dgrant Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 This has been around for a long time now. The error displayed while trying to update the Pixcon16 configuration. Sometimes it takes and other times it does not, yet most all of the time, it generates the usual error. A second item of interest is that I just received my 2nd Pixcon16 from Wow Lights and it contains the latest firmware, 1.4.9. With the latest release of software, 4.3.14 as an official release, the documentation states a new firmware was released too which I assume is the 1.4.9. However, on the LOR website, only 1.4.8 is available. I have no idea what the difference is between them but the update issue has not been resolved. Thoughts or resolutions to the update issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOR Staff Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 The new firmware is included with 4.3.14 software in the firmware directory. It is 1.4.11. 1.4.11 has not been posted to the website yet. 1.4.9 and 1.4.10 were internal releases. I previously talked about the update problem before. I wish I could remember where. The update error has to do with the length of time it takes your DHCP server to respond to the PixCon16 and/or how long it takes an ARP request to resolve (or clear cache). Sometimes DHCP servers/ARP is just slow to respond, and when the board does not have its lease (or updated lease, or a resolved ARP request) it can't respond to the CFG program. I'm not a networking expert, so I really can't explain more about how all that works. what I do know is: If I give enough time for everything to sync up, people complain that it takes too long to update the board. If I don't give it enough time, other people complain because the board will show that error. If I eliminate the check altogether, and if the update does indeed fail, people will complain that we didn't catch it. I'm pretty sure the error you receive is worded in a way that says the update happened and that it's probably only a transient error. If it has been your experience that the update does indeed happen, just ignore the error. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted June 24, 2016 Author Share Posted June 24, 2016 Thank You Mike, I'll look for the firmware updates. The configuration changes do make it in most of the time but not always. I just do it again and it goes in. Its a screaming fast computer system so who knows...might be Windows10 inside causing the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOR Staff Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 I've been battling it myself trying to find the best trade off. Just about every other release you'll see something in what's new about me tweaking the timings. Truthfully I'm almost to the point where I am just going to pull the check and assume everything works - that's how everyone else in the business does it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted June 24, 2016 Author Share Posted June 24, 2016 (edited) I understand totally about the tradeoffs in software. I was looking for the Pixcon16 firmware update but I'm not finding it and I do have the 4.3.14 version installed? Edit: Never mind, I found it Edited June 24, 2016 by dgrant 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted June 25, 2016 Author Share Posted June 25, 2016 Well, both a success and a failure. The first Pixcon16 firmware update from 1.4.8 to 1.4.11 went perfectly. But....the second one, going from 1.4.9 to 1.4.11, failed terribly. Using the Bootloader button, I was able to get to the board again and load the firmware once again but once again, failure. Steady power light only. I did a factory reset and with both lights flashing simultaneously, the computer cannot see the board at all. Yes, the computer and controllers were in the same IP address realm. As I said, in the bootloader mode, the computer can see the board/controller. Yes, I opened a trouble ticket. The board is brand new from Wow Lights. Hope this can be figured out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 Just to update here, this morning I used the Pixcon16 Assistant to reinstall the 1.4.8 firmware and I was successful. However, it seems that even a few changes to the basic configuration, results in a failure and the board unable to connect. I tried again to install 1.4.11 and again, met with total failure, forcing the use of the assistant. I've probably just gotten a board that has issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOR Staff Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 I replied to your ticket as well. Now that you have 1.4.8 on it, do a factory reset, then attempt to load 1.4.11. There may be an issue with how memory is configured between the 2/3 firmware versions you are testing and the reset will hopefully put the memory in a state where 1.4.11 won't crash on startup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 Sorry, but having 1.4.8 operational within and then doing the factory reset, the board does not appear to the computer. The only way for the computer to see it is via the bootloader mode. The only way to get a firmware load into it is via the assistant and then only 1.4.8. The Net Confg program method fails no matter 1.4.8 or 1.4.11. Either I've stumbled onto something that needs further investigation or its simply a bad board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOR Staff Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 I sent you some new files in your help desk ticket. Please try those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted June 28, 2016 Author Share Posted June 28, 2016 Just FYI for others following this thread, I did get 1.4.11 installed via the special software DevMike sent too me, however there's still issues so LOR will now look at things and figure out if there's a possible impact to anyone else. I suspect that my controller is still bad based upon observations noticed plus the other identical controller had no problems at all with the normal update process. I or we will be sure to update all followers of the final resolution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted June 29, 2016 Author Share Posted June 29, 2016 I believe that I have solved this mystery and it was my fault. When I measured the power supply output, I did so on bank2 and it showed the 12.0vdc. I did not measure it on bank1 as the connections all looked fine and etc.. This morning, I was ready to RMA the controller to LOR and had a bothersome issue in my head thinking about the power. I went back and re-checked and sure enough, bank1 was reading 8.52VDC. Connections looked fine and I measured the supply itself, showing 12.0vdc. I repaired the connection then found 12.0vdc at bank1. A quick test now shows everything working normally! I connected 13 out of 24 pixel strips to it for my intended matrix prop and setup the second power supply...working just fine. So the lesson learned here is just because a power connection looks good, does not mean its fact. Thank You DevMike for all of your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOR Staff Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 No thanks required, you did all the work. Glad you found it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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