lasershark 2.1 no galvo movement

[jpilarski]

I had previous success getting the stdnin program and circlemaker working with the lasershark. The galvos moved and produced the image as expected. Now I am no longer getting any movement at the galvos. If I plug in the show card that came with the galvos I can make the galvos move just fine. How can I figure out the problem. It appears that I am able to connect just fine. Can you help me to figure this out. Perhaps the lights on the board can indicate something to pinpoint the issue.
iSerialNumber: 7040303000004335
Getting FW Major version: 2
Getting FW Minor version: 3
Clearing ringbuffer
Getting bulk packet sample count: 8
Getting max ilda rate: 64000 pps
Getting dac min: 0
getting dac max: 4095
Getting ringbuffer sample count: 768
Getting ringbuffer empty sample count: 768
Disable output worked
===Running===
Setting ILDA rate worked: 1000 pps
Setting output output worked: 1
===Ending===
Disable output worked

[Macpod]

These messages indicate that you are successfully talking to the LaserShark and that the program successfully started, ran, and ended.

If it ended immediately, it is because no more input was available to be output. This makes me suspect you are not piping in the output of circlemaker into the lasershark_stdin app correctly.

Can you paste the command you are using to run this? Also, what platform are you on?

[jpilarski]

lasershark_stdin_circlemaker.exe | lasershark_stdin.exe is the command and I am using windows 7 x64. It worked fine earlier but now there is no movement. I tested the galvos and they work fine with showcard. thanks for the quick response. - jason

[Macpod]

Ok, that is the proper way to pipe one command output into another.

Was I correct in assuming the program returned immediately when you run it (after outputting what you reported in the first post)? This should not happen, it should run until you stop it manually.

What happens if you just run lasershark_stdin_circlemaker.exe. Does it continuously stream a series of lines or does it end?

[jpilarski]

It does run until you stop it. I have some txt programs that I pipe in stdin and the all seem to run as expected except the galvos aren't moving. Circlemker runs until you stop it.

[jpilarski]

Could I have bricked it somehow. How can I test if it's outputting values to the galvos.

[Macpod]

It certainly sounds like the analog interface of the LaserShark has been damaged. This is based on  your statements that the program continues to run until you stop it and the fact the showcard still can drive the galvos.

Do you have a multimeter? First thing I would do is verify that the analog power is working (this is the black box on the board. If you look under the board you will see there is a set of two pins and a set of three pins.
Test 1: Probe the series of two pins and report the voltage. It should be about 5v.

Test 2: Probe the center of the three pins in series (gnd) and one of the adjacent external pins. Repeat for the other pin These should read -12 and 12v.

 

[jpilarski]

I tried to run the test and I got close to 5 volts sometimes. Sometimes I got a reading and other times nothing. I couldn't get the 12 volt to show much at all. I was testing from middle pin (ground) to left pin and then to right pin with the same settings on my voltmeter. I couldn't get it to show up as 12 ever. Hope I had it set correctly.

[Macpod]

The first two set of pins should read 5V all the time (or something close). What you are measuring here is the 5v from your computer. If this value is too low (4.5v and below) then the analog power supply will stop functioning properly.

How do you have the LaserShark connected to your computer? Is it connected directly or through a hub? If a hub, is the hub powered? (The hub should be powered)


Try plugging the LaserShark directly into your computer (preferrably a port in the back) and test again. If it is still not operating properly, try probing the pins again. If the readings vary significantly you can try pressing a little harder. Over time an oxidation layer can form atop pads

[jpilarski]

Ok the first 2 pins are reading 5 volts or 4.97 and it is consistent. I will try it on a different computer tomorrow. I am only getting a very small amount of voltage on the other 3 pins. I can feel the mirror vibrate on the circlemaker program but it is so weak and hardly moving. When the laser is projecting it just shows up as a point. When I run the showcard it plays the graphics as expected.

[Macpod]

The 5v rail readings sound fine. I don't think I would bother with another computer. The lack of 12/-12v is concern. Try probing that again and if that still reads low perhaps it's time to consider sending it to me for further diagnostics (email me and we will set that up)

[jpilarski]

I think I got it working. I rewired my power supply, amp/drivers, etc and it now moves just fine. Thanks for your help. I have another issues however. I am trying to work in a 3dsoftware package called rhino/grasshopper. I've made an interface that samples the onscreen geometry into points and formats the points for the laser shark into the proper string. I then send the formated strings via serial through a paired virtual com port. I use the following command to grab the streaming points COPY COM2 CON | lasershark_stdin.exe. This seems to work or at least the shark launches and in the cmd I see the strings but it doesn't move. We also tried the same process but with a udp sender and receiver but the same thing happens. There are no errors in the prompt and I can quit the command with cntrl-c as expected. Basically I need some means of realtime playback. Do you have any ideas or thoughts.

[Macpod]

To keep discussions logically separated I'll respond to you in the other thread you created.