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Restore support for older-protocol grids (real and virtual) #44

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Dewb opened this issue May 31, 2019 · 18 comments
Closed

Restore support for older-protocol grids (real and virtual) #44

Dewb opened this issue May 31, 2019 · 18 comments

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@Dewb
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Dewb commented May 31, 2019

The 0.6 branch supported both modern grids (mext protocol varibright) and older non-varibright models, but support for older protocols was somewhat tenuous since I don't have easy access to physical devices. The new connection system for 1.0 necessitated changing the way grid detection works, so this support has been removed until it can be reverified.

Separately, for the virtual grids, the new Rack library preview makes having separate varibright and series models in the library less desirable. The new plan is to have a single module per size, but add a right-click menu option to pick the protocol to emulate (and also the LED color?)

@CarlColglazier
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Current behavior seems to treat the 40h as half a 128. Is this expected?

@joopvdl
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joopvdl commented Oct 6, 2019 via email

@joopvdl
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joopvdl commented Nov 23, 2019

Don't want to sound pushy, but is there any chance we will get support for the older grids back?

@Dewb
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Dewb commented Dec 2, 2019

Apologies for the delay. Took the summer off from side projects (to get married!) and still catching up on the backlog.

Chances will go up if I can get my hands on an older proto grid! Feel free to let me know if you see any cheap ones on reverb/lines/craigslist etc. Or just mail me one, lol.

@joopvdl
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joopvdl commented Dec 2, 2019 via email

Dewb added a commit that referenced this issue Sep 27, 2021
* add virtual grid 256 module (#28)
* fix 64/256 margins
* separate notion of grid color theme from grid protocol
* support older grid protocols again (#44)
* fix mock event object lifetimes (probably addresses #59)
* tweak grid color themes, especially for 40H/series
@Dewb
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Dewb commented Sep 27, 2021

Hello everyone still following this issue: support for older protocols has just been merged back into the plugin. I can test older protocols with the virtual grids, but for hardware I only have Mext-FTDI and Mext-CDC grids to test with (the latest two models) so I have no way to confirm whether 40h/Arduinome-FTDI or Series-FTDI function correctly.

I hope to have this support as part of the 1.0.0-alpha2 release. If you'd like to help test before then, you can download temporary prerelease builds here: https://github.com/Dewb/monome-rack/actions/runs/1276741052

If you're able to give me feedback on the behavior and performance with 40h/Series hardware, I'd greatly appreciate it! Apologies for this feature being out of a release for so long, thanks for sticking around.

@suit4
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suit4 commented Sep 29, 2021

I have a 40h/Arduinome-FTDI and can confirm that it is working an communication with the plugin.

The visualisation on the virtual grid looks different to that one on the real grid, but I guess this is a side effect of the Arduinome not being able to display variable brightness. Those old grids are only capable of off and on.

@Dewb
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Dewb commented Sep 29, 2021

That's great news, thanks for the feedback!

By default, the virtual grids simulate the most recent varibright protocol. You can switch them into older protocols from the right-click menu. If you set a virtual grid to 40h protocol, does it match what you see on your hardware?

image

@suit4
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suit4 commented Sep 29, 2021

Huh? Is that part of the release package v1.0.0-alpha1?
Can't see that settings … do I have to compile from code first?

ok, VCV Rack and monome-rack plugin compiled.

Starting with ./Rack -d

I added a virtual grid 128.

40h grid does initially not show up.
Reconnecting the USB cable to the Arduinome makes it show up in the plugins.
Connecting one of the plugins to the Arduinome results in a application crash.

Output:
FRONT HOLD
FRONT HOLD[1] 52036 bus error ./Rack -d

@Dewb
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Dewb commented Sep 29, 2021

The build I'd like you to test is linked in a comment above, sorry if that wasn't obvious -- it's in the Artifacts section here: https://github.com/Dewb/monome-rack/actions/runs/1276741052

@nay-seven
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I can also confirm a better result , no more flickering leds with an old 40h/Arduinome-FTDI !
Nice, thanks a lot !

@joopvdl
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joopvdl commented Sep 30, 2021 via email

@suit4
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suit4 commented Sep 30, 2021

Arduinome works perfectly, no flickering. Great job! Thank you,
Me screaming: it's aliiiiiiiiiiiiveeeeee!!!

(Had to install the beta driver 1.4.7 for MacOS from https://ftdichip.com/drivers/vcp-drivers/ but that is Serialosc-FTDI-stuff)

@Dewb
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Dewb commented Oct 2, 2021

Thanks so much for the testing everyone! I'm in the process of sourcing my own 40h so I can more easily ensure support going forward.

The next alpha will include a bunch of additional grid performance improvements, if you want to check that those are also behaving correctly with the 40h, a new build is here: https://github.com/Dewb/monome-rack/actions/runs/1298997917

@joopvdl
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joopvdl commented Oct 2, 2021 via email

@Dewb
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Dewb commented Oct 2, 2021

Yeah, not all of the modules support 8x8 grids fully in the main branch firmware. There's an issue to track that here: #61

@Dewb
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Dewb commented Nov 30, 2021

I believe this has been solved, please let me know about any issues with older hardware!

@Dewb Dewb closed this as completed Nov 30, 2021
@suit4
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suit4 commented Oct 8, 2022

Short update:
after OS upgrades, you might need to reinstall the FTDI driver.
Beta driver 1.4.7 for MacOS from https://ftdichip.com/drivers/vcp-drivers/

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Status: 1.0.0-alpha2 (2021-10-02)
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