for 3 weeks and i dont have time for troubleshooting. When i come back hopefully i can get this darn hub to work.

[caretaker]

Straight patch cords really shouldn't matter that much as the orange and green pair are reversed   You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login  the problem would come in using jacks and wiring one end A and the other B

[tbone321]

I thought cross over cables reversed 2 of the  + and - for power and would short?

Mk

You are correct and that's not what I meant.  What I meant is that like a straight thru cable, a type A crossover is no different than a type B crossover.  Using a crossover cable on a smart string controller will cause a short regardless or whether it is a type A or B crossver.