Problems displaying most screens

[MestoMix]

Hello,

I'm unfortunately having problems displaying most of the screens properly with the new software. I was previously running v1 without any problems whatsoever.

My system:
3.06Ghz Northwood, 512MB, Windows XP SP2, Crystalfontz 634 serial LCD (blue background/white letters) on COM1 at 19200bps.

If for example I add the Crystalfontz logo screen, I see the following for the duration of this screen:

by Crystalfontz America Inc
by Crystalfontz America Inc
by Crystalfontz America Inc
[ ]

The three lines of text scroll from right to left in unison (each line is successively offset by 1 char), while the box on the left side of bottom line blinks every second or so. This may in fact be an illusion, because I can see the Crystalfontz logo very quickly scroll up and out of view when this particular screen is first started.

If I add the "WA Name & Spectrum Anyl" without actually starting the associated plugin in Winamp, I get a mostly legible display, e.g.:

Diplo - Way More
00:00.00 (05:56)
NA

Notice the 3rd line. This is an artifact from the Email Information screen. Now if I enable the plugin in Winamp, the following happens: the spectrum is displayed on lines 2-3 when it should be on lines 3-4. Additionally, the name information is now gone and is replaced by the time information on line 1. As mentioned before, line 2 is the top portion of the spectrum, but there is also some "interference" in that time data is displayed on line 2 every other refresh of the LCD. Line 4 shows a blinking box.

Some of the following screens seem to be OK:
CPU Usage Big Nums
CPU+HDD+MEM+SWP Histogram
Email information (setup for this screen really ought to mask the password though)

I've tried to change COM ports and baud rates but without success. I suspect the source of the problem may lie in my system but I have no idea what it could be (since v1 worked great). Perhaps there are some memory/buffer management issues in the software?

Anyway, I hope my description of the problems is clear. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Martin

[CrystalControl Admin]

Some very weird problems there.

I suggest that you start from scratch and reconfigure CC2.
In the "cc2-service" directory, there will be a lot of INI files.
Stop CrystalControl2, then delete these INI files.
Then open up the CC2 configuration (double click the tray icon), and re-setup your module and screens.

[MestoMix]

I've uninstalled/reinstalled CC2 several times but without success.

I 've also changed the module baud rate to 9600 as well as switched COM ports, but I get the same failure characteristics regardless.

I'm using the the exact hardware and cabling provided with the LCD kit, i.e. serial 634 with a ribbon cable connected to the pass-through bracket. A 9-pin cable then connects to the serial port on my motherboard (Asus P4B533-E).

Thanks for the help,
Martin

[CrystalControl Admin]

Does wintest work ok?

http://www.crystalfontz.com/software/wintest/index.html

[Tentacle1]

Hi, i have got the same problem as the topic starter, with the White/Black 634 serial on Com1 19200 baud.

The wintest worked in my case, but the CC screens are blurred and scrambled. Some seem to work althow the blinking cursor stays in the screen mostly on the bottomleft corner but sometimes on other places on the left.

I made some pictures and placed them here (http://www.xs4all.nl/~ehorde/ff/CC.zip).

Very strange indeed. I hope you can do something about it, as the wintest showed no problems.

[MestoMix]

Tentacle1,

Thanks for including those pictures--I should have done that in the first place. They show exactly what I'm seeing. It's a bit of a relief to see I'm not the only one with this strange problem. Anyway, I am confident that it can be fixed!

By the way, I've just run WinTest--each demo works perfectly.

Best regards,
Martin

[CF Tech]

At least one of the screens looks like maybe wrap and scroll are on for some reason.

Look at the back of the LCD, what is the version?

Does CC2 depend on the stored EEPROM settingd?

[MestoMix]

The back of my LCD says:
SDK204-634 v2.2
s/n 201836

When I test my bootscreen with the "soft reboot," it says
KD204-634 v2.0.

I have never run this utility until now, but I will try saving a bootscreen to it and see if it affects CC2.

Update:
I modified the bootscreen a few times, and stored all settings to EEPROM, but this had no influence on CC2. I'm not sure if any settings are actually being saved. Whenever I do a soft reboot, I see:

[ logo ] CRYSTALFONTZ
[ logo ] AMERICA, INC.
KD204-634v2.0 19.2kb
www.crystalfontz.com

The screen then goes blank with a cursor in the top left, until I hit the 'OK' button to confirm the boot test. Only then do I see the screen that is represented by the boot screen software.

[CF Tech]

All that sounds normal. I'll leave it to CC Admin to see if there is a way to fix it.

[CrystalControl Admin]

Martin,

Can you zip up the INI and log files in the "cc2-service" directory and attach them?

[Tentacle1]

I have got the same version. I've attached the files as you asked Martin.

[MestoMix]

Admin,

I've been away from home, so I haven't had a chance to zip up the files yet. Since Tentacle1 is experiencing the same exact problem, it should be okay to refer to his files.

I'll include mine as well when I get home.

Thanks,
Martin

[steigrafx]

I have the same or similar problem with my 632.

I noticed MestoMix is running with an ASUS motherboard. So am I (P4C800-E Deluxe, P4 3.2).

Tentacle1, do you happen to be using an ASUS m/b too?

[Tentacle1]

Hmm yes i do, i have the Asus A7N8X (non deluxe)..

[MestoMix]

Here are my ini and log files as requested...

[CrystalControl Admin]

Thanks.
After looking through those, i cant see an obvious problems.
It must be a core problem with the CC2 service or 632/634 plugin code.

BTW, are you guys using USB or Serial 634s?

[MestoMix]

Serial.

I think everyone experiencing these problems is using serial.

[steigrafx]

Yes, mine is a serial 632.

[Tentacle1]

Yep, serial here too ;)

[CrystalControl Admin]

Ok, thanks guys.
Ill get out the serial LCDs and see what i can find.

[steigrafx]

Much appreciated...thank you.

And have a happy and healthy holiday and New Year.

Kevin

[CrystalControl Admin]

Ok, i couldnt replicate the problem with my serial 634/632's but i do have new plugins for you to try.

Stop CrystalControl2, then extract the contents of the attached zip (632 & 634 plugins) into your "cc2-service" directory overwriting the old plugins.

These two plugins use slightly different com port settings that might help.

[CrystalControl Admin]

Oops, forgot the file.

[Tentacle1]

Thank you for trying, but i must regret this doesn't work :( . I've uploaded a movie i made with my webcam so that the problem becomes somewhat clearer (this is after i changed the files, but there is no difference as far as i can tell).

You can get the movie here (http://www.xs4all.nl/~ehorde/ff/CF634_webcam.zip).

[steigrafx]

I tried it too...no dice.

I've attached four photos of my 632. But, after seeing Tentacle1's movie, my photos are a letdown -- and the problem is so much nicer on a 634!

Kevin

[MestoMix]

Sorry, no change here either.

[CrystalControl Admin]

Originally posted by Tentacle1
Thank you for trying, but i must regret this doesn't work :( . I've uploaded a movie i made with my webcam so that the problem becomes somewhat clearer (this is after i changed the files, but there is no difference as far as i can tell).

You can get the movie here (http://www.xs4all.nl/~ehorde/ff/CF634_webcam.zip).

At the start of the movie the LCD backlight is turned off... was this from CC2 turning it off previously or somthing else?

[Tentacle1]

I restarted the LCD just before i started the recording, so that you can see the situation directly after (re)starting the LCD.

[CrystalControl Admin]

Ok... give these a go.

[Tentacle1]

These work, great!! :D

Thank you!

[CrystalControl Admin]

Great!

Looks like CC2 didnt like the previous state your LCDs were left in, so it now does a flush & reboot before doing the setup and updates.

[Tentacle1]

Hehe okay, well i'm glad you sorted it out. Now i can really enjoy this product.

Good luck on the future programming, and i wish you (and everyone else ;) ) a happy new year!

[steigrafx]

It's a beautiful thing! Thank you so much for all your help.

Have a very happy new year.

Kevin

[prussnet]

I just installed, discovered the same problem discribed in this thread, but your fix worked...

However, now the contrast and brightness settings are not working... Whenever I restart the service, both go back to 50%. Unfortunately, my 634 is pretty old and only looks good with the brightness at 100% and the contrast at about 60-70%.

I can manually set these from the tray and they stay good until a reboot, so this is hardly critical, but I wanted to mention it nonetheless. Oh, and yes, I did delete the ini files.

Looking forward to the screen editor!

[reider]

Originally posted by prussnet
I just installed, discovered the same problem discribed in this thread, but your fix worked...

However, now the contrast and brightness settings are not working... Whenever I restart the service, both go back to 50%. Unfortunately, my 634 is pretty old and only looks good with the brightness at 100% and the contrast at about 60-70%.

I can manually set these from the tray and they stay good until a reboot, so this is hardly critical, but I wanted to mention it nonetheless. Oh, and yes, I did delete the ini files.

Looking forward to the screen editor!

Here we go, open the CC2 icon in the task tray by left clicking the mouse. This should, amongst other things show you the contrast/brightness sliders without the percentages on show. Adjust them to where you are happy and the results should show straightaway.

Now doubleclick on the icon to open CC2 fully into the control screen. This should show the same sliders but this time with percentage scales. If you`re careful you can keep both sets of sliders on the screen just for a few moments. Now match the percentage sliders from the control panel to that of the sliders with no percentage levels. Restart the 634 and away you go! From now you can just use the first set for fine tuning each time.

NOTE:
If anyone has more than one screen then you will need to repeat this procedure for each and restart them in between. This glitch is on the `to do list` and I know CC Admin/Tech will sort it for sure.

Regards and best wishes,

Steve

[prussnet]

Originally posted by reider
Here we go, open the CC2 icon in the task tray by left clicking the mouse. This should, amongst other things show you the contrast/brightness sliders without the percentages on show. Adjust them to where you are happy and the results should show straightaway.

Now doubleclick on the icon to open CC2 fully into the control screen. This should show the same sliders but this time with percentage scales. If you`re careful you can keep both sets of sliders on the screen just for a few moments. Now match the percentage sliders from the control panel to that of the sliders with no percentage levels. Restart the 634 and away you go! From now you can just use the first set for fine tuning each time.

NOTE:
If anyone has more than one screen then you will need to repeat this procedure for each and restart them in between. This glitch is on the `to do list` and I know CC Admin/Tech will sort it for sure.

Regards and best wishes,

Steve

I understand what you are saying, but that isn't the problem... The problem is that the control panel is not applying those settings. I guess I didn't make myself very clear in my post.

The problem is that the control panel is apparently saving the settings of those scales through a restart and as best I can tell, the tray display and the control panel are both set the same, but when the display is reinitialized, it starts with the brightness and contrast as set and then resets them to 50%.

In other words, the control panel sliders show the sclaes set at or about brightness at 100%, contrast about 65%, but the brightness and contrast of the LCD module when serivce restarts are reset to 50% and checking the tray icon confirms this. Before the most recent service fix, which "flushes and reboots" the display, it was not doing this, but it was doing all the wierd character crap that this thread started about.

Anyhow, as I typically leave my computer running for months without a reboot, this is a VERY low priority issue... I just wanted to explain PRECISELY what is happening. I hope I made myself clearer this time.

[reider]

Mine did precisely as you describe, resetting to 50%. When I looked closely I was adjusting for the wrong screen. Doing the 631 when I wanted the 634. By carrying out the procedure it fixed both screens on both Brightness and Contrast.

Whilst this may not help you, it might help others who come across a similar problem. I`m sure yours will be corrected in time when CC Admin/Tech check for a service fault. Thanks for your reply.

Steve

[prussnet]

Originally posted by reider
Mine did precisely as you describe, resetting to 50%. When I looked closely I was adjusting for the wrong screen. Doing the 631 when I wanted the 634. By carrying out the procedure it fixed both screens on both Brightness and Contrast.

Whilst this may not help you, it might help others who come across a similar problem. I`m sure yours will be corrected in time when CC Admin/Tech check for a service fault. Thanks for your reply.

Steve

I'm sure he will find it eventually... Perhaps there is something about having multiple displays that makes a difference. However, I only have the one, but I do appreciate the input.

[CrystalControl Admin]

Please use the new LCD plugin dlls which can now be found here:

http://www.crystalfontz.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3252

They are slightly different to the ones i attached in here earlier.

reider...
Can you start a new thread with more information about the brightness/constrast for each screen problem your having?
Its not not on my to-do list, and i cant remeber discussing it before :(