PCI - parallel disaster?

[GS]

This is the third year I've TRIED to automate my lights, the last two years it has failed miserably (first tried an Olsen, then the Renard, couldn't get nuttn to work! :-). So, I've decided to get back to basics and us the 12 pins from the parallel port (fed to an optocoupler, then a triac). I have one port that works just fine, which is built in. I just today purchased a PCI to parallel card, and I can't get it to work. The PC recognizes it as LPT2, and I've attached it under the 12-channel parallel under LPT2 in vixen (using beta 3), but it just leaves the lights on until I run Vixen, then they shut off and stay off. I've limited it to channels 13-24 in the 'Attached plugins dialog.

Help!!

[pete]

I to used a PCI Parallel card. The cards sometime don't use the normal lpt2 memory address. On the 12 channel plug in setup the is an other assignment. and a box to enter a different address. The address should listed in you hardware manager, under the cards resources. Anymore problems drop into the forum. Someone is usually there that should be able to help.

good luck

pete

[GS]

I've tried a couple different settings from my device manager settings, can't get it to work still :-( I've uploaded a screenshot of my 'Resources' screen.

[Dan Ross]

If you open your sequence, then go to the plug in setup screen, select your plugin, select plugin setup, select other, then enter your parallel port address in the box.

[GS]

I can do that, and I've tried several addresses, I just can't seem to find the correct address to enter into the plugin. Any suggestions :-)?

[tfmacz]

I've tried a couple different settings from my device manager settings, can't get it to work still :-( I've uploaded a screenshot of my 'Resources' screen.

The Parallel port uses several registers identified by the "Base Address"

LPT1 usually uses the address range 0378 - 037F. You enter "0378"

your adaptor properties specify BC00 - BC07, so you should enter "BC00" That is BC Zero Zero The address is listed i Hexedecimal notation.

If this does not work there is probably an address conflict. There is a way to fix this but it is beyond me.

[GS]

I tried that, and I still get the lights stuck 'on'. If I knew PERL, I'd just use two computers and set it all up on my network (using the plugin for over-the-network synchronization). I don't know PERL. What if I just start the same sequence on two computers at the same exact moment, would they eventually fall out of sync? Anybody had any experience with this?

[Dan Ross]

I personally haven't used it but vixen has a remote client that'll do what you are asking.

[GS]

But from what I understand, I have to use PERL to get that remote client to interface with my sequence.

[Dan Ross]

Like I said I haven't tried it yet so I hope someone with experience speaks up, but from what I understand you only need PERL if you use the web interface for the remote client, if you use 2 pc's (1 server and 1 remote) vixen has that built in. I'm not sure how to set it up yet, but I believe that was the original idea of the remote client.

[Dan Ross]

there is a how-to located in this link http://www.christmasinshirley.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=309

[bonuts]

If that how-to doesn't fix you, it sounds a lot like the problem a ran into last year. here was the thread that helped me...

http://computerchristmas.com/ForumBoard/read.php?f=4&i=9908&t=9885

[A Marchini]

I've tried a couple different settings from my device manager settings, can't get it to work still :-( I've uploaded a screenshot of my 'Resources' screen.
LPT ports have two ranges for I/O access. They are generally 400hex apart for legacy reasons. The port range you want to type in should be the second one listed, B800, the BC00 is for the extended parallel port registers.

Tony M.

[GS]

I just gave that a try, and no luck. I'm either gonna use two systems with the server/client configuration, or, failing that, I'll manually syncronize the two programs :twisted: :-)