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Home » Forums » Support » LEGO Laser Scan Station

ScanStation/NXT Brick Connection

Submitted by jthomas1 on Mon, 02/16/2009 - 13:37

We are having a pair of problems which I think are both related somehow to the connection between the computer with ScanStation on it and the NXT brick. The first problem being that while running a scan, every once in a while the scan stops mid-row and an error message appears saying that the NXT brick is not connected, check it and then press OK. I was able to temporarily fix that problem by removing and replacing the USB cable at the computer and continue the scan without issue.

The second problem though comes when the NXT brick and computer get that same disconnect when switching between rows. When that happens the computer program moves to the next row before the NXT brick can move the laser back across the x-axis to the zero point, so then the laser continues moving across the x-axis until it gets caught and has no place to go.

I don't know if the problem lies in the USB cable or in something else that I haven't figured out yet. Any ideas?

Thanks.

‹ Detected Output Laser Scan stops... help. ›

a few quick questions

Submitted by jennyschuttle on Mon, 02/16/2009 - 13:51.

1) Are you using a Mac (running in Parallels or Boot Camp) or a PC?

2) On your NXT brick, can you see the information on the little screen? Or is it blank?

3) Are you running your NXT brick on a plug-in or batteries?

4) Have you turned off your screen saver and sleep mechanism for your computer completely?

5) Have you tried re-installing the driver for the NXT brick and also re-calibrating the scan station in general?

Some answers.

Submitted by jthomas1 on Mon, 02/16/2009 - 16:00.

1.) We're using a PC.

2.) The NXT Brick is still on and everything shows on the little screen when the disconnect occurs.

3.) The NXT Brick is plugged in all the time.

4.) I allow the monitor to shut down to save power, but I have it set so the hard drive stays running.

5.)I've re-calibrated the zero point and the x-mirror scan but haven't tried re-installing the driver, I'll try that next.

Please let me know how the

Submitted by jennyschuttle on Tue, 02/17/2009 - 21:42.

Please let me know how the re-installation goes. Also, I have had problems when my screen shuts off. You might try not allowing your screen to shut off when you are running an experiment. Good luck!
Jenny

Windows XP SP3

Submitted by jthomas1 on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 10:28.

Unfortunately, at the moment the re-installation is going no where. I get an error message stating that the NXT driver requires Windows XP SP2 and sure enough, when I checked the system information on the computer I'm working on my school has updated to the 3rd service pack. I don't yet know when they did this and I don't know enough about computers to know if this could have caused the problem but I asked them if they could go back to the 2nd service pack on this computer so I can try and get this to work again.

Josh

Windows XP SP3

Submitted by jennyschuttle on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 13:12.

Josh -
You can also install Vista if you would rather do that. It will work as well. Good luck!
Jenny