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Question Sim tools network interface for SC-MBOX

Discussion in 'SimTools compatible interfaces' started by Blastertoad, Nov 21, 2023.

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  1. yobuddy

    yobuddy Well-Known Member Staff Member Moderator SimAxe Beta Tester SimTools Developer Gold Contributor

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    But 18 bits is more than 16 bits thou?

    Well I thought I would give a proper MBox interface a shot for v3, anyone want to test it out?
    Simply drag-drop it into SimTools v3
    upload_2023-11-22_15-6-18.png

    Max Axis Value is the max number that will be send to the MBox.
    (We might not need this as the end of the day, but I'll add it in just for some testing)
    (File Removed)
    • Useful Useful x 1
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2023
    yobuddy, Nov 23, 2023
    #21
  2. Blastertoad

    Blastertoad Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, AC motor
    @velik0ff we figured
    It seams like each char in the axis line is treated like a decimal point.
    00 00 00 03 = no movemnt
    00 00 03 00 = very very small movemnt
    00 03 00 00 = 75% - 80% of total piston travel

    So the example from docs of "00 00 60 00" is around 1.5 inch of travel but "00 60 00 00" is out of bounds and maxes out travel while throwing error.

    I will happily test the new interface. To note though the 2 other users I saw talking about the SC-MBOX would both need 6 axis inputs. There are 6axis examples in the attached manuals around page 30 -40
    Blastertoad, Nov 23, 2023
    #22
  3. yobuddy

    yobuddy Well-Known Member Staff Member Moderator SimAxe Beta Tester SimTools Developer Gold Contributor

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    if this is hex 00 01 86 a0 then this is integer 0, 1, 134, 160 - and we are using 0 <Axis> where axis is 3 chars.
    Then since each char can have a total of 256 different values, we get this.
    (1 x 65,536) + (134 * 256) + (160) = 100000
    Hope that helps.
    Sure we can add 6axis support once we know it's working.
    Chat soon!
    yobuddy, Nov 23, 2023
    #23
  4. Blastertoad

    Blastertoad Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, AC motor
    Sorry for delay, I put a sheet together to parse hex value.

    Default settings outputs : 55 aa 00 00 14 01 00 00 ff ff ff ff 30 30 31 36 30 00 00 00 00 00 00 c3 50 00 00 c3 50 00 00 c3 50 00 00 00 00 00 00
    upload_2023-11-22_16-36-44.png

    There is data in Line that I dont know what it does if anything. Axis 1 barly driven at all, axis 2 -3 are way over driven and error out. Looks like whatever is filling Line or Time is pushing data over by 4 chars

    Here is what output looks like if I use "Max Axis Value" of 100 instead of 100000
    upload_2023-11-22_16-43-29.png
    55 aa 00 00 14 01 00 00 ff ff ff ff 30 30 32 31 35 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 32 00 00 00 32 00 00 00 32 00 00 00 00 00 00
    Blastertoad, Nov 23, 2023
    #24
  5. yobuddy

    yobuddy Well-Known Member Staff Member Moderator SimAxe Beta Tester SimTools Developer Gold Contributor

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    Ok, I think I found the problem.
    Install with a drag-drop (just like before) and then restart SimTools.
    After SimTools is restarted, it should work as intended (I think lol)
    (File Removed)
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2023
    yobuddy, Nov 23, 2023
    #25
  6. Blastertoad

    Blastertoad Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Sorry I had an error in my sheet. Here is output from v2. Axis is still shifted so axis 1 is empty

    55 aa 00 00 14 01 00 00 ff ff ff ff 30 30 30 32 34 31 00 00 00 00 00 00 c3 50 00 00 c3 50 00 00 c3 50 00 00 00 00 00 00

    upload_2023-11-22_17-54-44.png

    In comparison here is what I am getting with our workaround from yesterday

    55 aa 00 00 14 01 00 00 ff ff ff ff 00 00 00 9f 00 00 00 0a 00 01 ff ff 00 01 ff ff 00 01 ff ff 12 34 56 78 ab cd

    upload_2023-11-22_17-56-38.png
    Blastertoad, Nov 23, 2023
    #26
  7. yobuddy

    yobuddy Well-Known Member Staff Member Moderator SimAxe Beta Tester SimTools Developer Gold Contributor

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    Ok, I just static out the line counter.

    I was just working off the python script, a mix of both if you will.
    Anyway, this one should send the right amount of bits.
    (File Removed)
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    Last edited: Dec 7, 2023
    yobuddy, Nov 23, 2023
    #27
  8. Blastertoad

    Blastertoad Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, AC motor
    This is a test with v3 and setting axis 1 to 100

    Output starts off length 39 bytes, axis values pushed 1 byte :
    55 aa 00 00 14 01 00 00 ff ff ff ff 30 30 34 39 36 00 00 00 00 00 01 86 a0 00 00 c3 50 00 00 c3 50 00 00 00 00 00 00
    upload_2023-11-22_21-49-26.png

    Then moments later becomes 40 bytes in length and axis value pushed 2 bytes:
    55 aa 00 00 14 01 00 00 ff ff ff ff 30 30 34 31 30 30 00 00 00 00 00 01 86 a0 00 00 c3 50 00 00 c3 50 00 00 00 00 00 00
    upload_2023-11-22_21-52-0.png
    I suspect this change is time value as you mentioned setting line to static.

    Since we are using relative timing mode ( function code 14 01 ) time value can be set as "00 00 00 XX" where XX is a 8 bit value representing output rate in ms. Note my previouss testing supplying static "00 00 00 0a" for 10 ms rate.2.

    Also for curiosity sake what is the purpose of "Line" values that you are populating differently from examples? did you determine their function?

    Attached Files:

    Blastertoad, Nov 23, 2023
    #28
  9. yobuddy

    yobuddy Well-Known Member Staff Member Moderator SimAxe Beta Tester SimTools Developer Gold Contributor

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    It seems to still be running the original plugin as the line bits can't change in the newest version.
    Please make sure SimTools v3 is not running.

    The put this in the search box and click enter
    "%LocalAppData%\SimTools3\InterfacePlugins"

    Then delete the "MBOX_InterfacePlugin.dll" file
    upload_2023-11-22_23-31-19.png

    Then restart simtools v3, and reinstall the last plugin above (test version 3).
    (I bet you get different results doing it this way)
    yobuddy, Nov 23, 2023
    #29
  10. Blastertoad

    Blastertoad Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Ok manualy removed MBOX plugin while SimTools was closed. Dragged v3, nothing, no prompt. Dragged v2, no prompt, dragged v1, install plugin prompt popped up.
    Blastertoad, Nov 23, 2023
    #30
  11. Blastertoad

    Blastertoad Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Seems to be a naming issue if zip does not match name of .dll
    I redownloaded "MBOX_InterfacePlugin_v3.zip", dragged over and nothing. Renamed to "MBOX_InterfacePlugin.zip" and get the plugin prompt
    Blastertoad, Nov 23, 2023
    #31
  12. Blastertoad

    Blastertoad Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    V3
    Output
    55 aa 00 00 14 01 00 00 ff ff ff ff 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 01 86 a0 00 00 c3 50 00 00 c3 50 00 00 00 00 00 00
    upload_2023-11-22_23-55-36.png

    Line and time are static. Axis are staying within thier windows, Length is good at 38 bytes. Since the axis values are low I am going to power up my motors and test this.

    Attached Files:

    Blastertoad, Nov 23, 2023
    #32
  13. Blastertoad

    Blastertoad Member

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    @yobuddy V3 works!

    Had hardware issue on my end. Either from sending to many out of format commands or order of operations powering interface before motors, whatever it was my interface was not driving motors. Fixed by power cycling interface and servo controller. So after installing renamed v3 all is go, just need to play with the max axis value.

    That being said we desperatly need a startup and shutdown command to ease rig to initial position.
    Blastertoad, Nov 23, 2023
    #33
  14. velik0ff

    velik0ff New Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    There is a command that should reset the platform initially, which can cause a soft recalibration, here is the code, I have not had the time to implement it in the Python script, that was the only thing left:

    ff,ff,ff,ff,ff,ff,5c,ea,1d,36,3a,59,08,00,45,00,00,2e,38,39,00,00,80,11,32,d7,c0,a8,0f,07,ff,ff,ff,ff,20,da,1c,f0,00,1a,8a,92,55,aa,00,00,12,01,00,02,ff,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,01,00,00
    velik0ff, Nov 23, 2023
    #34
  15. Blastertoad

    Blastertoad Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    I am asuming that from a sniffer, so just "55,aa,00,00,12,01,00,02,ff,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,01,00,00" has to be sent? Or does that entire block need to be sent?

    Can you enlighten me what function code 12 01 is?
    Blastertoad, Nov 23, 2023
    #35
  16. Blastertoad

    Blastertoad Member

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    Oh @velik0ff, I have a question for you. I was able to set my initial distance "FN 008" a couple days ago. However now when I try to change the value it will not accept any input. Do you have any insight on why a value would become locked and how to unlock it?
    Blastertoad, Nov 23, 2023
    #36
  17. velik0ff

    velik0ff New Member

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    @Blastertoad FN008 must by 3721 as that is the password for allowing to change config values on the controller.

    For resetting, these bits need to be the whole command: ff,ff,ff,ff,ff,ff,5c,ea,1d,36,3a,59,08,00,45,00,00,2e,38,39,00,00,80,11,32,d7,c0,a8,0f,07,ff,ff,ff,ff,20,da,1c,f0,00,1a,8a,92,55,aa,00,00,12,01,00,02,ff,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,01,00,00
    velik0ff, Nov 23, 2023
    #37
  18. velik0ff

    velik0ff New Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Function codes starting with 12 are for writing to the MDBox register, it is used as a log, but I have not tested it. Function codes with 11 are for reading the register.
    velik0ff, Nov 23, 2023
    #38
  19. yobuddy

    yobuddy Well-Known Member Staff Member Moderator SimAxe Beta Tester SimTools Developer Gold Contributor

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    This is because the system has a timeout, and collapses to it lowest point (if I remember correctly)?
    I believe it centers on power on?

    So it needs lifted to center when the game starts?
    So do we need a shutdown command too if it times out?
    yobuddy, Nov 23, 2023
    #39
  20. yobuddy

    yobuddy Well-Known Member Staff Member Moderator SimAxe Beta Tester SimTools Developer Gold Contributor

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    Just a thought, but it’s probably worth using a cross-over cable between the PC and the MBox (with static network settings). We can use a second network card in the gaming PC (if the user still want's to use internet from the first nic). This would provide for a much faster connection, as there would be no network traffic to compete with, and also no switch or hub to pass thru.
    yobuddy, Nov 23, 2023
    #40
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