Hardware Utilitiy and Pixe4

[TheDucks]

I am testing all my MAX Grab goodies.

I have my Pixie4 connected and the HW utility finds it.

the question is: how do I test Individual  port connected strings. it seems to be All or port 1

All works, but I want to test by port

 

BTW a neat trick:  you can run the Pixies in  slave mode. Both have the EXACT same settings. (same ID...) (I am currently running on a Basic+ license)

I connect both to the LOR network.  I set the HW Utility to twinkle  and both port 1's twinkle., chase ....

They behave identical.  Great when you want pairs of  same displaying  props

 

 

 

Edited May 1, 2017 by TheDucks
spelling

[Mr. P]

Each port on the Pixie has to have a Unit ID so a Pixie4 will be assigned Unit ID 1 on port one, Unit ID 2 on port two and so on. One Pixie4 will max out your license.

[TheDucks]

6 minutes ago, Mr. P said:

Each port on the Pixie has to have a Unit ID so a Pixie4 will be assigned Unit ID 1 on port one, Unit ID 2 on port two and so on. One Pixie4 will max out your license.

I understand that I can assign the starting ID (default 1), which implies that the other ports inherit 2,3,4 since the HW Utility does not allow choosing by port.. Refresh finds '1 unit', not 4

The =assume= must work, because All Strings talks to all 4 ports.

But if I ONLY run the test without the ALL tick, it only work with 1 port.

(and Yes, I know that I am Maxed. I am waiting on a replacement CC as the old one got compromised   )

[Gary Levelius]

Only way to really test individual channels is to use the Pixel Console, click the CCR/CCP/Pixie radio button, select the unit Id for the port you want to test and use the sliders to manipulate each string.

[TheDucks]

58 minutes ago, Gary Levelius said:

Only way to really test individual channels is to use the Pixel Console, click the CCR/CCP/Pixie radio button, select the unit Id for the port you want to test and use the sliders to manipulate each string.

I ended up doing it like that.

It does seem a bit odd the the Pixie 4 takes up 4 controller ID's, but you can only pick the 1.

[Gary Levelius]

16 minutes ago, TheDucks said:

I ended up doing it like that.

It does seem a bit odd the the Pixie 4 takes up 4 controller ID's, but you can only pick the 1.

That's a limitation that DevMike has referred to before and is with the hardware utility. I think he mentioned that the new version (S5, when it comes out) is supposed to have a much better test facility than S4 currently has.

[DevMike]

Correct.  The current test facility for Pixies in the HWU is... well.... crap.  I can say that because I wrote it.  Unfortunately when all of this was being worked on, we had to make some assumptions that in the end did not turn out to be true (I wrote the tests using a prototype, not the actual board).

The new test routines in the newest HWU (that has not been released yet), are much more robust - and actually work.

I also wrote the Pixel Console, and as stated by someone else that does work with pixies correctly.  Use that.

The select a single unit ID is in line with other LOR products, especially CCDs that can run in 'Dual Normal' mode.  You will only ever pick the STARTING address.  The Hardware Utility will only ever find 1 unit - the unit you selected - since it is only a SINGLE board.  However, the addressing will depend on how you set the board up.  For pixies, that means each port will have its own unit ID.  The manual for the board should clearly point that out.

We also discovered another issue, which you may have seen posted here in passing.  Pixie controllers required a lot more processing power than the processor family we had used previously.  That means we started using the latest and greatest processors, which we were assured work exactly the same as the older family.  Except they don't.

When we initially programmed the 1.01 pixies we inadvertently locked ourselves out of our own boot-loader [not really, but its easiest to say it that way].  That means we (and you) can't update them with software.  We are currently manufacturing a hardware device, that will be available FREE, that is capable of updating them.  You will simply plug the device into the Pixie and when powered up it will upgrade it.  Once upgraded you remove the device and from then on things can by updated normally.  

Version 1.02 pixies already have the corrected bootloader and will not need the device.  Any pixie sold after 4/1/2017 - which includes the 2017 Spring Sale are V1.02 and are not affected.  Only Pixies sold before 4/1/2017 are V1.01.

Again, you'll only need to use the device one time per pixie and then after that they will be software upgradable.  Only V1,01 pixies are affected.

Please don't start asking when they are available, or open help desk tickets asking for these devices.  We will let you know when they are ready.