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Forum LockedDesperate for Guidance!

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ChrisL1976 View Drop Down
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  Quote ChrisL1976 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Desperate for Guidance!
    Posted: 26 Oct 2008 at 10:39am
Originally posted by jswear

Thanks Chris!
 
How exactly do I "... shoot this one over to Darryl..." at D-Light?
I've posted the same message on the D-Light forum, does that count?
 
Thanks for all of your help.
JC


go over to D-lights website and top right of the screen, there is a Contact Us button....you can send him a email from there. 
Chris

www.lightsonsixth.com
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  Quote peteandvanessa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 2008 at 10:03am
I remember some time ago (last year), I could connect to my controllers and run sequences etc etc. I could NEVER discover a particular controller.
 
It's been sometime, but I think I updated the Firmware and then I changed the  baud rate comms speed when comnecting to the controller.
 
Here's how I did it:
 
To get the H/W utility to discover the board do this:


Open the H/W utility, select edit and select "Enable Baud rate changes", then I connected to the board using the H/W utility, then I went to the general config tab and "dragged the Baud rate" to "Auto" and hit set. (note all boards in your set up will need to have the same baud rate)

I then disconnected, opened up the firmware updater and updated the firmware to the latest firmware. After than I went back to the H/W utility and I could finally discover all my controllers.
 
Here's the original thread on the D-Light board:
 
 


Edited by peteandvanessa - 26 Oct 2008 at 10:21am
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  Quote bdkeen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 2008 at 7:55am
Just a thought but have you tried changing the COM port number at all to see if things get detected on a different COM #..  Don't remember the exact problem I had once but when I changed computers I had some sort of a problem.  I switched to COM 4 for the USB serial port and everything worked fine.  Over the years I've seen some strange things happen with higher number com ports and the interrupts they use so I usually try to avoid using anything over 4 if I can.
 
If you're not already using com 3 or 4 you might try - I would think that it can't be any worse than it already is and you can always switch back to the current com port configuration.
 
The red led in the controller should go solid - not blinking - when communications is established. 
 
May also want to check com port settings - baud rate, data bits, parity, stop bits, flow control.
 
Default settings should be 9600, 8, none, 1, none


Edited by bdkeen - 26 Oct 2008 at 8:01am
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  Quote jswear Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 2008 at 7:21am
Thanks JonB,
 
I tried as directed and still no luck.
 
I connected one controller.
Launched the Firmware Updater, set the port to COM5, Tried connecting to the various ID numbers but timed out each time.
Tried the FORCE command and this also timed out.
 
Best,
JC
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  Quote jswear Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 2008 at 6:51am

Yes, I was clicking "Connect" as I tied each of the ports but still no discovery.

Thanks,

JC

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  Quote jswear Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 2008 at 6:48am
Thanks Chris!
 
How exactly do I "... shoot this one over to Darryl..." at D-Light?
I've posted the same message on the D-Light forum, does that count?
 
Thanks for all of your help.
JC
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  Quote Bigindian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Oct 2008 at 8:10pm
As wierd as this may sound, I helped someone out last year with almost the same symptoms as you have illustrated above. 
 
Are you absolutely sure that you are not using a cat 5 crossover cable?  Does it work as a normal cable for a computer network?
 
Try swapping the cable and report back.  We tried everything you did above and have no success for hours.  Swapped the cable and all was well
 
Cheers
 
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  Quote ChrisL1976 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Oct 2008 at 1:45pm
Originally posted by LightsOnLogan

I recommend working with D-Light to resolve the hardware issue.  It seems that your controller is still on the default ID of 2 and you are unable to get the hardware utility to properly talk to the controller in order to change it.



I agree.......Its time to shoot this one over to Darryl and let him handle whats to be done.  Its sounds like a hardware issue if you can get output but now change the channel.  Although having it on 2 boards does sound weird.
Chris

www.lightsonsixth.com
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  Quote Bubba Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Oct 2008 at 1:22pm
It seems I forget some of the basics as well. I forgot to add the fact that you need to click connect before doing the discovery. Select a COM port click connect then try to discover. Try that then get back with me.
www.brightonbrittain.com
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  Quote JonB256 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Oct 2008 at 12:27pm

Sometimes I'm a "scorched earth" person with hardware, but I'd suggest reflashing the firmware on the controllers. The newest revision is better than what you have, anyway, since you got them back in 2007. 

I'm sure COM5 is correct for you. Using the Firmware Updater and connecting a single board, change the Port to COM5, then select Unit ID #2. Click Connect. If it can't connect, it will time out. Try other ID numbers you may or may not have changed. Failing there, try using the "Force" choice for ID.

JonB - D-Light user
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