[TowerTalk] [Bulk] Somewhat OT Anyone seen this problem with Green Heron Controllers?

[Grant Saviers]

I've encountered what may be a related problem with several (8) RT21's 
usb connected.

It seems that at least Win7 boot can't properly assign multiple USB 
devices that are already powered up. I delved as deeply as I am able 
into the boot process and concluded that when a large number of usb 
devices are powered on prior to boot, windows can't sort them out. It 
assigns them to other than COM ports and other things in the case of 
serial emulating devices such as the RT21.  I had many emails with Jeff 
at GH and concluded this is not his problem.

I'll speculate a bit that with multiple bridges, hubs and whatever 
current systems use to have the max USB 2 and 3 ports (some hidden) and 
the Windows promise to be able to boot from usb, it is a flaw in the 
OS.  I am able to demonstrate the problem on another Win7 system.  The 
main system is an HP business class desktop and HP second level support 
was stumped, but promised to send a replacement system.

Anyway, the simple answer for my grief was to put all RT21's on a power 
strip and power them up after the boot is stable.  Ah, there is another 
gotcha - the Win7 boot forks early in the process to give you a screen 
to play with but the full Windows OS is really not there yet.  Pre SSD's 
it was reported that all of Windows doesn't exist until 6 minutes into 
the startup, but that is what I have read on the web.  That's how usoft 
gives you a faster boot - Penn and Teller tricks.

I wait a bit into the boot process and then turn on all RT21's at once.  
They reliably are assigned to the same COM port each time. How that 
works is a bit of a mystery to me as I am using a 9 port USB hub, but 
there must be some sequencing by connector position.

Maybe why one person told me "USB really means Unreliable S o B"

Grant KZ1W



On 11/28/2015 10:58 AM, Larry Loen wrote:
> I know a lot of you guys have Green Heron Controllers.  Up to today, my RT
> 21 has worked flawlessly.  Firmware version 3.07, unchanged from a while
> back.  However, today is a new adventure.
>
> Computer control is very important to me.  Today, there was no computer
> control.  The "RS232" interface (which is actually USB on my unit) simply
> doesn't work.  The COM port does not "report in" to Windows.
>
> I validated everything that I could.
>
> 1.  I used several USB ports and validated they worked with my cell phone
> over a suitable wire I had long used for convenience in attaching it as a
> USB drive.  That all still works.  I used those known good ports in the
> following steps.
>
> 2.  I used a different wire from my PC to the Green Heron Controller.  That
> failed, but the same USB port and cable work just fine with the original
> device (my Alpha).
>
> 3.  I went through several power down / power up cycles with the PC and the
> controller.  No joy.
>
> Another symptom of interest is that a lot works on the controller still:
>
> 1.  It works fine in basic manual operation.  CCW, CW works.  Cancel an
> in-flight turn works.  Turning the manual knob all works as expected.
>
> 2.  However, I cannot successfully press and hold the Cancel/Setup button
> to enter Setup.  I've depressed it for upwards of 30 seconds (the manual
> just says press and hold until the display changes) but. . .nothing.
>
> This suggests to me one of the worst outcomes -- the computer/micrprocessor
> on the board is suffering from some sort of physical or firmware-induced
> damage.
>
> One last thing that may somehow be an issue.  I power the unit on and off
> with a remote switch. So, the regular power on button is on all the time
> and AC flows directly into the unit and ceases like a power failure.  I
> don't think this is obviously different than using the front panel switch,
> but maybe there's a difference here.
>
> Ideas?  Anyone seen this before?
>
>
> Larry WO7R
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