RoboSavvy Forum

Power probs

2008-01-19T04:04:46+01:00

Drivers uploaded:

http://robosavvy.com/Builders/Dimitris/

Statistics: Posted by Dimitris — Sat Jan 19, 2008 4:04 am

Power probs

2008-01-18T16:06:54+01:00

I don't have the link as I downloaded the drivers and forgot about the site, but what I do have is the drivers themselves! I am trying to add them to the site files but seem to be getting an error, I'll try again soon.

Statistics: Posted by Dimitris — Fri Jan 18, 2008 4:06 pm

Power probs

2008-01-18T01:23:17+01:00

Hi Dimitris,
did you keep the link to the site with the correct drivers ?
it could be useful for others with Prolific adapter.

Statistics: Posted by limor — Fri Jan 18, 2008 1:23 am

Power probs

2008-01-14T02:59:15+01:00

Finally! After a long long time, 3 usb-to-serial cables and not much free time to spend on the Bioloid, I've managed to re-connect!
I had this usb-to-serial converter by prolific technologies which simply refused to work on xp or vista with the drivers given, but then magically, Vista found a solution to the problem!!! It actually referred me to a site with drivers that finally worked both on xp and vista! Amazing stuff eh? Even more amazing is the fact that the Bioloid software seems to work fine OK on Vista, apart from the fact that you have to "run as administrator" otherwise you get no COM port choices!
Hope this helps other people and avoids injuries caused by banging head on keyboard!

Statistics: Posted by Dimitris — Mon Jan 14, 2008 2:59 am

Power probs

2007-08-16T00:40:40+01:00

COM ports 1 & 2 are there and apparently working fine. Tried changingthe default settings (baud rate, parity et) but no improvement. I'll try your suggestion, maybe the serial ports were fried in the past

Statistics: Posted by Dimitris — Thu Aug 16, 2007 12:40 am

Power probs

2007-08-15T21:07:50+01:00

I think Limor will back me up on this one.
When I first got my Bioloid I could get no connection at all to the CM5 and we spent ages on the phone trying to resolve the problem, till in the end Limor sent me another CM5 replacement. Did it cure the problem, did it heck, I still got the same message from both CM5's on three different computers ( cannot connect CM5).
It could be only one other thing ( you guessed it) it was a duff serial cable,
Limor sent me a replacement and it worked straight away.
Dave

Statistics: Posted by splod — Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:07 pm

Power probs

2007-08-15T13:28:00+01:00

On your PC if you Display your Hardware (Start/Settings/Control Panel/System/Hardware/DeviceManager expand Ports with mouse) what Com Ports does windows think are there? If you see nothing its probably a hardware fault, otherwise possibly windows.

As a test bypassing the Robotis software and CM5, try downloading a free terminal emulator program. Use the Robotis serial cable and short the tip to the next segment this connects send to receive. Run the terminal emulation you have down loaded with the Robotis cable plugged in. What you type should appear on on the screen (since you are looped back). If this don't work it looks like the serial port hardware has gone puff.

Dewey

Statistics: Posted by Dewey — Wed Aug 15, 2007 1:28 pm

Power probs

2007-08-15T01:13:23+01:00

AAAAArg! After waiting a month for a new cm-5, it turns out my old one was fine and the problem was my main pc which refuses to connect to the cm-5's from any port! My laptop seems to be fine using com1, and I remember when my pc had an different motherboard it connected fine on com2. But now nothing on all ports. Terminal and (BCP) Behaviour prog just says cm5 could not be connected. You may be asking why don't I just use my laptop? Well, because it's an old ibm T20 and BCP says there's a problem with directx and it cannot render the 3d stuff even though I'm sure it's got the power!

Any clues?

Statistics: Posted by Dimitris — Wed Aug 15, 2007 1:13 am

Power probs

2007-06-24T23:35:23+01:00

Nope, straight serial

Statistics: Posted by Dimitris — Sun Jun 24, 2007 11:35 pm

Power probs

2007-06-24T22:37:14+01:00

are you using a usb-to-serial adapter ?
thats another source of trouble..

Statistics: Posted by limor — Sun Jun 24, 2007 10:37 pm

Power probs

2007-06-24T22:16:02+01:00

Hey guys, thnx for the advice, but I tried it all. My power supply doens't pulse, it's just always on and I think I prob mentioned that the cm5 led flashes once when the start switch is put on, and also flashes when 'mode' is depressed (battery disconnected). Also a few chips get quite warm but don't think that's a major prob.
Terminal just won't connect, despite trying different baud rates and com ports. Strange because at easter biloid worked fine but has been on the shelf now for a while. :'(

Statistics: Posted by Dimitris — Sun Jun 24, 2007 10:16 pm

Power probs

2007-06-24T02:36:27+01:00

Here's a simple problem that might sneak up on you:

If you plug the power cable into the CM5 and the power supply is not plugged in, the CM5 will not operate at all. I imagine it would behave the same if the power supply failed.

Make sure you are getting 12Volts out of your power supply. Even if the power supply LED lights up, there could still be a problem.

Also, I have never seen my power supply LED dim and pulse. It has always been steady on. My guess is that pulsing is indicating some sort of an error condition for the device.

Statistics: Posted by roycepipkins — Sun Jun 24, 2007 2:36 am

Power probs

2007-06-23T12:58:38+01:00

A common problem is that when the battery is low, the CM5 acts in very strange ways. What should usually work is to disconnect the CM5 from the servos and disconnect the battery. Turn on the CM5 powered by the charger. Using the robot-terminal and serial cable.. press the # key on the PC keyboard while pressing the red (mode) button on the CM5. this should bring up the bootloader prompt. If you get this far then it means that the CM5 is ok. Then load the 114 or 115 firmware and finally plug in the battery and go through the charging sequence (as instructed in the manual and videos that come on the CD and here: http://robosavvy.com/site/docs/Bioloid/ )

Another route is to charge the CM5 using another NiMh charger. You can get them on ebay for cheap.

Statistics: Posted by limor — Sat Jun 23, 2007 12:58 pm

power probs

2007-06-21T22:21:47+01:00

Thanks for the advice. I have now managed to get the battery to charge. I hvae to disconnect the cm-5 unit from everything and then it works as per the instructoins but if it's connected to anyting else it doesn't. I can live with this but have been advised it should charge when connected.

Statistics: Posted by constantfiend — Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:21 pm

Power probs

2007-06-21T16:58:44+01:00

The cm5 used to work fine as I could login via robot terminal , run c code etc. Then I had the robot on the shelf for a few months and when I tried using it again, nothing! Maybe I should have taken the battery out.

Statistics: Posted by Dimitris — Thu Jun 21, 2007 4:58 pm