Matrix Orbital Corp

My new VK202-25 (wide voltage) on power-up displays "Matrix Orbital", "VK202-25" etc. but as WinXP kicks in, after a few seconds (drivers?) the display starts showing random chars starting from the top left. Checking 'Device Manager' etc. to see relevant COM port is set (default and speed at 19200) any type of s/ware on supplied CD only throws up more spurious chars on display. Thought it may have been the USB>Serial adapter (BF-810) so tried on the one serial port I have - same results. Anyone have any ideas? Seems it should work straight-off without any real setting-up....

cheers
paul

Hello..

What type of serial cable are you using...? Is it a null modem cable or straight through...? The serial cable should be straigh through... If you have the correct cable and still doesn't work, then try the following steps to perform a manual override:

1. Turn off the display
2. Put a jumper on pins 5 and 6 of the keypad connector (C5 and R1).
3. Power up the display. The baud rate is now set to 19,200.
4. Remove the jumper and change the RS-232 port settings to the desired baud rate.
5. Turn off the display.
6. Power up the display.

For further reference please see section 1.7 in the manual.

Hi, found that the VFD would display startup screen "Matrix Orbital VK-205" fine right through WinXP bootup up until XP starts loading drivers (ATI video, Audigy 2 sound etc.) then would start displaying top line of spurious characters. Something here was feeding it junk. Guessed it may have been RcMan (a process that runs under the Audigy suite) for remote stuff -guessing also it does something with COM ports (!?). Renamed RCMan so it wouldn't load and rebooted. After WinXP loaded the display was keeping it's startup message - no junk characters now.

LCDC still didn't recognise it though. Did the jumper trick (pins 5/6), took off jumper and LCDC did correctly identify unit and worked with it. Yippee. BBC news, weather etc.etc. Nice. When rebooted though LCDC refuses to recognise it again and writes some junk to it (!). If I keep the jumper (a spare hard disk one) on (pins 5/6) permanently, LCDC works every time after reboots or power downs.

Anyone know if this seems normal?
Anyhoo seems to work under this config. and with a USB>Serial adaptor.

cheers
paul smith

PS the cable was purchased with the unit (KustomPCs.co.uk) and should be a straight through. The baud was always set at 19200 on COM ports and from the software interfaces.

No this is not normal...what this is telling me is that your memory chip is faulty and is not saving the values you set...By manual overriding you are manually setting the baud rate to default 19200. Just to check this theory, try changing and saving your contrast to something that is noticeable using the DisplayTuner.exe program on your eCD. If you disconnect power and power back on, and the contrast has not changed then the memory chip is definitely faulty.