631 Display startup help

chilli

New member
Hello, I just received my new 631 display yesterday and need a little startup help. Downloaded CC2 after reading this forum. Installed the 631 on my home computer running Windows XP. Did as per the website instructions - step 1, 2 3etc. (installed drivers before plugging in the 631 etc.) The drivers installed fine and do not show any problems in the device manager but I am not able to get the 631 to power up properly. I had gotten the SCAB along with it and a floppy connector is hooked up to the SCAB. At bootup before the computer enters the Windows XP Pro splash screen it does say Crystalfontz 631 in line 1 and HW v2.0 and SW V2.0 in line 2. But the back light flickers and when the splash logo screen goes away the pixels light up randomly and by the time the computer boots up it dies. I havent connected anyting to the SCAB yet. The 631 is hookedup to the SCAB and the 631 is connected to my computer using the external USB cable.
My trouble shooting went on and
1) I went into CC2 config and tried to set up the CPU bargraph for starters but nothing happenned on the lcd screen.
2) Then as per some of the posts here, saw that WinTest 631 would just go looking for the module if CC2 was on and configured for the 631. So stopped CC2 and terminated the cc2_config and servive apps in the task manager and ran Wintest - no go here also as I could not get the display to display anyting as Wintest still is looking for module and if I ask to send Line 1 and line 2 commands in the wintest nothing happens.
3) I tried using different cables from the power supply - it is a 380W Antec supply and should be able to handle the load. But no improvement. I used the spare floppy connector from the power supply as well as the Crystalfontz supplied cable extension WRPWRY12 to no avail.
4) I have a floppy drive directly below the 631 unit - I took the cables off this floppy drive to see if there is interference but that did not help either

I apologize for the lengthy post but wanted to give as much detail as possible. Thx for any and all help.
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CF Mark

Administrator
chilli said:

2) Then as per some of the posts here, saw that WinTest 631 would just go looking for the module if CC2 was on and configured for the 631. So stopped CC2 and terminated the cc2_config and servive apps in the task manager and ran Wintest - no go here also as I could not get the display to display anyting as Wintest still is looking for module and if I ask to send Line 1 and line 2 commands in the wintest nothing happens.
If you go into the windows device manager, has the LCD been allocated a COM port number (it will be listed under "ports")?
 

chilli

New member
Thx for your response. I went in and checked device manager in the Ports menu and the COM3 port is assigned to the 631 and no problems were reported. When I went in and checked port settings I noticed the bits per second was set to 9600 and when I changed it to 115200 it did not give an error when I closed the device manager. But when I reopen it is reset to 9600. Other than that I did not notice anything that was off. Also, the 631 device driver is present and no errors in the USB controller menu in the device manager.

Anything that I should be doing?
 

chilli

New member
Follow up to my previous post:

I went back and changed the bits pe second to 115200 in the port settings and restarted the computer. I checked back and 115200 held this time. With that, the 631 screen does not flicker anymore. It currently has just the backlight on and nothing else.

With cc2 config and service terminated in task manager, 631 WinTest still does not find the module..It just says Looking for module. ..

Of course with that, changing contrast, brightness or sending any Line1 and Line2 default commands do not work.

No effect using CC2 either. Though when I remove the 631 module and then put it back, it does not recognize the module. Instead it reports that the CC2 is not running or is not configured to run the module. But it does put it in the module screen and allows me to modify it. Nothing shows up on the 631 display though, after I stop CC2 and restart it to effect the changes.

Thx again for your help in getting me started.
 

CF Mark

Administrator
When I went in and checked port settings I noticed the bits per second was set to 9600 and when I changed it to 115200 it did not give an error when I closed the device manager. But when I reopen it is reset to 9600. Other than that I did not notice anything that was off. Also, the 631 device driver is present and no errors in the USB controller menu in the device manager.
Well that sounds ok.
The baud speed in the port options under device manager never matter... its used as a default setting which CC2 & WinTest then change to the correct setting.

With cc2 config and service terminated in task manager, 631 WinTest still does not find the module..It just says Looking for module. ..
Can you select the com port from the drop-down box?
Is the 631 listed?

I havnt looked at the WinTest code, but it sounds like somthing might be going wrong with its port finding code.

No effect using CC2 either. Though when I remove the 631 module and then put it back, it does not recognize the module. Instead it reports that the CC2 is not running or is not configured to run the module. But it does put it in the module screen and allows me to modify it. Nothing shows up on the 631 display though, after I stop CC2 and restart it to effect the changes.
The orange box with that message will always displayed the first time you add a new module.
Itll only dissapear after CC2 is setup for that module, and CC2 is running.

See here:
http://www.crystalfontz.com/software/crystalcontrol2/manual/temp-fan-setup.html
 

chilli

New member
Thx for the response. To reply to your queries:

-----------------------------
Can you select the com port from the drop-down box?
Is the 631 listed?
-----------------------------
1) The 631 does show up in the WinTest menu. The attached image shows it the way it appears on my pc.

It seems to me that I am able to toggle the display on and off when I start and stop service on CC2, but apart from a blank screen with backlight I get nothing. So when I go into Wintest and ask it to send Line 1 to the display nothing happens.

---------------------------------

The orange box with that message will always displayed the first time you add a new module.
Itll only dissapear after CC2 is setup for that module, and CC2 is running.

See here:
http://www.crystalfontz.com/softwar...-fan-setup.html


__________________

Thx for clearing up my confusion with orange box. That helps. I havent set up any of the fan controls etc as detailed in the link because I cant seem to get the basic display working correctly.

In CC2, after adding the module and restarting CC2, when I try to insert one of the default screens that CF has put in, such as the CPU bargraph or CF logo screen etc., nothing happens on the display after the changes and restarting CC2. In this way, the response from CC2 is similar to what I get from Wintest.

I am not sure if it has anything to do with the Wintest code. I am certain that I am missing something really simple because going by your responses, I installed everything right and in order - only I am getting nothing to display. Of course, this is assuming that all is right with the 631 - which I am sure it is.

Thx for helping me with this.
 

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CF Mark

Administrator
I am not sure if it has anything to do with the Wintest code. I am certain that I am missing something really simple because going by your responses, I installed everything right and in order - only I am getting nothing to display. Of course, this is assuming that all is right with the 631 - which I am sure it is.
Yes, you have done everything right as far as i can tell with the software.

As for the 631 being ok, im starting to think otherwise.
The fact it is creating a COM port when plugged in means the cable, drivers, etc are ok.
But it seems as if WinTest cannot ping the module. So that leaves the baud rate being wrong (which it isnt), or the 631 being faulty.

Come Monday, i think CF Support will open a support ticket for you.
 

chilli

New member
Thx for looking over my posts for potential resolution. Will wait for the support ticket in my inbox. In the meantime, do you think it is worthwhile to disengage the SCAB from the 631 to check to see if the problem remains? Dont think that can have an effect though.
 
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CF Tech

Administrator
A CFA-631 can have its baud set to 19,200. (Unlikely, but possible.) Please go ahead and click "19,200" for kicks.
 

chilli

New member
well, that was one of the mindless things that I tried but did not work and also did not report it in my posts. The 19200 baud rate also did not fire up the module..thx
 

chilli

New member
Just wanted to post a follow up after my RMA request went through and came back. After I got my 631 back from CF I put it back in my system and did not work. But I finally found the problem was with the power supply not putting out the required 5V signal to the CFA631. It was putting out about 4.4 V and that was good enough for the 631. When I changed out my power supply to one that puts out closer to 5V (~4.8V or more), the unit worked perfectly. Thanks for working with me through this, CFTech and the RMA support gurus.
 
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