Debugging iSaber

[Grigori]

Hi folks,

I’m having issues with accessing iSaber on a CF6. When I select iSaber from the menu I get two error beeps, and it reverts to my last used bank. The saber has been mostly a shelf decoration, with intermittent short usage, and I don’t think I’ve changed any settings etc. that might have introduced an error.

I tried restoring my SD card to the version that came with the saber and worked at the time (GCS) but the issue remained. And I tried replacing the wav file with a new one in case of corruption, but same symptom remains. Erv suggested using a serial terminal to see if a file or setting was missing, but I have no idea what that is or how to do it, and haven’t been able to work out or find any guidance on that.

Would be extremely grateful for any ideas I can try, or links to directions about a serial terminal, or anything else that might help move it along. Or even if there is a referral to someone who can be hired for tech support etc.

With thanks!

[scott]

I don’t think the CF6 has a serial terminal (it’s a micro usb female slot...check pics of the new CFX.)  since it’s a GCS saber, but clearly out of warranty as a CF6, you can either try to debug yourself (maybe grab the cf6 stock package) or if you aren’t looking to go deep into the tech, contact Rob and work out a send in for service job. I know his site says that he will make every attempt to help fix an issue with his savers at a fair price.

[Grigori]

I don’t think the CF6 has a serial terminal (it’s a micro usb female slot...check pics of the new CFX.)  since it’s a GCS saber, but clearly out of warranty as a CF6, you can either try to debug yourself (maybe grab the cf6 stock package) or if you aren’t looking to go deep into the tech, contact Rob and work out a send in for service job. I know his site says that he will make every attempt to help fix an issue with his savers at a fair price.

Many thanks for the help Scott, very much appreciated. I looked at the CF7 manual and that does details the serial terminal details, so looks like it was new in CF7 and Erv may have just forgotten. I can't see the CF6 stock package on plecterlabs site, only from 7 onwards. If anyone know how to access I'd love a heads up.

Rob at GCS had suggested trying to replace the WAV files one at a time to detect if any corruption issues. Seems I may need to ask if this is something he could help with further via servicing, or perhaps (hopefully) just able to look at the files and not need to post the saber itself. AT some point I'd like to ask about updating the board, but am wanting to put that off for a bit longer as just purchased my second saber recently (7 years later haha)

[erv]

that CF has a terminal since, by definition, it has RICE. You can set debug=1 in your override file so that it's enabled early and see what the board tells you (terminal settings 115200 baud, 8 bit, 1 stop).
Beeps usually mean no track were found and/or no config was found.

here's the link to the default package
https://www.dropbox.com/s/b3ymp97zyl1eyvu/Crystal%20FocusV6.10-DefaultPackage.zip?dl=0

[Grigori]

Thanks so much Erv,

Both the wav file and config file were present, but I tried replacing them with the one from the default package but same symptom occurs. I'll work on setting up so I can try the terminal debugging and see what that shows up. With thanks!

[erv]

keep in mind that on the boards of that era, you need to reformat the card if you attempt to modify the audio contents.

[Grigori]

Thanks, yes I do that, I reformat each time I want to change anything :)

[Grigori]

Getting closer, but not there yet 

I've been able to borrow a friend's old PC laptop (Windows 7) and can run RICE on it successfully. But I'm not able to get it to recognise the saber when connected, there are no COM ports showing in the RICE program to select from (nothing at all appears in the drop down menu to select the channel).

Is there a driver that needs to be installed first? Windows said it wasn't able to install one (was offline at the time). I found an expired link in the forum here, and tried other locations on that same site USB to UART Bridge VCP Drivers - Silicon Labs I've tried both the "Download for Windows XP/Server 2003/Vista/7/8/8.1 (v6.7)" and the "Download for Windows 7/8/8.1 (v6.7.6)", but the installed says it can't install as there are no drivers suited to my device in them.

Am I barking up the wrong tree?

[erv]

are you sure your RICE cable is silicon labs ?

[Grigori]

No, I’m not sure if it’s a SiLabs cable, but there is a SilLabs driver installer with the other installer files for the CF programs in my computer saved several years ago, so I assumed that was applicable in combination with the thread Imfound here. The one I have saved however is a DMG file, so I was now looking for an EXE for the PC.

But I wasn’t able to get the SiLabs installer to install on the PC, so not sure if I could check compatibility.

[erv]

check if your USB peripheral appears in your system manager device list, and install the right driver. DMG are indeed for macOS

[Grigori]

Oh thanks Erv! I found the Device Manager and the cable appeared in there when I plugged it in, it is a Silicon Labs cable. Windows wasn't able to find a driver, and the one I'd already downloaded and tried whose installation failed looks like the correct one. But I tried the older XP/Vista version from their archive and that installed successfully and I can now use RICE. OMG I'm so excited, thanks so much!

I was able to do the test you described (I think!), and below is the text created. There is a line in there that looks like an error message  but have copied the complete text below in case I'm off base (I was in Bank 3 in case that makes a difference, but put the debug=1 line into the override file as you described)

serial: specified port not available
serial: port c: COM3
SeeSerial:: Cmd: ping - OK
SeeSerial:: echo
SeeSerial:: Cmd: - OK
SeeSerial:: Cmd: cfgrequest - OK
SeeSerial:: soundbank 3
SeeSerial:: comment  CFV6 Config
SeeSerial:: vol 3
SeeSerial:: beep 40
SeeSerial:: sleep -15536
SeeSerial:: wakeup 0
SeeSerial:: valsnd 0
SeeSerial:: led1 100
SeeSerial:: led2 1029
SeeSerial:: led3 60
SeeSerial:: fled1 121
SeeSerial:: fled2 1000
SeeSerial:: fled3 244
SeeSerial:: randc 3
SeeSerial:: switchtype 2
SeeSerial:: blastp 0
SeeSerial:: random 3
SeeSerial:: offp 0
SeeSerial:: offd 200
SeeSerial:: pom 0
SeeSerial:: pof 0
SeeSerial:: resume 0
SeeSerial:: menugest 0
SeeSerial:: blastm 0
SeeSerial:: lc 400
SeeSerial:: hs 220
SeeSerial:: ls 40
SeeSerial:: i 53
SeeSerial:: randb 3
SeeSerial:: shmrd 66
SeeSerial:: shmrp 13
SeeSerial:: shmrr 4
SeeSerial:: shmr_ 92
SeeSerial:: focd 50
SeeSerial:: focp 8
SeeSerial:: focr 0
SeeSerial:: focs 1023
SeeSerial:: focl 1
SeeSerial:: focb 1
SeeSerial:: focf1 1
SeeSerial:: focf2 1
SeeSerial:: shft 20
SeeSerial:: grav 1030
SeeSerial:: dyshft 20
SeeSerial:: swing 180
SeeSerial:: clash 150
SeeSerial:: gtsl 192
SeeSerial:: gtsh 250
SeeSerial:: lockup 200
SeeSerial:: qon 0
SeeSerial:: qoff 0
SeeSerial:: onp 0
SeeSerial:: flks 6
SeeSerial:: flkd 56
SeeSerial:: flkon 1
SeeSerial:: flkoff 1
SeeSerial:: pulsed 0
SeeSerial:: pulsel 0
SeeSerial:: idlepulsing 1
SeeSerial:: idleled 3
SeeSerial:: plil 6.7
SeeSerial:: plih 7.9
SeeSerial:: refresh
SeeSerial:: Cmd: // CFV6 Config - OK
SeeSerial:: Cmd: ls=40 - OK
SeeSerial:: Low Swing=40
SeeSerial:: Cmd: i=53 - OK
SeeSerial:: Sensitivity=53
SeeSerial:: Cmd: sleep=0 - OK
number: bad arguments for message "set"
SeeSerial:: Sleep Timeout =0
SeeSerial:: Cmd: shmrd=66 - OK
SeeSerial:: Shimmer dur.=66
SeeSerial:: Cmd: shmrp=13 - OK
SeeSerial:: Shimmer period=13
SeeSerial:: Cmd: shmrr=4 - OK
SeeSerial:: Shimmer Random=4
SeeSerial:: Cmd: shmr%=92 - OK
SeeSerial:: Shimmer Depth=92
SeeSerial:: Cmd: swing=180 - OK
SeeSerial:: SwingSpeedLim=180
SeeSerial:: Cmd: lockup=200 - OK
SeeSerial:: Lockup=200
SeeSerial:: Cmd: switch=2 - OK
SeeSerial:: Switch polarity=2
SeeSerial:: Mom. Switch
SeeSerial:: Cmd: offd=200 - OK
SeeSerial:: Delayed APOffP=200
SeeSerial:: Cmd: vol=3 - OK
SeeSerial:: Vol red. 1
SeeSerial:: Cmd: flks=6 - OK
SeeSerial:: Flicker Speed=6
SeeSerial:: Cmd: flkd=56 - OK
SeeSerial:: Flicker Depth=56%
SeeSerial:: Cmd: led1=100 - OK
SeeSerial:: LED Current=100 mA
SeeSerial:: Cmd: led2=1029 - OK
SeeSerial:: LED Current2=1029 mA
SeeSerial:: LED PWM2=701
SeeSerial:: Cmd: led3=60 - OK
SeeSerial:: LED Current3=60 mA
SeeSerial:: Cmd: fled1=121 - OK
SeeSerial:: FOC Current=121 mA
SeeSerial:: Cmd: fled2=1000 - OK
SeeSerial:: FOC Current2=1000 mA
SeeSerial:: Cmd: fled3=244 - OK
SeeSerial:: FOC Current3=166 mA
SeeSerial:: Cmd: randc=3 - OK
SeeSerial:: ColorRandomizer=3
SeeSerial:: Cmd: idlepulsing=1 - OK
SeeSerial:: Idle pulsing LED=1
SeeSerial:: Cmd: idleled=3 - OK
SeeSerial:: Idle LED=3
SeeSerial:: Cmd: valsnd=0 - OK
SeeSerial:: Cmd: grav=1030 - OK
SeeSerial:: Zero Gravity Const.=1030
SeeSerial:: Cmd: shft=20 - OK
SeeSerial:: Freq. shifting= 20%
SeeSerial:: Cmd: dyshft=20 - OK
SeeSerial:: Dyn Freq. shifting= 20%
SeeSerial:: Cmd: plil=6.699999809265137 - OK
SeeSerial:: PLI Lo=1696
SeeSerial:: Cmd: plih=7.900000095367432 - OK
SeeSerial:: PLI Hi=2000
SeeSerial:: Cmd: sleep=Timeout - OK
number: bad arguments for message "set"
SeeSerial:: Sleep Timeout =0

[erv]

awsome news. Do the same by logging while you enter the vocal menu : enable communication, check that it reads data data, then reboot in vocal menu and navigate to iSaber and a select it, to see what it says regarding your tracks

[Grigori]

Thanks Erv, I've tried this the report is below (was too much text for the forum s I hope I snipped the correct bit). Started in Bank3, went into menu, past 4, 5 and 6 and into iSaber and selected that.

I can see an error message re track01 not found. I have in the tracks folder the wav file track01.wav from the default package you linked to (which is the same as what was the track01 previously, I had just added a few extras as track02, track03 and track04 additionally, but removed those while trying to find the issue. I've previously tried a couple of different files as track01.wav in the last weeks (from the four that I had in there which I just renamed to 01 and tried one at a time, and a new file from TROS I tried just in case).

SeeSerial:: Auto advanced params
SeeSerial:: File TRACK01 .WAV not found...
SeeSerial:: No audio track to play
SeeSerial:: Media is SD generation 2
SeeSerial:: Wait init state
SeeSerial:: SD OK
SeeSerial:: Plecter Labs Crystal Focus
SeeSerial:: v 6.5 - December 2012
SeeSerial:: (Last) Selected Sound Bank : 3

[erv]

it's not finding the track file, or the file has incorrect format. Double check the name of the file, should be lower case with .wav extension, 22050 samples/sec, 16 bit, mono.
when copying to the SD card, use ctrl+C / Ctrl+V (or contextual menu) not drag and drop.