Need help with prop1 and vmusic2

[JonnyMac]

Contact me via my normal work e-mail address.  As this is not an EFX-TEK product defect we must ask you to pay shipping both ways -- we don't have the time or money to be troubleshooting defective products from other vendors; this is out of the norm and we cannot offer it as a normal service.  I think we'd all like to see this thread concluded.

[JonnyMac]

I had another thought this morning based on my experiences with the VMUSIC: it doesn't like MP3s that are encoded above 192K -- do you know what bit rate your MP3s are using?

[BigRez]

Per the documentation:
Firmware version 2.05 and above supports MP3 and WMA files up to 320kbit/sec.
Firmware version 2.0 supports MP3 up to 224kbit/sec

I have a couple of other MP3 players that have similar restrictions and when the encoding is too high, they just don't play the music. I just tried one of my VMusic2 devices through the Prop-1 and a file with a 320 kbits/sec and it played fine.  My vmusic player does have the 2.4 version of the firmware though.  I couldn't try any higher rates because that's as high as Audacity will save them.

Interestingly, the documentation also says the filename provided to the VPF and VRF commands can be up to 11 ascii characters.  Well, 8.3 notation is 12 characters.  strange...

[JonnyMac]

Let me tell you a little story about their documentation....   ;D

You experience (vis-a-vis bit rate) is different that mine and therein lies the problem: inconsistent results with that product from user to user.  I am very close to saying that EFX-TEK will now longer provide any kind of support for the VMUSIC player -- it has become a giant black hole for productivity.

[tugman]

The bit rate of the single play file I've been trying to play is 112k.

6 of the files I've been using all along are 112k and 2 are 192k

[tugman]

Jon, I sent my parts as directed. Did you get them alright and have you found anything wrong?

Thanks, Tugman

[JonnyMac]

They seemed to ride the slow boat to California and arrived just as I was headed out the door on this present business trip.  I will check them when I get back and let you know NLT Tuesday.

[JonnyMac]

Issue #1: Neither of your players were configured for 2400 baud -- in fact, one player would not allow me to connect at all.  Using information from Scary Terry's VMUSIC Troubleshooting page I manually re-flashed the players to 2400 baud.  After testing with HyperTerminal I connected them to a Prop-1 using the program below.  All files play correctly from both VMUSIC modules.

Issue #2: This is not critical but I think it's a bad idea: you're using long file names on your jump drive and the VMUSIC only likes 8.3 names; I suggest you change them.  The image I've attached shows how the VMUSIC sees the files (I was connected to your module using a Vinculum cable).

I consider this matter closed and think that we have demonstrated -- beyond a shadow of a doubt -- that the problems you suffered were in no way caused or created by EFX-TEK.

' =========================================================================
'
'   File...... VMusic_Test.BS1
'   Purpose...
'   Author.... Jon Williams, EFX-TEK (www.efx-tek.com)
'   E-mail.... jwilliams@efx-tek.com
'              Copyright (c) 2008-2009 EFX-TEK
'              Some Rights Reserved
'              see: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/
'   Started...
'   Updated... 15 JUN 2009
'
'   {$STAMP BS1}
'   {$PBASIC 1.0}
'
' =========================================================================


' -----[ Program Description ]---------------------------------------------
'
' Demo for VMUSIC2 player
' -- P7 and P6 SETUP jumpers need to be in the UP position
' -- clip pins 1 and 2 from ULN2803, or pin 1 from the ULN2003
'
' After downloading the program cycle power on the Prop-1 to allow the
' Prop-1 and VMUSIC to sync up.


' -----[ Revision History ]------------------------------------------------


' -----[ I/O Definitions ]-------------------------------------------------

SYMBOL  RX              = 7                     ' SETUP = UP, no ULN
SYMBOL  TX              = 6                     ' SETUP = UP, no ULN
SYMBOL  Sio             = 5                     ' no ULN
SYMBOL  Trigger         = 4


' -----[ Constants ]-------------------------------------------------------

SYMBOL  IsOn            = 1                     ' for active-high in/out
SYMBOL  IsOff           = 0

SYMBOL  Yes             = 1
SYMBOL  No              = 0

SYMBOL  VolMax          = 0
SYMBOL  VolMin          = $FE

SYMBOL  Baud            = OT2400


' -----[ Variables ]-------------------------------------------------------

SYMBOL  theMP3          = B2                    ' MP3 file pointer
SYMBOL  eePntr          = B3                    ' EEPROM memory pointer
SYMBOL  char            = B4                    ' character value
SYMBOL  mute            = B5                    ' mute level (0 = loudest)
SYMBOL  idx             = B6                    ' loop controller


' -----[ Initialization ]--------------------------------------------------

Reset:
  PAUSE 2250                                    ' let VMUSIC power up
  GOSUB VM_Stop                                 ' stop if playing
  GOSUB VM_Wait_Prompt


' -----[ Program Code ]----------------------------------------------------

Main:
  DEBUG CLS

  FOR theMP3 = 0 TO 7
    GOSUB VM_Play
    GOSUB VM_Wait_Start
    DEBUG "Playing ", #theMP3, CR
    GOSUB VM_Wait_Prompt
  NEXT

  DEBUG CR, "Done"
  END


' -----[ Subroutines ]-----------------------------------------------------

VM_Wait_Prompt:
  SERIN RX, Baud, (">")
  RETURN

' -------------------------------------------------------------------------

' Pass file # (index in EEPROM table) to play in "theMP3"

VM_Play:
  SEROUT TX, Baud, ("VPF ")
  GOTO Play_MP3

' -------------------------------------------------------------------------

' Pass file # (index in EEPROM table) to play in "theMP3"

VM_Repeat:
SEROUT TX, Baud, ("VRF ")

' -------------------------------------------------------------------------

Play_MP3:
  eePntr = theMP3 * 8                           ' calc address of name

Send_Name:                                      ' send file title
  FOR idx = 1 TO 8                              ' max is 8 characters
    READ eePntr, char                           ' get a character
    IF char = 0 THEN Finish_Cmd                 ' if 0, we're at end
    SEROUT TX, Baud, (char)
    eePntr = eePntr + 1
  NEXT

Finish_Cmd:
  SEROUT TX, Baud, (".MP3", 13)                 ' send extention + CR
  RETURN

' -------------------------------------------------------------------------

VM_Wait_Start :
  SERIN RX, Baud, ("T $")
  RETURN

' -------------------------------------------------------------------------

VM_Stop:
  SEROUT TX, Baud, ("VST", 13)
  RETURN

' -------------------------------------------------------------------------

' Pass mute (0 = loudest, 254 = muted) in "mute"

VM_Mute:
  mute = mute MAX VolMin                        ' limit per spec
  SEROUT TX, Baud, ("VSV ", #mute, 13)
  RETURN


' -----[ User Data ]-------------------------------------------------------

' File names are stored on 8-byte boundaries -- this is very important for
' correct program operation.  This strategy uses a little more EE space but
' is easier to update and maintain

Song_List:
  EEPROM $00, ("poptoo~1")                      ' theMP3 = 0
  EEPROM $08, ("shrtso~1")                      ' theMP3 = 1
  EEPROM $10, ("foghor~1")
  EEPROM $18, ("lngson~1")
  EEPROM $20, ("poplau~1")
  EEPROM $28, ("blomed~1")
  EEPROM $30, ("shiver~1")
  EEPROM $38, ("ahoymp~1")

[JonnyMac]

Your modules and jump drive have been returned via Priority Mail -- you should have them by the end of the week.

[tugman]

Thanks Jon, but nothing has changed it still works just as it did.  I even tried to get it to play the one play code you provided (below)and nothing.  As before the VM flashes and the thumbdrive flashes every 10 seconds but I can hear nothing.  The headphone pops a little when I turn the power on to the prop 1 so I think the headphones are working and I went back to the scarry terry file and it responds just as before and I can hear it  very well.  Still takes 30 seconds to do anything as far as sound.  You were able to get both VM's to play?  I tried them both and nothing. Can't figure this out?  Thoughts???


' =========================================================================
'
'   File......
'   Purpose...
'   Author....
'   E-mail....
'   Started...
'   Updated...
'
'   {$STAMP BS1}
'   {$PBASIC 1.0}
'
' =========================================================================


' -----[ Program Description ]---------------------------------------------


' -----[ Revision History ]------------------------------------------------


' -----[ I/O Definitions ]-------------------------------------------------

SYMBOL  RX              = 7                     ' SETUP = UP, no ULN
SYMBOL  TX              = 6                     ' SETUP = UP, no ULN


' -----[ Constants ]-------------------------------------------------------

SYMBOL  Baud            = OT2400


' -----[ Variables ]-------------------------------------------------------

SYMBOL  char            = B2


' -----[ Initialization ]--------------------------------------------------

Reset:
  PAUSE 3000                                    ' let VMUSIC power up


' -----[ Program Code ]----------------------------------------------------

Main:
  SEROUT TX, Baud, ("VPF SHRT.mp3", 13)
  PAUSE 10000
  GOTO Main

[JonnyMac]

I reflashed and tested both VMUSIC players with the thumbdrive that you sent -- did you change drives?  Did you try the test program with above that loops through all of your songs?

[tugman]

Could you please explain what I should do with these 2 lines

-- use P5 for Sio (no ULN) to EFX-TEK accessories
' -- use P4 for (active-high) trigger

I guess p4 is used to trigger by taken positive.  P5, I'm not sure.

I just don't want to tell you it doesn't work if I'm not doing things right.

[JonnyMac]

Did you run the little test program that I gave you that loops through the files?  Using the jumpdrive that you sent to me?

[tugman]

That's what I need to know, in that program you have...


' -----[ Program Description ]---------------------------------------------
'
' Demo for VMUSIC2 player
' -- P7 and P6 SETUP jumpers need to be in the UP position
' -- clip pins 1 and 2 from ULN2803, or pin 1 from the ULN2003
' -- use P5 for Sio (no ULN) to EFX-TEK accessories
' -- use P4 for (active-high) trigger
'
' After downloading the program cycle power on the Prop-1 to allow the
' Prop-1 and VMUSIC to sync up.


...at the beginning and I need to know if I have to take pin4 high to make it work and what do I do with pin5?

[JonnyMac]

You don't have to do anything except run the program -- it's a test and doesn't use P4 (normally used as the trigger in my programs) or P5 (serial to EFX-TEK accessories).  I have removed the comments from the test code to prevent anyone else from being confused.

Just download the program to your Prop-1 that is connected -- per MY wiring scheme -- to one the VMUSIC players I returned and make sure you use the jumpdrive you sent to me.  After the program downloads, turn off the Prop-1 power for a second then turn it back on; after a short start-up delay it will cycle through the songs on the jumpdrive and then stop.