FX Sound Board +2x2W Amp Problem

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rtsawyer
 
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FX Sound Board +2x2W Amp Problem

Post by rtsawyer »

I tried contacting support and they told me to come to the forums.

I bought a 16 MB sound board with the 2x2W amp. I finally got around to trying it out, and when I plug it in to my PC, it recognizes it as an audio output instead of a storage device like the instructions say. I found that if I ground pin 6 while plugging it in, it opens as a storage device with only 16.5 KB of storage. There is an empty file on it named "NO_FLASH."

I really want to get this working ASAP as it's part of a birthday present for my wife. What's the quickest way to get this working as advertised?

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mikeysklar
 
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Re: FX Sound Board +2x2W Amp Problem

Post by mikeysklar »

@rtsawyer,

If the flash drive is really showing up as 16KB instead of 16MB you can format the drive.

https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-aud ... /downloads

The general syntax is:

Code: Select all

pcflash.exe -p 2 -l 6M110614.BIN
details here:

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=173168#p855405

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rtsawyer
 
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Re: FX Sound Board +2x2W Amp Problem

Post by rtsawyer »

Is this in the windows command prompt or linux terminal?

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rtsawyer
 
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Re: FX Sound Board +2x2W Amp Problem

Post by rtsawyer »

I missed the part where I needed to download the pcflash.exe from VLSI. Downloaded, and I am getting "Couldn't open serial port! Could not open serial!" as an error.

I don't see the device listed in my COM ports. Should I run this when I have it show up as a 16 KB storage device or when I have it show up as an audio output device?

EDIT: I now have the device showing in my COM port (COM3). So I've ran

Code: Select all

pcflash.exe -p 3 -l 6M110614.BIN
and I still get the "Couldn't open serial port!" message. I set com speed to 115200 as stated in the README file.

I see in that other thread you linked me to that they are using some other device plugged in to the sound board. Can this not be done through the USB port? I don't want to have to buy something else to get something to work.

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mikeysklar
 
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Re: FX Sound Board +2x2W Amp Problem

Post by mikeysklar »

Thanks for trying the pcflash utility. I think that might require a UART serial USB adapter to get you a COM port to work with.

Another approach would be to get the FAT12 filesystem reformatted with win32diskimager.

https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-aud ... /downloads

The uncompress the zip file (16MB) using the link above. Make sure nothing else is plugged into the AudioFX.

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rtsawyer
 
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Re: FX Sound Board +2x2W Amp Problem

Post by rtsawyer »

win32 Disk Imager is giving me the following warning:

More space required than is available:
Required: 32704 sectors
Available: 36 sectors
Sector Size: 512


If I click "OK" to continue anyway, the device now longer even shows up as a storage medium. If I unplug it and plug it back in, get is back to acting as only a 16 KB drive instead of 16 MB with an empty file named "NO_FLASH"

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mikeysklar
 
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Re: FX Sound Board +2x2W Amp Problem

Post by mikeysklar »

@rtsawyer,

Just to make sure I understand. Win32 disk imager gave that warning when you tried to format the filesystem as FAT12 or when you tried to copy the provided image?

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rtsawyer
 
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Re: FX Sound Board +2x2W Amp Problem

Post by rtsawyer »

That is the warning that I got from win32 Disk Imager when I tried to copy the image.

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mikeysklar
 
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Re: FX Sound Board +2x2W Amp Problem

Post by mikeysklar »

@rtsawyer,

The last thing to try would be to format the AudioFX device (which should not be necesary) and then try to apply the custom image which should set it up with the it's native FAT-12.

When did you purchase this board? It is easy for us to offer a replacement if it was purchased in the last thirty days from us, but if it was longer we don't have a lot of options.

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rtsawyer
 
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Re: FX Sound Board +2x2W Amp Problem

Post by rtsawyer »

I'll try this when I get home.

I purchased it on June 22nd.

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rtsawyer
 
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Re: FX Sound Board +2x2W Amp Problem

Post by rtsawyer »

Exactly the same results. It shows up a 16 KB device, and win32 disk imager tells me there isn't enough space. I run it anyway, and it says successful. Unplug it, and plug it back it in - it acts as an audio output device. Unplug it, plug it in with pin 6 grounded, and it is back to being a 16 KB device with "NO_FLASH" as the only file on it.

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mikeysklar
 
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Re: FX Sound Board +2x2W Amp Problem

Post by mikeysklar »

@rtsawyer,

Since this was purchased months ago we do not have an easy replacement option to assist you with this.

As you were not able to ever successful use the product why don't you ask [email protected] (providing your order# and links to this forum thread) if there is anything they can offer.

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rtsawyer
 
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Re: FX Sound Board +2x2W Amp Problem

Post by rtsawyer »

I'll do that (although support told me to come here, and have asked me to send them this thread already).

Thinking about the UART method in the other thread - is there any way to use an Arduino to program this device? I've programmed plenty of ATTinys with an Arduino, is there an Arduino as UART sketch or something along those lines?

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mikeysklar
 
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Re: FX Sound Board +2x2W Amp Problem

Post by mikeysklar »

The usual process is come to the forums for troubleshooting and if we determine the issue would be best resolved with new hardware we send you back to support with a forum thread providing approval for a refund. The only complication in your case is you waited three months to try the board.

You can connect via standard UART using Arduino, ATtiny or pretty much any controller. This just buys you serial controls not a way to upload code with PCFLASH from your PC.

https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-aud ... -1386544-8

Code: Select all

UART Pins
If you want to control the Sound Board over UART Serial, you can do so by using the TX, RX and UG pins.

TX - this is the serial OUT from the board. 3.3V logic
RX - this is the serial INTO the board. We add some level shifting so you can use 3-5V logic.
UG - the UART/GPIO selector pin. Pulled high for default GPIO trigger mode. Tie to ground and reset the board for UART mode.
It would probably be easiest to communicate with the:

FTDI Serial TTL-232 USB Cable
https://www.adafruit.com/product/70

Personally I think your time is more valuable and I would purchase another AudioFX board. If there are issues you can test and return it right away.

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