The Dimmer led for my truck is 12+ when the lights are off and Neg when the lights are on this doesn't seem to work with the dimmer feature on the empeg any ideas or suggestions on how to make this work ???

Use a simple diode on the dimmer cable then you would only provide 12+ and none -volts.

TeeMcBee
Got my Mk2! # 080000143

Maybe I should Explain Better it is 12 volts when the lights are off and Ground when the lights are ON a diode isn't going to help this. And when it is hooked to the Empeg it doesn't do anything I am thinking the Empeg wants 12volts when the lights are on.

No, the empeg has no concept of lights on or lights off. It just stores one brightness setting for +12v and one for 0v. Turn the lights on, go to the settings menu and set the dimmer. Exit the menu.

Now turn the lights off. Set the dimmer level for this state.

Done.

Hugo

Is there anyway to determine from the developers kernel if the EMPEG is actually seeing +12V, or not? I can pull my laptop out in the car without much problem to interface with the sled's Serial port for a prompt.

I've just installed my 12G (received Tuesday) in my Acura. I know it's putting +12V on the dimmer line going into the white wire on the EMPEG harness (Multimetered), but it doesn't appear to be picking up the state change as I flip the lights on and off.

I really don't want to have to send it in for repairs... I've only had it two days, but I don't want to part with it now!

You have set the dimmer to two different levels in the menu, right? (FAQ)

Also, your empeg does know the difference between home and car, right? Fader, for instance, should be showing up on your sound menu when it's in the car.

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Tony Fabris

I have TRIED to set two differing brightness levels, but it doesn't appear to be sensing when I change the lights.

I've gone into the fader menu, set the display at 100, exited back to the default (no menu) state. Turned lights on, gone into the fader menu, set at 70%, exited completely out. When I turn the lights back off, the fader is still set at 70.

I'm pretty certain that the empeg knows the difference between home and car, as fader is showing up, and the EQ displays 4 channels as opposed to the 2 for home use.

That's why I was hoping to determine if the electronics of the unit was actually seeing the state change. Multimeter tests certainly look like my soldering on the install was good (checking on the ISO plug outs).

I've noted that Displayserver shows various power levels on it's web page, but I don't know where it's pulling that info from.

Thanks

I've noted that Displayserver shows various power levels on it's web page, but I don't know where it's pulling that info from.

Displayserver is pulling that info from somewhere in the system, there's some sort of pipe or value you can read from to get that state. However, I don't know if there's a corresponding one for the headlight-sense line. Of course, if you think about it, there's got to be, right? It's just not written into displayserver right now.

Next question: Are you running the latest 1.02 software? I think I remember that 1.0 had some problems with certain headlight configurations.

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Tony Fabris

1.02 Developer (had to have a shell, too cool :) )

Displayserver 1.1

There is a light sense low on Displayserver (currently, in the office, 0). I'm hoping it's a /proc value I can read.

Oh, now HERE is an idea.

Did you also install the kernel hack to go with displayserver? Is that a proper 1.02-for-car2 version of the kernel? Or is it an older kernel, or is it for Car1 instead of Car2?

Hmm, it can't be for Car1 or ethernet wouldn't work...

But just in case, have you tried just re-applying the 1.02 Car2 .upgrade file to see if that fixes the problem?

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Tony Fabris

Is there anyway to determine from the developers kernel if the EMPEG is actually seeing +12V, or not? I can pull my laptop out in the car without much problem to interface with the sled's Serial port for a prompt.

I believe /proc/empeg_power is what you want - it should say either "Lights sense high" or "Lights sense low".

BTW, the player switches the serial console to 9600 baud (IIRC) when in the car. That one had me stumped for a while since the last message you see on the console (if set to 115200 on the PC side) is "Switching to" and then nothing.

Borislav

Actually, I'm still running the stock Kernel.

I have considered applying the .upgrade back on the box. If I do the full upgrade, does that format out the / filesystem? I know it won't kill the music, but I'm wondering about the displayer mod. I know I can reapply without a problem, I'm just curious before I do it.

Load the Consumer image first to completely wipe the root filesystem?

In reply to:

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Load the Consumer image first to completely wipe the root filesystem?

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Bah!
Just apply the latest dev image, it will wipe your displayserver install, but the fids/tunes will be ok. Then reapply displayserver + the ir hack, and you should be off to the races(I have lost count how many times I have done that!).
Tony might suggest the voladj kernel hack, but I havent played with that one yet, though I am debating it.

Have fun!

Smoker_Man
#080000449 MkII - 36Gb Blue

Thanks... that is indeed what I am looking for. Haven't found it in the wild (car) yet, but that's a result of having the wrong cable/settings on my laptop.

And I have found out that the Empeg does NOT do well with wrong cable/terminal settings. As in reboots and hangs until the offending cable is removed. Standard 'issue' here, or should I be worried?

As soon as I get a good cable (tomorrow), I'll check deeper

Reapplied the devel 1.02 upgrade, no change in dimmer functionality.

I haven't reapplied any mods to the system, until I can figure the dimmer function out.

(Or stop caring that it looks like a cop car is INSIDE my care at night thanks to the blue VFD going nuts on some of these visuals. )

And I have found out that the Empeg does NOT do well with wrong cable/terminal settings. As in reboots and hangs until the offending cable is removed. Standard 'issue' here, or should I be worried?

It doesn't do that here but then I only had the baud rate wrong; cable and all the other settings were OK. BTW, how did you manage to reapply the 1.02 upgrade without the proper serial cable?

Borislav

I've got the serial cable that came with the unit. It works just fine with the system not in the cage. With the unit in the cage, the connector is male/female reversed. Didn't have a gender changer around, so I cobbled together what I thought was a Null modem cable. Apparently my labeling needs to be better, as I just don't think that was correct. :)

It's getting it from the procs tables.

One of the few remaining Mk1 owners... #00015

Hi there, I have my empeg in a 2000 Honda CR-V and noticed the same type of thing. I "fixed" it by turning down my dash brightness a little, so the dash lights are not dimmed to any noticeable level, but the empeg will then dim.

Hope this helps.



#170... I got SN: 080000101 12 gig Blue!

I've got the serial cable that came with the unit. It works just fine with the system not in the cage. With the unit in the cage, the connector is male/female reversed.

Oh OK, it's been a while since I had the cage around.

You can connect two female connectors to each other by sticking some bare wires or even paperclips into the right holes. Best to get a real cable, though, if bad ones crash your empeg...

Borislav

I have considered applying the .upgrade back on the box. If I do the full upgrade, does that format out the / filesystem? I know it won't kill the music, but I'm wondering about the displayer mod.

It replaces significant portions of the filesystem, but there is at least one other section that's left alone in addition to the music partition. It's drive0/var, and that's where I stick my Displayserver install.sh so that all I have to to is terminal to the Empeg and run install.sh after an upgrade. I also tuck a couple of other things away in there, such as a custom init and a bootup selecter program.

I seem to recall that config.ini is kept in drive0/var as well, so that your specific configuration changes aren't hurt by an upgrade, either.

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Tony Fabris

Damn.... That really got my hopes up... but alas, not meant to be.

Searching the BBS didn't pull up any responses for the Mk2 connector pullout, although it appears that at least one other person has gone down this route.

I think I'm going to have to start emailing [email protected].

no no no... I've done that on location at some installs before, getting the serial connectors on some networking equipment working so I could diagnose some of the phone company's problems ( and we all know they have them.... )

I'll wait, go buy the damn adapter, and then work on it before trying to match pinouts using bare wire again. I ain't that coordinated.

I'm thinking it's probably a problem in the sled at this point... those wires aren't the most secure I've ever seen.

Well... I tore the dash apart this morning, and found the problem.

The ISO matting connector that is shipped with the EMPEG does not mate with the white connector on the sled's connector.

I've attached a diagram of the differences in the connector and the sled connector. It's quite easy to see why it didn't work. My question, which one is right? I.E. get a fixed sled, or get a fixed pigtail?

I'm hoping the pigtail is wrong, as I can get that locally. I've also tried to pull the pin on the pigtail to move it's connection, but for some strange reason, it seems to get firmly attached.

The sled is wrong - I'll kick the manufacturer (although I don't think we've had any other cases of a conductor in the wrong position).

Either follows David's advice of swapping the wire in the pigtail (as this is easier to move) or contact [email protected] to get your loom fixed.

Rob

I've already contacted [email protected], and David is sending a correct harness for the sled.

I'll return the faulty one once I get the replacement, so that you guys will have the incriminating evidence to work with.

It took me forever to figure this one out, simply because it didn't occur to me that the pins in the harness would be mismatched. I checked every fr*cking solder connection, multimeter checked everything, and finally zeroed in on the connection at the pigtail.

And then started kicking myself for not noticing that the wires were coming in and leaving in different locations.

Hopefully, this is one of a kind case for you, so this thread doesn't get referenced in Tony's Faq..

Thanks for the help