Novastar MCTRL300 basic control software

Code can be found at the Github repository. Builds/executables are not available but if anyone has use for them, I’d happily create one for you…

What?

Simple, basic control of brightness and test patterns/mode for the Novastar MCTRL300 (and possibly others, but I don’t have others to test).

It does not allow you to configure your screen. It can be used during testing or (I can imagine) to give just this piece of software to a client to let him dim the screen when no technician is available.

Why?

I repair several types of LED panels, among which are Desay 6mm and UPAD 2.6mm.

The Novastar software is written for Windows and overkill for simple control of patterns and brightness (which is all I need during testing and repair). This PyQt based solution works faster and runs on my Linux machines as well instead of having to set up a virtual machine (or Wine).

Novastar hardware: the MCTRL300 LED controller

The Novastar MCTRL300 controller that can be used to drive these panels has a Windows software that allows you configure your whole led screen as well as display test patterns (full r/g/b, moving lines, white, …). During repair and testing this last function is something I use all the time. Thus, the software with all its functions is overkill and rather cumbersome. I decided to write my own (simple) interface to call up test patterns quickly.

The controller has a Silicon Labs CP2102 USB to UART bridge. Opening the housing reveals a rather pretty board that seems to be made so that it can be used as a PCI extention card in a computer instead of a standalone controller as well. Soldering a couple of wires to the QFN28 package and connecting a logic analyzer allows to log the commands that are sent to the controller. After getting these commands, only a bit of Python remains to be written.

Example

Thanks / Acknowledgements

I found a couple of useful documents about the protocol Novastar uses for a couple of other of their controllers on the Bitfocus Companion module novastar controller repository, mostly while reading through the issues.

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Ikea Välgjord (Electrolux dishwasher, HYGIENISK/SKINANDE ) error 50

See the edits below the text for two more possible causes I’ve encountered with this machine, both causing the same error.

Our Ikea Välgjord dishwasher stopped working last night. When switched on, it would take a minute or so, then begin beeping (three times, then about two seconds of silence). When opened, the display showed error code 50, and the bottom LED blinked.

The manual shows error codes 10, 20 and 30 but no 50.

I found the needed information on this (Dutch) site. Error 50 might mean that the pump is somehow obstructed, possibly by a shard of a plate or (in my case) a large piece of [insert some unrecognizable piece of food here].

The solution took maybe 15 minutes, possible less than a phone call to customer support would have taken. You need:

• Torx 20 screwdriver
• Philips screwdriver
• Some rags
• Ideally a shopvac that can be used to get the water out. Otherwise: a sponge…

Steps:

1. Unplug the dishwasher. Seriously. Didn’t do it. Regretted that. (see below)
2. Get as much of the water as possible out. Remove the filter from the bottom inside the dishwasher, then drain the water. Shopvac if possible, otherwise enjoy yourself with the sponge.
3. Remove the wooden front panel: open the dishwasher. On each side of the door you’ll find a small grey plastic cover plate. Pop these off. Open the door about halfway until you can see a bolt through one of the holes. This is a torx 20. Remove these. The bottom of the front panel will come loose, so while you do this, hold the bottom of the panel up. Then slide it upwards to clear it from the dishwasher door. Try not to look at all the grime and dirt.
4. Under the door, on the bottom front of the dishwasher, remove the four philips screws. Take off the metal cover.
5. At the right side you’ll see the pump, rather small. It has two blue wires coming out of a connector on the side. Remember the orientation of the pump.
6. The pump can be removed by rotating it and pulling it backwards towards you. If there’s still water in the dishwasher (you probably cannot get everything out), water will wash out into the plastic drain pan. The float at the back will detect a water leak and the pump impeller will begin to rotate even if the dishwasher is switched off.

   The pump that you’re holding in your hand.

   In the tiny space underneath the dishwasher.

   With cables around it.

   So, you really might want to unplug the dishwasher from the start.

7. Remove the obstruction.
8. Reverse the above.
9. Fill the dishwasher filter hole with water (if you start the dishwasher without water, it will display the same error after a little while).
10. Try it out.

<EDIT> (20 Jan 2019): I’ve successfully done this twice, but this time, there wasn’t any debris in the pump. I haven’t found any other pieces of food anywhere else. After a couple of tries without finding any obvious cause for the problem, the dishwasher started working again. Since the dishwasher is still within warranty (Ikea gives five years of warranty) and you shouldn’t have to do these kind of “repairs” with a new appliance anyway, we asked for a technician which will come over next week. Maybe he has some tips…
</EDIT>

<EDIT2> (24 March 2019) Completely forgot to follow up on the EDIT above. The technician found a bad seal in the washer motor and replaced it under warantee. He told me that it wasn’t something that happened a lot, but enough for him to have seen it before (as a repair technician).
Two weeks later, the washing machine gave the same error. The second technician (another one) found that one of the hose clamps on reservoir on the side of the machine was badly placed and replaced it. Likely, the machine would leak some water, go into alarm mode, get unplugged, would dry after a couple of hours and work again for a short while.
We’ve had no more issues since then, which is about two months ago.

 

So, in addition to “something in the pump” as below, you might want to check for small amounts/droplets of water under the machine in the plastic sump. It might be as simple as a hose clamp…
</EDIT2>