How to re-program a salsa with a VR2 controller

[Smithy]

Hi there, I'm a new member and I hope you can help me.

My wife has secondary progressive MS and is in a Mini Salsa all day. Now she can't transfer she has applied for a drive from wheelchair vehicle from Motability.......long saga!!
However....to prepare for the trips she has bought a new heavily discounted salsa M1 with a VR2, however there are no profiles setup for slow manouvre's etc.
We have tried to get the supplier to change it with no joy. As I'm an industrial programmer I considered it something I can do given the tools.

I've got a copy of PG Drives PC Programmer 14.6.0, and found details from Woody about making a comms lead from an FTDI TTL-232R-5V, but can't figure out the port setup - Baud rate/flow/etc. The drivers are installed and recognise the cable and I can select the relevant port from the software, but it remains inactive............any idea's

[duke1]

Hi there, I'm a new member and I hope you can help me.

My wife has secondary progressive MS and is in a Mini Salsa all day. Now she can't transfer she has applied for a drive from wheelchair vehicle from Motability.......long saga!!
However....to prepare for the trips she has bought a new heavily discounted salsa M1 with a VR2, however there are no profiles setup for slow manouvre's etc.
We have tried to get the supplier to change it with no joy. As I'm an industrial programmer I considered it something I can do given the tools.

I've got a copy of PG Drives PC Programmer 14.6.0, and found details from Woody about making a comms lead from an FTDI TTL-232R-5V, but can't figure out the port setup - Baud rate/flow/etc. The drivers are installed and recognise the cable and I can select the relevant port from the software, but it remains inactive............any idea's

hi and welcome,im not sure mine is exact same program but it never works without switching from one port to another then back again it works on port3 on my pc but when first switched on it stays inactive even on 3 then go to4 and back to3 then it works fine,i hope you can follow that maybe its the same,you should add your location to your profile it helps folk best guide you,good luck

[steves1977uk]

Open the joystick pod and see if there's any loose/disconnected wires on the XLR port.

Steve

[woodygb]

Hi there, I'm a new member and I hope you can help me.

My wife has secondary progressive MS and is in a Mini Salsa all day. Now she can't transfer she has applied for a drive from wheelchair vehicle from Motability.......long saga!!
However....to prepare for the trips she has bought a new heavily discounted salsa M1 with a VR2, however there are no profiles setup for slow manouvre's etc.
We have tried to get the supplier to change it with no joy. As I'm an industrial programmer I considered it something I can do given the tools.

I've got a copy of PG Drives PC Programmer 14.6.0, and found details from Woody about making a comms lead from an FTDI TTL-232R-5V, but can't figure out the port setup - Baud rate/flow/etc. The drivers are installed and recognise the cable and I can select the relevant port from the software, but it remains inactive............any idea's

NO port setups required ( no faffing around with baud rates etc ) ..just the correct port needs to be selected.

So... Let's start with a question ...The joystick is ON ?

[Burgerman]

Also, go into device manager. On top menu, select SHOW HIDDEN DEVICES. Delete all the greyed out ports. They are all now usable. Reboot, and then plug in the chair (ON) and plug into the USB. Set it to the LOWEST unused USB. If thats say, COM3 then also set the programing software to the same COM3 from the top menu. It should now connect, and be active.

If not, use a different USB port, and if that fails use a different computer...

[woodygb]

I have found myself that the resistor value of 33k is right on the lower limit ( this value was recommended by someone on this forum with an oscilloscope ) ... so try a slightly higher value.

Here's another drawing showing the use of a cheap Adafruit USB that uses the FTDI Chip.

[Burgerman]

Maybe the pullup resistor depends on diode used. And also maybe a shottky diode would be closer to ideal signal voltage than silicone diode.

That said, mine just works.

[Smithy]

Sorry for the delay but I'm at work.
Never used a forum before so I hope I'm replying OK......I've had a sheltered life!!
Many thanks for all your replies.....you are a very helpful bunch.

Duke1 - tried this but no joy

Steves1977uk - will check tonight but must be as supplier did pug in

WoodyGB - it is powered up, interesting that it doesn't need to know how to communicate, but I'll go with it and return it to default.
The diagram I found before joining didn't have a pull up resistor, just a IN4148 with anode on RX, and cathode on TX with anode connected to XLR pin 3, pin 2 to gnd. TX is orange on TTL-232R-5V and RX yellow.....I can try the pull up over the weekend

Burgerman - I'll check the 'hidden devices' tonight

[woodygb]

@Smithy ..the diagrams have changed a bit over time.

[Smithy]

thanks Woody....I'll add a pull up as per dwg

[rickystyx]

I find that sometimes the programme won't talk to the chair but if I go into options and change the port - get a port not available report - then change it back to the one that works again - suddenly the controller connects.
I have no idea why this works but it does for me

[duke1]

I find that sometimes the programme won't talk to the chair but if I go into options and change the port - get a port not available report - then change it back to the one that works again - suddenly the controller connects.
I have no idea why this works but it does for me

mine is the same and never figured out why i guess its a glitch/gremlin type thing and just remember to do its little messing then get on with the programming of course i am chuffed to have a working copy even if a bit temperamental!good luck op

[Smithy]

Pull up resistor saves the day.....Thanks Woody......I've just written my first program and all working OK.

Thank you all so much for all your help and advice, now I can fine tune it to suit Denise over the next few days.

Perhaps I'll try her other chair next!!

[woodygb]

Happy to help.