Intro to the Open Panzer Project - and a new Control Board

This forum relates to the Open Source Tank Control Board (TCB). Please read the sticky and visit the main site to find out all about the board and how to install it.
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LukeZ
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Re: Intro to the Open Panzer Project - and a new Control Boa

Post by LukeZ »

For those interested, here is Dean's original build thread. He used only a single TCB to my knowledge, but I don't know if all the turrets are functional or not.

Wayne, 3 TCBs seems probably unnecessary. By using the onboard turret driver for the main turret, and using a serial motor controller for the main drive motors, you free up 4 RC outputs. These can be used with the pass-through functions and cheap ESCs/servos to control 2 more turrets for a total of 3 turrets from a single TCB (where each turret will have both rotation and barrel elevation control). You could control all 4 turrets if you eliminate barrel elevation from 2 of them.

But, you are right that you would only have one turret with servo recoil. If you used a Taigen mechanical recoil unit you could have one turret with mechanical recoil and one with servo recoil.

Anyway you have a lot of experimenting ahead, but regardless I hope you have a radio with lots of channels!

I would encourage you to post your build progress in Dean's thread to keep that one going and I know he would appreciate the homage to his design.
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Re: Intro to the Open Panzer Project - and a new Control Boa

Post by Snipah »

First TCB build story from me starting on Openpanzer Forum if interested adding a TCB to a 1/16th landing Craft http://openpanzer.org/forum/index.php?topic=198.0
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Sub
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Re: Intro to the Open Panzer Project - and a new Control Boa

Post by Sub »

Hi chaps.
I am wanting some advice re an issue that has appeared today whilst updating one of my Open Panzer TCB's.
I upgraded my spektrum 6ch radio for a Turnigy 9x 8 ch radio ( wanted more functions ).
Updated the OP comfig to latest 6/5 /19 release upgraded the TCB to new firmware downloaded latest drivers and all went well all configured correctly.
Then disconected and tried the tank all went as planned except barrell recoil in reverse....no big deal go back in and check reverse on recoil tab.
Connected tcb to op config and i have always had to connect via snoop for some reason but it always works so connected via snoop all good snoopy did its thing then hit connect and com port closed, re tried several times no joy, checked anti virus just in case and allowed permission for op config tried again and no joy.
Disconnected radio tried and connected waiting for radio connected radio and com port closed then op config stopped working and shut down, restarted it, just the same so pressed reset on tcb tried again and connected, tried to set up recoil servo 3 +4 dip switches off, press input button 2 secs nothing solid red light would not enter mode, so i reversed recoil and uploaded to the tcb, luckily the tcb remembered my recoil settings.
Then i tried to reconnect it later and kept closing the com port again when i tried to connect through snoop.
Any ideas Luke or anyone else, first time i have had any issues like this always worked previously.
Very frustrating was at it hours.
In the end tried a spare new board and set up first go, but after that it also would not connect com port kept closing.and this was on 2 different com ports
Regards
Sub
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LukeZ
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Re: Intro to the Open Panzer Project - and a new Control Boa

Post by LukeZ »

Hi Sub, sorry you've been having problems. You mentioned quite a lot but let's focus on just one thing which is the ability for OP Config to connect to the TCB, and for the moment let's just focus on Snoop and forget about reading/writing settings for the time being.

Can you you consistently connect via Snoop? Once connected in Snoop, does the connection remain active? In other words, can you see the messages on the console window that the TCB is sending about whatever it's doing?

If the Snoop connection drops (small message on the bottom of the OP Config screen that says "COM Port Closed") does it happen right away? After some amount of time? Only intermittently?

People have encountered various connections issues but I have never had nor ever heard of anyone having a Snoop connection close on its own. So I want to confirm if that is what's happening for you or if I've misunderstood.
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Sub
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Re: Intro to the Open Panzer Project - and a new Control Boa

Post by Sub »

Hi luke.
Thx for quick response.
No snoop NEVER fails to connect and it does download from the tcb and updates when you move the tx sticks on screen...etc
The issue is connecting the tcb to update from op config after snoop or trying to download the settings from the tcb thats wnen it disconnects and the com port closes and only connects again in snoop but then disconnects when you press the connect tab.
Hope this makes more sense
Sub
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LukeZ
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Re: Intro to the Open Panzer Project - and a new Control Boa

Post by LukeZ »

Ok, so Snoop works. Then it sounds like while in Snoop, you press the Connect button (to enter communication mode rather than just Snooping), and right then is when the com port disconnects?

Does it sometimes connect ok, but then it drops when you try to do a read or write to the TCB? Or does it always drop right when you press the Connect button?
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Re: Intro to the Open Panzer Project - and a new Control Boa

Post by Sub »

Hi.
It always drops out when i try to connect to communicate green connected bos turns red and says disconnected ftom device
Sub
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LukeZ
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Re: Intro to the Open Panzer Project - and a new Control Boa

Post by LukeZ »

Ok, at least we've narrowed down very precisely what the problem is so thanks for your patience. Unfortunately I can't actually tell you why it is doing that because i can't think of any reason why that should happen. If you connect first via Snoop the connection is literally made and done. At that point, when you click the "Connect" button there is no further "connecting" actually going on, just talking over the existing connection. So it would seem you actually have no problem establishing the connection (at least via Snoop), but why it drops when the two devices start to talk is a mystery to me.

There are a few things you could try. The first is to remove this particular TCB from your tank and then try it with your computer without anything else connected. If that works, then there could be an electrical gremlin somewhere in your model that is interfering.

The other thing you could try, if possible, is to attempt to connect on a second computer. Of course that only works if you have a second computer laying around, which most people don't.

You mentioned in your first post that you "downloaded the latest drivers." If you are referring to the FTDI USB drivers that should not have been necessary, if you install them once they are good for life. I wonder if this points possibly to some other changes that may have been going on, for example did you get a new computer? It sounds like you have had this TCB for some time and it has worked till now. If you can think of anything else that might have changed at the same time this problem arose that might help us identify a possible source for the issue.
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Sub
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Re: Intro to the Open Panzer Project - and a new Control Boa

Post by Sub »

Hi.
Its the same computer that i have had for ages now and the tcb has been set up previously on this computer and adjusted several times without any issue its only now that i have had a problem.
I updated the firmware on the tcb as i was prompted to do and updated the op config to latest version as mine was the older version so i uploaded the drivers to make sure that they were also up to date.
I tried a second board that had never been installed and it connected first time, i set this up then went back to change a setting after testing and that would not connect just like the first board.( this was on a different com port)
I have read the forum and i see at least 1 other has had this issue of a board connecting once but then failing to connect after but dont believe there was an update you did a test op config i think for the writer but the writer of the issue didnt update the result.
Would it be of use to totally remove the drivers, op config etc and re install them ? I thank you for your patience and time in trying to sort this issue.
Regards
Sub
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Re: Intro to the Open Panzer Project - and a new Control Boa

Post by Sub »

Hi Luke.

I think I may have solved my issue and have just successfully fully updated and set up a spare TCB and have been able to go back in and out WITHOUT any connection issues through snoop first then connection to read / write and update, tried going back in several times and it has worked each time .

Now the fix which I hope will assist any one else that has encountered this problem as I believe they have from the Open Panzer forum post title USB not recognized July 13 2017 but as I mentioned it was not resolved on the forum.

from what I have read elsewhere after much searching windows since 2003+ has a built in power saving program built into it which affects all the usb and com ports which allows the computer to automatically switch them off if it thinks they are not being used to conserve power, this is what I think has been happening, the com port works when initially connected but then in the time you change from snoop to connect the computer thinks the com port / device is not being used and effectively switches off that port to save power hence the non connect.
THE FIX
what i did was go into the control panel then device manager then put a + next to the Universal serial Bus controllers to expand, for each USB root Hub right click and choose properties then click power management tab and uncheck " Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power".
do this for every Root Hub you have displayed
all my USB root hubs had this box ticked.
Then exit.

Went back to the OP config tried to connect via snoop and ok let snoop download and tried connect and hey presto it connected, I set the new board up and disconnected then managed to re connect several times after disconnecting the board.

Hope this is of use to anyone else. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
Regards
Sub.
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