OC Master and USB cards

[Jasmckee]

Hi guys,

not sure if this is the right place or not, but i am having issues with these cards

it is either:
a: the software not working right (or me not knowing how to use it properly)
b: an issue with one of the two cards

ok here is the problem

if i plug the usb expansion card in to the usb post, all the inputs are shown as active on the controllador software. if i plug the mastercard into the usb card, none of the inputs are active, and it will not show anyt of them as active if i short them as described in the manual.

if i plug in the mastercard into the computer by the parellel port i can activate the inputs by shorting out the pins.

so this is my question, am i doing something wrong, or am i just not setting this up right.

i have the controllador.ini chaged to activeate the usb card, as far as the rest goes, not sure what i should have set. the manuals aren't that much help either, any help would be great

thanks

jason

[737NUT]

In the controlador software does it show usb running and connected? Also you must put a line in the the ini file telling the software how many master cards you have. You must connect MC to J1 on the usb expansion card.

[Jasmckee]

In the controlador software does it show usb running and connected? Also you must put a line in the the ini file telling the software how many master cards you have. You must connect MC to J1 on the usb expansion card.

Hi, yes it say that the usb is running, also in the .ini file it says there is one m/c and i connect it to plug J1

thanks

[nricky]

Hi Jason

You have to change the sioc.ini to tell the software how many mastercard you are running. In a few hours I will post 4 sioc.ini for 1 to 4 mastercard. It will be in the Opencockpit page under software on my website. So you will only have to copy my sioc.in to the folder where you put the software from opencokcpits.

Here my page www.fight.nrick.net

Cheers Norbert

PS need more help just ask.

[nricky]

so here is the page where I put the sioc.ini files
http://www.flight.nrick.net/html/software.html

Cheers Norbert

[Jasmckee]

thanks i will have a lok and see if this helps, do you need to have this for the controlador to show the inputs correctly?? just trying to get my head around how the software works

[fordgt40]

Jason

I stand to be corrected, but am unaware that SIOC.INI has any impact on Controlador. SIOC.INI is used by SIOC to get its initial parameters and is used when running/compilig scripts. If at this stage, you just wish to test all is ok and are using Controlador then you do not need to do anything with SIOC.INI. I suggest you post your controlador.ini file here and we will take a look at it. Also did you buy the cards in built or kit form

Regards

David

[Jasmckee]

here is the .ini

[ fichero de configuracion para el programa CONTROLADOR ]
[ Configuration file for CONTROLADOR ]

[ Uso de Expansión USB ]
[ Iocard Master expansion USB ]
USB=yes

[ Múltiples USBs ]
[ Non unique USB ]
MUSB=No

[ Número de periférico para el USB ]
[ USB Device number ]
deviceUSB=2048


[ Número de A/D a usar de la placa de Expansión USB ]
[ A/D used by Iocard Master expansion USB ]
USB_AD=1


[ Puerto donde se encuentra conectada la IOCard Master ]
[ Iocard Master, parallel port address ]
Port=$0378


[ Modo compatible yes/no , necesita cable especial ]
[ Compatibility Mode yes/no, needed special cable ]
FullCompatible=No


[ Utiliza placa de expansión yes/no]
[ Use Expansion card yes/no]
Expansion=no

[ Activar en modo SIMULADOR yes/no]
[ Use simulated card yes/no]
simulator=yes

[ Numero de tarjetas Master inter-conectadas ]
[ Number of connected master cards ]
NCards=1

[ Refresco de poll tarjetas Master ]
[ Master cards refresh ]
MasterRefresh=10

Filter=yes


[ End of File ]

they were built from kits.

Thanks

jason

[fordgt40]

Jason

The only difference I can see is on the line "simulator=yes"
I have controlador running on two different machines, however, I have this line set to simulator=no
Try this and see what happens

David

[Jasmckee]

i have tried it with no, makes no difference, stil get the same behaviour

[fordgt40]

Jason

Oh well! So, if I understand you correctly, the mastercard works when plugged into the parallel port, but when plugged into the USB expansion it does not. Presumably you have applied a 5v supply to the mastercard? I assume that the operating system is correctly finding the USB expansion card ie Human Interface device and not "Unknown device"?

David

[kiek]

[ Activar en modo SIMULADOR yes/no]
[ Use simulated card yes/no]
simulator=yes


Try:
simulator=no

Nico

[Jasmckee]

yes, yes, yes and yes. if i don't have the mastercard plugged into the usb, the usb shows all the inputs active, now i had been told that that is normall, and a m/c must be plugged in. but as i said, i can get the inputs to work when the card is plugged into the parallel port. maybe even though i am using usb, does the parallel port have to be specified in the bios?? just a thought

cheers

Jason

[fordgt40]

Jason

"does the parallel port have to be specified in the bios" - for usb no.

So, the mastercard is ok on a parallel port, the USB sends all inputs high when plugged in, which apparently is normal and is correctly recognised by the system. That then leaves the connection between the Mastercard and USB expansion card. How is this made? Does the cable have all pins wired through?

Regards

David

[Jasmckee]

Jason

"does the parallel port have to be specified in the bios" - for usb no.

So, the mastercard is ok on a parallel port, the USB sends all inputs high when plugged in, which apparently is normal and is correctly recognised by the system. That then leaves the connection between the Mastercard and USB expansion card. How is this made? Does the cable have all pins wired through?

Regards

David

yes they are, but just to make sure i plugged the mastercard in directly to the usb card, same result.

thanks

Jason

[Jasmckee]

ok just done some more testing, it doesn't matter what usb output you put the mastercard on to, they all start activating inputs, but if you select to filter input 1, all the inputs doen't show on the screen (but the inputs are still being activated on the card. i am starting to think more and more that it is the usb card at fault here, not the master card. and i am starting to think that i am going to have to but a pre built one to get a waranty on it.

Jason

[iwik]

Hi Jason,
i know its a bit of a hassle when u dont know what card is faulty. If u want to ,you could send it to me and i could check which card is at fault and maybe have a look at it for u. Im a Electronics tech of some 40 + years and have built two sets of Master cards/uSB sets and all have worked well.
Just offering to help, i know how frustrating it is. I live in christchurch NZ. Pm me if u want to.
Rgds
Les

[Jasmckee]

well juat tested the mastercard again, all inputs work correctly (well now that i have figured out how the logic works) so i am 99% certian that it is the usb card that is at fault, so not sure how to procede now

thanks for the offer les, will see what i can do, if i decide to send them over i will PM you


Jason

[iwik]

Jason,
Good news you now know which card it is. Ill leave it over to you.
Good luck
Les

[Jasmckee]

thanks,

well i think i have found what is wrong with the usb card, it appears that two of the ic's are in the wrong places, so i have got one ic removed, just have to ge tthe other one out, it is proving to be a problem.


Jason

[iwik]

Jason,
Thats great news, sounds like you may not have used sockets. If not before putting the next one in use a socket. Makes life easier next time.
Les

[Jasmckee]

i we live and learn, i couldn't get any sockets at the time i got the cards, but the funny thing is that one ic came with a socket included, where as the rest didn't. the last ic is resisting all my efforts to remove it, short of a stick of c4 it doesn't want to budge. so i may admit defeat and just get another kit and chalk this one up to experience, i need another mastercard any way.

thanks for all your help here guys it is much appraticated

Jason

[iwik]

Hi Jason,
To remove the stubborn ic, just get a finer pair of snippers and cut each leg of the ic and remove the pins one by one.This is the best method quite often when you dont have desoldering equipment and in some cases wher the board quality is low. Much cheaper to buy another chip than a new kit.
Hope this helps.
Les