SainSmart 12864 display

Damn, and here I was enjoying my lurking

I'm in the process of building a 3d printer, at the moment most of the mechanical gubbins are in the post but I bought the electronics last month and have set about testing them *but*, i'm having an issue with the lcd display!

The unit was bought as part of a package from sainsmart (motors, ramps, arduino, endstops, heated bed) but i'm having problems getting the screen to work, when I power the board (through the ramps board) with the lcd screen attached I get no picture on the screen and SDINIT failures on the serial console, the rotary switch works however as it "beeps" when pressed and the backlight on the unit works as expected.

Marlin is configured with REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER and SDSUPPORT uncommented.

Initially I did have an issue with the maxtemp causing the board to shut down but I've circumvented this by putting a resistor acrross t0.

So, am I doing something wrong or is this knackered ?

I used this setup with a Megatronics 2.0 board. You will need the u8glib added into arduino's libraries. I believe Ultra_LCD and DogLCD needed uncommented also.

SDINIT fail could just be you dont have a have a SD card in the slot, or its formatted wrong. Or its a type that cant be used (most sizes over 4gb and over class 4)

Quote
blbergeson
I used this setup with a Megatronics 2.0 board. You will need the u8glib added into arduino's libraries. I believe Ultra_LCD and DogLCD needed uncommented also.

I have the library (it won't compile without it it!), UltraLCD is uncommented and DogLCD is defined when you add REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER

Quote
Dust
SDINIT fail could just be you dont have a have a SD card in the slot, or its formatted wrong. Or its a type that cant be used (most sizes over 4gb and over class 4)

I figured as much but there's not so much clear-cut information outt here, thanks!

I've finally managed to get in touch with the seller and they've provided some sample firmware to test, i'll check after work and let you guys know

I did have issues with a corrupt U8glib after someone else had similiar issues. I had to uninstall arduino and libraries and then reinstall everything.

I'll give that a go if I have no joy with the stuff the seller sent me, the library came from the marlin archive which id just downloaded but It can't hurt to try

So, they provide a copy of 023, with a copy of marlin with an ino project (ie, unsupported by 023), there's another copy in a sub folder, which doesn't compile under 023, same thing with every build of arduion and marlin I try so far, methinks the screen is fecked!

AH HA!

The copy of marlin in the sub folder, on the nightly build of arduino *works*, it does lack autoleveling which is soemthing I really *do* want, but it's a start!

If you post the configuration.h of the one that works for you at www.pastebin.com and link it here and do the same for the configuration.h you want to use, we can easily copy the settings over for you. You won't learn anything from that though.

Hi, I'll see if I can get this up late, both have REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER uncommented, a direct comparison might not reveal too much though as they do appear to be different builds of marlin.

I've ask them to detail exactly what changes they made for this display, they're going to get back to me but apparently they're on holiday atm

Config's below.

Using stock marlin

[pastebin.com]

And the one from the build provided by the seller.

[pastebin.com]

I did come across some seemingly older documentation that mentions a change to pins.h (the point they referce no longer exists though) so i'm wondering it it's something related to that.

I downloaded this version of Marlin, [github.com]. I'll post the changes I made in the morning to enable the display. I gave up on the Megatronics board after trying to get dual extuders working and switched to mega 2560/ ramps 1.4 and the sainsmart 12864 works on it also. As a bonus the SD card is working with the ramps setup, it doesn't work on the Megatronics setup.

I have also just bought one of these kits and am trying to get it all working. It is my first time using this sort of kit and working with downloads/uploads etc. Is there any chance that any of you have a step by step on what I need to do as what I have at the moment does not make a lot of sense. For example the instructions say I need to download Arduino 1.0.1, but there is only 1.0.5, is this the latest version or what? Then when I am instructed to open Marlin in the examples, it isn't there???
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Tony,

Arduino 1.05 is the newest version and will work fine, I'm using it. Marlin is a version of firmware that you download to the Megatronics board that actually runs a 3d printer and will need to be downloaded also. It's the program that runs the printer. The program is created and edited using the Arduino software. I got it here [github.com]. You can unzip it yourself and copy the whole Marlin folder into the Arduino sketch folder or not and just browse to it. It's easier if it is in your sketch folder, then it shows up naturally. You will also need the U8glib for the 128x64 lcd display. I got it here [code.google.com]. This library is used by Marlin to talk to your lcd display. You can unzip it yourself and copy it in to the arduino libraries or import the library from the drop down menu in Arduino. After installing arduino and the U8glib you can open up Marlin and make the changes needed. I'll help you out as much as I can.

I have a working copy of Marlin for the Sainsmart megatronics kit with the 128x64 display. I'm not sure how I can post it so you could try just using it. You would still have to make some slight changes for your application but we can cross that bridge later.

Hi blbergeson,

Thanks for your reply. I have downloaded the Arduino and the Marlin, but cannot copy the marlin into the sketch folder, please could you explain how this is done?

MiggyMan. Here's what's uncommented in configuration.h

Quote

//LCD and SD support
#define ULTRA_LCD  //general LCD support, also 16x2
#define DOGLCD  // Support for SPI LCD 128x64 (Controller ST7565R graphic Display Family)
#define SDSUPPORT // Enable SD Card Support in Hardware Console
//#define SDSLOW // Use slower SD transfer mode (not normally needed - uncomment if you're getting volume init error)
//#define ENCODER_PULSES_PER_STEP 1 // Increase if you have a high resolution encoder
//#define ENCODER_STEPS_PER_MENU_ITEM 5 // Set according to ENCODER_PULSES_PER_STEP or your liking
//#define ULTIMAKERCONTROLLER //as available from the Ultimaker online store.
//#define ULTIPANEL  //the UltiPanel as on Thingiverse
//#define LCD_FEEDBACK_FREQUENCY_HZ 1000 // this is the tone frequency the buzzer plays when on UI feedback. ie Screen Click
//#define LCD_FEEDBACK_FREQUENCY_DURATION_MS 100 // the duration the buzzer plays the UI feedback sound. ie Screen Click

// The MaKr3d Makr-Panel with graphic controller and SD support
// [reprap.org]
//#define MAKRPANEL

// The RepRapDiscount Smart Controller (white PC
// [reprap.org]
//#define REPRAP_DISCOUNT_SMART_CONTROLLER

// The GADGETS3D G3D LCD/SD Controller (blue PC
// [reprap.org]
//#define G3D_PANEL

// The RepRapDiscount FULL GRAPHIC Smart Controller (quadratic white PC
// [reprap.org]
//
// ==> REMEMBER TO INSTALL U8glib to your ARDUINO library folder: [code.google.com]
#define REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER

Hi Tony,

This was MiggyMan's post and we should probably not hijack his thread. Could you start another thread and I'll answer your questions there?

MiggyMan,

I didn't have to change anything in the pins.h file to get the LCD working. But that may be necessary to get the SD card working on the LCD. The microSD card worked on the motherboard just not on the LCD.

I have no ojbection to a thread hijack

The configuration.h reads much the same to mine, commenting out REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER has the same effect as commenting out DOGLCD.

When I get a chance i'll get back to looking into this, the supplier has been less than useful (but not for lack of trying )

I plan to give the pins.h for both builds a once over but also I may try another copy of the u8glib as this has been suggested!

Quote
blbergeson
I didn't have to change anything in the pins.h file to get the LCD working. But that may be necessary to get the SD card working on the LCD. The microSD card worked on the motherboard just not on the LCD.

My understanding from the first post is that MiggyMan is running RAMPS, which doesn't include a Micro-SD. I'm guessing that you have the SainSmart Megatronics 2.0 / 12864 package, and missed several other threads here about how the kill switch and external SD pins are not passed through the SainSmart Megatronics display adapter board or how the folks in the German language section have hacked a Megatronics 2.0 board up to make this work.....

I've used the same display on megatronics and ramps with the same configuration.h selections for the display and no changes to the pins.h

Hello,

my SD Card now work. The solution was the hardware from Sainsmart.
There was no +5V on the regolatur for the 3.3V on the LCD.
I solder a +5V bridge to the regulator, and now it works perfect.

Kind Regards
Peik



Die Lösung...

und es lag doch an der Hardware ;-) Ok wer sainsmart kauft muss damit rechnen.
Es ist tatsächlich so gewesen das der SD Karten Slot keine 3.3V erhalten hat.
Der Hammer ist aber bei der Leiterbahn für den Spannungswandler 5-->3.3V kamen keine 5V an.
Habe also eine Brücke vom LCD PIN 2 dort zum Regler (siehe Bild) gelegt.

Und siehe da, Karte erkannt.
Jetzt schnell ein Druck gemacht. Der ging aber völlig in die Hose, der Drucker machte seltsame Sachen.
Habe herausgefunden das meine SD Karte wohl zu langsam war. Na egal jetzt steckt eine 8 !! GB FAT32 SD Karte
drin und der Drucker rennt wie verrückt.

D A N K E
Peik

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Bevor ich hier eine Frage stelle, habe ich hoffentlich gründlich recherchiert. Grundsätzlich versuche ich selbst Lösungen zu finden, nur manchmal bekomme ich es nicht hin und noch mehr graue Haare stehen mir nicht. Also seht es mir nach, wenn ich dann doch mal eine Frage stelle und über jede einzelne Antwort freue und bedanke ich mich hier nochmals.