Rice Port Uplink on Mac problems

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

So I just got my saber all wired up and everything seems to be going well, except I have no idea how the RICE uplink is supposed to work. I have it wired to the right places on the port and the PC2.0 card, and the sliders and everything move, but I can't get it to change what my saber actually does....any ideas? I can't seem to find a manual that talks about the uplink. I'm assuming power should be on, (so the card has power). Does it make a sound when it connects? I'm using a momentary switch and haven't configured it for latching yet (and it would be very hard to get the SD card back out of course), could that be the problem? Oh, and I'm using a Mac. I could run windows if I have to.

[Jabbas_reluctant_slave]

Did you download the driver? http://www.silabs.com/products/mcu/Pages/USBtoUARTBridgeVCPDrivers.aspx If you've already done that then try pluging your rice cable in, opening rice and then pulling your kill key so that the saber is booting up while hooked up. Hope that helps.

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

You may also need to swap the Rx and Tx wires on the PC (or on the RICE port) which ever is easier. ;)

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

I guess I'll try using the driver :mrgreen: I suppose that could help.... If that doesn't get it, I'll try flipping the wires. Thanks for the help, I'll let you know how it goes.

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

Ok, so it won't work on my Mac, but it works just fine on Windows. Now, however, I have a new problem. My recharge port is not functioning properly. The plug from the charger is no longer acting as a "kill key." My kill key still does, however. Is this normal? I'm sure I can just run to Radio Shack or something and buy a new plug without too much difficulty (though I'm guessing they don't sell Tamiya adaptors, but hey, I built a lightsaber, I should be able to solder it on). Any ideas? (Then I can move on to the next slew of random technical difficulties :) ) I'm guessing the plug head is just a tad too small.

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

I guess I'll try using the driver :mrgreen: I suppose that could help.... If that doesn't get it, I'll try flipping the wires. Thanks for the help, I'll let you know how it goes.

Having the updated driver is step one. After that, you might still have to swap the wires., I had to do both when I was testing out RICE on a CF6 ;)

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

Ok, so it won't work on my Mac, but it works just fine on Windows. Now, however, I have a new problem. My recharge port is not functioning properly. The plug from the charger is no longer acting as a "kill key." My kill key still does, however. Is this normal? I'm sure I can just run to Radio Shack or something and buy a new plug without too much difficulty (though I'm guessing they don't sell Tamiya adaptors, but hey, I built a lightsaber, I should be able to solder it on). Any ideas? (Then I can move on to the next slew of random technical difficulties :) ) I'm guessing the plug head is just a tad too small.

Did you download (and install) the Mac version of the driver? I am using mine on a Mac (which also boots windows if I need to).

As far as the kill key, you need to make sure that the ground of the RICE port is grounded to the battery negative. ;)

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

Yeah I did. It might be the wire swap, but with everything running fine on Windows I think I'll just leave it. Any ideas on the recharge port?

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

Yeah I did. It might be the wire swap, but with everything running fine on Windows I think I'll just leave it. Any ideas on the recharge port?

It is related to how you are grounding your RICE port. You have to ground your RICE port to the battery negative. I know that had been a problem in the past. I'll have to look up the specifics again.

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

I have it grounded to the recharge port negative. So I have to split the battery wire and splice it in? (I have the battery hooked up with a JST). Thanks again!

Wait a sec. So I could wire it to the recharge port negative, but the one the battery comes off, right? I have it wired to the main negative (that the card runs off)...that would be an easy fix. Is that right?

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

You need to have it off of the battery negative IIRC.

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

Thanks for the great tip, FJK, the charger is working fine now. So I have two new problems:

1. The main LED is always on (as soon as the kill key is out). It is wired off the LED + and - from the PC. Could I have crossed the FOC - and the LED -? Or is this something else?

2. When the FOC is triggered, sometimes everything turns off. The accent LED in the AV switch (which is wired from the recharge port to be on anytime the kill key is out), the PC, everything. Is this just a battery charge problem? (I have my battery charging right now).

Thanks again, everyone. You all are making my saber possible!

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

We would need to see good, close up and wider shot pictures of EVERYTHING, the LED, the board, the recharge port, the PEx to help diagnose your problem.

You also have to check to make sure how youor switch is wired, and if you have the correct switch setup on the config file of the PC.

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

I'll see what I can do. I don't know how good of a shot I can get, as the saber is pretty cramped, and I'm not sure how easily I'll be able to slide stuff out. I'll probably be able to get some up tomorrow (again, If I can get things out). Any general ideas I can try in the meantime?

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

I'll see what I can do. I don't know how good of a shot I can get, as the saber is pretty cramped, and I'm not sure how easily I'll be able to slide stuff out. I'll probably be able to get some up tomorrow (again, If I can get things out). Any general ideas I can try in the meantime?

Past checking the switch settings, no, your best bet is to take it ALL out, and then try everything while it's laid out.

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

*sigh* I figured you'd say that. Oh, well. I'll try checking the switch stuff first, but they I'll probably end up taking it all out. Is heat shrink removable? I have it wired up to basically take up exactly the amount of space that I have available. :)

Again, thanks!

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

*sigh* I figured you'd say that. Oh, well. I'll try checking the switch stuff first, but they I'll probably end up taking it all out. Is heat shrink removable? I have it wired up to basically take up exactly the amount of space that I have available. :)

Again, thanks!

You shouldn't have to remove the heat shrink. If the pictures are good quality, I probably can see what I would need to see.

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

Took a quick look at it this morning. Looks like some of the wires are too short to let me pull the whole thing out. Would you recommend soldering in a few extra inches of wire, just clipping them, or trying to get the heat shrink off to desolder them? I need maybe an extra two to three inches of slack.

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

Here's pics of everything:

http://i1296.photobucket.com/albums/ag15/KyaryoYsoyav/Board-BackLQ_zpsaf82ecb1.jpg

http://i1296.photobucket.com/albums/ag15/KyaryoYsoyav/BoardLQ_zps72da9ace.jpg

http://i1296.photobucket.com/albums/ag15/KyaryoYsoyav/Switches-sideLQ_zps4156ab29.jpg

http://i1296.photobucket.com/albums/ag15/KyaryoYsoyav/SwitchesLQ_zpsd7b264ce.jpg

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

So it turns out that I had the negative wires from the FoC die and the regular die crossed. I fixed that and now the green light ignites properly when the saber is activated. However, the FOC die, which I have wired up exactly as it should be from the PC manual (though my positive wire is not wired to the board) is now on as soon as the kill key is pulled. Could that be the problem? Does the positive circuit also have to run through the PEX? Everything else is working just fine.

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

So it turns out that I had the negative wires from the FoC die and the regular die crossed. I fixed that and now the green light ignites properly when the saber is activated. However, the FOC die, which I have wired up exactly as it should be from the PC manual (though my positive wire is not wired to the board) is now on as soon as the kill key is pulled. Could that be the problem? Does the positive circuit also have to run through the PEX? Everything else is working just fine.


Where does the (+) wire for the FoC originate from?

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

Where does the (+) wire for the FoC originate from?

It runs off the battery + terminal on the PC. I tried disconnecting the - wire from the PEX, and that got the LED to shut off...is this just a PC setting problem?

(Like it shows on page 23 of the PC manual, if that helps)

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

Could be. What is the "switch" setting on your PC set to? Better yet, what happens when you push the main activation switch?

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

It is set to "momentary." When I had it wired up earlier (desoldered a few leads to double check the PEX), the green main LED would come on when I hit the main switch, but the white would remain on too.

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

It is set to "momentary." When I had it wired up earlier (desoldered a few leads to double check the PEX), the green main LED would come on when I hit the main switch, but the white would remain on too.

Thats a big part of your problem. It should be either set to normally open or normally closed, since your main switch is NOT momentary. ;)
Next to where you have the lugs soldered, it should say either NO or NC.

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

Well, my AV switch is a momentary. I have the the ACT switch pad wired into C1, and the ground line out wired to NO1, should I move the ground to NC1?

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

Well, my AV switch is a momentary. I have the the ACT switch pad wired into C1, and the ground line out wired to NO1, should I move the ground to NC1?

Yes, move it to NC1 AND set your switch=1

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

How come a momentary switch should be set up as a latching?

I'm still in the process of testing this. I'll let you know.

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

How come a momentary switch should be set up as a latching?


Because while you *think* you have a momentary switch, you in fact have a latching switch. Momentary switches don't have all those solder lugs, and only Normally Open/Normally Closed only applies to latching switches ;)

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

Because while you *think* you have a momentary switch, you in fact have a latching switch. Momentary switches don't have all those solder lugs, and only Normally Open/Normally Closed only applies to latching switches ;)

I'm so getting a headache from this :-D so this: http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/16mm-Anti-Vandal-Momentary-Red-Ring-Switch-P463.aspx is really a latching switch? Or did I just get sent the wrong one?

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

So I definitely have a momentary switch. The main LED only comes on when I hold the button in. This, however, has not changed the fact that the FOC die comes on as soon as the kill key is pulled. Getting ready to give up on FOC.

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

So I definitely have a momentary switch. The main LED only comes on when I hold the button in. This, however, has not changed the fact that the FOC die comes on as soon as the kill key is pulled. Getting ready to give up on FOC.

First, you have to get the switch bit sorted out, then we can work on FoC. Did you change the switch setting, and the wire?

Also, a pic of the PEx and where it's wires go to on the board will be helpful.

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

I did, and it didn't work. It works now, set as a momentary, running from the NO1 terminal. I think there was a short somewhere in the FOC lead, as when I removed the negative from the board it still lit up. I don't know where it was shorting from though. Not going to worry about it for now. Spent too much time today beating my head on the wall. Maybe I'll do FOC on the next lightsaber...and get the RICE port to work on that one too. XD.

Thanks again for the help, though! If I ever dare attempting FOC, I'll make sure to let you know. For now, saber + sound is good.

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

If you have a short on your FoC, you may try taking a good long look at the LED itself. You might have accidentally bridged pads. ;)

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

Yeah. I'll sit on it for a while then see if I want to tackle it all over. Need to find a better cable management system, but for now I'm done.