M4-ATX Bug. Response from Mini-Box

ArcaneDreams · 04-23-2008, 11:12 PM

Here is my e-mail.

Quote:

My ignition has been off for a considerable time (hours). I apply a signal to the ignition. The power supply sends a pulse to the mother board and the PC turns on, and functions normally.
An hour later I remove the ignition wire from the power supply. 30 seconds elapse, then the power supply sends a pulse to the mother board to tell it to turn off.

Since my dip switches are set to mode "A" for a 5 second delay to send the pulse...I think something may be wrong.
I have tried using other modes with the dip switches, yet the all behave exactly the same as the above bold text explains.
The only exception is when the power supply is set to behave like a standard power supply with no delays at all. This is the only mode that is functioning correctly.

Now, something I DID notice is this:
If I remove the ignition wire to the power supply for 1 second, then re-apply the ignition wire for 1 second, the remove the ignition wire yet again, then the power supply will send a shut down pulse after 5 seconds.

This is great, because this is the desired operation, however to my knowledge a vehicle's ignition wire does not send a OFF/ON/OFF pulse when the vehicle is turned off.

I hope I have not been too confusing, and I appreciate your help.

Here is the response:

Quote:

I got it, you see a bug that we fixed 1 week ago, when did you get your M4-ATX and from whom?
Please give me your address so that I can cross ship you a unit. Kindly send me the old one back to:

Lan Vo
Ituner Networks Corp
47801 Fremont Bvd
Fremont, CA 94538

Please give me your address as well. Also, but the time you see get the new unit with new firmware, please go to www.mini-box.com and download the latest manual, we also have a new timing scheme (more timing scenarios targeted more for hibernation)

Thanks,
Andrei

ArcaneDreams · 04-23-2008, 11:20 PM

And to follow up:

Quote:

I received my unit from MP3Car.com.

My address is:

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

How will this work? Do you send me the new unit then I send the old one back, or vice versa? How can I be sure I will indeed receive the new unit. I want to be sure this is not a spoof e-mail.

Response:

Quote:

Hi Lan,

Please ship ***** an m4-atx with new firmware, see address below! (UPS 3 day, he does not needs cables, just send him 2 two pin cables)

> send the old one back, or vice versa? How can I be sure I will indeed receive the new unit. I want to be sure this is not a spoof e-mail.
Please send the old one back, when you have time. Wait until you get my unit first..

Fox_Mulder · 04-24-2008, 12:53 AM

Ah nice you found a solution to your problem, gonna have to check my m4 now to make sure it doesnt suffer from the same problem

Fox_Mulder · 04-27-2008, 07:30 AM

How long did it take you to get a respons from mini-box.com? I'm currently waiting on a reply to my problem about the m4 not sending a motherboard pulse in the HARDOFF state.

ArcaneDreams · 04-27-2008, 10:54 AM

I had to e-mail several times. I also tried a couple different e-mails. It took about 3 weeks to finally get a response.

This is the guy who responded.
andrei@mini-box.com

Fox_Mulder · 04-27-2008, 11:59 AM

thanks for that

hailrazer · 04-27-2008, 01:40 PM

I've emailed 3 times and finally got a response saying they would get back with me.....

So I'm firing off more emails.

Fox_Mulder · 04-28-2008, 03:55 AM

I sent an email directly to Andrei who replied within a day. He has forwarded my message to a person named Laci to help me troubleshoot. Andrei has also asked that the emails be CC'd to him to keep him in the loop. Maybe theirdefault customer service email is just flooded with other emails that it takes a while for our support requests to get through. But if you contact them directly it gets to the right people faster.

Fox_Mulder · 04-28-2008, 06:22 AM

Ah damn I've discovered my M4 also suffers from the same problem as ArcaneDreams (Mine always takes 1 min to issue the shutdown pulse regardless of mode).

hailrazer · 04-29-2008, 08:35 AM

Well I am having all kinds of trouble with mini-box.

They keep insisting there isn't a problem, that they test their units before they send them out and WE are not hooking then up correctly.

My last email to them was a little curt.

And I linked to all the threads here about the problem. Maybe they will get the point.

hailrazer · 04-29-2008, 09:08 PM

Well according to mini-box the problem is on our end.

They are saying that our motherboards are ignoring the off pulse and only turning off after the 60 second hard-off pulse is sent.

They say we must have the jumpers wired wrong to the motherboards.

But they are sending me a new one to try.

ArcaneDreams · 04-29-2008, 09:17 PM

I have tested mind with a DMM and I can assure you there is no pulse after 5 seconds.

I am also using a standard micro atx motherboard.

Who was it you were talking to that said that?

hailrazer · 04-29-2008, 09:39 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by ArcaneDreams

I have tested mind with a DMM and I can assure you there is no pulse after 5 seconds.

I am also using a standard micro atx motherboard.

Who was it you were talking to that said that?

I have been dealing with Andrei and Lan.

Some of the responses:

Quote:

Looks like your motherboard is ignoring the ON/OFF commands a(or only the OFF commands) and HARDOFF is kicking in (after 60 seconds). It could be your motherboard ON/OFF circuirty, I am not sure. We are using a 1 bit bus switch from Fairchile Semi to 'short' the ON/OFF pins. And this is what we have been using for 5 years... http://www.fairchildsemi.com/ds/NC%2FNC7SZ384.pdf

Anyway, please keep me informaed with your developemnts, I am interested to see if the 2nd unit worls for you...

-Andrei

Quote:

1) Turn on car, turn it off right away. System will shut down in 60 seconds (Will allow system to boot up, for about 60s and then we will send a pulse)
Is this the problem you see?

2) Turn on car, keep it running for 1-2 minutes. Turn off. If you are set for 5 second delay, it will turn off in 5 seconds!

Also, please let me know what kinf of motherboard you are using...

-Andrei

jimmler · 04-29-2008, 11:13 PM

The DMM might not be fast enough to catch the pulse. Do you have access to a scope? I have been too busy with some other projects to get back on track with my M4-ATX, but I'm betting it will have the same issue.

I have emailed them at least 3 times requesting more information on the board. I did get an automated e-mail back with a case number, but replies to that have gone unanswered. I want to know more about the USB programming. They tout it as a feature and yet offer no info, drivers, etc. regarding it. I'll bet you can get some interesting info from J5, too. You could probably re-program the PIC, if you were so inclined. I wish I had more time to dig into it.

One of the M4 threads had mentioned mini-box had released a new manual. That seems to not be the case. I have a copy downloaded on 4/6/08, marked 1.0c. That's the same version that's on their site now. I wonder if they are using the same tech support group as StreetDeck.

ArcaneDreams · 04-30-2008, 01:09 AM

The DMM can see the pulse it sends after 30 seconds.

My power supply was not going into HARDOFF mode..because my PC actually went into hibernation after 30 seconds. If it just cut the power..the PC would instantly turn off.

And as much as I would like to have my own scope..they are pricey.