SimScreen damaged?

[Heinrich]

hi,

my SimScreen worked fine till yesterday.
since then it looses USB-connection. i hear the windows sound for dis- and re-connect and the simdash shows red-green-red-green-...

i put a small vid up on YT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ONjswVrMdw
sorry for the bad quality. just a cheap cellphone cam, but i think one can see the issue.

i tried different ports and cables. all the same.
crosscheck with a second simscreen: everything fine.

is the hardware broken or could this behavior have antoher reason?

thanks for your replies,
H.

[Cristiano]

It seems it is resetting.
usually it resets when a lov voltage is detect on the USB bus.

Have you got the latest version of SimDash? (v.1.3.2)
If so, you should have upgraded the firmware of the SimScreen.

There are to version of the "bootload" application, which is the application used to upgrade the firmware. One version is specific for the SimScreen. Do you remember which one you used?

If you send me an email at contact@symprojects.com I have a couple of tests I would like you to do.

Thanks
Cristiano

[Heinrich]

hi cristiano,

yes, i run V1.3.2
but i´ve not upgraded the firmware. i use it as shipped.
iirc i don´t need to upgrade if simdash is showing a device "green". should i try to upgrade the FW?

[Cristiano]

No you don't need to upgrade.
If you send me an email I have a test I would like you to do.

Thanks
Cristiano

[Heinrich]

hi again.

i tried to update with the firmware you send me in your email.

at the end of the process it showed "programming/verification  -  Failure" or something like this....
does that mean it hasn´t updated or can i just ignore it because of the firmware-beta status?
i can add a screenshot later if you want me to.

the screen works after the update, so it can´t be a complete failure.
i haven´t had the time yet to drive so i can´t decide if the on-off-thing is gone or still there.

i´ll proove that later and give you some feedback.


wbr,
markus

[Cristiano]

Don't worry about the message that says failure.
The SimScreen's firmware has been updated.

The original firmware resets the SimScreen when the usb voltage goes below 4.33V
The firmware you are using allows the firmware to go down up to 3.5V.

The USB specifications say the voltage on the bus is always greater than 4.5V, so 4.33V seemed safe, but maybe it is too strict.

Cheers
Cristiano

[Heinrich]

so here´s my feedback:

no disconnection issues so far. the firmware seems to work fine.
thanks a lot christiano.

wbr,
markus

btw:
do you have a planned release date for the simdash using the new iRacing API and the system information features you were talking about?
just curious....

[Cristiano]

Yes, I will support the new API.
Do you know if it is already available?

[Heinrich]

yes, it is in the actual build.
no restrictions to 1 app and more telemetry output.