Receiving test / monitoring ??

[Robert_it]

Dear Guru's..

I have been reading this forum for a while but this is my first question.
I just tried to install IMON (not Median) on my Win7 Home Mcubed HFX Classic(old hardware so only IMON PAD). I did get it to work but seem to have lost the IR signal completely.. I have reinstalled Win7 - I have reinstalled IMON (yes the latest version) following the thread on a clean install with wiping the register first. Never the less I CAN NOT get the IMON to receive ANY signal.
The remote icon is blue the device manager says that my SG Remote Device (x64) is working. I did "fiddle" with the program making a additional program to control (slingplayer) but lost the remote function in the process and now regardless what I do IT'S gone,,,?? I have also tried a Harmony 785 set up to replicate the IMON PAD remote so I do not think is is a remote control problem. I think it is a receiving problem.
I can't see any conflict of com-ports or any other problems and I have been on this for days....

Now is there ANY way for me to check if the Receiver in the IMON panel is working? any software to monitor the incoming signal? How can I find out if it is software or hardware failure? any support in troubleshooting this is welcome and needed :confused:


Thanks in advance
Robert

[bshah]

I have the same problems with my silverstone case lc20m, it works when ever it feels like it and nowhere I can find a solution. So it must be an issue, did you try xp or vista recently, it work fine on both before I upgraded to win7.

[Flying Kiwi]

If the remote is an iMON Pad and it's batteries are known to be good then maybe clicking the reset button in iMON Manager -> Settings -> Remote Controller may make a difference. If its intended to use a Harmony remote in MCE mode, the correct MCE dropdown setting can be made here and then reset clicked again. If the iMon Ring is blue, that generally means the receiving end hardware is working so it's either misconfigured (eg for the wrong remote) or there's a problem with the remote(s)

[bshah]

I did all that and more, it works sometimes for me. With either remote I get the same problem. Sometimes it will respond to one command and then stop working I sometimes keep trying and then it will work and then the next day stop. My case has the older hardware, which means I can only use the iMon pad remote.

[Robert_it]

Hi Bshah and flyingKIWI,

I as well have the old hardware so NO MCE option, -is this just a coincidence or do the old hardware have a problem in Win7?

I just reply to your suggestions / replies to tell that I have tried all this as well. New batteries (and a Harmony 785 configured to replicate the IMON Pad) I have reset the remote, I have reinstalled several times in various ways (also the "clean" install which can be found somewhere in this forum)

The remote and VFD has been working in XP before, I do have a Blue IMON Icon but still NO action from the remote.

I am looking for a way to troubleshoot and confirm if this is hardware or software related?? do anybody know a program that "scannes" for IR signals??? I have tried IR-Server_Suite which seems like a nice program but just not what I was looking for, it recognize my hardware but again no joy with actual remote commands???


I am really frustrated and ready to bin the whole thing and get a cheap and cheerful third party MCE remote with IR receiver.... Seems like a much easier way than keep waisting time with this??? Such a nice piece of hardware -- but if it do not do what it says on the box????


Cheers Robert

[bshah]

Today i decided to fool around a bit and changed the usb to an inside header inside of on the outside back, it was working fine and then I started getting hardware disconnected. When I restart it will work for a couple minutes then stop again. I have the antec veris basic in another machine which works great and I am also getting frustrated and think it is a hardware compatibility issue.

[Flying Kiwi]

Today i decided to fool around a bit and changed the usb to an inside header inside of on the outside back, it was working fine and then I started getting hardware disconnected. When I restart it will work for a couple minutes then stop again..Why not check that the motherboard BIOS is updated to the latest version as that has influence over the USB ports. If you have a powered USB hub or PCI -> USB add-in card, you could also hook up the LCD to either for testing purposes. Some USB chipsets are definitely more reliable than others so a bit of substitution may get to the bottom of things. Also how are your power supplies rails - all close to the ideal voltages and stable? Some motherboards come with voltage monitoring software or there may be an option in the BIOS to look at this info - often the same page where fan speeds can be observed.

[Edit] Robert_it I don't know if there are any hardware compatibility issues with'old' Soundgraph hardware and Win 7 but I would have thought if your hardware supports the latest version of iMon (which is Win 7 compatible software), you should be covered. If you can post the firmware and Imon versions you're using (what the iMon Manager -> option -> Version/Update page shows - not just 'latest') here, maybe one of the mods will be able to give an authoritive answer.

[Robert_it]

Hi Flying KIWI,

Here is a few details on my system:
IMON Manager Ver. 7.85.0222
IMON Firmware Ver. 0xffffffff (Driver 6.0.1000.1 in device manager)
Motherboard GigaByte GA-E7AUM-DS2H
Intel E8500 3.16 Dual Processor
8 GB Cosair Extreme RAM
ATI HD4770 Graffics
2 * Digital Everywhere Fire DTV BDA DVB-S2
Hauppauge Nova-DT Dual Tuner DVB-T (incl IR driver but I am NOT using the IR from this)
64GB SSD HD Cosair
Wireless mouse and Bluetooth dongle
All in a completely passive cooled HFX-Classic cabinet, The power-supply has been taken apart and the Transistors de-soldered and relocated directly on one of the ALU heatsinks of the case it works very well and I have no Power problems.

The com ports of the SG Remote Control Device (x64) is Port_#0006 and HUB_#0003
The Bluetooth have the same HUB but a different Port. I have NO Port issues (I think)

I have tried to play a little more and downloaded the trial versions og Girder, Intelliremote and IR-server-suite... Installed them ALL and tried to get ANY response from my remote.... NOTHING ??
I have a Sony VARIO USB IR-Receiver and the little red LED light up whenever I press the IMON PAD so I am still pretty sure the remote works fine. I still believe that either the hardware or software side on the actual PC is the problem??

I might plunge into formatting the whole thing and trying the IMON software BEFORE installing any tuner-card , Bluetooth dongle or anything???
Fresh Win7 install with IMON as the only hardware/software installed.
Unfortunately I will not have time to do this for the next 2 weeks :-( and I would prefer just to make it work as it is ??

Thanks again for your time and suggestions.
Robert

Forgot: As far as I know there is NO way to upgrade the hardwares Firmware? is this correct? mine reads IMON Firmware Ver. 0xffffffff (Driver 6.0.1000.1 in device manager) but what does the 0Xffffffff mean??

[johnny.hur]

Dear Bshah and Robert,

I’m sorry for your inconvenience.

FW version 0xffffffff means that iMON SW failed to open driver and the device may be disconnected or not work properly.

First of all, please try to AC reset (Remove AC power, wait 1~2 minutes and connect AC power again) and connect iMON to other USB ports including the external USB ports. And update main board BIOS and USB related drivers as Flying KiWi said.


If FW version is shown properly (0x23~ 0x3f), please check IR signal with the test program from the link below as follows.
http://download.soundgraph.com/path/Test/iMONTest.zip

1. Close iMON and run “iMONTest.exe”.
2. Press Volume Up/ Down button on the remote..
3. Click “Save List” button. Then it will save “iMON.txt” file. Please send this file to me.

Regards,
Johnny Hur

[bshah]

Dear Bshah and Robert,

I’m sorry for your inconvenience.

FW version 0xffffffff means that iMON SW failed to open driver and the device may be disconnected or not work properly.

First of all, please try to AC reset (Remove AC power, wait 1~2 minutes and connect AC power again) and connect iMON to other USB ports including the external USB ports. And update main board BIOS and USB related drivers as Flying KiWi said.


If FW version is shown properly (0x23~ 0x3f), please check IR signal with the test program from the link below as follows.
http://download.soundgraph.com/path/Test/iMONTest.zip

1. Close iMON and run “iMONTest.exe”.
2. Press Volume Up/ Down button on the remote..
3. Click “Save List” button. Then it will save “iMON.txt” file. Please send this file to me.

Regards,
Johnny Hur

FW Version: 0x30
Button Down: 0x28 0xa3 0x95 0xb7 0x01 0x00 0x2e 0x01
Button Up

[Robert_it]

Hi Johnny,

To be honest I thought that I did run the latest BIOS, it turned out not to be the case...:o

I have now upgraded my system with the latest BIOS and USB drivers, I am sorry to say though that it did no good at all??? it is still the same I did manage to find my firmware though which is V0.26
I have 3 dual USB headers internal and 4 external all the same - every time I change the position windows will "install drivers" for the new pos. but still no joy?

Your little test program did also nothing? I can test the VFD but not the remote - no input is detected. Again I can say I have a blue icon indicating a working system and a remote with fresh batteries and a happy illuminating little red LED when pressed, but absolutely no communication between the two??
I can not get any IR software to recognize the remote signal?

I am leaning towards a clean install without ANY other hardware / software ONLY IMON to try if I do have a conflict with another program but it is just such a pain....:eek:
I think that might be the last try before making the IMON /VFD redundant and buying a standard MCE remote combo.
I would be very sorry to let this go but I am really loosing patience .

Thanks for your time and suggestions.

Robert

[bshah]

I think I figured out my problem. I took my case apart and took the VFD off to check if there were any loose connections. There is a black plastic cylindrical piece with metal piece holding it into place. It seems when the IR sensor touch it, nothing works, so I bent the sensor down a little and so far everything works normal. Still don't know why I was getting no hardware connected, but I guess there was something else loose that I accidentally fixed.