Kaimana RGB LED Board thread, RGB animations and more! SRK Tech Talk 2013 Product of the Year!

Tech Talk
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Whoa! If you’re ever near Hope Mills maybe we can meet up!

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@ZonbiPanda
I don’t think the Kaimana board is shorted. I disconnected everything from the board and completely removed it from the case. I also tried different usb cables and ports, and received the same error message when I tried to reprogram the board:

avrdude: error: buffered memory access not supported. Maybe it isn’t a butterfly/AVR109 but a AVR910 device?

@armi0024
Is it possible to reset the board manually or alternatively use an external programmer, such as an FTDI breakout board to reprogram the boatloader?

Thanks again everyone for all your help!

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@liquidcourage so you ruled out brown out and switched USB ports.
What are you settings for the board.
I did find this suggestion:
http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=137564.0

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a few questions for you

  1. what version release of the arduino IDE are you using (i recommend using 1.5.5)
  2. are you using USB 3.0 ports on your PC? (if yes, try a sh!tty USB 1.0 or 2.0 hub)

optional

  1. If you have a AVRISPmkII or a USBTinyISP you can try Upload Using Programmer (make sure you have your Progammer set appropriately in the Tools menu.
  2. If you have or are familiar with Sublime Text (2 or 3) as an editor, there is a package available for Arduino IDE environment
  3. Try to upload using -v (verbose mode)

no, you can’t use an FTDI to upload the bootloader unless you feel like learning bitbanging (ouch)
you can use an AVRISPmkII or USBTinyISP

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Thanks @32Teeth and @armi002, I also sent you PMs in addition to responding to your questions in the thread…

@armi0024 - Thanks for the link. I actually tried changing the programmer in the Tools menu, but it didn’t affect the outcome.

The most helpful link I found researching the problem was -
forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=202422.0

Try any of the 3 below.

  1. Tap the reset button twice and then click “upload”
  2. Hold the reset button down while it says “compiling” and then take it off right when it says "uploading
  3. Tap the reset twice while it says “compiling”, but shortly before it says “uploading”

But since the Kaimana doesn’t have a reset button, the only thing I can think of is to use an external programmer.

@32Teeth - Thanks for your added expertise as well!

  1. I’m using the 1.5.5 R2 IDE now, although I was using 1.5.5 originally when the uploading problems occurred
  2. I’m using USB 2.0 ports, although I have additionally tried one of those sh!tty USB 2.0 hubs
  3. I tried uploading using verbose mode (courtesy of a tip from wahoo747) and I received the same error message
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Not sure how much this will help. I was just having the same problem @liquidcourage and I switched usb ports to one directly on my motherboard, and tried a new usb cable and was able to upload after i did that.

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@shane1989 thanks for the tip. I just sent you a pm!

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Just got everything all set, and it works great. I’m loving the marvel code so far. Ill have to see if i can figure some coding out.What i was thinking i would like to do make a profile for Sagat, one for rose and then another that turns it off. I can some people not liking the flashes when your playing them.

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@Shane1989 no video and it didn’t happen :wink:

@liquidcourage we always stand behind products, so if this doesn’t solve itself we will replace it.

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Please @armi0024 i sent some emails to you and susan, asking for my order, id like to know my tracking number.

Thanks

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@armi0024 I not one to give into peer pressure so easily… but :wink:

using @wahoo747 's code

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@armi0024 Thanks for the great customer service and support. I just ordered a programmer, so if all goes well, I’ll post the good news and info in the thread.

@Shane1989 For loadouts, you can create a separate profile/loadout for each character by creating it’s own base function, similar to the streetfighter_base in the animations.cpp source tab.
E.g. Sagat_base(uint16_t switchStatus). Within that base you can code the joystick, button, and animation settings. I ended up using his definitions in @wahoo747 's simplepress.h and base code in the simplepress.cpp to create my own base, and then added it to the animations.cpp file. To access the loadout, you can use @wahoo747 's menu setup code (line 57) in the kaimana_custom.h header and define the loadout under #define MENU_BASE_FUNCTION_NAME. There’s also probably a more refined (and optimized) way of doing it, by dissecting @wahoo747 's marvel.cpp source code, but I haven’t altogether figured that out yet. : )

Hope this helps.

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Hi all,

Good news, I was able to get my Kaimana board to reprogram again by burning a new bootloader onto the board.

Here are the steps I used…

Steps on Burning the Leonardo Bootloader to the Kaimana Board

Used a the Pocket AVR Programmer, a USBtinyISP programmer, through Sparkfun (https://sparkfun.com/products/9825)

  1. Download USBtinyISP drivers and AVRDUDE from (learn.adafruit.com/usbtinyisp/download)

  2. Download Arduino 1.0.5 from Aduino’s download page to get the Caterina-Leonardo hex (arduino.cc/en/main/software)

  3. Install the USBTinyISP drivers and AVRDUDE.

  4. Copy the Caterina-Leonardo hex and placed in a folder on your desktop (Path: \arduino-1.0.5-src\arduino-1.0.5\hardware\arduino\bootloaders\caterina\arduino-
    1.0.5-src\arduino-1.0.5\hardware\arduino\bootloaders\caterina)

  5. Connect the Pocket AVR using their 6-Pin harness to the ICSP header on the Kaimana (plug should be inserted upside down on the Kaimana).

  6. Open the command prompt and navigated to the directory where the hex was located (elecrom.wordpress.com/2009/04/15/avrdude-tutorial-burning-hex-files-using-usbasp-and-avrdude/)

  7. Burn the Caterina-Leonardo hex (Leonardo bootloader) using the command below:

avrdude -p m32U4 -P -u -U -c usbtiny flash:w:Caterina-Leonardo.hex

Thank you to @armi0024, @32teeth, @wahoo747, @ZonbiPanda, and @Shane1989 for all your help!

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So I am bastardizing all the code I can from whats available, I am putting something together but something has eluded me and can’t seem to find any example stuff to work off of.

in a nutshell:

when button pressed: Violet… if held it fades in to red

any know of something like that already out there I can work with?

195

I recently purchased a Kaimana (rather impulsively…) And I know nothing about programming and especially Arduino… I really want to use this board but I feel like I’m at a total loss… I really want a cylon animation, a single colour when a single button is pressed, and single colour when 2 buttons are pressed together. Would any one here be kind enough to maybe make me a code for this, or help me in how to make this code? (If someone can make it for me, I will gladly pay them for their time)…

Thanks :confused:

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Question, when I upload the example program to the kaimana the LEDs only flash in red really fast. Is there a power problem here? What am I doing wrong?

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@ed1371 I can help you out hit me up on Chat

@ogrebites the computer usb sometimes doesn’t have enough power to run all the leds and blinking is caused. This should go away when you connect it to a game system. I can help you out on programming hit me up at armi0024@gmail.com

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@liquidcourage - That programmer looks really cool. I must have one at only $15.

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I currently have an Xbox 360 Soul Calibur V TE stick that I am swapping the buttons on, as well as replacing the art. I bought the Kaimana LED’s and the board kit so I have it all here with me. My concern is making sure that the way I plan on wiring it will work correctly. Basically, I want to connect only the 4 punch and 4 kick buttons along with the needed LED cables to the Kaimana board, as i plan to not touch the joystick, guide buttons, start/select. Would i simply be able to split the cables that run from the bottom right header to the 360 mainboard, and connect each side to each corresponding side of the kaimana board? I want to run this with only the cables i need to get it to work for now, as in the future I do plan on putting an PS360+ in this stick and will completely redo my wiring then. Thanks guys, posting pictures below for help clarifying my question.

http://i.imgur.com/OgUANbS.png

I was also wondering if anyone could help me write what I think is a simple code for the Kaimana, I basically want each button to light up white only when the button is pressed. If anyone could help me, id be forevel grateful

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Make sure you get a 5v line to VCC, on the SCV TE you have to tap this from a variety of points, but it will require soldering. Also make sure you chain your grounds since the TE distribution board has individual ground wires (even though they all lead to the same connection) thus you will need to adjust your wiring as such.