Controller Card Swap Out...

[GD George]

Is there something specific?  Octoprint is running on a Raspberry Pi 2b+. I do my slicing on my desktop using Slic3r, and that send the code directly to the RPi. To set up Octoprint, I used the OctoPi Image and set up the printer using the settings that I had used for Slic3r and Repetier. I don't think there was any trick to it.  The Pi is also running a RPi Cam that does a pretty nice job.  For this go-round, I actually had to reinstall it and then restore a backup as I had added a plugin to control my laser that overwrote a bunch of things.

Jerry

[ggallant571]

Is the rpi connected via ethernet to the computer that does the slicing? Is the rpi connected to the printer via USB? How does a print get started, paused, or aborted? If you have more than 1 printer do you need a dedicated rpi per? My last three tries at getting started with octo print ended in frustration.

[GD George]

Network

• My network is a mix of Ethernet and cable depending upon where in the house you are connecting. The backbone is two MoCA APs that are running via cable to the FIOS router.
• In the garage is a MoCA adaptor running into an unmanaged switch. The Pi runs into the switch.
• The Pi exists with it's own IP address on my network. It is not accessible via internet and I use an SSH connection with port forwarding (into another RPi that acts as a front door) to access my stuff through the firewall as necessary.

Printer Connection

• The Pi is connected via USB directly to the printer.
• Setup is via the Octoprint menu and looks like most of the slicer programs that I've seen.

Control

• I can control the printer via Octoprint over any browser on my network or via an Android app.
• Starting and stopping is via Octoprint accessed through a brower on my intranet as is any remote monitor that I need to do. I have a tablet that I can leave by the machine. Or my laptop is out there if I'm working in the garage.
• I can still print via the SD card, and monitor / control with the OctoPi.

Slicing

• Octoprint has some built in slicing capability but as the OctoPi is only second generation, I haven't explored it at all. I have a forth generation one that I want to use to control my laser but I'm struggling with software. If I don't get that squared away I may switch that one to the OctoPi.
• I slice on my desktop (PC, Ryzon7-1700, 32GB) using Slic3r, and that software sends the g-code files directly to the Pi.

• I tried to set up both the laser and the printer on one OctoPi, and I was able to move the laser. But I did not try to print / burn anything. The issues was that the plugin to make the laser usable overwrote settings that made the printer usable.  I didn't want to screw with it as I know that my current setup works.
• I know that you can set up more than one printer on an instance but I do not know if you can connect or run more than one at a time.

Probably too much detail but I hope this helps!
Jerry

[ggallant571]

I have a similar setup for home networking. Due to a ordering mistake I have two RPI4 modules sitting idle.

My printer contains a Lerdge X controller with an almost Marlin compatible command set. This may have been the major cause of frustration. Connecting to the printer via Cura fails but works with Pronterface.

[ggallant571]

I have a similar setup for home networking. Due to a ordering mistake I have two RPI4 modules sitting idle.

My printer contains a Lerdge X controller with an almost Marlin compatible command set. This may have been the major cause of frustration. Connecting to the printer via Cura fails but works with Pronterface.

[GD George]

I'm sure you've looked into it but the issue with the Lerdge gear looks to be both firmware and connection speed. There are reports on the OctoPrint forum that it worked with Octoprint up to a specific version and then poof.  (The thread move from S to the X series towards the bottom. ) There's also something on Youtube about switching the x over to Marlin.

https://community.octoprint.org/t/lerdge-s-controller-connection-issue/2313

[ggallant571]

The problem I have observed is the Lerdge firmware reacts properly to most generic motion & heating commands. It does not respond correctly to the "standard" line number scheme and formats responses to temperature and position in a non-standard way. Both items should be trivial to fix.

I am quite confident that Lerdge just ripped off Marlin. Last year there was a Marlin bug uncovered and the same bug existed in the Lerdge.