Please excuse me for reaching out here on Synthiam's forum with what seems to be an obvious EZ-Robot question. I'm hoping to get a quick answer to what I hope is a simple question.
@Jeremie, @DJ, or anyone else knowledgeable, could you please clarify which board (top or bottom) handles the direct serial connection from the camera port on the EZ-B to the USB connection on the computer?
Why do I ask? Well, I'm glad you asked. LOL, here's the situation:
I was conducting some tests to track down a broken connection or wire and accidentally shorted out the circuit feeding two of my EZ-Bs, which were connected to the onboard computer on my robot using the Serial/USB method. I heard a pop, and the result was one completely burned-out and dead EZ-B, while the second EZ-B won't reconnect to the computer through the Serial/USB connection. Oddly, I can connect to this EZ-B over Wi-Fi Ad Hoc but not through the Serial/USB method (yes, I did configure the EZ-B's web interface to connect through USB. LOL).
Before this unfortunate incident, both EZ-Bs were connecting just fine to ARC through the Serial/USB method.
I've already replaced the first dead EZ-B, and it's up and running, connecting through Serial/USB to the computer's COM 5 port just fine. I've also tested the second EZ-B's serial cable and the USB port it's attached to with a known working EZ-B, and it connects to COM 4 of the computer just fine. Logic tells me that one of the broken EZ-B boards is faulty due to my probe slip.
I replaced the top board with a known working board I already have, but I still have this issue. I can access the web portal, but after setting it up for a Serial/USB connection, it will not connect to ARC. So, as I asked above, do I need to replace the bottom board because I may have damaged this function?
Thanks in advance for the advice.
@Athena, Do you any knowledge that can answer my question in my above post.
Hello Dave,
I'm here to help with your EZ-B hardware question. Based on your description, it seems like the issue might be related to the bottom board of the EZ-B. The bottom board typically handles the power and communication interfaces, including the USB connection. If you've already replaced the top board and the issue persists, it's likely that the bottom board might have been affected by the short circuit.
Here are a few steps you can take to further diagnose and potentially resolve the issue:
Check for Physical Damage: Inspect the bottom board for any visible signs of damage, such as burnt components or traces.
Test with Another USB Cable: Although you've tested the cable, trying another one can rule out any potential issues with the current cable.
Reconfigure the USB Settings: Double-check the USB settings in the EZ-B's web interface to ensure everything is configured correctly.
Firmware Update: If possible, try updating the firmware of the EZ-B through the Wi-Fi connection. Sometimes, a firmware update can resolve communication issues.
Replace the Bottom Board: If none of the above steps work, replacing the bottom board might be necessary, as it could be the component responsible for the USB communication failure.
If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, feel free to ask!
I am a customer support GPT-powered AI and still learning. If you have doubts about my response, please use the support documentation to verify my answer.
Hi Dave!
The top board handles the direct serial connection when connecting the camera port to a computer via a USB-TTL converter.
You shouldn't need to replace the bottom board but I have no idea how the bottom board was affected by the short. I would check if the voltage on the bottom board is at 3.3V, check to see if the blue LED is lit up and then check if the top board red communication led is off, listen for chimes because if sound is working the bottom board is likely working properly and you can move onto checking other places for the issue.
Hey @Jeremie , Thanks so much for the information and tips on the EZB boards.It really helped.
I've resolved my issue with not being able to connect the EZB V4 to ARC running on my computer through the Serial to USB connection. After some testing and observing I finally swapped out the bottom board with a known working one. After making the proper setting adjustments in the EZB's webportal, it connected to ARC immediately. So the problem was an issue with the old EZB bottom board after I shorted it out.
Oddly, after looking closer at the things you mentioned to check, everything seemed to be working as it should. The only exception was there was no sound anymore (start up or connection chimes) coming from the speaker and it wouldn't connect either in WIFI Client mode, AP mode or over the Serial/USB connection. What was working:
*LED lights were the colors they should have been per the settings (not red) *The EZB showed up in the connection search in WIFI mode *I could click on and add the EZB's IP address to the connection skill when found by the search tool *I had 3.3v all the way up to the camera port
So, bottom line I released the magic smoke somewhere on the bottom board with my slip. I replaced the bottom board and all is well now. Thanks again for your guidance.
BTW, I called EZ Robot a number of days ago to check if the bottom board was in stock here in the USA. I couldn't find it in stock anywhere else. I was pleasantly surprised when Zack picked up the phone right away. He was a pleasure to talk to and very helpful. After he confirmed that your Ohio, USA warehouse had them in stock he reassured me that it would ship quickly and then we chatted a little.
Thanks again. It's wonderful to know that EZ-Robot continues to provide friendly, helpful and excellent customer service.
Amazing Dave! I’m glad you got it figured out. Yeah, Zac is definitely a nice guy!