Aquaero 4.0 USB Display Not working

[shazza]

Hope someone can point me in the right direction. Have installed my new Aquaero, but I can't get the display to light up.

What concerns me is that it did light up briefly when I first booted, then it went out.

I read in the manual that there may be a software option to turn the display on/off ... but I have loaded AquaSuite and can't get it to find the USB device. Pushing the set button on the front also does nothing. Have also read about firmware updates ... but that doesn't look like something I really want to do unless that's the only fix.

Note ... I have power to the Aquaero, as evidenced by the power LED lighting up, and the fact that it is running the fans. I was careful to make sure I plugged my USB cable in to the right pins on my motherboard and on the Aquaero.

So ... ist meine Aquaero gebrochen, oder ist Ich eine dumpkopf?

[Yil]

I say its gebrochen ;)

It should work without any difficulties!!

Does the software indicates that the hardware is available??
Because then the display could be broken.

[shazza]

Thanks, Yil.

Some progress ... After rebooting, I saw the "installing driver update" and now, when I open AquaSuite, it pops up with my Aquaero control panels. I can control fans, but still can't get any display - even after making sure the USB-LCD was enabled.

EDIT ::: for diplay type, it says "kein LCD" ... which, if my high school German serves me ... means NONE ... uh oh, that's not good.

Awwww, shucks! Es muss gebrochen werden, aber Ich hoffe nicht :shrug: :( :shakes: :dammit:

[Yil]

Shazza , is the backlight broken? Can you see some letters? Of is the display doing absolutely nothing???

Try another USB port.

Ich denke das ist gebrochen ist, Scheiße Scheiße Scheiße Scheiße Scheiße Scheiße Scheiße Scheiße

Good luck!

[Eddie3dfx]

If you got it from Gary, I would just send it back to him.

[shazza]

Display is doing absolutely nothing. I can try another USB port, but not sure why the control aspect of the software would work if that's the problem.

Yes, Eddie ... I got it from Sidewinder ... I'll probably just order another first, then send this one back for replacement, as I'm sure I can use it somewhere.


On a positive note ... when I switched to the Aquaero, all of a sudden my medium YL fans really started blowing some air. Before, on my Sunbeam Rheobus, even with them turned up they were not getting much air flow. This, of course, brought my temps down 4-5 degrees. So, much better to have the option to turn the fans down. Dunno why I wasn't getting full power with the Sunbeam. Maybe I am just not meant to have a fan controller - so far in this current build:

Kaze Master Ace ... killed it
Lamptron FC-2 ... whiny noise at anything other than full
Sunbeam ... apparently not sending full juice
Aquaero ... dead LCD display

[shazza]

Thanks, Kapt. My UPS is hooked up, but maybe it's not doing a very good job.

Aquaeros are out of stock at Sidewinder ... it took 4 weeks to get my black face plate from the UK (and I thought I now read something about Aqua-PCs going out of business?) ... so looks like I'll just have to be patient. Now that I've had a taste of it, I really like it - and will use it even without the display til I get that fixed.

Anybody by chance know if one of the barebones Matrix Orbital or CrystalFontz displays can be used to replace the one that comes with the Aquaero?

[theseeker]

Shazza,
In the upper left hand corner of Aquasuite there is a tab "sprache." Click that and you select English. That will let you navigate better.
It does sound like your display is kaput.
I will dig around through my aqua stuff and see what I can find. I would send a note to Shoggy just to get his opinion.

PS The easiest way to get the "specialized" AC gear is direct from Germany.
I order every once in a while and I get it in 3-4 days. However, I only do this when it is a big dollar order. Getting 3-4 people together makes it easier.;)

[ILikeCosmosS]

shazza what about bigNG + a alphacool dual bay display (can you really connect it?)

[shazza]

Thanks guys. I took the unit apart and got the number off the back of the display module ... and found what I think is the appropriate one from Crystalfontz. It's on order ... we'll see what happens. Yes ... I found the English forums, but the posts I found about the Aquaero display were in German. Managed to muddle through to try a few different things ... but, no luck.

Even though it's frustrating, I always learn a lot when I have these technical glitches.

@ Cosmos ... I want to stay with the Aquaero software, never been much interested in the bigNG.

[SiGfever]

Shazza,
In the upper left hand corner of Aquasuite there is a tab "sprache." Click that and you select English. That will let you navigate better.
It does sound like your display is kaput.
I will dig around through my aqua stuff and see what I can find. I would send a note to Shoggy just to get his opinion.

PS The easiest way to get the "specialized" AC gear is direct from Germany.
I order every once in a while and I get it in 3-4 days. However, I only do this when it is a big dollar order. Getting 3-4 people together makes it easier.;)

I would contact Shoggy as theseeker suggested. I would select "Restore Factory Defaults" and then select "English" as the language to see what happens. I do know that if the USB cable is reversed on one connection it will damage the display.

Here is the correct USB pin arrangement.

[fox3]

I have USB-LCD disabled at startup in display & hardware tab. Also make sure in "Display & Hardware" Tab you have the appropriate display settings set. If they are not checked they will not dissplay. Set Language to English to make things easier then Restore Factory settings and window settings in the aquaero tab.

While working in the case I pulled on the USB cable going to the Aquaero unaware and lost the display. I checked everything also thinking the display FUBAR'd since the USB was plugged in, or so it seemed. After giving it one last reseat the display came back, mebbe that is worth giving a try.

[skinnee]

If its similar to a CFA, for the first few tries I forgot to plug in the 4pin floppy drive power. My LCD didn't work until I plugged that in. :shrug:

I thought it only needed the 5V from USB, :shakes:

[shazza]

Thanks again for the ideas, folks.

I tried a different motherboard header for the USB connection ... no joy.

Triple checked that the right wires were going where they should be on both ends of the USB cable (referring to both the Aquaero manual and my EVGAX58 manual).

Set to English, Restored Factory and Window Defaults. Rebooted, and so on. Checked Display tab, and so on ... still no joy.

But, least I have a good idea how everything works when I get this fixed! Also PM'd Shoggy, but I hate to bother him on this.

EDIT: and yes, skinnee ... my 4pin molex is plugged in from my PSU to the Aquaero - but thanks for checking. I would be happy if that was my problem!

[cx-ray]

I had a strange prob about a week ago with a new build where the emergency power shutdown would kick in whenever it was enabled. The Aquaero simply wouldn't store the power settings of the software. I corrected it by flashing the firmware.

If you haven't yet, it's worth a try to update it to the latest version. You can find it in the latest Aquasuite on their site http://www.aquacomputer.de/software.html.

[Jhors2]

I was just looking at one of these, even though you've had trouble with it I'm sold on them! I'll pick one up once I make up for this last huge purchase :(

[generics_user]

RMA it

the display should work even without ANY usb connection as it is designed to provide controlling bilities without any windows connection

aquasuite is just used to program the controller, once you have all parameters set you can disable autostart for the aqusuite :up:

[headala]

Shazza, sorry to hear about your difficulties. Hmmm, I always thought they used some kind of Japanese display. :shrug:

Too bad Top Nurse isn't still around, she knew this kind of stuff backwards and forwards.

[alejo]

headala, I think you are talking about the VFD versions, which use Noritake displays, at least mine does. The LCD versions use a Crystalfontz display ( I think.) I think most any HD44870 20x2 LCD would work, but you'd have to have the actual module be of a certain size so all of the buttons and stuff fit right.

Shoggy will set us straight, however. :up:

And yeah, you don't actually need anything connected to the motherboard for the screen to work. As long as it's getting power from a 4pin connecter, the Aquaero should boot up.

[cx-ray]

BTW, also verify that jumper JP1 is set to pin 1-2 when it's power by the molex.

[shazza]

Thanks for the additional comments, folks. I also figured it should work without the USB connected, as it is optional for software control. The fact that it worked for a very short initial period is what had me concerned. Shoggy responded very quickly to my PM and confirmed that chances are it took a power surge or something of that nature. I've got another LCD piece on order from Crystalfontz, so should have that later this week. This time, I'll make sure there are no CCFLs plugged in, and that I use a molex connector straight from the PSU to the Aquaero, and test it first on another PSU as well.

Anyway ... had fun playing with the software yesterday, so looking forward to getting it all working.

[headala]

headala, I think you are talking about the VFD versions, which use Noritake displays, at least mine does. The LCD versions use a Crystalfontz display ( I think.) I think most any HD44870 20x2 LCD would work, but you'd have to have the actual module be of a certain size so all of the buttons and stuff fit right.

Shoggy will set us straight, however. :up:

And yeah, you don't actually need anything connected to the motherboard for the screen to work. As long as it's getting power from a 4pin connecter, the Aquaero should boot up.

Yup, that's exactly what I was thinking! Thanks. :doh:

[fox3]

Thanks, Yil.

I can control fans, but still can't get any display - even after making sure the USB-LCD was enabled.



Not sure if this is a fix but:

In Aquasuite under the Aquaero Tab if I "Enable USB -> LCD Mode" I lose my VFD display showing fan speed, volts, sensor temps and so on. To get the display again I need to go to the LCD data output Tab and in the USB LCD Mode box press the "Exit USB-LCD mode".