LEDTriks

baelinc

New elf
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
3
Has anyone built an LEDTriks controlled by a Triks-C? I am having problems and could use some help and the DIY Christmas forum has been down for a while. I was hoping someone here might have built one. If you have and are able to help me, this is my problem.

I have finished building board boards (LEDTriks & Triks-C) and the LED Matrix. I am still troubleshooting two of the rows on the matrix that are not turning on. Which I beleive to be a problem on the LEDTriks board as I just found out that it has very low voltage being sent to those rows. But my problem is that when I connect my computer to the Triks-C using a usb to RS-485 from D-Light.us that I have confirmed with the owner that follows this pin setup:
*485B - Pin 4
*485A - Pin 5
*GND - Pin 6

When I send a command using the LTC program the files are not displayed on the matrix. When I send the command LTC_11 christmasonthehill.led the data light doesn't flash. I was told you need to add #FRM to make it work. I tried that and the data light blinks, so I believe that would indicate that it is receiving signal from my computer.

I have my board set as panel 1 and no jumper set on the Triks-C but all it ever displays is Triks-C 2.0 surrounded by a boarder.

Do you know what I am doing wrong?
 

TimW

Full time elf
Joined
Jun 15, 2010
Messages
168
Location
Melbourne
Pretty sure those data pins are the wrong way around for Triks C.

Triks-c takes Rs485 '+' to pin5, Rs485 '-' to pin 4 and gnd to pin 1&2 of the rj45 connector. It follows Renard cabling...

but the d-light cabling in the wiki suggests your adaptor works the other way around..?
 

baelinc

New elf
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
3
OK, so I decided to go ahead and build a new adapter. I just purchased a USB to serial adapter (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000067SNB). I am also going to purchase a 9pin female d-sub connector.

Once I have those, what pin does the ethernet 4 & 5 connect to on the 9pin female d-sub connector? I am looking in the Triks-C manual and all it says for RS485 is:
(485B-) ----------------------- Pin 4
(485A+) ----------------------- Pin 5

So, what pin on the d-sub connector is the 485B- and 485A+? I am really new to this DIY christmas as this is my first item I am building.
 

TimW

Full time elf
Joined
Jun 15, 2010
Messages
168
Location
Melbourne
So, what pin on the d-sub connector is the 485B- and 485A+? I am really new to this DIY christmas as this is my first item I am building.

If you look at the triks-c PCB you will see two copper traces coming from the db9 header. One comes from pin 5... its the ground and for the purposes of RS485 it goes to data +. The other trace (on the underside of the board) goes from pin 3. It is the connected to the RS485 data - connection.
This has been set up so you just plug your rs232 dongle straight into the db9 socket on the triks c. The appropriate rs232 signals from the dongle will line up (pin 3=txd = data- and pin5=gnd=data+)
 
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