How do I get FlowArm to connect to AL5B arm via the SSC-32?

[Admin]

Perhaps a silly question, but nothing is happening/working. How do I get FlowArm to connect to LynxMotion AL5B arm via the SSC-32?

I have 9V going to VL, 6.13V going to VS1, both verified with a multi-meter. I'm using wall-warts for both power sources, with more than sufficient current. Nothing is overheating, and I'm reading 6.13V on the servo power bus. The servos aren't vibrating or resisting any force.

I've connected the SSC-32 to my XP machine by USB, and Device Manager says it's COM8.

I load up FlowArm, it cycles through each COM port and stops at COM10. And nothing happens on the physical arm no matter what I do to the virtual arm.


side note: I accidentally forgot to remove the jumper and fried the 6V power supply that came with the arm. I've since removed the jumper and replaced the power supply. I assume nothing else would have been damaged?


pps - This is something I'm making for someone that can't program, so I have to use a limited GUI and controller

[KurtEck]

There are several topics up on the Lynxmotion forums on how to debug USB/Serial communications to the SSC-32 or other processors, such as: http://www.lynxmotion.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4702

If that topic does not help, I think I would start by breaking down the problem to see where the issue is.

First thing I would do would be to double check the jumpers on the SSC-32.  Things like what baud rate jumpers are in place.  Also do you have the TX/RX jumpers in place to use the RS232 connector? Is the VS1=VS2 jumpers in place?

If you have not done so, I would download the program: Lynxterm (http://www.lynxmotion.com/images/files/firmware/ltrm111.zip)

I would then configure lynxterm to your Serial port number and baud rate. Make sure the baud rate matches what you have the SSC-32 baud rate jumpers to.  Then click on connect.

Hopefully it connects...  Then in the terminal window type: ver<cr>
Hopefully it will return the version string like: SSC32-V2.07Alpha1A-EGP

If this worked than we know that we have the correct com port, baud rate and power to the logic side and the processor is still working.

If this does not work, I would personally probably unplug all of the servos from the SSC-32 and try again and see if that works...
Also: when you first supply power to the SSC-32 does the LED come on?  If so when something tries to communicate with the SSC-32 does the LED flash? If so it says the SSC-32 is getting some input, does not say it is valid input or even the right baud rate, but it at least is seeing something.


If you get the "VER" test to work, I would probably click on the "All=1500" button and see if all of the servos go to their center point. If that works it looks like there could be an issue with FlowArm which is a flowstone program...   Unfortunately I have not done much with flowstone and don't have my Arm currently setup to hook up to a PC...

If none of the above works, I would probably start hardware debugging.  Things like what voltage is going into the voltage regulator and what is coming out.  Is that voltage making it to the Atmega chip... But I am pretty sure you know better than I how to do this.

Good Luck
Kurt

[Admin]

I had done all that based on the suggestions from LynxMotion:
http://www.lynxmotion.net/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=7570&start=0
(cross forum double post )

I've pretty much given up, and I'm running a tight deadline, so I'll just buy another SSC-32.

[KurtEck]

Sounds like a good idea.  Yep I saw your posts up on the Lynxmotion forums, where I am much more active (kurte up there), but decided to answer here.

Good Luck
Kurt

[Admin]

I simply swapped out the SSC-32 for a new one, and it works fine now.

That jumper must have caused something to fry . . .