Napco Gemini

Clingpeach

Just updated the module and the password..all works fine for about 5 minutes then spits out these errors...
(0002518859) COMM RECEIVED FROM UI: ZONE_STATUS?2
(0002518861) NAPCO_FUNCTION(7,2) called
(0002518864) comm state is: 6
(0002518877) From Gemini-UI.axs UI RECEIVED FROM COMM: ERRORM=Queue 0x20 full 0x20 - 0x20 command 0x20 rejected.

(0002518878) SEC ERROR:Queue full - command rejected.
(0002518897) From Gemini-UI.axs UI RECEIVED FROM COMM: ERRORM=Queue 0x20 full 0x20 - 0x20 command 0x20 rejected.

(0002518898) SEC ERROR:Queue full - command rejected.
(0002518915) From Gemini-UI.axs UI RECEIVED FROM COMM: ERRORM=Queue 0x20 full 0x20 - 0x20 command 0x20 rejected.

(0002518916) SEC ERROR:Queue full - command rejected.
(0002518941) From Gemini-UI.axs UI RECEIVED FROM COMM: ERRORM=Queue 0x20 full 0x20 - 0x20 command 0x20 rejected.

(0002518942) SEC ERROR:Queue full - command rejected.
(0002518959) From Gemini-UI.axs UI RECEIVED FROM COMM: ERRORM=Queue 0x20 full 0x20 - 0x20 command 0x20 rejected.

(0002518960) SEC ERROR:Queue full - command rejected.
(0002518979) From Gemini-UI_.axs UI RECEIVED FROM COMM: ERRORM=Queue 0x20 full 0x20 - 0x20 command 0x20 rejected.

(0002518980) SEC ERROR:Queue full - command rejected.
(0002519044) From Gemini-UI.axs UI RECEIVED FROM COMM: ERRORM=Queue 0x20 full 0x20 - 0x20 command 0x20 rejected.

(0002519045) SEC ERROR:Queue full - command rejected.
(0002525832) From Gemini-Comm.axs COMM RECVD FROM DEV: 0x20 READY 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 04/22/07 0x20 12:59AMz 0x01 0x06 0x00 0xC

(0002525833) From Gemini-Comm.axs 0 0x0D 0xD4 0x01 0x06 0x01 0x83 0x00 0x8B 0x03 % 0x10 0x00 *ZONES 0x20 FAULTED** 0x20 0x2

(0002525834) From Gemini-Comm.axs 0 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 j 0x03 % 0x10

(0002525834) From Gemini-Comm.axs 0x00 13-MOTION 0x20 BY 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 FRONT 0x20 DOOR 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 w

(0002525835) From Gemini-Comm.axs 0x03 % 0x10 0x00 *ZONES 0x20 FAULTED** 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20

(0002525836) From Gemini-Comm.axs 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 j 0x03 % 0x10 0x00 13-MOTION 0x20 BY 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x2

(0002525837) From Gemini-Comm.axs 0 FRONT 0x20 DOOR 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 w 0x01 0x06 0x00 0xC2 0x0D 0xD6 0x01 0x06 0x0

(0002525837) From Gemini-Comm.axs 1 0x82 0x00 0x8A 0x03 % 0x12 0x00 SYSTEM 0x20 READY 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 04/22/07 0x20 12:59A

(0002525838) From Gemini-Comm.axs Mz 0x03 % 0x12 0x00 SYSTEM 0x20 READY 0x20 0x20 0x20 0x20 04/22/07 0x20 01:00AMj 0x01 0x06 0x0


Any ideas??

DHawthorne

As I recall, the Gemini uses hardware handshaking for flow control. It looks rather like someone cheated and shorted out the pins on the connector, fooling the port into thinking the handshaking was connected. The old module might not have sent commands out fast enough for this to be a problem, but the new one is causing the buffer to overflow ... which is exactly what the hardware handshaking is meant to prevent. It's also possible there is an error in the new module that only shows up under certain conditions. Either way, the module is sending commands too rapidly and running out of buffer to handle them. The bottom part of that list, by the way, is normal, the Gemini is a chatty device under normal conditions if a window or door is open.

I've only actually integrated a Gemini once in my career, and I haven't had any trouble with it. The module I used was older than the hills, but I wrote my own UI for it, and just used the comm module.

cgayers

Updated Napco Gemini Module

Version 1.4 of the Gemini module utilizes updated handshaking in the device's firmware and fixes a lockup problem similar to what you describe. The new module is only valid for for the following firmware versions though:
GEM-P3200 ? 40B and later
GEM-P9600 ? 30B and later
GEM-X255 ? 4A and later
This module will not work on earlier firmware versions. Because of this handshaking change, the cable used to connect to an AMX master is now a 3-wire instead of a 5-wire. Continuing to use a 5-wire may cause additional problems.

If you're already using a 3-wire cable with one of the firmware versions listed above and rebooting does not clear the error, then I recommend contacting AMX Tech Support and reporting the problem.

Clingpeach

Thanks..we will be trying out the newer module hopefully it will address the problem. Yes we did change the wiring out to the 3 pin.

Clingpeach

Another question. Obviously there is an issue with updating to the new module. Namely time for my programmer and labor costs for me. Is there a way to test this new module WITHOUT incurring the time and labor. Ive just had to incur these costs with the last supposedly good module (which clearly it is not) Certainly no fault of the programmer. Is there a simple way to do this JUST FOR TESTING PURPOSES. Obviously if it works well then we can integrate into the system.
As an aside is it worth it to me at some point to ditch the module (the programmer hates them) and let him program the whole thing from scratch?

Spire_Jeff

Unless I am missing something or assuming something, simply switching the Comm module should not require any other code changes unless there is a complete different set of commands being used. Since you are dealing with an updated module for the same device, I doubt there are any changes that would break your functionality. In most cases, the external interface to module remains unchanged, it's just the internal workings of the module that have been fixed.

On a side note, I believe that most modules are written to attempt to support the same commands so that even if you switched to a different brand security panel, simply switching the comm modules should still allow 80-100% functionality (depending on the supported features of each panel).

Jeff

NMarkRoberts

Clingpeach wrote:

As an aside is it worth it to me at some point to ditch the module (the programmer hates them) and let him program the whole thing from scratch?

Yes. Reverse engineer the module to help get the protocol right and learn the tricks that the module programmer already learned for you.

Clingpeach

Newest module is now returning this
SEC ERROR:Queue full - command rejected.
(0002311249) From Gemini-UI.axs UI RECEIVED FROM COMM: ERRORM=Queue 0x20 full 0x20 - 0x20 command 0x20 rejected.

vining

Spire_Jeff wrote:

On a side note, I believe that most modules are written to attempt to support the same commands so that even if you switched to a different brand security panel, simply switching the comm modules should still allow 80-100% functionality (depending on the supported features of each panel).

While that is the basis for the module concept, typical AMX modules barely allow 80-100% functionality for the actual device it was written for. IMHO.

cgayers

Clingpeach wrote:

Newest module is now returning this
SEC ERROR:Queue full - command rejected.
(0002311249) From Gemini-UI.axs UI RECEIVED FROM COMM: ERRORM=Queue 0x20 full 0x20 - 0x20 command 0x20 rejected.

Thank you for the feedback. Someone will be looking into this right away.

Clingpeach

Is there any resolution to this???

cgayers

Clingpeach wrote:

Is there any resolution to this???

Yes, we are working on version 1.5 of the module now. Be looking for it in the next few days.

Clingpeach

I see the new module is out. There are 2 wiring diagrams one with 5 cables and in the other notes its just the 3. Having said that the note says it MIGHT address the problem. What is the difference between all 3 modules that have been put out the last week?

cgayers

Clingpeach wrote:

I see the new module is out. There are 2 wiring diagrams one with 5 cables and in the other notes its just the 3. Having said that the note says it MIGHT address the problem. What is the difference between all 3 modules that have been put out the last week?

Essentially, the new firmware versions have a new handshaking capability that the module was updated to handle. This required a change in the cable. There were a few problems with the implementation that were not discovered until they were tested in the field. It appears that all issues have been fixed except for the issue with the X255, which is a firmware issue not a module issue. The website has been updated to include the new cable and the module revision notes.