PandaPlacer CC1: Bottom Camera Not Found, Motion Control Port Not Found!

[Brian Piccioni]

Thanks in advance for the help.

I don't know if I have a hardware problem, a documentation problem, or a me being stupid problem.

I managed to find the time to try and bring up my PP CC1, following the documentation here https://docs.pandaplacer.com/pandaplacer-cc1/configuration/01-software-setup/ 

I had already installed OpenPnP so I moved on to  Import The Configuration Files. The instructions say  

"Copy all the contents of the .openpnp2 folder provided by Pandaplacer to the local .openpnp2 folder (Replace/Overwrite files with the same name)."

However I did not see a .openpnp2 fold in the zip file so I copied the config-20250724 folder into .openpnp2.

The next step is  Edit The Configuration, which is where i have a problem. The documents show two cameras PP-TCAM and PP-BCAM. I only see PP-TCAM. My BCAM appears to be plugged in but it is not seen by Windows 11.

Similarly, I am supposed to see two serial ports but I see only one.

See the device manager photos below

I have scanned for new hardware, cycled the power, etc., but nothing changes.

Any suggestions?

(I am also going to reach out to PandaPlacer but they haven't replied to my question of yesterday. If anybody has a direct like to them, I would appreciate knowing it.

Thanks

[Brian Piccioni]

Update. I suspect there is a documentation issue but I won't know for a little while. I strongly suspect that the "Autodarts DIY Camera" seen on my device managers is the PandaPlacer bottom camera. It only appears in my device manager when the USB cable is connected to the PandaPlacer. 

Note that the power does not have to be on for the cameras to be seen by Windows.

Weirdly, having moved my laptop and cycled the power a few times I see the serial port as now.

So, for future PandaPlacer owners, look out for strange cameras ...

[Marshall S. (Alakuu)]

Check your plugs. Looks like something is loose. (glad you got them working but maybe something is still loose).

Seeing only the one and only the feeders is weird though. 

[Brian Piccioni]

It seems to be OK now. Once I realized the bottom camera was  "Autodarts DIY Camera" the camera issue was fixed (I am pretty sure - I haven't placed a part yet.

The cameras and the feeder port seem to be visible to the OS even if the board isn't powered and there are blue LEDs on if the PC is connected. I suspect that I had finger trouble in that I thought the system was powered on when it was showing up one camera (i.e. I didn't realize "Autodarts DIY Camera" was the bottom camera because of the documentation) and one serial port. 

The power supply switch does not have an indicator and I assumed blue LEDs meant power. Switching the power on lit other blue LEDs and the port appeared.

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[Marshall S. (Alakuu)]

So the camera and feeders don't communicate in anyway directly to the control board on the pandaplacer.
Instead they're just routing to your computer via a built on USB hub.
The 5v USB signal is enough to power up the cameras and the hub's communication.
The power switch should toggle another blue led that indicates 24v; which will then power up the controller board.

[Brian Piccioni]

Yes. That is what I concluded. The misleading documentation (bottom camera name) and the fact I expected all the peripherals to be powered off the board (my mistake) led to the incorrect conclusion regarding the 'missing' serial port.