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knittingmachine [2010/10/18 19:58]
bekathwia
knittingmachine [2010/10/27 01:46]
ladyada
Line 2: Line 2:
  
 Adventures in communicating with the Brother KH-930e knitting machine! Adventures in communicating with the Brother KH-930e knitting machine!
 +
 +===== Make your own cable =====
 +The kh930e is designed to work with a Tandy PDD1 floppy drive. We don't need it! Make your own cable to communicate between your computer and the machine. You will need:
 +  * [[http://​www.adafruit.com/​index.php?​main_page=product_info&​cPath=18&​products_id=70&​zenid=08edecd591934eebcc4993c01b0259d6|FTDI cable]]
 +  * 2x4 connector part number [[http://​search.digikey.com/​scripts/​DkSearch/​dksus.dll?​vendor=0&​keywords=WM8036-ND|WM8036-ND on Digikey]]
 + 
 +==== Change '​polarity'​ of the FTDI cable ====
 +
 +FTDI cables have standard '​inverted'​ TTL (zero is 3-5V and one is 0v) but the KH930E requires the opposite. Luckily its very easy to fix this by reprogramming the software.
 +
 +You will need a copy of [[http://​www.ftdichip.com/​Resources/​Utilities.htm|FTDI MProg ]] (windows only) and your FTDI cable. Plug in the FTDI cable into your windows computer and [[http://​www.ftdichip.com/​Drivers/​VCP.htm|install the driver that matches your computer best]]
 +
 +{{  http://​www.ladyada.net/​images/​arduino/​foundft232ruart.jpg?​nolink&​256x129 ​ |}}
 +
 +[[http://​www.ladyada.net/​learn/​breakoutplus/​ftdifriend.html#​installing_ftdi_drivers|Please read our detailed tutorial on installing the driver here]] then come back when the driver is installed
 +
 +Now download [[http://​www.ftdichip.com/​Resources/​Utilities.htm|FTDI MProg]] and run the program
 +
 +==== Rewire the connector ====
 +
 +  * Re-situate the pins from the FTDI header connector into the 2x4 connector. [[http://​wiki.ladyada.net/​chumbyhackerboard/​serial|This chumby tutorial]] shows how to disconnect them from the original header.
  
 ===== Python code ===== ===== Python code =====
-  * available ​on [[http://​github.com/​adafruit/​knitting_machine|github]] +  * Available ​on [[http://​github.com/​adafruit/​knitting_machine|github]] 
-  * based on [[http://​www.antitronics.com/​wiki/​index.php?​title=Electroknit_Technical_Information|Steve Conklin'​s knitting machine code]]+  * Based on [[http://​www.antitronics.com/​wiki/​index.php?​title=Electroknit_Technical_Information|Steve Conklin'​s knitting machine code]] 
 +  * Includes scripts for emulating the floppy drive, previewing patterns, and converting images to new patterns. 
 + 
 +===== Backing up patterns/​dumping memory from kh930e to computer ===== 
 +  * Start up the disk drive emulator in the command line. 
 +  * When "​ready"​ lamp is lit, clear display with CE key, then prepare to save pattern data to "​disk"​ by typing 552, then STEP. 
 +  * Display will go blank and then "​ready"​ and "​pattern no" lamps will light up with the "​track"​ number 1 in the display. Press STEP. 
 +  * Machine will beep when finished, and the track data will now be in the "​img"​ folder along with your emulator and other scripts. 
 +  * The emulator also makes a handy file-01.dat file to make it easy to preview the patterns using dumppattern.py. 
 + 
 +===== Creating new patterns ===== 
 + 
 +===== Putting new patterns on the machine ===== 
 +  * Start up the disk drive emulator in the command line. 
 +  * When "​ready"​ lamp is lit, perform a memory reset by pressing CE key, then type in 888, then press STEP key. 
 +  * Clear display with CE key, then prepare to load new data into memory by typing 551, then STEP. 
 +  * Display should go blank, then "​ready"​ and "​pattern no" lamps should illuminate. Press 1 to indicate which "​track"​ to load from the disk drive emulator, then press STEP. 
 +  * Machine will beep when finished. pick a pattern and knit as normal. 
 + 
 +===== Troubleshooting ===== 
 +  * If the RAM data has been corrupted, the screen will flash "​888"​ and the machine will seem unresponsive. Hold down INPUT and STEP at the same time, and when the display should change. Perform a memory reset by hitting CE, 888, STEP.
  
 ===== Outside resources ===== ===== Outside resources =====
 +  * [[http://​www.devicemanuals.com/​guide/​Knitting%20Machine/​Brother/​Brother-KH-930-Knitting-Machine-Owner%27s-Manual-T0RJNU9UUT.html|KH-930e manual]] - fill out a CAPTCHA to download the PDF manual
   * [[http://​zephyrfalcon.org/​labs/​python_pitfalls.html|Python pitfalls]] - helped spot a bug    * [[http://​zephyrfalcon.org/​labs/​python_pitfalls.html|Python pitfalls]] - helped spot a bug 
   * [[http://​www.softbyte.co.uk/​brothl1.htm#​Troubleshooting%20Uploading%20and%20Downloading%20with%20Brother%20KH940,​%20KH950i,​%20KH965i,​%20KH970|Troubleshooting Brother machines]] - includes how to do an 888 reset of memory   * [[http://​www.softbyte.co.uk/​brothl1.htm#​Troubleshooting%20Uploading%20and%20Downloading%20with%20Brother%20KH940,​%20KH950i,​%20KH965i,​%20KH970|Troubleshooting Brother machines]] - includes how to do an 888 reset of memory
   * [[http://​www.howtomendit.com/​answers.php?​id=124420|Good forum post]]- includes what to do when all the machine will do is flash "​888"​   * [[http://​www.howtomendit.com/​answers.php?​id=124420|Good forum post]]- includes what to do when all the machine will do is flash "​888"​
 +  * [[http://​www.newtons.com/​brother_knitking.htm|Newton'​s Yarns]] - in Anaheim, CA, claims to carry Brother machines/​accessories incl. KE-100 motor drive
  
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/home/ladyada/public_html/wiki/data/pages/knittingmachine.txt · Last modified: 2016/01/28 18:05 (external edit)