I have an issue with the Scanner and ProTrack. I was wondering if anyone else has had this issue and if there's a suggested fix for it I would really appreciate reading about it.
I set up the scanner for dip16, later dip10 and a few other ones.
On the scanner I choose pins 1 mainly as common. To double check the issue I used other pins as common as well.
The av signal line stays horizontal as if nothing is happening while scanning
I even connected the common line in the front of ProTrack.
Then I connected channel a and b to different pins as it was scanning, nothing, no seponse.
Unless when common in front was connected channel A or B leads from front connecting to the pommon pin would show short.
Make sure the Common line BNC connections are secure on the back of the ProTrack and Scanner. Could be a bad cable?
If you choose a different Common pin do you see a signature (other than open)? If yes then it could be a relay issue.
Hi thank you for you reply.
BNC are good and connected. Choosing different pin as common made no difference.
I took the scanner board out and checking it. Going over all solder joint now.
Any suggestion on how I should go about diagnostics would be appreciated very much.
Hi
I assume your running the Scanner with Workstation when you get these problems.
Why not try to as I always do before running Workstation for at least two pins.
Set parameters to say 1 Volt / 10 Ohms, go into the menu, select Scanner, and pin 0 to 16.
Then as you connect each pin at the IDC connector to common you should if ProTrack & Scanner is working together see the trace go from horizontal to almost vertical as each pin selected is connected to common.
I have noticed that turning the ProTrack on first, followed by the Scanner, then DMM (34410a), then finally the PC works best. if done in any other order appears to stop the above test working or brings up some other problem in Worstation.
Also have found that once Workstation has been initialized the system can hang if an old Weller soldering Iron is turned of or things sending spikes down the mains supply. Probably should look at running my ProTrack + Scanner from a filtered mains supply.
Hi Jvthorsley thank you for your reply.
No it is not hooked up to a computer. It's just the Scanner and the ProTrack.
But thank you for the info I will keep it mind once I hook up to a pc.
During my other Inquiries in the forum about the units. Yes they were hooked up to pc.
After I figure things out I moved everying on the work desk. There is hardly any rm. I need to Reconfigure things out. I been thinking about hanging a monitor from the ceiling. Got to do some carpentry work for that. But then need to move everything and make room. For that I have to make room where every will go temporary.. ...Oh man, just talking about it makes me tired. Yap I been too lazy.
Hi
You don't need a computer to run the basic test I described.
You could disconnect the Channel A BNC output cable at the back of you ProTrack and connect ProTrack Channel A output to the + terminal on a DMM.
And take the NEG lead from the DMM to each pin on the Scanner IDC connector to check for resistance in the Relays circuit. Using the Scanner mode on the Protrack menu as described.
This will quickly tell you if you have any problems with the ProTrack communicating with the Scanner, and check Relays. No Workstation necessary for this test.
But you must already know all this.
Quote from: jvthorsley on May 27, 2023, 06:04:06 AMHi
You don't need a computer to run the basic test I described.
You could disconnect the Channel "A" BNC output cable at the back of you ProTrack and connect ProTrack Channel "A" output to the + terminal on a DMM.
And take the NEG lead from the DMM to each pin on the Scanner IDC connector to check for resistance in the Relays circuit. Using the Scanner mode on the Protrack menu as described.
This will quickly tell you if you have any problems with the ProTrack communicating with the Scanner, and check Relays. No Workstation necessary for this test.
But you must already know all this.
Thank you so much jvthorsley.
No, actually I did not know that. It's a long weekend here in the US. I will get to it.
Thank you again.
Its the same over here in Old Blighty, otherwise known as the UK.
Three Bank Holidays in May, one of them a Coronation of King Charles III, and no more Bank Holidays till the end of August!!
Consider yourself lucky in California!
And in case any one is wondering how to connect a BNC plug to a DMM here shown is the adaptor.
Manufactured by Pomona, Part No. 3430-2..
Of cause you can only do this with a ProTrack + Scanner setup not with a 3200S Tracker.
And for you guys State side you can get this adaptor from Newark Electronics, Part No. 06M6791.
Thank you for that. I have that connector.
Ok just so I understand this properly. I do this with equipment ON?
Go through scanner function, choose dip64, don't choose compare :-)), or scan all pins. Scan 1 pin and rotate encoder for next pin using the encoder?
Hi
You select Menu, Scanner, Pins / package, pins, scroll to 64 pins to check one IDC connector, Auto, Pin 0 of 64 SIP.
You can then scroll through each pin on the IDC Scanner connector and get a beep or resistance measurement depending on what you have your DMM set to.
Thats if you have the DMM + input connected through a BNC adaptor to the ProTrack Channel "A" output.
And use the NEG lead from the DMM to probe each pin on the IDC connector.
Or you could take the DMM NEG lead to a pin on the ZIF socket and set this as your COM on the ProTrack menu.
And then connect a IDC ribbon cable to whatever you want to test like the switches on a Joystick.
Just by scrolling through the pins and observing the results on the DMM.
All without Workstation!
Got it. perfect, thank you.
here is an update on the scanner. since I already had the board out, went over solder joints with microscope and soldered everyone. my my, it took a few days. don't want to solder again for a while.
I thought I saw some solder joints that seemed to have low solder or maybe crack but it could have just been a shadow, found nothing definite with solder joints.
put the unit back together. original problem, unit acted as if there is no connection between common and channel a or b in scanner mode no matter which pin I chose as common.
well it is working now. I am not even sure if it was broken to begin with! might have been a start up sequence with the ProTrack. before disassembly I think, I did try turning things off/On and disconnected and reconnected the BNCs and RJ45, and still didn't work.
anyway it is working now and I am happy.
though, I did wanted to check the resistance of the relay contacts as per the instruction above. I went through the instruction connected red (+) lead of dmm to Channel A, chose Scanner, Setup, pin & packaged, scrolled to 64 pin, (from here on I might have made some mistakes), set 0 as common, Next the instruction above said "Auto", (((But I don't see an Auto mode on my protrack)), chose, "Store".
Went back to previous page. Chose the scan button above pins/packages, top button left. Scrolled 1 pin at a time for resistance reading. On chosen pin I was getting something different than other pins. All chosen pins resistance reading on dmm were similar but in the Mohms. Reading was definitely different between chosen than not a chosen pins. By chosen pin I mean when you scroll to a pin number using the encoder in the manual scan mode.
But when I chose a common Pin 1-64. Stored it, reading on that common pin read a resistance one can agree with. It was around 0.2-0.5s ohms. for each pin I had to go and choose that pin as common. Store it. Then go back choose it using the encoder and that's when I could read a resistance on the DMM. The signal line on CRT went vertical as well when common pin was chosen using encoder. it would go flat when scrolled to other pins than the common. dmm reading was also as mentioned.
I have always found that powering the Scanner on first helps with connecting to the ProTrack.
A simple alternative for checking the relays without software would be to make a 64 pin ribbon cable assembly with one end plugging into the Scanner 64 pin connector. The other end would have all of the wires connect to a wire that can plug into the Common banana jack on the front of the ProTrack. It won't test for relay resistance like James' test does but it will check for a relay that does not close.
Hi
I use a similar method that is I have a gang of 64 X 47 K Ohm Resistors mounted on some strip board.
One end of all the Resistors to COM, and the other end of each Resistor to each of the pins on a 64-way IDC Plug connector.
Connect through ribbon cable to the Scanner 64-way IDC plug, and using the appropriate resistance settings on the ProTrack to obtain a 45 Deg trace. Quickly scroll through all 64 pins to check all is well with the Scanner Relays.
I also use this 47 K Ohm & 10 M Ohm Resistor adaptors to check for high / low resistance shorts & continuity between pins as mentioned on this Forum.
Either looking at the Trace on the ProTrack or using a DMM to view the results.
And use Workstation to automate the test for a pass of fail result.
Again either CRT trace or DMM to make the measurements.
On the adaptor shown one side goes to the ProTrack, and the other side goes to a circuit board connector under test.
thank you both for great tips.
James are the 2 IDC 64 pins connected together and with 1 side of the resisters?
and is the 10M ohms resister adapter another one just like this?
Hi
Each Resistor is connected directly to each pin on the IDC plug.
And the other ends of all the Resistors is connected to COM.
So if you have a DMM connected to the BNC Ch.A output on the Scanner.
The adaptor connected through ribbon cable to the 64-way plug on the ProTrack SWcanner.
And the NEG lead from the DMM connected to the COM terminal on the adaptor.
Set the ProTrack for 64 pin SIL, Scanner menu and as you scroll though with the Encoder Knob you should get a reading 47 K Ohm for each Resistor on the adaptor
And answer to your question yes each of the pins on the two 64-way IDC are connected pin 1 to pin1, pin 2 to pin 2 ----- to pin 64 to pin 64..
And yes the 10 M Ohm adaptor is the same.
prefect, thank you for your replay, and thank you very much for sharing.