[panels] do panels need to be programmed?

From: "Michael Reiser" <mreiser@xxxxxxxxx>
To: panels@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Fri, 7 Jul 2006 01:53:55 -0700

Here is another email I recently received - I am answering here on the
mailing list:

Dear Dr. Reiser,

Recently we (http://www.ft.uam.es/neurociencia/)
have bought panels  and controllers in order to build
a visual stimulation for insects,
but we have problems using them with the Matlab programs provided
(http://www.its.caltech.edu/~mreiser/panels.html<http://www.its.caltech.edu/%7Emreiser/panels.html>).


We have several questions in respect to the panel system:

1) Is the AVR programming device required for the functioning of the system?


2) Is the controllers preprogrammed or we must program them?

3) Is the panels preprogrammed or we must to program them?

4) Are there some easy way to check if the controller is functional --
  something like self test or similar? Currently the controller does not
seems to respond to any
  of the commands (at least there is no response via RS232).

5) Are there some easy way to see if a panel is functional?

Looking forward, K.Koroutchev

********************************************************

Dear Kostadin -

I think all users of the system would be very curious to learn how and where
you bought the panels and controllers. For me the process of building these
components has always been a bit time-consuming - I would love to buy them
somewhere. Did you find an electronics assembly group that followed the
instructions on my web site to build the panels and controller. If so, I am
very impressed, because whoever did this never contacted me with any
questions.

Now to your questions - basically the answer to all of these is that the
panels and both processors on the controller must be programmed.
1) yes, you will need an AVR programming device
2) the controller must be programmed - unless whoever built these for you
already programmed them
3) same as (2)
4) There is a self-test built in - when the system is turned on the
controller talks to any connected panels and they flash off and on. Also
there is a 'blink LED' command that can be sent from Matlab to test the
communication between the PC and the controller.
5) when a panel is plugged in it should display '00' - if this occurs it is
almost certainly functional. Basic functionality and proper orientation and
soldering of the Atmel controller can be determined using the AVR studio and
an AVR programmer.

Good luck.

MR

[panels] do panels need to be programmed?

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