Repetier Host

General discussion of 3D printers

Re: Repetier Host

Postby cvoinescu » Wed Jul 31, 2013 12:10 am

So it is very likely the cable. Some of the thin ones aren't shielded at all: they rely on being short and having a twisted pair for data. They also have much thinner power conductors, so they're more sensitive to ground currents. I have a few thick mini-USB cables, but they could well have fatter insulation and nothing else.

There's a whole industry of fake cables out there. I've seen "USB" cables that are just four thin wires loosely twisted together. I've seen power cords labelled "18 AWG" with thick-looking wires inside that turned out to be mostly plastic with three really thin strands of copper each (30 AWG, maybe). And don't even get me started about the fake UK plugs and fuses, and criminally mis-designed AC adapters (people have died).
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Re: Repetier Host

Postby orcinus » Wed Jul 31, 2013 12:35 am

Yeah, i've been hunting around for a decent mini USB cable (locally) and they all seemed pretty flimsy.
The few i've chopped up for various reasons looked rather crappy on the inside as well.
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Re: Repetier Host

Postby fma » Tue Sep 17, 2013 4:43 pm

Sorry to dig that post...

I'm using Repetier host/firmware for a while, on a Azteeg X3 controller, under linux. I previously had no problem, and suddenly, since 2-3 weeks, I have print crashs. It generally occurs near the begining (better than at the end!).

It seems that the controller disconnects itself, as I can see in dmesg, and Repetier Host crashs with IO error. I tried 3 USB cables (good ones): not luck.

My questions are:

1) is it better to use USB to power Azteeg controller, or the main supply? I'm currently power up from USB.

2) is it possible to use a simple serial connexion, instead of that fucking USB, to drive the controller? USB is good for mices and keyboards, period. It is not reliable at all. My computer has a real serial port, so I would like to use it to communicate with the controller. Is the Azteeg controller abale to communicate over a TTL-serial port? And is Repetier able to use a real serial port?

Thanks for your help.

Best,
Frédéric
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Re: Repetier Host

Postby flickerfly » Tue Sep 17, 2013 5:13 pm

I can't speak to the power issue. I run my X3 from the power supply not USB and haven't had problems. I'd expect that the 12V PSU is going to be more reliable than the 5V you are getting out of USB. Some computers are better than others at providing USB power. You could also try putting a powered USB hub in the middle to provide power instead of your computer. Just make sure it is a reliable one with an external power source or your problems will probably just get worse. Also, if you power off the PSU instead of USB, you'll gain the advantage of being able to use the card reader without plugging into a computer (at least I think once you get it started you could disconnect USB, I haven't tried it myself, but have been meaning to).

As far as Serial, the X3 is basically an Arduino Mega with some really nice fashion accessories (I'm thinking ScottEVest style) which does have serial communication capability. You'd need to figure out what pins, but some research should provide that. There is a schematic for the X3 somewhere. I don't know if Repetier would provide the option of serial input instead of USB. I'm not sure I'd go down this road if I were you though.
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Re: Repetier Host

Postby fma » Wed Sep 18, 2013 6:56 am

Thanks for your answer.
Frédéric
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