CC2 with XP 64-bit?

heisenman

New member
Hello all, sometime reader, first time poster...

I'm building a small HTPC rig as a proof of concept that you can, in fact, make a full computer look like (or better than) a DVD payer, and stick it into an entertainment center. My LCD of choice was the 634.

For reasons I no longer recall, I'm using XP 64-bit as the OS for this rig, and I'm finding things a little...interesting.

I have downloaded 3 or 4 different versions of CC2, and all of them give me the same error message when I try to install:

"The image file <path/to/exe> is valid, but is for a machine type other than the current machine." Does this mean that the executable has restrictions to only 32-bit OS's, or am I simply trying to install the wrong package?

Thanks in advance,
Hugh Eisenman
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jc634

Administrator
Make sure you use the drivers from: https://forum.crystalfontz.com/showthread.php?t=5301. These are the drivers I have used with XP 64

Make sure you use this version of CC2: https://forum.crystalfontz.com/showthread.php?t=5767. I have not actually installed this version on XP 64 (I have the previous version), but it should be no problem.

I am currently running this version on my Vista 64 machine, so it is definitely not a 64-bit problem, in general.

I have never seen this error message before, but it appears to more of a HW problem than software. Quesion: have you tried to install CC2 on a different machine, just to make sure it is not a problem with the download being corrupted? So...

Just curious, what are the HW specs?
 

heisenman

New member
HW Specs and reply

I did in fact try that CC2 version, it was one of the ones which gave me the error message.

Box specs:

gigabyte 690G mobo
athlon x2 be-2350
2gig ATI approved ram (has the logo, I think it's Micron)
E7K200 hard drive (laptop style, 7200rpm, 120GB)
laptop DVD-RW (DVR-K06)
CrystalFontz 634 (I re-adapted the usb board, this may be a problem for reasons I won't get into right now, but the OS DOES identify the hardware correctly)
Myriad electrical changes to the power supply and internal connectors.

-Hugh Eisenman

PS will install that driver pack you recommended and see what happens.
 

heisenman

New member
Update

Rebooted, reinstalled the drivers as per your link. CC2 does not install (I tried again just in case), and I will attempt to get some communication via LCDSmartie. If there is a better program for basic LCD manipulation, I'd love to hear it. I'm new at this, and what I want to do with the LCD should not be terribly complex, but I'm not sure even where to begin.

-Hugh Eisenman
 

jc634

Administrator
It does not appear to a recognition problem as the USB drivers install correctly. It would be best to try it on a different machine, tho, just to rule out the LCD or CC2 being a problem. Process of elimination...;)

As far as a program is concerned, it is all depends on what you want to do with it. CC2 has its strengths and LCDSmartie has its strengths. Each has a slightly different set of features.

The last time I looked at Smartie, it had quite a myriad of options.

BTW, you might want to check the version info on the drivers in Device Manager. Sometimes, updating drivers sometimes do not always work real well, in my experience. Should be 2.2.4.0??
 

heisenman

New member
The driver does, in fact, identify itself as 2.2.4.0.

Why don't I give a small rundown of what I've done so far.

I have now bought two 634 displays (first one was to play with, and it is...broken. Very broken.) I harvested the USB module from the first display, and in doing so ended up with some unsoldered pins on the varying connectors. Not to worry! I happen to work in a circuit design shop, so I improvised with some C-grid connectors for the internal mobo connection, and ribbon cable to connect the USB board back to the LCD display.

Again, I don't think I have a hardware communications issue because XP is correctly identifying the device, but I won't rule out some connection problem between the USB board and the LCD (because it's probably the USB board being identified, not the LCD itself). I will look into this shortly.

The system I'm putting this all into is "new" in that it's actually been turned on for all of 3 days now. I've been fighting hardware issues from day 1 (about a year ago) and am finally getting the time and knowledge to work them out. I'll send pics of the box someday - it's kind of fun.

When the OS boots, the LCD (given that the driver is installed) boots and gives me the CC splash screen. Afterwards I get a cursor.

When I use LCD Smartie, I occasionally get some sort of output onto the display. It's gibberish (hence my theory about switched pins between the USB and LCD somewhere...)

I recently noticed that when I check the device manager, I have *2* identifying COM ports for the CC display. Com3 identifies itself as the 634-USB board, and COM2 says "Communications Port". But it's definitely a CC thing. Are there supposed to be two ports created for the display?

As a note, I wonder if anyone has created a tutorial/howto/faq about all of this stuff...I'm sure most of what I'm seeing has been seen before, and I hate bothering people by making them answer the same question over and over... but I haven't seen this information in the forums so far.

-Hugh Eisenman
 

jc634

Administrator
DL Wintest from http://www.crystalfontz.com/software/wintest/index.html. If it works, then it is a CC2/LCDSmartie problem. If not, it is an LCD problem.

Since neither program works, tho, I suspect that it is a HW problem with the display. It may be fubared, but I do not try to be the HW expert. I leave that up to the CF guys!:)

edit: I'm not sure what the COM port problem is. Just to make sure, I would uninstall the CF display, and see if both COM ports go away. If not, you could delete the 2nd one, also, if you are sure it is a CF related port.

FWIW, you should have 2 drivers installed. One in the COM folder, and one in the USB folder. I assume both are there?
 

heisenman

New member
Dl'ed wintest, it originally found COM2 (the non-CC identified port), but it allowed me to get to COM3 this time. I'd tried wintest about an hour ago, probably with the incorrect drivers, and it was a no-go.

I was able to talk to the display, but what I typed was not what I saw. More gibberish. Probably a HW issue then?

I noticed that there are options on the various pieces of software for character sets. Maybe I am using the wrong character set?

-Hugh Eisenman
 

heisenman

New member
I have one folder...
C:\Program Files(x86)\CrystalFontz USB Drivers.

As per the instructions in the zip file you linked to.

The installation(edit) requested files from both the top directory as well as the amd64 directory.

-Hugh Eisenman
 
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jc634

Administrator
Dl'ed wintest, it originally found COM2 (the non-CC identified port), but it allowed me to get to COM3 this time. I'd tried wintest about an hour ago, probably with the incorrect drivers, and it was a no-go.

I was able to talk to the display, but what I typed was not what I saw. More gibberish. Probably a HW issue then?

I noticed that there are options on the various pieces of software for character sets. Maybe I am using the wrong character set?

-Hugh Eisenman
I'm not a real expert on Wintest, but from what you are saying it would appear that whatever you are typing is getting sent to the display, but is not getting translated correctly. Translation: bad HW. Perhaps CF Tech could chime in here and provide some additional suggestions (or confirm that the display is fubared:().

You might want to start a post over in the Technical Support forum and refer to this thread. I think he peruses that forum (HW questions) more vigilantly than this one. He leaves the CC2 support more to CCadmin and others like myself...:eek:
 

jc634

Administrator
I have one folder...
C:\Program Files(x86)\CrystalFontz USB Drivers.

As per the instructions in the zip file you linked to.

The installation(edit) requested files from both the top directory as well as the amd64 directory.

-Hugh Eisenman
That should be correct. I think the drivers can talk OK to the USB device, but the USB board is having problems talking to the display.

BTW, sorry for the late reply. Just got done with #3 kid graduating from HS!:D 3 down and 1 to go!
 

CF Tech

Administrator
. . . what I typed was not what I saw. More gibberish . . .
A CFA-634 or CFA-632 showing gibberish is usually a baud rate problem.

If you did a USB mod to a serial module, it can also be JPB or JPE. Those are documented in the CFA-634 data sheet.
 

heisenman

New member
Thank you!

CF_admin, you were absolutely correct. RS-232 communication works with no jumpers soldered, but the USB board provided by CrystalFontz requires JPB and JPE to be closed. I did a little soldering, and am now looking at my beautiful, fully functional display :)

Thank you all so much for the support, this has been a very smooth process. I will be continuing to play with CC2 and my display for a long time yet :)

-Hugh Eisenman
 
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