Smartboard Problem

[penfold]

I've got a problem with an old smartboard that it doesn't seem to power up. I have installed the software and tried different machines, but it doesn't actually show any light at all.

 

I have read that it automatically turns on when connected to a PC and there is an input coming, but there doesn't seem to be any life in the board at all. The install was done along time ago, and all the cabling is nice and tiday cabled away through a lot of trunking and I dont have a spare cable to check if that is the problem. Is there anyway that I can just check the board to see if it will power up to see if the problem is with the board or the cabling?

 

I dont know if it will make any difference but it has a seriel connection.

 

If there anything I can do before having to call someone out to look at it?

[elsiegee40]

I don't know about Smart boards as I haven't got any, but on my promethean boards I'd be trying a power supply taken from a board that worked. It's usually that that has failed.

 

You'll end up undoing all the trunking for both boards, but it's cheaper than calling out a smart board engineer to do exactly the same thing on a board that isn't under guarantee.

[K.C.Leblanc]

When you say it's old I'm assuming you mean it's the 500 series smartboard with the black frame, not the 600 series with the silver frame.

 

How is it connected to the PC?

 

If it uses a serial cable I think there should be a separate power supply that actualy connects to a socket in the back of the serial plug that goes into the PC.

 

If you're using USB you need to be using official serial adaptor, not a cheapy one. Generaly when you plug one of these cables in for the first time windows will prompt you to find drivers (if you point it at the folder where smart tools lives you'll find them). It might be worth having a dig about in device manager you make sure there aren't any devices without drivers installed.

Edited September 30, 2010 by K.C.Leblanc

[MYK-IT]

The 'older' SMART Boards (i.e. 500 Series) used to connect via a Serial Connection as previously mentioned. In addition to connecting to the Serial Port there was a separate power lead that was an inline PS/2 Connection where by the PS/2 Keyboard plugged in, then into the motherboard connection.

 

If the PC does not have a PS/2 connection you can connect a suitable universal PSU into the power connector on the serial connection, but make sure you have the correct voltage and polarity.

[pritchardavid]

The 500 series shouldn't have seperate power lead and ps/2 connection

 

They do have a serial port, which you use the smartborad serial to usb cable

 

We have a similar problem do, one of our powers up, but the computer does not connect to it.

[laserblazer]

The 500 series shouldn't have seperate power lead and ps/2 connection

I think you'll find it depends on how old they are. Our first ones had a serial connection and separate power via the PS2 connector. I've recently replaced the old leads with USB-Serial leads (that you can get W-Store) because our computers don't have serial ports. If the OP needs a serial lead I can possibly help.

[dhicks]

I've got a problem with an old smartboard that it doesn't seem to power up.

 

Me too! Each classroom here seems to have a different model of SMARTBoard in. The one in question is an overlay over a plasma screen. It connects to the computer via a USB-to-serial converter cable-and-dongle affair. That converter obviously has some circuitry of some sort in it as the computer can see a USB device and reports its firmware version as 0xbb8. The SMARTBoard, however, refuses to power up. I've checked all the cables are well plugged in and dust-free.

 

Can someone at least tell me how to figure out what model of SMARTBoard I have? Does "overlay, firmware 0xbb8" ring any bells with anyone? Is there a way to test which part of the board is going wrong? Am I correct in thinking that the bottom part of the SMARTBoard, which is detachable, is interchangeable with others of the same (or similar?) models? If I can figure out the board version I can at least maybe contact SMART to see about a replacement part, or get one off eBay or similar.

 

The board was working on Tuesday, it simply stopped working overnight. Are they susceptable to power surges / cosmic rays - should the PC they are plugged in to via USB be on a surge protector?

 

--

David Hicks

[penfold]

I think you'll find it depends on how old they are. Our first ones had a serial connection and separate power via the PS2 connector. I've recently replaced the old leads with USB-Serial leads (that you can get W-Store) because our computers don't have serial ports. If the OP needs a serial lead I can possibly help.

 

Thats the way this one works. Apparently it used to work, but then stopped when the computer was upgraded(before I started and a while ago now) due to the fact that there is no serial connection on it. I have changed the computer for one that had a serial and PS2 connection hoping that would bring the board to life but nothing is showing. I was hoping that there was something I could do to the board to check the hardware of the board itself. If you have a serial lead I could try I woul be most grateful.

[laserblazer]

Would you like to PM me your address?

[penfold]

PM sent.

[witch]

Oddly, I have an older smartboard that this week that has started flashing red, green,red and never settling on green although it worked fine before. It is serial to usb, using a proper smartboard cable. Have tried a different laptop and a known good cable but to no avail. It was fine until a week or so ago. I would also like some ideas of what is wrong, if anyone has any?

[laserblazer]

Witch, I hope this works for you because I had exactly the same problem. What seems to happen is that the computer no longer recognises the Smart usb-serial device and installs the generic Windows one. When you connect the good lead, it still wants to use the generic drivers. Take a look in device manager and see if you have a usb-serial device. If so, uninstall it and hopefully, when you connect the good lead it will recognise it as the Smart version and install the correct drivers. Good luck.

[penfold]

I'd just like to let people know that I got the cable from laserblazer and it's sorted the board. Very much apreciated