K8074 USB to RF Kit for VM151 RF RGB Controller

Hi

Is there any way to program the K8074 USB to RF Kit on Windows 7 to send RF data to de VM151 RGB Controller using VB.net?

I connected the K8074 using the provided Windows 7 64-bit drivers from the velleman website and the module is working fine. I get a correct COM15 port, the On-LED is lit and the 2 USB-Leds are blinking.

On the Velleman website I downloaded all Demo Programs to try the K8074 module but it seems that all demo projects are build for commanding the Relay Interface cards. Nothing of the provided software or K8074.dll is made for controlling the VM151 module. However the site says they should work together.
The only way I get the Rx/Tx-LED to blink is using the Delphi software. The included .NET version of the same software crashes upon sending data. Of course a VM151 module won’t respond to these commands.

On the VM151 product page you van find software that is ment to control the VM151. The software is written in VB6 an cannot be converted to .NET applications.
THe software itself does not work : altough it connects to the com port, i never get the Rx/TX led to blink using one of the commands.
Evaluating the software gives me an idea that another approach is used: the software uses a serial port to send string data.

I tried building a new .NET application using a connection to the serial port and sending the exact string from the evaluation software but the Rx/Tx led doenst blink, nor does VB.Net give any errors or crashes.
I’m using System.Convert.ToChar(0) instead of Chr$(0) but according to the ASCII table this resuls in NUL wich isn’t displayed in a string.
example : MessageBox.Show(“N” & System.Convert.ToChar(0) & “T” & System.Convert.ToChar(2)) results in “N” ?

Is there anyone that can give me a .NET example of how the USB to RF module comunicates with the VM151 RGB module?

System : Windows7 64-bit
MS Visual Basic 2010 Express

Thanks a lot,

Christophe

Hi,

I just did a clean install of Windows Xp and did all updates to SP3.

I got the same problems on the Xp machine as i had on my Windows 7 system :

The computer recognizes the usb to rf hardware and i can install the xp drivers without any problems.
A virtual com 4 port is assigned.

Again, the only software that is able to lit the rx/tx Led on the hardware is the delphi version (wich you can find on the productpage of the K8074)
The VM151 software (see productpage VM151) isnt able to give any Rx/tx Led output. The only thing that works with the software is the connection to the com port.

Would anyone from velleman support be so kind to help me out here? I lost a lot of time just to make the USB to Rf hardware work wich according to your website should be easy…

Thanks a lot,
Kind regards,

Christophe


Hallo,

Ik heb zonet een volledige clean install van Windows XP uitgevoerd en volledig up to date gebracht tot en met SP3.

Hier heb ik echter net hetzelfde probleem :

De xp velleman usb to rf drivers worden perfect geïnstalleerd, de module wordt herkend en een virtuele com 4 poort wordt toegewezen maar de Software voor de VM151 (op de productsite van de VM151 te downloaden) slaagt er niet in om de rx/tx led te doen branden.
Opnieuw slaagt enkel de Delphi software van de K8074 (op de productsite van de K8074 te vinden) er in om de rx/tx led te doen branden. Aangezien deze software enkel voor rf relaiskaarten te sturen is kan ik niet bevestigen of er wel degelijk een rf signaal is. Ik heb enkel een VM151 module en die software werkt helemaal niet. Een verbinding met de com poort is het enige wat lukt…

Kan iemand van velleman support me aub verder helpen?

Ik ben al uren verloren met enkel het ding aan de praat te krijgen terwijl ze volgens de website perfect zouden moeten samenwerken…

Mvg,
Christophe.

[size=120]All problems are solved :[/size]

[size=120]I forgot to install the Jumper on SK2[/size]

This jumper isn’t included in the Kit package! You can either buy a jumper or use wire to make the connection.

After this the VM151 software works very good on both the XP and the Windows 7 64 bit systems.

You can even write your own software using the latest .NET developement software like Visual Basic .NET Express 2010.
Just use the System.IO.Ports.SerialPort Class to make the connection to the virtual COM Port.
You can send the commands (displayed as tooltip in the included VM151 software) as string using the SerialPort.Write() method. Dont forget to replace chr$() by System.Convert.ToChar()

Kind Regards,
Christophe