Pluto_p EPP issues resolved with MESA's driver?
03 Apr 2011 06:34 #8407
by kostas
Pluto_p EPP issues resolved with MESA's driver? was created by kostas
Hi all, first post here, greetings from Greece.
I've been testing a pluto_p board with great success over the last month, using a very small VIA based computer.
Yesterday I decided I try another mini-itx motherboard for a new project. Everything went fine, except that the pluto board did not communicate. After the driver uploads (or tries to upload) the firmware, the LED stops lighting and I got an log message "Failed to communicate with pluto-servo board after programming firmware."
I had already read that there was a problem with pluto with some EPP boards, so after some more tries I gave up and decided to leave this and try a MESA 7I43 I hadn't tested at all. MESA's firmware seems to load OK, although I didn't yet connect it to anything.
The strange thing is that, after having unloaded MESA's drivers I decided to try again with the pluto_p and it worked! This morning I tested again and I get the same sequence, pluto_p doesn't work until I loadrt/unloadrt 7i43's drivers/firmware. After this trick, everything works fine until next reboot.
Any ideas?
I've been testing a pluto_p board with great success over the last month, using a very small VIA based computer.
Yesterday I decided I try another mini-itx motherboard for a new project. Everything went fine, except that the pluto board did not communicate. After the driver uploads (or tries to upload) the firmware, the LED stops lighting and I got an log message "Failed to communicate with pluto-servo board after programming firmware."
I had already read that there was a problem with pluto with some EPP boards, so after some more tries I gave up and decided to leave this and try a MESA 7I43 I hadn't tested at all. MESA's firmware seems to load OK, although I didn't yet connect it to anything.
The strange thing is that, after having unloaded MESA's drivers I decided to try again with the pluto_p and it worked! This morning I tested again and I get the same sequence, pluto_p doesn't work until I loadrt/unloadrt 7i43's drivers/firmware. After this trick, everything works fine until next reboot.
Any ideas?
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03 Apr 2011 22:38 #8431
by andypugh
Replied by andypugh on topic Re:Pluto_p EPP issues resolved with MESA's driver?
The Mesa driver switches to EPP even if Linux says that isn't possible. (This is a workaround because the popular Intel D510MO board wrongly declares EPP capability, ie it says it can't, but it can).
Maybe you are finding the same thing?
It might be possible to make the Pluto-P driver also carry on regardless (with a bit of editing)
The pluto driver is a comp file, so can be recompiled without a full rebuild of emc2, if you fancy trying it. However, the 7i43 is a much better product.
Maybe you are finding the same thing?
It might be possible to make the Pluto-P driver also carry on regardless (with a bit of editing)
The pluto driver is a comp file, so can be recompiled without a full rebuild of emc2, if you fancy trying it. However, the 7i43 is a much better product.
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04 Apr 2011 08:14 #8447
by kostas
Replied by kostas on topic Re:Pluto_p EPP issues resolved with MESA's driver?
Probably it's the same thing, since the board is an Intel one (D425KT).
7i43 is a much better product, indeed. Many I/O lines and much much more control. Pluto is cheaper though and is very good for very small projects, so maybe I'll check the code to see if I can understand anything. It would be good if I had the option.
Thanks again Andy!
7i43 is a much better product, indeed. Many I/O lines and much much more control. Pluto is cheaper though and is very good for very small projects, so maybe I'll check the code to see if I can understand anything. It would be good if I had the option.
Thanks again Andy!
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04 Apr 2011 10:26 #8452
by andypugh
Replied by andypugh on topic Re:Pluto_p EPP issues resolved with MESA's driver?
kostas wrote:
It might be as easy as commenting out lines 155 / 156 in pluto_common.h
git.linuxcnc.org/gitweb?p=emc2.git;a=blo...ivers/pluto_common.h
It's not a _lot_ cheaper, and from what I have heard it is a lot less reliable.Pluto is cheaper though and is very good for very small projects
so maybe I'll check the code to see if I can understand anything.
It might be as easy as commenting out lines 155 / 156 in pluto_common.h
git.linuxcnc.org/gitweb?p=emc2.git;a=blo...ivers/pluto_common.h
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04 Apr 2011 10:44 #8456
by kostas
Replied by kostas on topic Re:Pluto_p EPP issues resolved with MESA's driver?
Thanks again Andy. I'll check the code soon. Can you give more details on what you've heard for pluto's reliability?
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04 Apr 2011 11:24 #8463
by andypugh
Replied by andypugh on topic Re:Pluto_p EPP issues resolved with MESA's driver?
kostas wrote:
Various comments on the mailing list and IRC.
Read the comments from Chris and Jeff here:
thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.distributio...er/23439/focus=23444
Can you give more details on what you've heard for pluto's reliability?
Various comments on the mailing list and IRC.
Read the comments from Chris and Jeff here:
thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.distributio...er/23439/focus=23444
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04 Apr 2011 12:23 #8472
by kostas
Replied by kostas on topic Re:Pluto_p EPP issues resolved with MESA's driver?
Thanks, this mailing list discussion is quite informative. I had no idea Jeff Epler didn't develop pluto's drivers any more and that pluto may have bugs.
Moreover, I understand Mesa electronics people are more involved in EMC2 than fpga4fun's? Is this right?
Anyway, it seems the right decision is going with Mesa's products from now on. Although I had some problems communicating with them in the past about an order I wanted to make. They didn't reply to my emails twice which was quite frustrating. Fortunately I did find the product in a European site so I shopped from there.
Moreover, I understand Mesa electronics people are more involved in EMC2 than fpga4fun's? Is this right?
Anyway, it seems the right decision is going with Mesa's products from now on. Although I had some problems communicating with them in the past about an order I wanted to make. They didn't reply to my emails twice which was quite frustrating. Fortunately I did find the product in a European site so I shopped from there.
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04 Apr 2011 12:36 #8475
by andypugh
Replied by andypugh on topic Re:Pluto_p EPP issues resolved with MESA's driver?
kostas wrote:
Yes. There is a good reason why PCW appears so knowledgeable about Mesa hardware.
I don't know how much right www.mesanet.eu have to use that name/URL, but their prices seem rather more reasonable than the German(?)Austrian(?) company I tried to buy from the first time round and shipping from Czech to Greece should be quicker too.
.
Moreover, I understand Mesa electronics people are more involved in EMC2 than fpga4fun's? Is this right?
Yes. There is a good reason why PCW appears so knowledgeable about Mesa hardware.
I don't know how much right www.mesanet.eu have to use that name/URL, but their prices seem rather more reasonable than the German(?)Austrian(?) company I tried to buy from the first time round and shipping from Czech to Greece should be quicker too.
.
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04 Apr 2011 12:48 #8476
by kostas
Replied by kostas on topic Re:Pluto_p EPP issues resolved with MESA's driver?
Yes, this Czech site is where I bought the card from. And it was quick indeed.
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