I am having a problem with my Pearl Expert. When the console is on for an indiscriminate amount of time it will reset its panels. It looks like when you hit the panel reset button on the back but instead of the reset taking around a min. to reset it takes about 30sec. What ever look or cue I have running will continue but the board does not respond during the reset. Sometimes the LCD display will go garbled before it resets. This happens at random times, different times in the day and sometimes right in a row, sometimes not at all. I am confused. I tried upgrading the software to 2.1. It did not make a difference. I also did the ECN-0185 and
ECN-0184 upgrades.
Also occasionally the LCD will just switch between garbled and normal depending which menu I am in. I can fix that by turning off the console and turning it back on. I don't know what it could be. Any Ideas?
Pearl Expert Reset
Moderator: Moderators
Hi,
You should be ok with this. (is chip revision 2 on all boards?).
When Microchip released later chip revisions ie 4 upwards, they introduced a problem where the brownout voltage was lowered.
Avolites had to change the boot program to counter this. Otherwise a slight lowering of voltage supply to the panel could cause a reset.
As far as I know, no revision 4 chips left the factory without the updated boot program and so no users should see this problem.
Having said that, maybe the 5V power supply rail in your desk is a bit low
by the time it gets to the panels.
On later desks Avo write the psu 5V rail reading on the psu before it leaves the factory. It's measured on one of the disk drive connectors. Red=+5V Black=0V. What is your reading?
You could also measure the 5V supply on one of the boards . eg the screen board. There's a 3V3 regulator on the board (marked REG1) and you can measure 5V across the outside legs. If less than 4V8, then I would recommend first unplugging and replugging all power connectors (when desk is off) to see if it goes up. Second, it is possible to turn up the psu voltage with a pot (VR1) inside the PSU. I would turn it up so that you get say 5V2 on a disk drive connector - but take care if using a screwdriver near a live psu! Another option would be to replace the psu (standard PC ATX type 250W or higher ) - they're fairly cheap - or contact Avo service to see what they recommend.
Yours
Adam
You should be ok with this. (is chip revision 2 on all boards?).
When Microchip released later chip revisions ie 4 upwards, they introduced a problem where the brownout voltage was lowered.
Avolites had to change the boot program to counter this. Otherwise a slight lowering of voltage supply to the panel could cause a reset.
As far as I know, no revision 4 chips left the factory without the updated boot program and so no users should see this problem.
Having said that, maybe the 5V power supply rail in your desk is a bit low
by the time it gets to the panels.
On later desks Avo write the psu 5V rail reading on the psu before it leaves the factory. It's measured on one of the disk drive connectors. Red=+5V Black=0V. What is your reading?
You could also measure the 5V supply on one of the boards . eg the screen board. There's a 3V3 regulator on the board (marked REG1) and you can measure 5V across the outside legs. If less than 4V8, then I would recommend first unplugging and replugging all power connectors (when desk is off) to see if it goes up. Second, it is possible to turn up the psu voltage with a pot (VR1) inside the PSU. I would turn it up so that you get say 5V2 on a disk drive connector - but take care if using a screwdriver near a live psu! Another option would be to replace the psu (standard PC ATX type 250W or higher ) - they're fairly cheap - or contact Avo service to see what they recommend.
Yours
Adam
I measured the voltage coming off of the PSU today. It measured 5.1V read at the disk drive connector. I am pretty sure that it is not a power issue. I am not losing dmx from the board, because my design spot 250s would go dark and snap to possession if this was the case. I see that all the front panel usb connectors are plunged in to the second hub. I think I may have a bad hub. That would explain the randomness of the resets. Any ideas??
Hi,
Yes, could be a bad hub, especially if you see all panels connected to it do a 'random reset' at the same time.
I would double check the usb connections to this hub. ie try wiggling both the cable connection from the motherboard and the short usb cable to the hub. Also check the disk drive type power connection to the hub. Sometimes they get loose.
You could also swap usb headers on the motherboard - ie see if it makes any difference coming from a different usb output.
Yes, could be a bad hub, especially if you see all panels connected to it do a 'random reset' at the same time.
I would double check the usb connections to this hub. ie try wiggling both the cable connection from the motherboard and the short usb cable to the hub. Also check the disk drive type power connection to the hub. Sometimes they get loose.
You could also swap usb headers on the motherboard - ie see if it makes any difference coming from a different usb output.
Ok, so I have been dealing with the console reset for a while. It would seem to stop or become less frequent if I shut the console down and restart it back up. It is now a lot more frequent, and now it has progressed to the lcd screen going wonky (freezes up on a previous menu or dose a split screen where one is off from the other split down the middle from top to bottom) and a section of the board freezing up (the handles, playbacks, number buttons). It will only work again if I hit the reset button on the back. This seems to happen more frequently now that I have upgraded to V6. It may just be a my perception though. I think my usb hub that all the front panels are plugged in to is going bad. I have had the usb program up and running and notice that I lose panels when this happens. I have tried to play with the program and have the panels come back but the only cure is the reset on the back. I talked to someone and they said that it could be the power supply, but I don't really think that is the case.
This problem is very annoying and I hope some one can help me figure out what the heck is going wrong.
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This problem is very annoying and I hope some one can help me figure out what the heck is going wrong.
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I am shocked that this has not been resolved in over three years. Have you not spoken to Adam since your last post? He will be the best person.
If it is always the panels on one of the hubs then almost certainly it is a faulty hub and needs replacing. Obviously it's worth double-checking the connections, including power, but if a panel reset always cures then I'm doubtful. The only other thing I can think of is the connection to the motherboard. To check this you could swap the motherboard connections between the hubs. If the same panels are affected then is hub but if the problems migrate to the panels on the other hub then is motherboard connection.
If all panels (ie. from both hubs) are affected then it does suggest PSU.
If it is always the panels on one of the hubs then almost certainly it is a faulty hub and needs replacing. Obviously it's worth double-checking the connections, including power, but if a panel reset always cures then I'm doubtful. The only other thing I can think of is the connection to the motherboard. To check this you could swap the motherboard connections between the hubs. If the same panels are affected then is hub but if the problems migrate to the panels on the other hub then is motherboard connection.
If all panels (ie. from both hubs) are affected then it does suggest PSU.
Actually, I sent it out about a year ago to Creative Stage Lighting and got the right usb hub replaced. Awhile after I got it back it happened again, and I called them. They were confused also and offered to send me a loner while they looked at it. I got too busy and had too many shows to find the window to pack it up.
When it would reset it would be annoying but controllable and if it was before a show I would just shut down the board and restart it and the problem was solved. I almost forgot about it until the corruption/panel freeze/reset.
So now here is where I sit:
When I first did the upgrade, I ran in to trouble afterwords with the classic side and the dmxs not being assigned after the upgrade. In trouble shooting I put the dongle back to the original position, above the motherboard, and re-hooked up the cd drive, thinking one of them is interfering with something. I left it this way, after I found the solution of reassigning the dmx.
When I went to trouble shoot the corruption/rest problem, I noticed that I had undone the ENCs. I fixed both of them, moving the dongle to the usb hub (the one with less usb cables/ suspect the good one) and unhooking the cd drive. I ran the console for about 3-4 hours, checking on it periodically. I did not notice the corruption on the lcd or any of the panels freezing up. Could have any of these two caused the problem with having done the bios update.
Now keep in mind that I have had good days with no resting or problems before it acted up again in a week to a month, but the corruption on the lcd is new.
I am going to run it a little today and see if I can get it to act up.
Let you know what I find out.
When it would reset it would be annoying but controllable and if it was before a show I would just shut down the board and restart it and the problem was solved. I almost forgot about it until the corruption/panel freeze/reset.
So now here is where I sit:
When I first did the upgrade, I ran in to trouble afterwords with the classic side and the dmxs not being assigned after the upgrade. In trouble shooting I put the dongle back to the original position, above the motherboard, and re-hooked up the cd drive, thinking one of them is interfering with something. I left it this way, after I found the solution of reassigning the dmx.
When I went to trouble shoot the corruption/rest problem, I noticed that I had undone the ENCs. I fixed both of them, moving the dongle to the usb hub (the one with less usb cables/ suspect the good one) and unhooking the cd drive. I ran the console for about 3-4 hours, checking on it periodically. I did not notice the corruption on the lcd or any of the panels freezing up. Could have any of these two caused the problem with having done the bios update.
Now keep in mind that I have had good days with no resting or problems before it acted up again in a week to a month, but the corruption on the lcd is new.
I am going to run it a little today and see if I can get it to act up.
Let you know what I find out.
I'm going to admit I'm a bit lost on what is now working or not working. But I do not believe the dongle location, CD connection or BIOS update could be related to the issues you describe.
FYI the problem with the Classic DMX settings is simply because the recovery stick is a full format/re-install process and unfortunately there are no ports assigned by default. Currently following any recovery operation the Classic DMX settings must be reassigned from the menu option on the VDU.
FYI the problem with the Classic DMX settings is simply because the recovery stick is a full format/re-install process and unfortunately there are no ports assigned by default. Currently following any recovery operation the Classic DMX settings must be reassigned from the menu option on the VDU.
Ya I got that fixed. Just paniced when I had no dmx and switched everything back. I did all of the ENC upgrades and have not noticed the symptoms. I have been running it for a couple of hours and have checked on it occasionally. I have not noticed anything wrong. It might have reset and I did not notice. I forgot to mention that the board is the older model, the newer ones are white. I don't know if this plays a factor in the problem. I am just racking my brain as to what it is.
I am still having a problem with the reset but I have a bigger problem now. I was preparing for a show and all of a sudden the power went out on my expert. I checked the cord and the extension cord I was using and both were still plunged in. I opened up the console and looked inside and it was dead. I tried the power switch and nothing I wigged the iec cable and when I had the front half way closed and flipped the main power switch I got a surge of power for a sec and then nothing. So I was going to switch it out for my tiger, and tried one last time by plugging it in to the wall directly. This time it started up and stayed on. I tried to load my show (expert) in to my tiger using the copy2008 converter program but got a file corrupted error. That is a different problem. So not having a back up I just decided to run my show with the expert. Well half way through the show it happened again. Same thing, no power, surge, then after about 2-3 min (one song) it started up once more. Does anyone have an idea. PSU maybe?
On a side note after doing the ENC upgrades I have not had the panel freeze/ldc screw up, so that is fixed but it still resets.
On a side note after doing the ENC upgrades I have not had the panel freeze/ldc screw up, so that is fixed but it still resets.
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