Odd, very odd ASC-1 operation.......

[RT-Cat]

Well, this is rather odd. After getting the ASC-1 installed and having several sats setup, I have a very odd operation. Lets say I want to change satellites from 101 to 105. Bring up the satellite list in the Nano, move the cursor to 105, press OK and the usual display of moving dish pops up, and nothing happens with the ASC-1. After a few seconds the display shows "No Signal." Then after waiting anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute and 15 seconds, the ASC-1 comes to life and moves the dish! And sometimes over runs the setting and I have to bump it around to get signal.
The G-Box was working without any problems when it was removed for the ASC-1.
ANY ideas???

 

[primestar31]

Best idea I have, is for you to contact Brian directly. Maybe this is a bug. Why don't you detail your system completely right here, so Brian had more info to go on? Receiver, what firmware it has, cabling, switches, etc, etc. "Did it EVER work correctly, and now doesn't?" or was it always this way?

 

[Titanium]

The ASC1 is not receiving the initial move command.

The Amiko nano firmware is designed to reissue DiSEqC commands if no signal is received after a calculated period of time. So after the nano times out the move command process and it senses no satellite signal, it reissues the programmed DiSEqC and 22KHz commands to establish the signal path.

What version firmware is loaded?

I replied to your earlier PM with additional questions for troubleshooting.


Brian Gohl
Titanium Satellite

 

[mmewrench]

I'm having similar issues with mine. It seems like it freezes when it gets to the programmed position. Occaisionally I will have to hit the exit button on the remote to move things along. This was most noticeable with the latest firmware for the Nano HD (1.1.76). Originally I thought the lag may have been caused by a failing Diseqe switch but it reacts the same way with no switches in line.

I also found that when setting up the satellite positions in the Nano, that it was best to use the asc 1 remote to move the dish during setup and the Nano remote to save positions. If using the Nano remote to move the dish, it would occaisionally run away until it reached the hardware limit.

One more thing I recently found is that my 4dtv remote interferes with the asc1. If you don't cover the infrared emitter on the 4dtv remote, any button push will move the dish to the next satellite. A piece of tape over the emmiter solved that one (thank god for rf remotes).

The polarity control is flawless with this new unit and up until I updated the Nano firmware, diseqc control was fine also.

 

[Titanium]

Haven't tested the recent nano release. Tested fine with previous firmware version. Did this new version add the user DiSEqC motor position assignment menu setting? Maybe something changed in the DiSEqC command sequence.

 

[updatelee]

What switches you have and what order are they? People do funny things with switches that they shouldn't. Like putting them before the controller

UDL

 

[mmewrench]

Haven't tested the recent nano release. Tested fine with previous firmware version. Did this new version add the user DiSEqC motor position assignment menu setting? Maybe something changed in the DiSEqC command sequence.

There was an option added to select the position number, and there were some timer changes also. Feel free to PM m if you have any questions.

 

[mmewrench]

What switches you have and what order are they? People do funny things with switches that they shouldn't. Like putting them before the controller

UDL

Im using a diseqc 1.0 switch between the asc1 and the lnbs, but as I stated earlier the unit behaves the same without the switch installed.

 

[bigg t]

For some reason I had to change out a good working motor for one I had that was the same brand. The motor in question was a Venture I believe. All the other motor would do was come up limit switch errors after even one attempt. The same motor was working good with a GI 2600 positioner. Firmware in mine shows 20140226.01 which wasn't at the web site last time I was there. Later after I had it moving right it would go to a position and just sit there not showing anything for it seems a minute or two. I changed out some previously working wire and that part is now doing better. For what it's worth I have an AZbox Me to the Asci then on to a disquet switch with port 1 going to a sg2100 and port 3 to c-band.

 

[. Raine]

I had an issue with mine that drove me crazy for a bit where it would work fine until I setup the last few sats that I wanted, then it wouldn't always move, or after sitting a minute, then move, and sometimes the positions were being knocked off by 10 degrees or so somehow. I'd thought that it was my X2 receiver I was using but when my MicroHD came in and I tried it, it was even worse with that.

The X2 worked fine with the V Box but not the ASC1 and the MicroHD wouldn't work correctly with either of them. I finally figured out that it was a Zinwell switch that I was using on my Chap ortho feed and after replacing that they're all working fine. That switch had been out there since I'd set my system up.

I haven't fully setup the ASC1 with a complete SAT list again so I can't say 100% that my problem is gone, but I'm pretty sure my problem was with that stupid switch.

 

[RT-Cat]

I had an issue with mine that drove me crazy for a bit where it would work fine until I setup the last few sats that I wanted, then it wouldn't always move, or after sitting a minute, then move, and sometimes the positions were being knocked off by 10 degrees or so somehow. I'd thought that it was my X2 receiver I was using but when my MicroHD came in and I tried it, it was even worse with that.

The X2 worked fine with the V Box but not the ASC1 and the MicroHD wouldn't work correctly with either of them. I finally figured out that it was a Zinwell switch that I was using on my Chap ortho feed and after replacing that they're all working fine. That switch had been out there since I'd set my system up.........

Same type of a problem. Almost looks like the ASC-1 is not compatible with some receivers. Everything worked fine with the G-Box at the time I removed it to place the ASC-1.
NANO:
Model Ali-3216
S/W version 0E000A00_1.0.85
H/W version YW-M3612-ver 1.0
Loader version M3612-1.0.2
Latest update July 22, 2013 16:42:17
....and everything was working OK.
Will answer Brian's PM, now.

 

[RT-Cat]

What switches you have and what order are they? People do funny things with switches that they shouldn't. Like putting them before the controller

UDL

If that would/could/should cause a problem, why did it not when the G-Box was connected?

 

[Titanium]

DiSEqC issues can be difficult to identify. Some times STBs can reliably control switches and motors and other times not. DiSEqC signals are modulated 22KHz signals that are generated and sequenced out by the STB to external devices. Some STBs exactly implement DiSEqC protocol and output strong amplitude signals and others do not.

In A Raine's case, a switch resistance was likely attenuating the control signals and caused problems with different STBs and controllers, not just an issue with a specific STB or one controller. In this way, this report is not similar to the RT-Cat issue.

There have always been reports of specific STBs or firmware releases that have motor or switch control issues. The X2 is an example as the DiSEqC implementation is not correct and low signal amplitude. Many users report unreliable switch and motor combinations due to the command sequence and timing.

This is why we have to know more about your system and troubleshoot. We may find that the problem may be as simple as a coax cable / fitting or we may find a ASC1 hardware issue. It not as easy as publicly speculating on a forum that a line of equipment has STB compatibility issues.

Since the ASC1 works with my test nano running the exact firmware and with other nano users, let's assume that there is something unique to your system or the specific ASC1?

Any other nano users out there have reports?


Brian Gohl
Titanium Satellite

 

[Titanium]

OK, starting to narrow this down... RT-Cat called and we briefly went over a few things.

The ASC1 had recently purchased from a reseller and it is unknown what firmware version is loaded (it is prior to the release of the menu showing firmware version). RT-Cat will be downloading the latest version from our website and will update us on the DiSEqC 1.2 control issue.

 

[updatelee]

Its a shame because DISEQC is very well documented but many receivers dont implement it correctly. Same with many switch's not implementing DISEQC correctly.

UDL

 

[RT-Cat]

OK, starting to narrow this down... RT-Cat called and we briefly went over a few things.

The ASC1 had recently purchased from a reseller and it is unknown what firmware version is loaded (it is prior to the release of the menu showing firmware version). RT-Cat will be downloading the latest version from our website and will update us on the DiSEqC 1.2 control issue.

Well,(bummer) I would do that tonight but, I hooked up the RS232 to the ASC-1 with a USB adapter and "no connection." Tried another USB adapter, no luck. So I turned on the desktop with XP and a real RS232 connection, same "no connection." Checked the many threads here on what could be wrong with out any luck. Checked the pin out on my cable and it is a null cable. By the way, the one that came with the ASC-1 is not a null cable. Not sure what to do next.......(bummer)

 

[Titanium]

If your ASC1 has a serial number, it is rev 2 and was provided with a null type serial cable. All straight serial types were discarded. The cable may have been accidentally swapped by the reseller, but not sure why that would happen. You may want to double check that these cables are null or straight.

If you get a loader error, be sure to follow the onscreen prompt to power cycle the ASC1 and to relaunch the loader software before retrying the load.

Using version 1.6 loader? Selecting the correct port? Have you tried the serial test software to see if the serial port is working, connecting and replying?


Brian Gohl
Titanium Satellite

 

[. Raine]

If you haven't already, you could check and make sure that the com port is actually turned on in the computer's BIOS. I've had times where com ports have been disabled in BIOS, [or the settings in the BIOS are different than what XP is reporting] and XP says the port is there and working correctly but wouldn't work until it was enabled in the BIOS.

 

[RT-Cat]

Downloaded the editor ver 1.6, I had 1.3 here. Tried the USB connection again and did not get a port error when connecting to ASC-1. Tried to upload the firmware and received message, "Getting into bootloader mode..." then the message, "Device has not been prepared, please re-connect cable and reboot the update software." Done that more times than I can count.
Checked the pin out of my cable and it matches diagrams of what a nine pin RS232 null cable should be. Not a cable problem.
In device manager it shows port matches, baud matches, all setting match, so.....
Checked the desktop bios and there is nothing in there that has anything to do with turning on or off the ports, nothing. Tried the desktop again and get the port not found when connecting to ASC-1.
Checked the test program and getting port not found error.
All this really does not surprise me when it comes to RS232. It is simple connection but almost all the time I have ever used it with my computers and others at other locations, it almost always causes problems. Never have been fond of RS232.
ASC-1 had a "fit" last night when I was going to start testing again. I moved from 103 to 101 for me TV. It moved for a short distance and then gave me the "Limit error." WHAT! Those limits were set when the unit was first set up. Far West to far East. About 135 to 61. Now it has moved to the center of the arc? After fighting with this thing, I did a global reset and went to bed.
I have another IBM desktop that I will now set up and try RS232 connection again. Sure getting tired of this not working......

 

[Titanium]

Power cycling the ASC1 between these error messages? Allow at least a minute after power cycling before attempting to load again.

Why not use the XP PC with the current loader 1.6? Sounds like a USB/RS232 adapter error. They are notoriously finicky devices. Can't say that I have ever had a RS232 to RS332 serial com error that I didn't create!

If the serial test software does not get a reply from the ASC1, the path is not established. Software set at 56000bps and hex like the example photo?

Until the firmware is updated, I would not frustrate yourself with programming and attempting to operate with an unknown version of firmware. Without the version number, I will assure you that it is quite old. After upgrading the firmware from the unknown version to the current 20240227v2, a global reset will need to be performed.


Brian Gohl
Titanium Satellite