No data is sent to USB converters.

Hmaia
Do you have a link to the ones you have orderd so i can look for some myself as really need to get simtools working.
king regards

Hi yobuddy,

Thanks again for your help.

I have not tried it with the kill switch off. I will cut power to the contactor that controls the ILK switch and see what happens.
I should receive the Devantech converters next week, together with the third SCN5.
One question; if under Visual axis, there is movement of the axis one and two, and of sway and surge also move while running a simulation ( I am running the basic setup from Quick Start guide under Assetto Corsa), is this an indication that SimTools is sending data to the converters? I f so, then there are two possibilities; converters not compatible with SimTools, or bad SCN5s.
Since none of the green lights in the converts indicating data transfer blink, I am inclined to believe the problems rests with the converters. Am I right to make this assumption?
Is there any way to test the SCN5s outside of the simulation?
I know that there are diagnostic tools available, but they are expensive.

Hmaia

I share your pain with what you are facing as i buy some used scn5 and frex system i did'nt see running and on setting up had exactly the same thing you feel like the scn5 don't work, i found out as stated earlyer it was a driver issue.
But when you think you have two scn5's you have to go with the fact of that and you would have to believe they work ok at this point as very unlucky if it was both broken scn5.
Try as many drivers as you can find like i did i must have tried 3 or 4 for my usb converter.
then one just worked and they sprung into life.
I would prob just wait for the new converters tbh now and go with the next step with a hardware change.
But this is exactly same issues i was having with the lights and when you brake it down yes its not talking to the scn5 to wake them up, but feels like the system is ok.
Converter driver like i say solved it for me, with same info you have here.
Might be the converters dont take the driver to talk with and wake the scn5 up.
Keep putting old and new and diffrent drivers in if you want to keep trying untill new ones arrive as an idea worked for me
This was on another programme tho which ive gave up on, but i want to run simtools and have to buy 2 new ones as my vscomi is not supported so ive got it all to look forward to again lol

I got the windows ftdi driver and that saved me.
http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/D2XX.htm
http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/CDM/CDM v2.12.06 WHQL Certified.zip This was the one for me

Hi f1iceman,
I have tried drivers 2.08.30, 2.10.00, and 2.12.06 to no avail. I am starting to think, as suggested by yobuddy, that I have a converter issue. The converters I am using are a cheap Chinese brand, shown below.
http://www.banggood.com/USB-To-RS48...cpc&utm_content=saul&utm_campaign=xie-US&ebay.
I will try one suggestion made by youbuddy, to turn off the ILK switch, and see if anything happens. If nothing I will wait for the Devantech converters, which have worked well.

Thanks, youbuddy,
I will wait for the Devantech converters, and if I still have a problem, I will try the diagnostic tool.
I used it to detect if the SCN5 had ID:0, which they have.

I hope your new ones sort this out, just a quick idea send a message to the scn5 company via e-mail and see if they can recomend a driver for the usb you have or shed some light on it if the usb would work or not with the scn5.
Can not wait to hear if your new ones solve the issues your having tho.

Well, the saga continues. The third SCN5 arrived. Tried to test using TBVST from Dyadic and got the error: "Failed opening communication port". I requested a return ora repaired unit today.
Tested the other two SCN5's using the same tool and when you click on "Homing", the actuators retract (See screen captures). It seems then that there is communication from the computer to the actuators, and that they are functional.

I made a little circuit for one actuator, copying meticulously the wiring schematic, and tested the three actuators one at a time. TBVST detected and homed my older actuators, but not the third one.
Reconnected to the control box, performed the TBVST test again, and it worked for the older ones, third still dead.
Reinstalled SimTools,, exempted port 4123 in Windows firewall, patched Assetto Corsa, followed Quick Start, default profile, SimForce GT preset, configured axis 1 and 2 as per recommendations and when I try to move the actuators using Output Testing, there is nothing. No movement at all. The USB conerters (Devantech) do not show any blinking lights, as they do when I test with TBVST. Started Assetto Corsa, Game Manager shows it running, but not movement at all.

I believe I am making a consistent error in setting SimTools, but for the life of me, I can't find what I am missing.

I do not believe it is an actuator issue, since I can detect both and home them using TBVST.
Here are screen shots of the TBVST output, for left and right actuators.

I also ran a "Continuos Position Actuaator" test, actuators move repeatedly through the full stroke. The movement is smooth and they are very quiet. I have had these actuators for about two years, and only now I tested them. The shafts show no sign of wear. I am leaving for a trip abroad this Thursday and will return on October 31. I will then attack the assembly of the simulator, after the problem with the actuators is solved.

One question, is the profile for LFS built into SimTools? If so, how can access it, to drop in profile updater?

did you ever get running ?

Well, something strange is happening. I reinstalled Sim Tools, set default profile, configured both axis, and patched LFS. Then turned off both Game Engine and Game Manager. I powered the SCN5's, connected the RS485 interfaces, and when I restarted Game Engine, both actuators simultaneously retracted, fully extended, retracted and then centered. With LFS off, I tried to move the actuators using Output Testing in both modes, no movement at all. Fired up LFS, Game Manager turned to blue, took couple of laps, virtual testing shows movement, lights on the Devantech are blinking, no movement. I took a picture of the tuning center box (attached).

This thing is turning me mad!!

QUOTE]
Hi, yobuddy,
I have here the screen captures for Game Engine and Game Manager. I have a question that might help sort out the problems. If I set the axis using the default setting, and use the Simforce Gt preset, set the interfaces, and without patching LFS, turn on Game Manager, would I be able to test the actuators using Output testing? If this is possible, and I can expect movement, then my deduction would point to a wiring problem.

As soon as I start Game Engine, with the SCN5'5 powered up, the actuators go through the centering routine, but no response to Output testing. The SCN5'5 operate nprmally, without any alarm codes when tested using Dyadic TBVST, also checked that ID =0

With LFS running, I see activity in Virtual Axis, and the leds in the Devantechs are flickering.

"Another question: in the forum, answering a question about lack of movement there was this post:
Check the Axis Assignments for each game in GameEngine.

If you fill out the default profile in Axis Assignments, all newly installed game plugins will have these settings as the default.

"If you installed the plugins before setting up a default axis assignment, then the new games have no axis assignments at all. And therefore you have no motion.

What type of simulator do you have?
yobuddy "

When I patch LFS, is the plugin for LFS built in? Or I have to download it?
So the order would be, fill out the default profile in Axis Assignment, set the interfaces, patch LFS after loading the profile for LFS, if not built in. Is this the proper way to do it?
If you follow the quick guide, the profile is loaded first, then patch, set axis assignment and then the interfaces.
.

hi how many scn5 are you running again ?
if they centre then that's good news. you have no speed setup. have you set the axis limitinmg to 90% yet for safety.

I will have more time soon and will help look more ok.

Hi f1iceman,
I am running two SCN5's, connected through two Decvantech RS485. I have axis limiting set to 90%.

ok right goto your axis assignments.
dof1 - axis 1 - squre box black - sway - 60% ........ dof2 - axis 1 - square box orange - surge- 60%.
dof2 - axis 2 - square box orange - sway - 60% ........ dof 2 - axis 2 square box orange - surge - 60%.

blank all the others out for now as you are not using them.
also the orange boxes ,ight be wrong but will just bee the direction when you move ok you can alter this later lets get it moving to something.

then goto interface and set your speed to 10000 - acceleration 500 on both interface 1 and 2.

let me know what happens then ok.

this is my settings apart from setting to a default so nothing gets damaged will tell you how to alter that later when you get basics ok.

now if you goto your game engine and right click the tab you will see tunning.
open that and select the game live for speed in the tab and see what info you have in there when you select it ok.

Hello f1iceman,

Here is the screen capture of LFS, default profile, with the recommended settings.
I believe I shouldn't have wiring problems, since the actuators operate without alarm in TBVST, and go through the centering routine when Game Engine is turned on. What baffles me is the fact that I can't actuate the SCN5's through Output Testing. It is seems that commands issued though Output Testing or the gane itself are not sent to the actuators, or if sent, are in very attenuated form.