USB connection problems, ProPlusII versus W7

[Locarno]

I cant get my USB connection working on my ProPlusII versus my PC Windows O.S. 7
Pls help !

I installed the new drivers from the web.
My computer recognize the new feature as :
Prolific USB-to-Serial Com Port (COM1)
Profilux control settings :
Com1 Baudrate 9600 type RS232/USB
Device address 1 (I dont know this number/what number it should be???)
Communications error! Error Code 28
And the statement : Could not connect.

Couldnt get it out of my head, so kept trying.
I took another cable and Com port (3)
Its working, but very slow.
I presume some settings need to be adjusted. But I do have connection !

What can be the reason of this slow data interfacing ?


Thanks in advance
Regards Hans (Locarno)

[Mathias-Steffen]

We have the USB Prolific Chipset running without problems here. Did you download the drivers directly from our customer service download center?

[Locarno]

I used these two. Are these also ment to be used for the Profilux Plus II with the additional USB build in ? because it revers to the Profilux 3.

Driver for PLM-USB and integrated USB-port of ProfiLux 3, Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7® - for Prolific chipset only!
2.4
12/10/2009

Driver for PLM-USB and integrated USB-port of ProfiLux 3, Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7® - for FTDI chipset only!
1.7
11/03/2009

[GHL Support]

Yes, they can also be used with a ProfiLux Plus II (ProfiLux 3 here refers only to the "integrated USB-port").
Have you also looked at this thread? http://www.aquariumcomputer.com/Foru...ase-read-first!

[Locarno]

To go thru this message, I showed the drivers I down loaded, its not a third party USB connection, The com is set on COM3, I asked what to do with the device number which is still open, baudrate stayed on 9600

If the connection fails although then there remain these reasons:
o The used USB-RS232-converter is not working correctly (hardware and/or driver are not according to the standards). Then there is only left to user another one (other brand / model).
I presume that your USB is ok. Do I have to buy another one ???

Please check these points and search for "USB" in this forum

I did, and found that the option RS485 delay should be on active and time out on 5000Ms But I still have a very slow connection.
After editing f.i. the illumination description and save this new input, it wont be visible the next time I log in to the system.
Activating the manual illumination and change settings will generates major problems and the program stops / on tilt. I have to push the ESC button on my Profilus Plus II to get back the standard display.

The PC makes contact, but not a very good/fast one !

So, could it be the device number ??? or the MS setting ?

[Matthias]

- device number can stay "1"
- Baudrate can stay 9600
- timeout (in ms) can be 1000ms

your USB connection is not reliable - do you use a cable longer than 5m?

[Locarno]

My cable is 4 meters, I do want to use a 10 meter cable with a booster but that will be installed after this set up is working.


Now I have loaded an other Windows 7 driver (PL2303_Prolific_GPS_1013_20090319) and the system is a lot faster. All data was loaded, I can make changes on the descriptions and now it saves and load this new data. So that’s ok.
But then after further testing the system has a big problem with the light scenario’s, option activate manual illumination. The program stops / no response and I have to kill the process manually in the Windows Task manager. This also occurs when I test light scenes.

In the manual activation set up those lamps which, are not using the standard GHL gear, are generating problems. Monitoring the system with the Communication monitor proves it. Constantly the transmission is going well with no failed transmissions but as soon I f.i. deactivate or active a light the system crashes except when I activate or deactivate the led illumination, then its responding is correct.

( I made a screendump of the communication monitor, but i could not get it into this text. )



Regards,
Hans (Locarno)

[Locarno]

2 bad there was no response today. I continued testing and found out that the manual override, in the sub menu Socket functions, only works for 2 or 3 times, in depending of what kind of action, and then program crashes. To test further I put the comp ability of the program on a XP machine but that also did not change a thing. The drivers are ok, the cable is ok, the PC is ok, so whats left ??? I am afraid that the software is not capable running on a more up to date PC like Windows 7 / 64 bit machine.

It seems now that the RS232 port is not working anymore because a USB board is placed in the Profilux. Is this correct ???? In other words, would it be an option to remove this USB module and go back using the RS232 port on a XP machine ???

Regards,
Hans (Locarno)

[Mathias-Steffen]

We tested this again here on a Win7 64Bit Machine with Prolific - USB - Driver, but here everything works...

Is 4m the shortest USB Cable you have?
Do you have other programs running, who could disturb communication on the usb port?

The RS232 Port should be working still if you built in a USB Card in your ProfiLux...

[Locarno]

Today I spent whole day analysing the problem, not able to control items in the manual mode without having a system crash in the menu’s :
Light scenarios / Activate manual illumination
Illumination overview / test light scenes
System / socket functions / activate manual override

I disassemble the computer, put the PC near the tank and disconnected all other stuff like Internet, printer etc. and used the original 3m cable.
I unplugged all lamps from the Powerbar STDL4—4-D and 4 LF-ABOX.
The Pc and the Profilux with one Powerbar STDL4—4-D and 4 LF-ABOX are working fine without any failed transmissions (showed in the communication monitor).
Then I plugged in each light plug one by one. (L1, L2, L3 L4, S1, S2)
As soon as I plugged in the light connected to the S1, testing leaded to a system crach
As soon as I plugged in the light connected to the L3, testing leaded to a system crach
Leaving these two out the system, all others performed fine in manual mode.

I plugged into S1 temporally an other light ball 25 watt. This created, the same problem and therefore the problem is not generated by the lamp but has something to do with socket S1.

Conclusion / question :
What could be wrong with these two light sets connected to L3 and S1 ????????????????????
What kind of information do you need to help me solving this problem ?
I do have the feeling that the Profilux Plus II is not stable enough to handling these on/off power dips and therefore the system crashes. Could that be the reason ?

Regards,
Hans