Laserharps Pre-order!

[Things]

OK, I've modified the code to allow changing of scan speeds.

I also believe I've figured out the problem with the stuck notes.

Basically, when the harp is in Ready mode, the serial baudrate is setup ready to communicate with the note bank programmer. When you press the button to open the harp, it has to change the baudrate to the correct MIDI rate. However, I had a feeling that it was probably trying to send the note too quickly after changing the baud rate. I'm not actually having any notes get stuck when opening, however the last note when closing does get stuck, and I've managed to fix it with a small delay.

I just need to figure out how I'm going to update your chips. I've put a fair bit of time and effort into this code, so I'm quite hesitant and sending it out to people and risk having it leaked. Like I said, I'll have a talk to csshih about possibly offering an upgrade service

Cheers,
Dan

[GoolGaul]

If it helps, I'd be happy to help update chips for anyone AND keep the code quiet. I have an Arduino Mega...

[Carl B]

Hey Dan

The modification to allow changing the scan speed a new feature to the Note Bank programmer? And dose this just set the speed for when the harp is in the play position or dose this change the scan speed when the harp is opening and Closing as well?

Also Sent reply to your PM.

Carl

[colouredmirrorball]

So this picture is unclear to me:




How can that change any voltage? Is it more like this:
?


Also I can't get the LCD to work. I forgot to connect pin 3 so I now get white rectangles on a blue backlight. I just see a row of white rectangles and a row of nothing. Could it be that the contrast is too high? Should I add a resistor?

[Things]

Hi, yes, sorry that schematic is correct. I'll update the manual. I forgot that I included 2 resistors for the switches

Could you post a picture of your LCD's wiring? That may help.

Cheers,
Dan

[colouredmirrorball]

OK. I hope short circuiting it as per circuit #1 didn't damage the board :S
I'm going to upload a picture of the LCD tomorrow. I'm gonna add a pot between pin 3 and pin 2 and see what that does. Unfortunately I don't have a pot lying around here at the moment, and to get one I need to sneak to my dad's work bench which is located after a heavy, noisy iron sliding door which wakes up the whole vicinity when I open it and as it is 2:30 am, that might not be a good idea LOL

Thanks for your instant help!

[Things]

Nah, it wouldn't have damaged it.

If you're going to put a pot in, you probably need to set it up as a resistive divider between GND and 5V, with the wiper going to pin 3.

However, contrast doesn't really sound like the problem you're having, because you should still be bale to see something.

Just to check, you have pin 1 on the LCD connected to ground, and pin 2 to 5V, and not the other way around?

Cheers,
Dan

[colouredmirrorball]

Yes. I triple checked all connections.

9 chances out of 10 the problem is those crimp terminals. I can't stand them, they can't stand me...

[colouredmirrorball]

My laptop is acting up, for some reason I can't connect my camera... The sdcardreader refuses to read any cards (a driver issue I guess, though I can't solve it) and the usb simply doesn't get detected. So pictures are going to have to wait.
I can't figure out the LCD but I'm gonna leave it for what it is and focus on the more important parts.

On a more positive note I got the blue diode working! I went with the Aixiz module holder from Laserman532 and a Flexmod driver and it works! This is my first 445 and you should have heard the noises I made when it lased
So I'm gonna have some fun with that and hook up the scanners and see what I get...

[Things]

Anyone else having issues with missing DLL's for the notebank programmer? If so, let me know because I should be able to give you the fix

If you have VB6 installed, you should be fine.

csshih has purchased equipment so he'll be able to reprogram the laser harps himself, so in the near future, we should be able to offer firmware upgrades for people who need specific features changeable, like the scan rate.

In the next batch, these features will be editable anyway.

@cmb Nice! I can understand that reaction too, all I could say was "wow" when I saw that much power coming out of a little diode!

Cheers,
Dan