CMUcam default code not responding
 

I have spent quite a bit of time trying to get this to work, and I suspect some kind of configuration problem. I'm hoping that if I list everything, someone might be able to see what's wrong.

frc_camera_s, using compiled .hex that was in the download
CMUcam2 connected via TTL port to RC
2006 RC tethered to 2006 OI
tilt/pan servos connected to RC pwm1,2
RC pwm to CMUcam2 power
jumpers on pan reverse, oscillator connect, internal power to servos
DB-9 serial from RC program port to laptop via USB to Serial converter
12 volt and 7.2 volt batteries fully charged

The camera shows a green light, and all of RC lights are green like normal. The camera holds its default position, and does not respond to any light. Nothing comes up over the terminal, although I expected to see "Scanning...". With the camera configured stand-alone (DB-9 to USB to laptop, servos plugged directly in to camera, power still supplied by RC) I was able to use LabView and the CMUcam2 demo program to calibrate the camera well. It tracked as I believe it was supposed to without any problems.

Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks.
Dublin Robotics, Team 1014 (with the Bad Robot t-shirts)

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

I was working with another team today that was also having a similar problem. Here's the thread. Unless you're using the code build that was messed up, I can only conclude that your TTL serial port is malfunctioning. Just as I had the other team do, turn-on debugging messages in camera.h and report back with the output (if any) from your terminal screen. In the meantime, I'll whip-up a piece of software that you can use to test the serial port.

-Kevin

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

In addition to the debugging messages, can you try the software mentioned here and report back with the results?

-Kevin

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

I had already verified that I was not using the code with the serail port setting bug. I will run the two tests you asked for as soon as I get the RC and camera, which are locked in the school until Tuesday morning. I can't get the link to the other forum you mentioned to work. Thank you, and I'll post my results when I have them.

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

I ran the serial port diagnostic tests. In loopback mode, terminal input was not echoed. When connected to the camera, there was no responce. I am confident that I configured everything per the ReadMe file.

When I ran debug, the following was printed to the terminal:
Camera: Initialized abnormally with code 131
Camera: Initialization state = 1
Camera: Initialization state = 2
Camera: Initialization state = 3

I hope to test the TTL to RS232 board soon using the ifi instructions.
Thank you for your help.
Kyle W

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

One thing you didn't list is whether or not you still have anything plugged into the DB-9 on the CMUcam board. If the computer is still connected there, it'll interfere with the RC-to-camera communication.

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

This indicates that your TTL-RS232 converter board, cable, or the TTL serial port port itself is messed-up. To discount the TTL serial port as the source of your problem, remove the converter board from the TTL serial port and short the RX and TX pins with a piece of wire, jumper block etc. See the attached file to identify the RX and TX pins. Once you've done that, reload the serial port diagnostics and perform test one, the loopback test. If you get characters echoed back to the terminal, your problem is either the converter board or your cable. Remove the jumper and plug the converter board back in and short the two upper pins that connect to the red and white wires. Perform the loopback test again. Do you get the characters echoed? If not, your converter board is toast. If you do get echo, your PWM cable is bad.

-Kevin

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

Of course, the DB-9 serial was not connected from the camera to computer. I feel like whacking myself in the head; the problem was the pwm cable. We didn't think to check it because it was brand new and unabused. We also found that I had misplaced the oscillate jumper to accidentally short user i/o 5v+ and ground when I was working on it this morning, which caused a lot of trouble as we tried to figure out how the camera didn't have enough power. Finally we noticed that the servos were only powered when the camera was off, which gave away the problem. Thanks again for the help and the great code.
Kyle W,
1014 Controls Team

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

Hi Kevin,
We are having the same issue (failing in State 3) - something probably amiss with our camera to RC communication. The readme file for the diagnostic files says it's only for the full sized controller. We are still messing with the EDU until we get our full system running. Any tweaks I can do to get the diagnositcs to work with the EDU?

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

Grab a copy of the edu_serial_ports.zip file from my website and modify the EDU Process_Data_From_Master_uP() function to look like the same function in the diagnostics package. I think that's all you'll need to do.

-Kevin

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

Hi Kevin,
I got the diagnostics to run on the EDU, thanks. We pass the loop back test so we know the RS232 converter and cable are good. We don't pass the second diagnostic test. Your notes say we either have our camera misconfigured or it's a bad camera. The baud is set to 115200 (no jumpers). Are there other config items we need to check?

I even went into the EDU version of serial_ports.c and changed the SPBRG2 = BAUD_115200; and XSTA2bits.BRGH = 1; thinking that might be the anwer but it did not help.

You must be swamped! Thanks for your efforts Kevin!

Re: CMUcam default code
 

I just uploaded the default "bells and whistles" code to the robot. The prgram state and code error LEDs are flashing red. Any help would be great.

Re: CMUcam default code
 

If you're using a USB to serial converter, try to find a PC with a real serial port and try it again.

-Kevin

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

Have you tried the camera with the LabVIEW software? If so, did it work?


Yep, the help desk is pretty busy these days <grin>.

-Kevin

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

Yes, it worked fine with LabView using the DB9. I have all the calibration numbers for tracking an orange traffic cone to get us started (our green light is not assembled yet!). I guess that would narrow it down to the camera's 3 pin RS232 port? That does not seem very likely. I'll keep playing...

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

You might consider just connecting it to the programming port. If you do, you'll need to switch the port in camera.h to point to serial port one.

-Kevin

Re: CMUcam default code
 

I am using a Compaq Armada 7400 with a serial port. The LEDs are fflashing when I attempt to use the code, after the .hex download is complete. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Re: CMUcam default code
 

You're using a 2006 controller? If so, the code is getting corrupted somehow and you should contact IFI for help diagnosing the problem. If you're using an earlier controller, you need to re-compile the code using the included instructions. Come back here if the above doesn't help out.

-Kevin

Re: CMUcam default code
 

Thanks, but I just ave one question. Where are the recompile instructions? I am using last year's bot as a test platform. Are they in the work or another of the .pdf's from FIRST? I did a scan through the workbook, but I may have missed it. Thanks alot, you guys are very helpful. Good luck with your bots this year.

Re: CMUcam default code
 

"Using_Last_Years_FRC.txt" included with my code as well as IFI's.

-Kevin

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

We use the camera with the Edu... We got the same error initially. We found that the baud rate was set wrong. If you are using Serial Port #2 (the TTL header is serial port #2), you need to change Kevin's serial driver to use a baud rate that matches your camera (the default is 115200).

Another thing to check - make sure your RS232<>TTL converter board is fully connected. The Edu has only 3 pins on the TTL header. The missing fourth one (as compared to full size RC) is the power pin (+5V). We took the end of a spare pwm cable and connected just one pin on the +5V pin of Digital In/Out #1, then ran that into the TTL<>RS232 board.

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

Here is what I did to allow compatibility between years, and between IDEs. I have a "core" directory, a "modules" directory, a "2005" directory and a "visual studio" directory. I put all c/h files I personally make (or get from Kevin's website) into the modules directory, and I put all of the files supplied by IFI's 2006 default code into the "core" directory. I copied the 2006 default code's workspace files to the "2005" directory, followed the instructions to ensure compatibility with '05 controllers, and then included all my modules from the "modules" directory, and the relevant IFI code from the "core" directory into that project. I didn't trust the pic's being #define'd, so I edited the project settings in the "2005" directory to include the definition of VERSION_2005_CODE (-D_VERSION_2005_CODE), and then I test for the presence of this macro where relevant. For example, in Kevin's EEPROM code:
So now, for me, switching between the two platforms is a matter of opening the right workspace, and rebuilding all files.

I also created a visual studio solution, and stored it to the "Visual Studio" directory. I include all the c/h files into this solution, and do all my coding there. When its time to compile, I alt+tab to the MPLab editor (it senses that the files have changed at this point), and pretend as though I had been coding there all along.

c:\2006 Robot Code\
c:\2006 Robot Code\modules\
c:\2006 Robot Code\2005 Workspace\
c:\2006 Robot Code\Visual Studio\
c:\2006 Robot Code\documentation\

That might help you in the long run, though it doesnt solve your current problem.

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

Unfortunately we seem to be having the same problem...we don't get any errors after compiling the program, and the results shown on MPLAB clearly state "BUILD SUCCEEDED" ... no problems loading the .hex file from IFI loader to the controller, however, the COM Terminal window is BLANK! Nothing happens or shows up on the window... any theories of what may be going on?
Any help at all would be greatly appreciated...

Re: CMUcam default code
 

Thanks alot, this should solve the problem. Good luck this year.

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

Ah! yay, we got it up and running...

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

Has anyone responded to this? I'm getting the same error code.

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

When this happened to us, it was because we had the DEBUG flag turned on. Try turning it off and see what happens!

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

The "code 131" error says that the program did not receive a response from the camera during initialization. It could be a communication problem (try the loopback test, and make sure you don't have the PC still connected to the camera at the same time as the RC), a power problem (make sure you have a freshly charged battery and all the connections are good), or a broken camera (test it with the LabView application).

That's about all I can suggest without looking at how you have things wired up.

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

Ok, so I got the code scanning for the target and giving me angles and such- the only problem is that it gives me the info then keeps searching. Is it supposed to do this? and if not what can I do to get it the stop when it finds it? Your help so far has made this much easier. Thanks alot!

Re: CMUcam default code not responding
 

Ok, I have a more specific idea of the problem now: the camera is aquiring during the stage where it is moving to restart search, then doesn't do a regular scan at that height. Any suggestions?