Subject:
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RE: IR Tower not working when downloading firmware
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Sun, 26 Jan 2003 05:40:24 GMT
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Original-From:
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DORNS <dwdorn@!antispam!earthlink.net>
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Reply-To:
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<DWDORN@antispamEARTHLINK.NET>
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Viewed:
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1108 times
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Thank you all.
It is indeed the IR Tower problem. After I replaced the serial tower with
the USB tower sent to me by Lego Tech Support, I can download the firmware
successfully.
Thanks for sharing the info. I have learned a lot from all the email.
Wendy
-----Original Message-----
From: Dick Swan (SBC) [mailto:dickswan@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Friday, January 10, 2003 3:36 PM
To: dwdorn@earthlink.net
Subject: RE: IR Tower not working when downloading firmware
I don't know of any fix other than replacement. There are no user
serviceable parts.
I would check the following items first:
1. Phone Lego customer service, describe the problem and see what they say.
I've seen lots of posts about Lego's generous replacement / warranty
problems with people getting replacement motors with no questions asked.
They may offer to give you a new hyper terminal for free.
2. I'm not a wizard with hyper terminal but there might be an option to hide
the echoed characters -- echoed characters are also an attribute of some
older dial access computer programs. You may want to double check before you
absolutely point it to the tower. Although it sounds like the tower to me.
3. Trying a new 9V battery wouldn't hurt. I've had one case where I put in a
new battery -- still shrink wrapped -- and it was defective.
4. The USB tower does not report the echoed characters. But I recall that
you have a serial link tower.
I have both a serial and USB tower. I prefer the USB tower; it doesn't
require batteries.
I guess the place to buy a new IR tower is from Lego via customer service.
Another way is to post a message on the mindstorms newsgroup and you might
find someone who has multiple towers that wants to sell one. I also just
checked the Lego Dacta Pitsco catalog (online at
www.pitsco-LEGOeducation.com) and they have both tower types for $29.95.
I have no knowledge about Lego's schedule for new hardware / software. I'm
just a hobbyist too. I would expect any new software to be backwards
compatible with either tower. When Lego released the 2.0 and 1.5 software it
was compatible with the 1.0 hardware platform.
-----Original Message-----
From: DORNS [mailto:dwdorn@earthlink.net]
Sent: Friday, January 10, 2003 1:47 PM
To: dickswan@sbcglobal.net
Cc: lego-robotics@crynwr.com
Subject: RE: IR Tower not working when downloading firmware
Thanks for the response. I just got back from a trip and see this message.
I did perform the test you mentioned in the email. I used the hyper
terminal program to determine that the problem is lack of echoed characters.
What is your advice on fixing this?
If it is not easy to fix, I would like to purchase either a new IR tower or
a RCX. Is there any new version of hardware or software going to be on the
market soon? If yes, is it worth the wait of buying the up coming new
version?
Thanks,
Wendy
-----Original Message-----
From: Dick Swan (SBC) [mailto:dickswan@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Saturday, December 28, 2002 6:08 AM
To: dwdorn@earthlink.net
Subject: Re: IR Tower not working when downloading firmware
Some advise and suggestions.
Post to 'lugnet.robotics' and not 'lugnet.off-topic.test'. You're likely to
get better response.
Are you sure your new batteries all work? Test them out as follows:
- Does the green LED briefly 'flash' on the serial tower during the
diagnostic test? If not, then 9V battery needs to be replaced.
- Does the RCX beep and display '1' in the LCD program slot when you turn it
on? If not, then RCX needs new batteries.
If tower and RCX are not properly pointed towards each other, communication
will not work. [I know this is obvious, but try some different
combinations]. In particular, make sure tower isn't set for long range
transmission (switch on front) and RCX is within a meter or so. I find short
range transmission setting on tower and RCX about 1.5 feet away works fine.
I'm not familiar with the download and test software that you have been
using but it sounds to me like problem might be in the tower. With the
serial tower, every outgoing byte is also echoed back to your PC where it is
discarded; I think this is a byproduct of IR transmission 'leaking' into the
IR receiver on the tower. A decent diagnostic routine would know this fact
and look for the echo-ed characters. If so, I would interpret "IR
Transmitter Fail" message as a lack of the echoed characters. A way to test
this is to use one of a PC "console" program to type characters on COM1 port
and look for echo of these characters.
Hope you get your system working.
"Wendy" <dwdorn@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:<H7nrGz.D3A@lugnet.com>...
> Hi,
>
> I'm using Robotics Invention System 1.5, a serial tower and a RCX 1.0 and • a
> windows 98 PC.
>
> The RCX lost its firmware due to missing batteries for a long period of
> time. I kept getting error messages during firmware download
>
> "Initial page: 1000, 8120: IR Transmitter not working"
>
> after putting in brand new batteries in both the RCX and the serial tower.
> I followed the trouble shooting guide using hyper terminal to test the COM
> port connection to the tower. The communication from the COM port to the
> tower is good. But the "IR Transmitter Working" fails every time I tried • to
> download. It can't find the RCX. Any ideas why this happens?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Wendy
>
> P.S.
>
> The Shooter.log file looks like the following:
>
> *******************
> No serial mouse detected
>
> Examining hardware directly:
> COM1 is available.
> COM2 is available.
> COM3 does not exist.
> COM4 does not exist.
>
> Retries for module 26: Direct: 9, Retransmit: 10.
> Shooter retries: 9, 10
>
> Called with error 8120.
> Initial page: 1000, 8120: IR Transmitter not working
>
> Command sequence: Test IR Transmitter
> 1014, 100: OCX registered : OK
> 1015, 105: OCX working : OK
> 1041, 110: Closed COM : OK
> 1009, 115: INI file exists : OK
> 1003, 120: COM port 1 read from INI file : OK
> 1010, 125: COM port 1 exists : OK
> 1011, 130: COM port 1 working : OK
> 1002, 135: Open COM port 1 : OK
> 1023, 140: Tower & cable connected : OK
> 1005, 145: IR Transmitter working : FAIL
>
> Help window, RIS TroubleShooter, closed.
> *******************
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