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Question Weird SMC3 issue

Discussion in 'DIY Motion Simulator Building Q&A / FAQ' started by elnino, Aug 3, 2020.

  1. elnino

    elnino Active Member

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    Hi All,
    I've reloaded my machine with Simtools and reconfiguring my 2DOF rig and I can't seem to work out an issue I'm having. Long story, no backup...

    Running the SMC3 Utility - The motors move and work as expected
    Configured simtools with the serial port settings as I did last time according to instructions in the thread (10 bit, 50000, 8,n,1,10ms)
    In simtools 'test outputs' (in DOF mode) when I move the sliders, the motors will not go negative
    i.e When moving the sway slider, one motor goes up from each direction, not one up and one down at the same time (even though one has the 'invert' box checked)

    Same with surge - The seat will only tip forward and back to upright, not backwards.

    However, if i test the individual Axis output it gets weirder - If I go from center -> right (on the slider), it works fine. However, from Center left, nothing until I get to 50 then all of a sudden the seat goes to 50. Same back the other way 50-1, nothing, as soon as it hits 0, the seat jumps back.

    Weirder again - If i invert the outputs in axis assignment, it does the opposite (the motors work fine in negative etc). This makes me think that there is an issue with the data coming out of simtools.

    Then, as a test I set up simtools to use UDP and put the SMC3 util in passthrough mode - Works fine!!!

    Any ideas??
  2. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    Please post pictures of all of your settings, Interface and Axis Assignments.
  3. elnino

    elnino Active Member

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    Nothing special here. Serial on int 2 because i have int 1 with udp but fault is the same 2020-08-04_17h44_48.png 2020-08-04_17h44_57.png
  4. elnino

    elnino Active Member

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  5. BlazinH

    BlazinH Well-Known Member

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    I don't know if it matters but Startup Output should be empty not [ena]
    Again I don't know if it matters but Interface Output should be [A<Axis1a>][B<Axis2a>][C<Axis3a>]
    Also axis assignments are low with 20% total on each.
    • Agree Agree x 1
  6. elnino

    elnino Active Member

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    Well according to the documentation, [ena] is to enable the motor output, but it actually makes no difference. As soon as it starts receiving axis data, it enables them anyway.

    I have also tried with all 3 axis and it's the same. I am only using 2 so i didn't see a point in sending a 3rd axis data to it.
    • Useful Useful x 1
  7. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    The DIR settings being checked orange or not determine which way an axis moves, this is what SimTools expects: https://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/which-way-to-set-simtool-axis-movements.230/

    It sounds like something is odd on the hardware end.
  8. elnino

    elnino Active Member

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    I understand the function of the check boxes and I would agree with you that it seemed like a hardware issue but from the SMC3 Utils, it works fine which makes me think that it's simtools not sending the right data when using serial.
  9. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    There is an outstanding SimTools bug with sliders related to a recent Win 10 update you can check: https://www.xsimulator.net/communit...04-from-1909-intensity-slider-problems.14795/
  10. elnino

    elnino Active Member

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    That seems to be it. At least the last few posts there by XaviAlonso are the same issue as mine. Seems to be a bug with Windows 10 2004 release and simtools 2.4.1. I'm not 100% sure on the version of simtools I installed but it was right around the 2.4.1 release.
  11. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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  12. pog0

    pog0 New Member

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    This is EXACTLY the issue i'm having, but for me the "breakpoint" is at -25, instead of 50. Did you manage to resolve anything? I'm still on the older, unaffected windows version.
  13. elnino

    elnino Active Member

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    Yes, roll back to 2.4.0 of Simtools

    If that does not work you can use SMC3 in UDP mode and it will work. The problem is with the serial output in 2.4.1
  14. pog0

    pog0 New Member

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    Thank you, worked like a charm!
    • Like Like x 1
  15. Krzysztof Dej

    Krzysztof Dej Active Member

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    How to do that? On smc3 set udp and on sim tools?
  16. elnino

    elnino Active Member

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    Add network instead of serial, for ip use 127.0.0.1 and the port is what shows on SMC (i cant remember the number) then just add the axis data same as serial.

    *** This serial issue has been fixed in newer releases i'm pretty sure.
    • Like Like x 1