Flashing Red light on 3D Vision emitter (linux)
I am looking for suggestions to fix this problem: Firstly, my 3D Vision has worked fine a few months ago, but I haven't been using it lately. The only thing that changed since then is the O/S (upgrade/reinstall). Now all that happens is the emitter flashes a red light constantly while it is plugged in to the USB port (even when the computer is off). *when first plugging in, it lights up a bright ?white? for a fraction of a second before the flashing red starts. My system: card: Nvidia Quadro 4000 w/ 3-pin DIN plug monitor: Benq XL2420T connected by DVI-Dual-link cable @ 120HZ O/S: Linux Mint Debian (wheezy 3.2.0-4-amd64) with default nvidia-glx driver 304.48 Nvidia 3D Vision emitter and glasses (version 1) Emitter attached with both USB and DIN plug # nvidia-xconfig --stereo=10 Today I have tried these modifications to the above config: 1. Unplug and replug emitter USB cable - still flashes red; not recognized in syslog 2. Plug emitter into different Linux computer - flashes red; not recognized in syslog 3. Installed current driver from Nvidia site 310.19 - flashes red; not recognized in syslog 4. Boot into Linux Mint 12 (older kernel 3.0.0) - flashes red; not recognized in syslog 5. Boot into Linux Mint 10 (older kernel 2.6) - flashes red; not recognized in syslog 6. Swap for different USB cable - flashes red; not recognized in syslog 7. Remove emitter and install Elsa Revelator (wired LCD shutterglasses) & change nvidia-xconfig --stereo=3 - shutterglasses activate automatically with 3d content onscreen I'm sure that when I used to plug in the USB emitter, I would see it pop up in the syslog with a few lines of information. With the way it is behaving now, I think that maybe the emitter itself has died. Can you think of any other possibilities?
I am looking for suggestions to fix this problem:

Firstly, my 3D Vision has worked fine a few months ago, but I haven't been using it lately.

The only thing that changed since then is the O/S (upgrade/reinstall). Now all that happens is the emitter flashes a red light constantly while it is plugged in to the USB port (even when the computer is off). *when first plugging in, it lights up a bright ?white? for a fraction of a second before the flashing red starts.

My system:
card: Nvidia Quadro 4000 w/ 3-pin DIN plug
monitor: Benq XL2420T connected by DVI-Dual-link cable @ 120HZ
O/S: Linux Mint Debian (wheezy 3.2.0-4-amd64) with default nvidia-glx driver 304.48
Nvidia 3D Vision emitter and glasses (version 1)
Emitter attached with both USB and DIN plug
# nvidia-xconfig --stereo=10

Today I have tried these modifications to the above config:
1. Unplug and replug emitter USB cable - still flashes red; not recognized in syslog
2. Plug emitter into different Linux computer - flashes red; not recognized in syslog
3. Installed current driver from Nvidia site 310.19 - flashes red; not recognized in syslog
4. Boot into Linux Mint 12 (older kernel 3.0.0) - flashes red; not recognized in syslog
5. Boot into Linux Mint 10 (older kernel 2.6) - flashes red; not recognized in syslog
6. Swap for different USB cable - flashes red; not recognized in syslog
7. Remove emitter and install Elsa Revelator (wired LCD shutterglasses) &
change nvidia-xconfig --stereo=3 - shutterglasses activate automatically with 3d content onscreen

I'm sure that when I used to plug in the USB emitter, I would see it pop up in the syslog with a few lines of information. With the way it is behaving now, I think that maybe the emitter itself has died. Can you think of any other possibilities?

#1
Posted 12/26/2012 01:07 PM   
When this happened with me, it was due to a driver version mismatch. I uninstalled all previous drivers, wiped them clean, and reinstalled all the drivers again and made sure to reinstall the 3d drivers at the same time. It does sound like a driver issue, and since you're running linux I'm assuming you did install your drivers correctly... Is there any possibility the drivers are conflicting with your new linux distro? If it's not the usb cable, if you tried a different usb port to ensure that didn't go bad, and you're sure the drivers are perfect, the only other thing it could be is the emitter itself. But a chip going faulty usually won't happen while it's disconnected unless there was some sort of heat, water, or other physical damage
When this happened with me, it was due to a driver version mismatch. I uninstalled all previous drivers, wiped them clean, and reinstalled all the drivers again and made sure to reinstall the 3d drivers at the same time.

It does sound like a driver issue, and since you're running linux I'm assuming you did install your drivers correctly...

Is there any possibility the drivers are conflicting with your new linux distro?

If it's not the usb cable, if you tried a different usb port to ensure that didn't go bad, and you're sure the drivers are perfect, the only other thing it could be is the emitter itself. But a chip going faulty usually won't happen while it's disconnected unless there was some sort of heat, water, or other physical damage

#2
Posted 12/26/2012 07:37 PM   
Thanks andruszko, From an installer's standpoint, the linux driver includes the 3d functionality (no separate 3d driver). To install the driver provided by the Debian O/S: [code]aptitude install nvidia-glx[/code] To install the driver downloaded from the Nvidia site: [code]sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-310.19.run[/code] Of course, one has to make sure that 3D is enabled and the monitor is set to 120Hz with the utilities: nvidia-xconfig and nvidia-settings What has got me is that I don't remember the red flashing light being so persistent before. It starts flashing as soon as you plug in the USB connection (even if the computer is off). Before, the light used to be off most of the time IIRC, and I do remember seeing a steady white light, or a red light (not sure if it flashed). When it was working correctly it would be dim green and bright green when active. Also, I remember that -even with no Nvidia drivers- the emitter would show up in the system log when it was plugged in. Right now it does not show up. I suppose that the Windows-equivalent of this would be like plugging it in, and nothing shows up in Device-Manager - not even a yellow question mark.
Thanks andruszko,

From an installer's standpoint, the linux driver includes the 3d functionality (no separate 3d driver).

To install the driver provided by the Debian O/S:
aptitude install nvidia-glx


To install the driver downloaded from the Nvidia site:
sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-310.19.run


Of course, one has to make sure that 3D is enabled and the monitor is set to 120Hz with the utilities: nvidia-xconfig and nvidia-settings

What has got me is that I don't remember the red flashing light being so persistent before. It starts flashing as soon as you plug in the USB connection (even if the computer is off).

Before, the light used to be off most of the time IIRC, and I do remember seeing a steady white light, or a red light (not sure if it flashed). When it was working correctly it would be dim green and bright green when active.

Also, I remember that -even with no Nvidia drivers- the emitter would show up in the system log when it was plugged in. Right now it does not show up. I suppose that the Windows-equivalent of this would be like plugging it in, and nothing shows up in Device-Manager - not even a yellow question mark.

#3
Posted 12/27/2012 12:14 AM   
I assumed as much, and I know sometimes with windows when there's a driver error the first few time or two on a usb port it will state as much, but any time reconnecting it after that it will not even acknowledge the device has been plugged in. It's possible that the system stores the error, and doesn't attempt to see the device again (chooses to ignore it) until there's a driver change...there is a possibility that could happen in linux as well I'd guess it sounds like either the stereoscopic drivers, just one portion of the nvidia driver package, is not installing correctly. OR your distro might only be loading the nvidia drivers up and not running the stereoscopic drivers concurrently, as I know enabling 3d is part of the nvidia drivers but does not necessarily mean the stereo drivers are running The blinking red light when the computer's off sounds normal though, if the emitter has power (many usb plugs can supply power when the computer is off, or can be set to do so) but doesn't connect to the drivers I believe that's the major cause of the red light. If you have a method of manually checking which drivers are running, and can find the names of all the drivers in the nvidia package which need to be running concurrently, you should be able to double check that much at least. There could still be a communication error between the drivers but that would be more faulty drivers than anything. Sorry, I don't know whether I'm actually being of any help to you, or maybe bringing a different side of thinking to set some lights off in your head. If I'm just stating things you already know or thought of please do let me know :-P. Without much formal linux experience it feels like I'm spouting useless crap. But someone had to try and help. However I do know some distros of linux can have different usb controller processes, so the method of recognizing inputs could vary slightly between them
I assumed as much, and I know sometimes with windows when there's a driver error the first few time or two on a usb port it will state as much, but any time reconnecting it after that it will not even acknowledge the device has been plugged in. It's possible that the system stores the error, and doesn't attempt to see the device again (chooses to ignore it) until there's a driver change...there is a possibility that could happen in linux as well

I'd guess it sounds like either the stereoscopic drivers, just one portion of the nvidia driver package, is not installing correctly. OR your distro might only be loading the nvidia drivers up and not running the stereoscopic drivers concurrently, as I know enabling 3d is part of the nvidia drivers but does not necessarily mean the stereo drivers are running

The blinking red light when the computer's off sounds normal though, if the emitter has power (many usb plugs can supply power when the computer is off, or can be set to do so) but doesn't connect to the drivers I believe that's the major cause of the red light.

If you have a method of manually checking which drivers are running, and can find the names of all the drivers in the nvidia package which need to be running concurrently, you should be able to double check that much at least. There could still be a communication error between the drivers but that would be more faulty drivers than anything.

Sorry, I don't know whether I'm actually being of any help to you, or maybe bringing a different side of thinking to set some lights off in your head. If I'm just stating things you already know or thought of please do let me know :-P. Without much formal linux experience it feels like I'm spouting useless crap. But someone had to try and help.

However I do know some distros of linux can have different usb controller processes, so the method of recognizing inputs could vary slightly between them

#4
Posted 12/27/2012 01:28 AM   
Thanks again for your comments andruszko. So I have made a clean installation of my older O/S which was working with 3D Vision in the past. Sadly it still does not work. System details: [code]Linux Mint 12 (Ubuntu-based 3.0.0-12-amd64 kernel) Nvidia Driver Version: 280.13 Monitor setting:1920x1080 119.98Hz Nvidia-Settings, under Flat Panel Scaling: Uncheck the box "Force Full GPU Scaling"[/code] What has changed though, is that the red flashing LED on the emitter has been behaving erratically sometimes. I noticed it blinking randomly like you would see if it was a circuit shorting-out. I opened up the emitter and looked at the circuit board. Then I used the heat gun & some cold spray. Extreme heat and cold did cause it to stop functioning, and moderate heat and cold did change the "shorting" type blinking of the LED, but not in a way that I could isolate an area of the circuit board. It is behaving too randomly or the LED just goes dark. I will try and get my hands on a different emitter and see what happens. FYI: The main chip inside the emitter is a: [code]CY7C68013A Microcontroller High-Speed USB Peripheral Controller [url]http://www.cypress.com/?rID=38801[/url] Software: 8051 code runs from internal RAM, which is downloaded through USB[/code] Maybe the software that gets uploaded over USB is not getting inside the chip properly?
Thanks again for your comments andruszko. So I have made a clean installation of my older O/S which was working with 3D Vision in the past. Sadly it still does not work.

System details:
Linux Mint 12 (Ubuntu-based 3.0.0-12-amd64 kernel)
Nvidia Driver Version: 280.13
Monitor setting:1920x1080 119.98Hz
Nvidia-Settings, under Flat Panel Scaling: Uncheck the box "Force Full GPU Scaling"


What has changed though, is that the red flashing LED on the emitter has been behaving erratically sometimes. I noticed it blinking randomly like you would see if it was a circuit shorting-out. I opened up the emitter and looked at the circuit board. Then I used the heat gun & some cold spray. Extreme heat and cold did cause it to stop functioning, and moderate heat and cold did change the "shorting" type blinking of the LED, but not in a way that I could isolate an area of the circuit board. It is behaving too randomly or the LED just goes dark.

I will try and get my hands on a different emitter and see what happens.

FYI: The main chip inside the emitter is a:
CY7C68013A Microcontroller High-Speed USB Peripheral Controller
http://www.cypress.com/?rID=38801

Software: 8051 code runs from internal RAM, which is downloaded through USB


Maybe the software that gets uploaded over USB is not getting inside the chip properly?

#5
Posted 12/31/2012 08:38 PM   
[SOLVED] I bought a used emitter and plugged it in and it worked. The problem was a faulty emitter.
[SOLVED] I bought a used emitter and plugged it in and it worked. The problem was a faulty emitter.

#6
Posted 01/05/2013 08:40 PM   
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