REN-C [Archive] - Do It Yourself Christmas Forums

teberle

09-20-2007, 11:13 AM

I am looking for information on how to connect up everything. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

1. PC Serial Port -> Ren-T using a straight thru serial cable.
2. Ren-T -> Ren-C using a standard Cat5 Cable
3. Ren-C -> 595 using 6" long standard Cat5 cables.

Power will be supllied to the 595 via a 5 VDC regulated power supply. A shunt will be installed at J2 to provide power to the Ren-C. The ZC will be sent to the Ren-C via the Ren-T Cat5 cable.

The Ren-T would be assembled as below:
Case 3
Connecting PC to first controller, converting to RS485 in the process

D1, D2, D3, D4, D7, R1, R2, P1, JR1, U1, U2, U3, C1, C2 (omit shunts)

And I would install a resistor in R9 on the Ren-C to support the RS232/Rs485 coming in pin 7/8 on the Cat5. Can I leave the resistor installed in R1 on the Ren-C?

Did I miss anything?

I have powered up my Ren-C and all of the diagnostic LED's came on. Should this of happened? There was no ZC being supplied or Rs232 signal.

BillAd

09-20-2007, 12:27 PM

Yes, when no zc is detected all LED's will be lit, regardless of the presence of a signal.

jmelvin

09-20-2007, 04:16 PM

I have a couple of questions? What plug-in are we to use, Renard dimmer? I have everything hooked up properly ren-c power LED is on and heartbeat is flashing but no tx led. If I had the wrong hex file loaded would the heartbeat not flash? I used MPLAB to create it from the asm file. Could someone send me the hex file. Any help would be appreciated.

jmelvin

09-21-2007, 10:41 AM

Anyone?

P. Short

09-21-2007, 10:54 AM

jmelvin

09-21-2007, 11:52 AM

Renard plugin.

As far as firmware goes, what are you using now? I'm not inclined to distribute .hex files, just .asm files. If there is no rx light (I presume this is what you meant), the problem is probably not a firmware issue, because that hasn't changed in quite some while.

--

Phil
I'm using the renard-595-192-20070824a firmware. As far as the hex file I justed wanted to make sure i compiled it correctly. I still can't get it to work.

P. Short

09-21-2007, 12:18 PM

It's probably compiled (actually, assembled) and programmed OK if the heartbeat LED is blinking on and off once per second, or so. Also, if the heartbeat LED is actually blinking, the zero-crossing is probably OK, and you should look to the serial link between the PC and the controller.

--

Phil

jmelvin

09-24-2007, 12:52 AM

Well I can't figure this out. Everything works fine with the Grinch by itself. REN-c rx light comes on and heartbeat flashes every second, but nothing works on the Grinch outputs.
Renard plug-in set to com1 19200 baud I didn't change any of the other settings. I am also using vixen 1.1.

LRNeener

09-24-2007, 02:30 AM

jmelvin

Try changing the baud rate from 19200 to 57600, also double check your port settings.

Camron

jmelvin

09-24-2007, 10:20 AM

I have tried every baud rate available. 57600 is the only one that doesn't give a framing led when a sequence is run. At this point I haven't even tried dimming just an all on and off tests. I am very puzzled. Is there any way to check the output to the grinch?

teberle

09-25-2007, 08:36 AM

I am having maybe the same problem as jmelvin. I have the Ren-T powered up, the Ren-C is receiving a zc signal and power, but when I try to send output from Vixen to the board I get nothing. I am using verison 2.0.

The one intersting item is that vixen reports the comport is in use and it is not.

teberle

09-25-2007, 06:53 PM

I now have everything working. I will post a video later tonight for proof :D

jmelvin

09-25-2007, 07:38 PM

I now have everything working. I will post a video later tonight for proof :D

teberle what did you do to fix the problem?

teberle

09-25-2007, 09:29 PM

teberle

09-25-2007, 09:53 PM

So here is a video of my lights dimming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWEHqJC1gVY

The quality isn't so good.

jmelvin

09-26-2007, 01:08 AM

I made straight thru cat5 cables no longer than 6" in length to connect the Ren-C to the 595. I am running the com port at 57600 using DB9 to RJ45 connectors to connect the PC to the Ren-T. The Ren-T is connected with a standard Cat5 cable to the Ren-C.

I did the same thing. I made new cables exactly 5.5 inches long and wham it works. My original cables I made were 12" long. Goes to show how sensitive this thing is. I did notice at 50ms timing sometimes channels don't turn on as if its to fast.
Thanks to all who helped.

teberle

09-26-2007, 08:32 AM

I have noticed on the 595 that all LED's are lit even though the channel is not active. Is this normal?

jmelvin

09-26-2007, 05:58 PM

When I 1st power everything up all channels are on until I run a sequence. Then everything works normal. I testing now leaving everything on.

Mudsculpter

10-04-2007, 02:17 PM

I finally found time to fool around with this and I have a question.

how should the part in C4 be oriented. it has a short lead and there has been some confusing posts on the subjet in the forums. should the short lead go in the ground? I wish someone would post a pic of a completed ren-c so that I could see for myself. the pic in the wiki is not complete.

P. Short

10-04-2007, 02:55 PM

The silkscreen has a '+' sign to indicate which pin is positive.

The cap will have a polarity marking on the body as well (often a '-' on the negative lead). Since I never remember which lead on a polarized part is '+', I never trust that method of determining polarity, and go by either markings on the part or by trial placement (LEDs).

Positive to positive, negative to negative...

--

Phil

Mudsculpter

10-05-2007, 10:08 AM

Where is the ren-c firmware? I can't find it using search and the Renard Firmware Wiki says that it is not released yet

P. Short

10-05-2007, 01:26 PM

I'm not sure which version johnw has been telling people to use, so here is a slightly older version just to get you started. This is a version that someone else on this thread has reported using. I'll post the version that most other people are using later when I hear back from John.

--

Phil

Mudsculpter

10-05-2007, 01:35 PM

Thanks a bunch

Mudsculpter

10-05-2007, 02:05 PM

the build failed,... it seems that I remember there was a bit of the code that needed some tweaking to get that firmware to build successfully. does anyone remember where that thread was with the fix? or was I sleep reading?,...

Otherwise I have done something wrong in the steps to use the .asm file

I am following the video guide in the wiki

P. Short

10-05-2007, 02:27 PM

What error was it, and what version of MPLAB are you using?

--

Phil

Mudsculpter

10-05-2007, 05:20 PM

The error was that I had more than 63 characters in the file path and it threw an error code. I generated the build after I placed my work folder on C: drive.

But now my problem is programming the pic. For some reason the pic2 device is dimmed in the "select programmer" box. I can't select it. Can't I program the 627A with the pic2?

Oh ,.. MPLAB IDE Version 7.60 is the one that came with the pic2

P. Short

10-05-2007, 06:28 PM

If you can't get it to run from the MPLAB IDE, use the stand-alone PicKit2 program to program the part.

--

Phil

Mudsculpter

10-05-2007, 09:35 PM

Thanks for the info,...

jmelvin

10-05-2007, 10:32 PM

I am using renard-595-192-20070824a.asm, I am assuming that this file is newer. I don't want to post the file unless Phil says it's ok.

Mudsculpter

10-06-2007, 12:02 AM

SUCCESS!!!!!

Dan Ross

10-06-2007, 09:26 AM

I have noticed on the 595 that all LED's are lit even though the channel is not active. Is this normal?

I have the same thing with mine. The LEDs are dimly lit, and when the channel goes active the LED gets brighter. I am using the renard-595-192-20070720.asm firmware. Does the newer firmware that jmelvin has fix that?

Mudsculpter

10-06-2007, 09:31 AM

Does the newer firmware that jmelvin has fix that?

No it does not,.. but it is not a big issue (for me,..at least)

Dan Ross

10-06-2007, 10:10 AM

No big issue here either. I was just curious.

RavingLunatic

10-06-2007, 01:10 PM

Does this mean that the Ren-C is ready for mass use? :D

No updates/changes to the PCB that was beta tested?

Did wjohn handle the board production on this effort also?

teberle

10-06-2007, 05:44 PM

The renard-595-192-20070831.asm file fixes the problem of the leds being dimly (sp) lit. Once I switched to this they are now all off unless they are receiving a signal.

random_rodder

10-06-2007, 06:43 PM

wjohn is who I got mine from... my boards are still naked, tho...

Brian

P. Short

10-06-2007, 07:18 PM

Tony,

Does that file work fine for you? Also, did you change of the configurable parameters? I haven't had hardly any feedback on it yet, which is why I was holding off on publishing it.

--

Phil

Dan Ross

10-07-2007, 12:46 AM

If you want, send me the file I will load it and see if I have any problems.

jmelvin

10-07-2007, 08:42 AM

I had only one problem with mine. I'm using the renard-595-192-20070824a.asm. Which was if I made a sequence at 50ms sometimes the ssr was not triggered on time as in the prev picture I posted http://www.christmasinshirley.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=634&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15
I would like to try the newer file.

P. Short

10-07-2007, 10:58 AM

OK, here's the latest file to try out.

--

Phil

Mudsculpter

10-08-2007, 10:46 AM

Tested the renard-595-192-20070831.asm file a bit. I was surprised that the REN-C was capable of dimming LED strings. but one caviat,... I have some 60 light LED strings and toward the far end of the string there is some shimmering as if it does not have enough juice to dim smoothly.

Incandescent strings are dimming very smoothly. Shimmer function is nice. As is the sparkle.

Using Vixen 1.1

Dan Ross

10-08-2007, 11:24 PM

I played with the renard-595-192-20070831.asm for a while tonight. I didn't have any lights hooked to it just ran the board with several test patterns it seemed to respond excellent. I'll pull out some light strings tomorrow and see how well it handles loaded with lights. I also have the parts on order for my other two ren-c's, once I get them put together I'll see how well it handles all 192 channels.

teberle

10-11-2007, 02:58 PM

Phil,

Sorry for the late reply, I don't seem to get notified of topics that I am watching. Anyway, I made no changes to the firmware and it is working well for me. I need to get some additional lights going, but that isn't going to happen until after I finish my Halloween.

Tony