StreamSmart 410 Problem

[toml_12953]

I have the new version of the Prime (thanks to TheCalculatorStore!) and the StreamSmart 410. I plug a microphone and a distance sensor into it and start the DataStreamer app. Sometimes it works but usually, the message "Waiting to start..." stays on the screen even though I touch the start menu choice. No polling is done. I'm pretty sure the sensors and cables are good because even when sampling doesn't start, pressing num shows the proper sensors connected to the proper ports. I've tried each sensor in each of the four ports. The calculator detects them properly. I've also tried resetting the DataStreamer app. No go. Is this a bug in the calculator firmware? Can anyone else reproduce this error? I should be getting both a temp and voltage sensor soon and can't wait to see if they work OK. Thanks for any insights you may have!

Tom L

[dbbotkin]

(04-05-2015 03:05 AM)toml_12953 Wrote:  I have the new version of the Prime (thanks to TheCalculatorStore!) and the StreamSmart 410. I plug a microphone and a distance sensor into it and start the DataStreamer app. Sometimes it works but usually, the message "Waiting to start..." stays on the screen even though I touch the start menu choice. No polling is done. I'm pretty sure the sensors and cables are good because even when sampling doesn't start, pressing num shows the proper sensors connected to the proper ports. I've tried each sensor in each of the four ports. The calculator detects them properly. I've also tried resetting the DataStreamer app. No go. Is this a bug in the calculator firmware? Can anyone else reproduce this error? I should be getting both a temp and voltage sensor soon and can't wait to see if they work OK. Thanks for any insights you may have!

Tom L

Hi Tom,
I have the 410 and the Prime too and have been trying out different 'home-made' sensors as well as the 'voltage' and 'temperature'. Some of the sensors are 'smart' and send digital signals, but the voltage sensor just scales the input to 0 to 5v. The 'temp' sensor is just a thermocouple and reports a voltage back to the Prime based on the reference voltage supplied by the 410 and scaled to the temperature.

The 'waiting to start' message has come up, but I believe it is related to the battery charge state in the 410 and the Prime. Charge the 410 fully as well as the Prime and see if that helps.
D

[toml_12953]

(04-05-2015 04:04 AM)dbbotkin Wrote:  

(04-05-2015 03:05 AM)toml_12953 Wrote:  I have the new version of the Prime (thanks to TheCalculatorStore!) and the StreamSmart 410. I plug a microphone and a distance sensor into it and start the DataStreamer app. Sometimes it works but usually, the message "Waiting to start..." stays on the screen even though I touch the start menu choice. No polling is done. I'm pretty sure the sensors and cables are good because even when sampling doesn't start, pressing num shows the proper sensors connected to the proper ports. I've tried each sensor in each of the four ports. The calculator detects them properly. I've also tried resetting the DataStreamer app. No go. Is this a bug in the calculator firmware? Can anyone else reproduce this error? I should be getting both a temp and voltage sensor soon and can't wait to see if they work OK. Thanks for any insights you may have!

Tom L

Hi Tom,
I have the 410 and the Prime too and have been trying out different 'home-made' sensors as well as the 'voltage' and 'temperature'. Some of the sensors are 'smart' and send digital signals, but the voltage sensor just scales the input to 0 to 5v. The 'temp' sensor is just a thermocouple and reports a voltage back to the Prime based on the reference voltage supplied by the 410 and scaled to the temperature.

The 'waiting to start' message has come up, but I believe it is related to the battery charge state in the 410 and the Prime. Charge the 410 fully as well as the Prime and see if that helps.
D

Ah, it's a hardware problem, then. I charged both for about ten hours before trying to use them together. Still no good.

Tom Lake

[Tim Wessman]

The distance sensor has always been the most finicky one due to the nature of how it works.

One possibility is that the ss410 firmware is ridiculously old. There isn't a nice way to determine that though on your end. Does it have the "tail" with the little wire connected to it? If it does, chances are that it may be one of the really old ones.

[dbbotkin]

(04-06-2015 07:42 PM)Tim Wessman Wrote:  The distance sensor has always been the most finicky one due to the nature of how it works.

One possibility is that the ss410 firmware is ridiculously old. There isn't a nice way to determine that though on your end. Does it have the "tail" with the little wire connected to it? If it does, chances are that it may be one of the really old ones.

Ah! I have two of them: one with a tail (Rev. 5 on the board) and the other without (Rev. 6 on the board). What is the current revision? The 'tail' appears to be a USB connector for an earlier product. Is that correct? Which one? What is involved in updating the firmware?

[Tim Wessman]

The one without the tail should be the latest. Updating the other isn't that difficult, but does require an XP machine. I think the fourier provided updater had issues working on later systems. The tail was for the 50/40/39 and so on.

[dbbotkin]

(04-06-2015 08:39 PM)Tim Wessman Wrote:  The one without the tail should be the latest. Updating the other isn't that difficult, but does require an XP machine. I think the fourier provided updater had issues working on later systems. The tail was for the 50/40/39 and so on.

Thanks Tim!
Every home should have a WinXP box and mine is no exception. Where can I find the firmware?

Donal

[toml_12953]

(04-06-2015 07:42 PM)Tim Wessman Wrote:  The distance sensor has always been the most finicky one due to the nature of how it works.

One possibility is that the ss410 firmware is ridiculously old. There isn't a nice way to determine that though on your end. Does it have the "tail" with the little wire connected to it? If it does, chances are that it may be one of the really old ones.

How do I determine the firmware version of the 410 I have? Also, where can I download updates? I checked the Fournier sensor site but no downloads there.

Tom L

[Tim Wessman]

It is included in their normal full install suite I think. I have a tiny little zip that contains just the updater and the firmware file though. Send me a pm if you want and I can send that to you.

[toml_12953]

(04-06-2015 07:42 PM)Tim Wessman Wrote:  The distance sensor has always been the most finicky one due to the nature of how it works.

One possibility is that the ss410 firmware is ridiculously old. There isn't a nice way to determine that though on your end. Does it have the "tail" with the little wire connected to it? If it does, chances are that it may be one of the really old ones.

Yes, I can get the microphone to work every time but when the distance sensor is plugged in either by itself or with the mic, then I generally get no readings. Sometimes I can hear the distance sensor clicking as it sends out pings but nothing shows on the screen. I have the same problem with the Windows emulator. I have found that it's slightly more reliable when I set the distance sensor up so there's nothing closer then .20m to it before starting. If I have it laying on its face, it never starts.

Tom L

[toml_12953]

Sort of a breakthrough! It almost always works if I put the distance sensor in port 1. The mic can go in any port but the app won't start collecting data if the distance sensor is in any port but 1.

[Tim Wessman]

Hmm, thanks for the additional information. I'll put it on the list to investigate. I don't think there should be any reason it wouldn't work in anything but port 1, but that does seem like there is something different going on there.