Getting Started

And yes, if your center position is 127 then p127 should center also. Home command works with pots!

BTW, did you use USO output or a plugin?

The plugin

I haven't messed with the dip settings since the tune and simtools is in "SER" or serial mode it used to be labeled USO in the previous version I believe.

So you have 1-on, 2-off, 3-on, 4-on?

Hi
Is it worth doing an auto tune, note the mv range

then set simtools to
1,start
1,units 255 = 1000 (your milivolt range)

try without the home command, if thats not working try with the home command

regards Terry

@BlazinH yea they are set as such still nothing when I initiate axis testing they just move to max down position and stay there not responding to any axis slider movement.

@telfel would 255 not be the setting for 8bit? I have been trying 12/16bit with 4096 and 65535 respectively?

I dont have simtools but Earrobbie posted here that simtools outputs 0 - 255, have you tried without the home commend?

UPDATE!!! Using 12bit mode so it sends 4096 values with
STARTUP: 1,start<10>1,unit4096=1000<10>2,start<10>2,units4096=1000<10>
INTERFACE: 1,p<Axis1><10>2,p<Axis2><10>
SHUTDOWN: 1,powerdown<10>2,powerdown<10>

Gave me very laggy and slow to respond (like 4 second delay) movement, but movement none the less.


It might have been the combo of removing the home commands and changing back to <10>, this is also still in "decimal" output as well.

I just ran across this again in the kangaroo manual:

Simplified Serial Commands
"Kangaroo supports plain text TTL level simplified serial input. The default serial settings to use this mode are 9600 baud, 8N1. All commands follow the same format. Spaces are ignored and can be added for readability.
All commands consist of a channel number, followed by a comma, the command and a newline (Enter key)"

The Enter key is <13>, a line feed is <10>. Everything must be changed to <13> I think.

Ok I have changed them back to <13> and still get the laggy response and only form motor1 (motor2 didnt work before with simtools anyways)

I'm wondering if I have something in the Interface line wrong.

Edit: I have also noticed that on the axis1 test slider that the 0 or half position puts the motor at max bottom with out any movement past that on the negative of the slider and all the movement of the motor at the positive half of the slider.

Edit: both motors do work It just I didnt notice as I was moving the slider into the negative. Its like motor1 in that It has its half way for the motor at +25% on the slider with the max bottom at 0 and max up at +50%

Is it worth trying the 8 bit 255, you wont be sending as much data,
I run mine a 9600 baud, with no lag
you could also try higher speed comms

You could try adding back in the home commands but I don't think its necessary. The other thing I can think of to try is adding a slight delay after each <13>.

I see from your simtools screen shot you have a 10ms delay, you could try reducing this, also you mention motor 2 isnt working
how about removing motor 2 commands just to see.
Philip Island is about to start.

Simtools should be outputting a text string that looks like this: "1, start" + chr$(13) + "1,units4096=1000" + chr$(13) + "1,home" + chr$(13). If you had a terminal monitor, you could see what simtools is actually putting out.

If simtools is outputting correctly you should see this on the monitor:

1,start
1,4096=1000
1,home

VB6 - Chr$(13)
VB.NET - Convert.ToChar(13)

Okay. Since simtools is vb.net code it uses Convert.ToChar(13) instead of Chr$(13). I'm still old school.

In the describe sw tool are the mv reading for max and min the same for both motors ?

"DIP switches 1 and 3 can be changed without redoing the tune. "

I had a brainstorm If you have two extra pots laying around you can test your kangaroo manually. That way you can make sure the kangaroo works before trying it with simtools. Here's how. Move dip switch 1 to the off position. Wire the pots as shown in the diagram in the kangaroo manual on page 10.

http://www.dimensionengineering.com/datasheets/KangarooManual.pdf

@BlazinH Every time before I try using the motors with simtools I test them in DEScribe and make sure the software is disconnected before going back to simtools. I have tried it out before with just pots for manual analog movement as well.
@telfel the hardware limits (limit switches) are a bit off on each motor but in the DEScribe software I set both of the motors pot ranges to 2000mV -3200mV so 1200mV of range (I increased it by 2000mV from before)

Edit: can you guys recommend a simple terminal monitor software? I have used "usblyzer" which is a little hard to read.