The chasing-lights RC error

[Eldarion]

Every now and then when I press the "Program" button on the RC, it responds with a red-light chaser, all green on / all red on and then a green-light chaser. Meanwhile, the team color LED blinks red - blue - blue.

What does this (overly-complex ) error code mean and what causes it?

[steven114]

We had this trouble occasionally when we had a flaky serial cable. The solution we used is twofold:

First, you have to instruct the master microprocessor not to boot the user one. Hold both the RESET and PROG buttons on the RC for about five seconds. Release the RESET button, wait another five seconds, and then release the PROG button. The Battery light should go green, the Program light should go orange, and the rest should stay unlit.

Then, use a known good serial cable (make sure it doesn't have excessive length! Use only one 6' cable if possible) to download your code. Should fix it right away.

[Eldarion]

Originally Posted by steven114

We had this trouble occasionally when we had a flaky serial cable. The solution we used is twofold:

First, you have to instruct the master microprocessor not to boot the user one. Hold both the RESET and PROG buttons on the RC for about five seconds. Release the RESET button, wait another five seconds, and then release the PROG button. The Battery light should go green, the Program light should go orange, and the rest should stay unlit.

Then, use a known good serial cable (make sure it doesn't have excessive length! Use only one 6' cable if possible) to download your code. Should fix it right away.

So the error is caused by random garbage going into the program port?

I was able to fix it by just pressing Reset on the RC; I was more curious what the actual error meant.

[steven114]

Well, that's how ours was caused. We had three IFI techs looking at it (we were in line at nationals) and they said that it is a special diagnostic mode. While we were downloading the code, apparently our cable degraded the signal such that the master microprocessor thought that we wanted diagnostic mode, and then it got stuck in it somehow (it wasn't entirely clear to me). Very strange.

[Eldarion]

Originally Posted by steven114

Well, that's how ours was caused. We had three IFI techs looking at it (we were in line at nationals) and they said that it is a special diagnostic mode. While we were downloading the code, apparently our cable degraded the signal such that the master microprocessor thought that we wanted diagnostic mode, and then it got stuck in it somehow (it wasn't entirely clear to me). Very strange.

That's kind of cool! I wonder how you purposefully put it into diagnostic mode, and what kind of information you can get...

Thanks!

[steven114]

For obvious reasons, the guys wouldn't tell us

[Joe Ross]

This sounds like a question for Innovation FIRST. I doubt anyone here knows the answer. You can either try their forum: http://www.ifirobotics.com/forum/ or contact them directly http://www.ifirobotics.com/contact.shtml.

[devicenull]

It's not actually an error code. It's apparently a internal self-test.. It's caused by.. holding the program button down too long. Basically let go once you see Program status go orange.

I don't think IFI ever told us what it all means, but it's not an error at all (every RC I've used does it)

Although.. ask them anyway, it seems like it could be useful