Question Ashida build trouble shooting assistance

[Gibby0611]

Hello all,

first of all a quick intro.

my name is Rick from the Netherlands. Im new to the channel and recently started my first build of an Ashida Wii portable.

I have to say that at the beginning it went well, but know its almost finished im having some trouble.

while doing the build I constantly kept testing the functionality of the Wii incl RVloader with a AV connector. So I know it worked.

The issues started when I was almost finished and also the Ashida screen was connected.
Because that moment I wanted to change all setting and update the PMS lite to 1.2.

I copied the downloaded file on my sd card and I started the download.
the download froze up at 51% and did not continue. So in the end needed to reset the console by removing the battery.
After reconnecting the battery I could re-do the update but at 99% procent the console reboots and the update is not done. (See picture )

The PMS lite fw version currently is 0.0, is this correct? Im worried this happened after the first try of doing the update (see picture)

Sometimes the update succeeds, but it tell me it updated it to 0.0. And I double checked the downloaded 1.2 file. If i remove it the console tells me to put the file on the sd card. So file is at least seen but not correctly downloaded.
And im seeing all the modules. So I should at least have some communication.

The second issue I have. That the Ashida automatically turns on when I insert the battery. Does not need the power switch at all and also does not respond at all at the switch. Rechecked my wiring. The switch wil go to ground ones toggles. Should be good. But for now I need to remove the battery.

With not the proper firmware on the PMS lite, I can’t use the fan. So console feels at least really hot. Also im not able to check the current battery temp. Guess related to the fw I cant install.

I am able to play a game sometimes. But in most situations the game does not boot up or I have only audio. And the screen stays blue.

I’ve contacted 4layer too, they told me to check my I2C wiring.
i re-did them. With new magnet wires. Directly from Wii to Pms lite, and from there to the Audio board.
Also to be sure, re-did my usb wires and made them as short as possible.

For know, no changes.
Please help me out where to continue my troubleshooting.
Added some pics. Hopefully that helps.

used components:
Pms lite
Pms pd 3 (with sd card reader)
Rvl amp
Blue lcd board

RVloader 2.0

-Rick

 

[Thomothy]

Did you accidentally flash pms2 instead of pms2-lite firmware? I don't know if there is any difference but your lite is reading as a pms2 so that might be the root of your issue

 

[Gibby0611]

Did you accidentally flash pms2 instead of pms2-lite firmware? I don't know if there is any difference but your lite is reading as a pms2 so that might be the root of your issue

no, im sure i had and have the correct file

RVL-PMS-Lite

The RVL Power Management System Lite is designed to offer all the necessitates of building a professional Wii Portable on a budget. This compact board handles all your power needs by combining battery management and voltage regulation onto a single board. The RVL-PMS-Lite version features all...

4layertech.com

 

[Stitches]

Not sure about the flashing problem, but the power button type needs to be set from momentary to switch mode for an Ashida

 

[Gibby0611]

Not sure about the flashing problem, but the power button type needs to be set from momentary to switch mode for an Ashida

When I change the available changes in the Power menu (now it in Fw. 0.0) and I SAVE CONFIG, it doesn't save my settings.
Also not when I restart the console.

Other settings like background, audio can be changed and saved.
So my issue looks really on PMS lite related

This are the current issues I have PMS-lite related:

• Does not respond to Power switch (re-checked my wiring, looks good)
• Automatically turns on when battery is installed (no power switch needed)
• Sometimes the Ashida does not turn on when I plug in the battery (but does not respond to power switch)
• Running FW 0.0
• Can't update it to 1.2 (but the file pms2_lite.bin is seen on the SD card)
• Can't change/save settings in the Power menu

-Rick

 

[Stitches]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. I don't really know how to properly troubleshoot a firmware problem. All I can ask is whether the SD card has been correctly formatted as FAT32 with 32k clusters. If it isn't, that could cause the inability to properly load the update file

 

[Thomothy]

I would also redownload the firmware from the website it’s rare but sometimes files can get corrupted when downloading them so double check your SCL, SDA, D+, D-, and the format of your SD card then try flashing with a freshly downloaded bin file

 

[Gibby0611]

I think I did format the SD card, but it would maybe help if I can get some instructions so I'm sure I did it the correct way.
I did it while ago, and I think I used Big FAT32 format 2.0.

Input for this would help, at least something I can start trying

 

[Stitches]

I think I did format the SD card, but it would maybe help if I can get some instructions so I'm sure I did it the correct way.
I did it while ago, and I think I used Big FAT32 format 2.0.

Input for this would help, at least something I can start trying

We recommend using guiformat, you can grab it here http://ridgecrop.co.uk/index.htm?guiformat.htm. It may help to first format the SD card to another format like NTFS before reformatting to FAT32 with 32K clusters

 

[Gibby0611]

We recommend using guiformat, you can grab it here http://ridgecrop.co.uk/index.htm?guiformat.htm. It may help to first format the SD card to another format like NTFS before reformatting to FAT32 with 32K clusters

Thank you, I will at least retry this tonight

 

[Stitches]

Redownloading the firmware file might also be worth doing just in case the first saved onto a bad sector

 

[Gibby0611]

Update:

I formatted my SD again with the mentioned tool (see picture)
Re-installed all needed files again.

Re-downloaded the pms2-lite 1.2 with another browser. And installed it on the SD card

re-installed SD card.
After waiting for a few min, console turned on.
Did the fw update. This time is doesn’t even start, or in the best got up to 4% and froze up.

So, no improvement at all

The issue I mentioned in the beginning I can boot up games, only having audio and no video anymore (only blue screen) is something I will start with in my troubleshooting. It worked stable with AV, so maybe went something wrong there

 

[Gibby0611]

Update:

With the screen disconnected an an AV screen connected am able to boot games incl audio and video. (See picture)

So, at least need to re-do that.

Is it normal you measure around 80 ohm between each vga color and ground? (Measured on the disconnected screen board) I know the screen worked, but games did not appear anymore.

Still having issues with the pms lite, cant update it, and does not respond to power switch . I will contact 4layer and most likely will order another one.

 

[Gibby0611]

@Wesk @GingerOfOz
With you that inspired me building this, can you help me understanding the issues im facing?
Im already getting great feedback, but im still struggling a bit.
Thank you in advance

 

[Stitches]

Update:

With the screen disconnected an an AV screen connected am able to boot games incl audio and video. (See picture)

So, at least need to re-do that.

Is it normal you measure around 80 ohm between each vga color and ground? (Measured on the disconnected screen board) I know the screen worked, but games did not appear anymore.

Still having issues with the pms lite, cant update it, and does not respond to power switch . I will contact 4layer and most likely will order another one.

Yeah 70-80 ohms to GND is standard for VGA lines

 

[Gibby0611]

Im waiting for the response from 4layer about the standard Fw version the pms lite is shipped with. And if it is correct mine is showing 0.0 instead of in my opinion a 1.0.

But maybe someone can also help me trying to understand the functionality of the Pms2 lite.

What I under is the following:

pms2 lite is connected with a litium ion battery, this is where it consumes its energy from.

the pms should starts converting the energy to the correct voltages when it gets a signal on the btn input

the btn input is standard a signal when your connect it with ground, and stop that connection again (momentary)


I want to diagnose mine, because mine doesn’t respond to the switch at all. Sometimes directly turn on when the battery is installed, sometimes need to wait a few min, sometimes nothing happens.

 

[Stitches]

The power button/switch behaviour is software based. If the firmware flash fails, anything that isn't just letting power flow is liable to fail

 

[Gibby0611]

Because I was still waiting for the feedback from 4layer and Gman, I at least tried and did the following:

because all videos I have seen about the ashida and Rvloader were running Rvloader 1.6, I changed my version from 2.0 to 1.6.
(no changes)

Ordered a new Pms2 (not a lite this time)
This because I guess with the issues I have at least something needs to be wrong with the Pms lite.

if I will get the needed feedback before I receive the new Pms, I will continue my troubleshooting on the current Pms lite. But until that, I park the project for now.

Thank you already for the received feedback and input.

-Rick

 

[Gibby0611]

New Pms2 installed tonight. Console works fine the first try. Was already running fw 1.2.
Only need to connect the vga lines. Will continue on Friday

-Rick