papa_sangre

  • Joined Aug 1, 2017
  • 12 discussions
  • 48 posts
  • In Accessing the IDE: all reccomended steps not working

    Hi Giulio, apologies for delayed response, been a strange time as you know. Thanks so much for your help on this issue.

    Yes! Finally, that worked - It appears that the Mac didn't trust the host 192.168.6.2 .

    When I ran the ssh root@192.168.6.2 command, here is what came back:

    The authenticity of host '192.168.6.2 (192.168.6.2)' can't be established.
    ECDSA key fingerprint is SHA256:jTso6q10VYd5/7ZUBCUyEtq7sZg1RA9Jjv86pSMw+BA.
    Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no/[fingerprint])?

    I responded 'yes', and, problem solved! The IDE is now running successfully in the browser.

    As I've been relying on the jumper-cable solution [https://github.com/BelaPlatform/Bela/wiki/Manage-your-SD-card#Booting-problems] until now, I've run the /opt/Bela/bela_flash_emmc.sh code in the IDE, to update the Bela image on the eMMC.

    And finally, the disk image has come up successfully, without the jumper cables, and the IDE is connected 🙂

    • In Accessing the IDE: all reccomended steps not working

      Hi Giulio,

      Thank you so much for your swift response!

      Responding to each point:

      • Yes, I had definitely installed the newest version of HORNDiS (9.2).

      • Yes, the 4 blue LEDs all blink while booting. After booting, this is usually reduced to just the two LEDs closest to the edge of the board.

      • I've tried both 192.168.6.2 and http://bela.local/ , in multiple browsers, but no luck.

      • I'm not certain if it's safe to share my ifconfig results, so I'm sending them privately to info@bela.io . Let me know if you're able to see this?

      Thanks so much for your help!

    • In Accessing the IDE: all reccomended steps not working

      Hi all,

      I'm not able to connect to the IDE, after trying just about every troubleshooting step possible. Can you help?

      Putting all of the relevant data in bullet points below.

      • Hardware: BBB and Bela cape bought as 'Bela Starter Kit' July 2017, Macbook Pro running OS 10.15.3 (Catalina)

      • After a long period not using the Bela, I hooked it up via USB. The disk image didn't appear as it usually had done.

      • I ran through all of the steps in the GitHub > Updating Bela > Updating with the update_board script . However, the script would not run sucessfully.

      • I moved on to the 'Manage your SD card' page. Eventually I did flash the disk successfully, and it comes up as 'BELABOOT' when inserted into the Mac.

      • However, inserting the SD card into the BBB/Bela and booting up, the disk image did not appear. I moved on to 'Booting Problems' on the same page.

      • I ran through Option 1 (using the jumper cables). The disk image appeared successfully, but I could not connect to the IDE (trying 192.168.7.2 in two different browsers).

      • Option 2 was conditional on having "ssh access to the image on the eMMC". A forum search led me to the page Getting Started w Bela > Test the SSH connection.

      • Following the instructions on the page in the point above, I configured the 'BeagleBone Black' in System Preferences > Network (setting the "Configure IP v4" field to "Using DHCP with manual address" and setting the IP address to 192.168.7.1).

      • I also installed the HoRNDIS drivers, and these appeared to install successfully. I restarted the mac a couple of times in the process, and ran the commands:

      sudo kextunload /Library/Extensions/HoRNDIS.kext
      sudo kextload /Library/Extensions/HoRNDIS.kext

      both ran successfully. However, in System Preferences > Network, the BeagleBone Black continues to come up as 'not connected'.

      • In between and after all of these steps, I connected the Bela using the steps reccomended in Manage your SD card > Booting problems > Option 3. The result continues to be the same: The disk image comes up (when i power up holding the BBB 'user boot' button), but I can't connect to the IDE.

      • I've also tried establishing an SSH connection to the BBB via the terminal, using the command:

      $ ssh root@192.168.7.2

      but it always comes back as:

      ssh: connect to host 192.168.7.2 port 22: Operation timed out

      • Finally, as advised, I ran 'ifconfig' in the terminal. I have no idea how to read the data that's come back (i'm not used to terminal), but there is no reference to either the address 192.168.7.1 or 192.168.7.2.

      • I believe I've hit a wall, as in Manage your SD card > Booting problems > Common Steps, it only gives the option 'check that you can load the Bela IDE'. However, I'm not able to, nor able I able to SSH into the board.

      Can you help? Thank you!

      • In Magic Accelerometer

        Thanks so much Liam, that sounds about right.

        Apologies for the length of the posts - I have a performance with the instrument upcoming, and I couldn't make heads or tails of all of the seemingly disconnected things I was observing.

        I'm dreading taking things apart to locate the loose wire, but I'll post back here if I find anything of interest. Thanks again!

      • In Magic Accelerometer

        Hi all,

        Just to sum up, here is the issue:

        While connected to the Bela, one axis on an ADXL335 accelerometer is responding dramatically to movements around the room that should have no influence on it (slow movements, not causing sound or vibration, making no contact with the accelerometer, the Bela, or anything conductive).

        The axis responds especially to movement near the Bela itself, or near the accelerometer itself. However, it also responds to (quiet, non-vibrating, non-conductive) movements up to 2m away.

        The accelerometer's axes 2/3 respond normally.

        Axis 1 always responds to (intense) dynamic acceleration (jolts), but rarely responds to static acceleration (orientation), although sometimes it inexplicably becomes more responsive to orientation.

        The accelerometer is heavily insulated and securely connected to the Bela, which is fixed within 2 waterproof plastic cases inside each other. The Bela is connected to a MacBook via USB, and I'm taking readings off of the IDE's oscilloscope.

        THE SHOES:

        Axis 1 is very sensitive to the movements of my shoes, which make no contact with the sensor, the Bela, the computer, or anything conductive.

        This happens when the shoes are within a range of 0.5 - 2m from the accelerometer (and not making any contact with either the accelerometer or the Bela), and provokes a dramatic response from Axis 1.

        Here is some of what I observed:

        • axis 1 responds to even small movements of my shoes, especially the lifting of my toes from the floor

        • smaller pieces of rubber (or any other objects, incl large metal objects) have no influence on the axis whatsoever, although other (less thickly-soled) pairs of shoes provoke a less dramatic response

        • response to shoes is much more dramatic when macbook power cable is disconnected

        • distance of shoes under accelerometer makes no difference to the readings - it responds equally dramatically even if shoes are 1m or 2m beneath it

        • distance of shoes horizontally from the accelerometer weakens the response of the axis

        • axis also responds to movement of feet when they are far off the floor (1 metre)

        • response is much more dramatic when i am holding the accelerometer in my hand (although it is held perfectly still, is heavily insulated, and makes no contact with my feet)

        • response is much more dramatic when i am actually wearing the shoes (instead of moving them around independently)

        • still responds to my feet/shoes when neither of them are touching the ground

        OTHER MOVEMENTS THAT INFLUENCE THE READING:

        • inserting power cable into mac (makes an enormous difference to the reading: the Axis1 oscillates maybe 4 or 5 times more widely)

        • removing power cable from mac (doing this, the axis at one point stopped oscillating almost completely, but, when power is not plugged in, the axis becomes much more responsive to the movements of my shoes)

        • moving the flight case lid on its hinges (the axis reading moves up and down, but it doesn't affect the amount of oscillation)

        • bringing hand near bela box (makes axis oscillate more widely, and move up a little)

        • putting hand on the bela box (makes axis oscillate especially widely)

        • removing hand from bela box (makes the axis reading drop suddenly)

        • placing laptop on top of bela box (axis oscillates less)

        • touching either end of the audio cable going into the Bela (makes the axis oscillate much faster and less widely)

        • when moving my body, objects in the room, or the accelerometer, the axis value sometimes makes sudden jumps to a new position

        Hopefully this information helps reveal what is happening! Thank you all again

      • In Magic Accelerometer

        Thanks for the reply Lokki!

        I'm eager not to remove the Bela from either of its cases - it's (more or less) been permanently installed into both of them. I could remove it, but it would cost quite a bit of time/hassle and a little money to put it back in, as I've carefully built the setup to be permanently watertight.

        I have two bits of evidence that the wiring is connected properly:

        a) all of the intermediate wiring between the 5-core cable and the Bela has been tested as conductive, and has been firmly attached to the board (and the 5-core cable is also firmly connected to this wiring), and

        b) all axes of the accelerometer are clearly very responsive, even Axis 1 - except Axis 1 seems to be extremely responsive to my shoes (while worn), and high-velocity jolts, but not orientation (most of the time).

        It's responsive to the shoes even when the accelerometer is a great distance from the Bela, so I know it's the accelerometer sensing the shoes, not some energy field around the Bela itself.

        It looks like voodoo from this side too! I was finding it hard to believe the readings.

        Can anyone offer a possible explanation?

      • In Magic Accelerometer

        More info - the Bela is connected via USB to my MacBook. When I disconnect the power adapter from the laptop, the Axis1 oscillates much less widely (but still more widely than the other axes). The other axes aren't affected at all by the power supply.

        The Axis1 sometimes goes back to almost-normal, responding to the orientation of the (heavily insulated) accelerometer.

        Also: I have the Bela mounted in a waterproof plastic box, inside of another case (a plastic, waterproof Peli case). When I move the lid of the Peli case, the Axis1 position moves up and down. And when I touch the inner plastic box, the Axis1 position changes slightly, and it oscillates a little more widely.

        I'm still struggling to understand, though, why the Axis1 is so responsive to my shoes/feet (which the accelerometer, Bela etc make no contact with) - especially when they are on the floor, but also when they're far off of the floor. This applies whether or not I'm holding the accelerometer, although it's more extreme when I hold it.

        I'm sure this comes down to electronics 101, but it's confusing me to no end!

        Thanks again 🙂

      • In Magic Accelerometer

        Hi all,

        I have an Bela>Accelerometer-related enquiry.

        I'm using the LilyPad (Sparkfun) ADXL335. It is encased in conformal coating, insulating tape, and many layers of PlastiDip rubber sealant.

        It's wired to the Bela via a 2m, 5-core, self-built cable, with 5 individual insulated wires encased in a 2m metal cable sheath, which is in turn wrapped in insulating tape.

        None of the wires connected to the Bela are loose or faulty; they're all perfectly conductive and firmly connected.

        The accelerometer is wired up exactly as per your example diagram. Up until recently, it has been responding perfectly well to all types of movement.

        On my most recent tests, however, I've found two very strange things are happening on Axis 1 (wired into [dac~ 27], when I observe it through the oscilloscope.

        First of all, it's oscillating a little more widely than the other axes (the others oscillate pretty imperceptibly, but Axis 1 oscillates continuously within a range of about 0.2).

        Secondly - it doesn't respond when the accelerometer is moved, holding the accelerometer in my hand. HOWEVER - and this is the really strange thing - it responds dramatically to the smallest movements of the shoes on my feet, at least a meter away.

        My feet/shoes are not making contact with the accelerometer (or anything conductive) in any way. The accelerometer remains totally still in my hand, wrapped in insulation. Its connecting cable is also held totally still; so is the Bela, my computer, and everything else in the room.

        I've narrowed it down to the rubber sole in particular - and in particular when I'm actually wearing it - that influences the reading so dramatically, though only when it's at a distance between 1-2m away from the accelerometer.

        More mysteriously, Axis 1 only responds to accelerometer movements if it is aggressively 'jolted', but its response to my shoe is dramatic, and perfectly aligned with its smallest movements (across the axis' entire range).

        I've contacted Sparkfun for support, but they suggested that the accelerometer is simply broken, which doesn't seem to answer the question at all. Axis 1 is still very responsive - it's just responsive to my shoe, instead of being responsive to the accelerometer's own movement!

        I'm at my wits end - I wouldn't have brought this to the Bela forum, but I know it's full of a lot of smart people, and that maybe the Bela has something to do with this. In researching accelerometers, I can't find anything that would suggest they would respond so strongly to a nearby rubber object.

        Can you help? Thank you!

      • In 'Safe' CPU level for long-term use

        Ok nice one, thank you Giulio. I'll run the setup in a controlled environment until the audio drops out, then go through the steps above and report back here.

      • In 'Safe' CPU level for long-term use

        The LEDs always continue flashing, after the sound has stopped.

        The problem occurs when I run the Bela in standalone mode for an extended period of time, powering it via the barrel connector with an RS power bank (although I'm going to power it via the mini USB port from now on, after a noise issue discussed here [https://forum.bela.io/d/533-noise-from-audio-output-troubleshooting]).

        When I'm out performing, I'm not able to bring my laptop with me, so I haven't ever tried connecting to the BBB when it 'drops out' like this.

        I'll try what you suggested and report back; it'll just require me to run the program at home until it crashes. If I can reconnect, is there anything i particular I should be looking for? And in the meantime, what do you suspect the problem might be?

        • In 'Safe' CPU level for long-term use

          Sorry for not clarifying - I mean that the program stops producing an output, while running the BBB/Bela in standalone mode.

          I tested the CPU usage of the Pd patch in the IDE, but the rest of the time I'm powering the BBB/Bela from an RS power bank.

          To describe the setup: The Bela receives 3 analog inputs, processes them in a Pd patch (which, when tested in the IDE, uses 48-51% of CPU) and outputs audio to an amplifier.

          The BBB/Bela is housed in a ventilated plastic container, within a larger flight case; the container leaves plenty of 'breathing room' for the BBB/Bela, and the flight case in turn leaves plenty of 'breathing room' for the container.

          I run the setup for around 2 hours at a time. Sometimes, the program will stop responding - that is, it just won't produce any output. This happens often after 1hr of use, and less often after a shorter period of use.

          To remedy the problem, I'll usually power down the Bela (using a switch attached to GND/Pin P9-27), then restart. Usually this solves this problem, and I can continue running the program for another hour or so. Occasionally though, the program will crash 3 times or more, and I'll have to quit.

          I've noticed that 'crashes' have happened more frequently on warmer days. However, ruling out the environment, is there a 'safe' maximum threshold for CPU usage that will allow me to run a program for 6+ hours a day, in normal conditions? Or am I missing something, and I should turn my attention to another potential cause of this problem?

          Thanks again!

        • In 'Safe' CPU level for long-term use

          P.S. - if I wanted higher performance in the future, would it be possible to use the Bela cape with the BeagleBone enhanced (instead of BBB)? And would you recommend this option?

          http://beagleboard.org/enhanced

        • In 'Safe' CPU level for long-term use

          Hi all!

          I'm running a complex Pd patch on the Bela, that takes in 3 continuous analog signals, and uses them to control a polyphonic synth.

          Recently the Bela/BBB has been crashing - sometimes after little over an hour of use, sometimes after 10 minutes or less.

          According to the IDE, my patch tends to use around 48% of CPU, with occasional jolts up to around 51%. It might well be that there are sudden spikes at times when I run the patch for longer periods, but I can't be sure.

          Admittedly, the more frequent crashes have occurred during times of warmer weather. But the setup is still prone to crashing in less demanding environments.

          I'm trying to optimise my patch as best I can, without losing too much functionality or responsiveness. But before decimating everything, I wanted to ask your advice:

          Is a patch running at 48-51% expected to crash the Bela/BBB over the course of a few hours, or is this unusual? Should I focus more on controlling the environment, instead of simplifying the program?

          And finally, is there a maximum threshold of CPU% usage you would consider 'safe' and not likely to crash under normal conditions, when running a program for periods of 2-3 hours?

          Thank you for all of your help!

        • In Noise from Audio Output - Troubleshooting

          Thanks Liam, that makes sense - I'll just favour the Mini USB over the Barrel jack from now on in that case. I'll report back if I notice anything else unusual. Thanks both for your help!

        • In Noise from Audio Output - Troubleshooting

          Yes of course, sorry for not doing that before. Here they are:

          Both sounds are from the Bela, powered by an RS power bank, running a blank Pd patch:

          The first sound is with the power bank plugged into the mini USB port of the bela (pretty clean);

          The second sound is with the power bank plugged into the barrel connector (noise).

          Any idea why it might be making the second sound?

        • In Noise from Audio Output - Troubleshooting

          Nice one, thanks very much for the in-depth analysis Giulio. Aside from the earth hum, which I'd uploaded as a reference, I hadn't understood the source of each of the noises, so this sheds some light on their cause.

          In fact, the difference between the two final recordings you mentioned was what I was most interested in:

          2794987 - Bela > Mini USB > RS Powerbank, Blank Pd Patch Running On Bela
2794987 - Bela > Barrel To USB Cable > RS Powerbank, Blank Pd Patch Running On Bela

          I'll pass it over to @LiamDonovan - are you able to judge what might be the cause of the nasty noise that occurs when the Bela is powered via the Barrel jack? The two recordings in question are linked above.

          Thanks so much both of you for your help!

          (P.S. just to avoid confusion - the two recordings in question are the 3rd-to-last and the last recording in the list.)

        • In Noise from Audio Output - Troubleshooting

          Yes, of course - It wasn't anything elaborate:

          I ran the audio output of the Bela through a 10cm jack cable, into my audio interface (Apogee Duet 2), then into Logic. The audio interface was connected to the Mac via USB, and the sample rate was 44100. I used the audio interface preamp to add 40db of gain, to make the noises easily audible.

          I didn't normalise the files when I bounced them out, but I think Soundcloud may normalise or increase the level of files when you upload them.

          I alternated between powering the Bela without any program running, and running a blank Pd patch (by selecting 'run project on boot'. The worst noises occur when a program is running.

          The Pd patch is a blank Pd file, in a fresh, blank project that I created in the IDE after updating the Bela to the latest version and then clearing out all of my existing projects.

          • In Noise from Audio Output - Troubleshooting

            Hi all,

            I've been getting on well with the Bela, using it roughly 5 hours a day, 6 days a week!

            However, I've been getting a variety of noises from the audio output recently, and I don't know their cause.

            I've uploaded recordings of the audio output of the Bela in several different configurations:

            I suspect the problem might have been caused by briefly (for a few seconds) powering the board with an RS powerbank via the barrel connector, while it was already being powered via Mini USB by a mac.

            I've confirmed that the noise doesn't originate from anything external to the Bela. The Bela has been updated to the latest version, and I ran the tests above with a blank Pd patch in a fresh project.

            Where do you think the noise problems originate? Do you think the BBB is damaged?

            Many thanks for your help!

            • In Bela + BBB: Lifespan

              Thanks so much guys, this is all very helpful. I'm already using the device very intensively (two 3-4 hour sets a day, several days a week), and haven't had any problems so far. I'll report back if anything arises through more intensive use. Thanks again!

            • In Bela + BBB: Lifespan

              Hello all,

              I'm making plans for the deployment of my Bela project, and it would be enormously helpful to be able to gauge how many hours I can expect from the Bela and BBB.

              I know this question must be very subjective, and it will depend on the application and specific setup, but do you have a general estimate of the lifespan of the BBB + Bela cape?

              In particular - if I'm running the Bela + BBB for up to 8 hours a day, 6 or 7 days a week, is one or the other likely to quickly burn out? Are there any best practices I should follow, to ensure the longest possible lifespan?

              In my particular scenario, I'll be outputting audio continuously, receiving signals into at least 3 or 4 analog inputs, and powering the board for 3 hours+/- at a time, maybe twice or three times a day. Do you think this is feasible?

              Thank you as always!