1. Got a question or need help troubleshooting? Post to the troubleshooting forum or Search the forums!

Palette 2 Pro Setup Experience

Discussion in 'General Questions' started by TransBat, Jan 1, 2019.

  1. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Messages:
    23,912
    Likes Received:
    7,338
    Yea, I froze the version update support on RoboOS when I customized the C2 hardware (I simply stopped applying Robo firmware updates). I saw back then (early last year) that this was going to be a tangle since they don't provide enough documentation to allow you to customize the bits any longer. Not from the OS/Software side. Not sure exactly what they are doing there since they sell the hardware. Open software is in large part a win for any hardware developer/vendor.
     
  2. TransBat

    TransBat Member

    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2016
    Messages:
    67
    Likes Received:
    35
    @WheresWaldo I appreciate your candid and honest responses - I was truly afraid that would be the answer. I would presume since Robo isn't really contributing anything back to open source software - their driver base would likely be closed off/protected. Which would mean R2/C2 users like myself don't really have any other touchscreen-driven options such as Astro Print (or anything else similar), correct?

    I am sure with some guidance, a little trial by fire, and some documentation review - I could run both units without the touchscreen and simply drive all features needed via Octoprint. That is something I'm a bit reticent to do however - this would be the second time a major benefit/feature of these printers would have to be sacrificed (the first being auto level, which I now get better results with it off than I ever did turned on) just to bring it up to par to use current/upcoming technologies. It's also nice that I can quickly show someone what features/procedures to use with the touchscreen interface - not only is it cool, but makes the tech more inviting from a user perspective.

    While this isn't the place for this discussion - I would whole-heartedly appreciate some recommendations about printers that use an open 1.75mm filament system, run open-source software that follows a decent update/upgrade/support path (be it official support or community forum), and feature a touch-screen interface that run along side the convenience and power of something like Octoprint.

    Sheesh, nothing like being picky, eh? :p In all honestly though, those features I listed above are what drew me to the Robo R2/C2 series as my first 3D printers - and I believe they are still important to any successful 3D printer as this technology continues to improve and educate aspiring newbs like myself, and help others enjoy the new 3D printed future before us.
     
  3. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2015
    Messages:
    5,905
    Likes Received:
    3,593
    The good thing about the Robo is that there is nothing special about the hardware, other than it being pretty. So basically you can use whatever you want to drive the rPi. You could essentially burn an image of OctoPi together with something like TouchUI or OctoPrint-TFT onto a new SD card and boot with it instead of RoboOS. It won't be as pretty, but it will work. You would only lose the wizards, essentially.
     
  4. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Messages:
    23,912
    Likes Received:
    7,338
    Ditto what @WheresWaldo pointed out. Except for the way the touchscreen UI works there is nothing really proprietary about how Robo has built the printer. You can swap everything over to Open Source equivalents.

    That is the puzzling part, I was sure they had (with the C2/R2) finally jumped to proprietary hardware and firmware at first glance but after we had a chance to dig in you find that is not the case. The Arduino/RAMPS combo board they have made is actually a smart move from a business standpoint (less cost in quantity) with minimal effort design-wise :)

    There are a few odd-ball omissions if they were going to do their own driver board like that, but those are just design choices
     
    Geof likes this.
  5. TransBat

    TransBat Member

    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2016
    Messages:
    67
    Likes Received:
    35
    @WheresWaldo and @mark tomlinson that's some great information, especially regarding the OctoPrint Touch UI and TFT plugins/installation.

    I am familiar with setting a z-offset manually via the eeprom area of the C2/R2 version of Octoprint - but I guess my biggest question would be, would how I achieve the few things I use the wizards for:
    • initial Z-offset setup and calibration (I can level the manually level/tram the bed on my own), maybe something like this: https://plugins.octoprint.org/plugins/touchtest/
    • Load Filaments (I guess I could simply load a preset for an extruder/heated bed temp, and then manually hold/press extrude until the filament comes out)
    • Change/Unload filaments (I guess I could again simply load a preset for an extruder/heated bed temp, and then manually hold/press retract until the filament leave the feeder gears)
    I realize this is far outside the topic of this thread, but I do appreciate the guidance you all continue to provide. It's nice to know I have some options that could supplant the touch screen UI of RoboOS, and keep my C2/R2 functioning at a higher/up-to-date level without sending the units to a great 3Dprinter graveyard, or donate them to a local maker space and begin my quest for 3D printing knowledge again with new devices ;)
     
  6. TransBat

    TransBat Member

    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2016
    Messages:
    67
    Likes Received:
    35
    I guess this also leads to a random discussion about Marlin Firmware updates too - I'll start a different discussion regarding that so as not to derail this Palette discussion further...
     
  7. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Messages:
    23,912
    Likes Received:
    7,338
    I use a single layer print like the attached one, sized to the bed and then adjust the Z offset (I still use ABL so nothing fancy) until I have a perfect first layer. Note that number :)

    Yep, pretty much the way to go


    Same.

    The wizards they have in the LCD are handy if you are new to this (even if you are not new they can be handy) but there is nothing you can't do without.
     

    Attached Files:

    TransBat likes this.
  8. TransBat

    TransBat Member

    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2016
    Messages:
    67
    Likes Received:
    35
    Definitely going to give this a go. Feels like overkill in some regards, just to get the Palette 2 Pro working - but I figure this learning process could also go a long way to tweaking the printers and giving them a longer life that's not hampered by poor software support. Are either of you (@mark tomlinson or @WheresWaldo) using your C2/R2s in the manner I'm describing, or have any ABL plugins you can recommend?
     
  9. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Messages:
    23,912
    Likes Received:
    7,338
    I don't have the Palette hooked up to the C2, rather to an R1+ and honestly have done nothing with it yet other than play with it to prove it worked. Didn't want the R1+ it was attached to either, but it was a package deal :)

    I don't have stock firmware installed (close, but not exactly the same) since I have dual extrusion configured on the C2. I just don't do updates from the LCD ... and (sadly) I really never use the LCD for control, just drive-by (walk by) status updates. The printer is in the workshop out back and I am usually .. not. So I use OctoPi to monitor it (with a camera too)
     
    TransBat likes this.
  10. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2015
    Messages:
    5,905
    Likes Received:
    3,593
    Other than using Marlin 1.1.9, I am using pretty much stock RoboOS, but I only use the load filament and change filament wizards. The leveling one is broken by 1.1.9.

    I do have an SD image with OctoPrint-TFT but I was really trying to test it. I am not in a position to try alternate SD images until I have another printer running as well as the R2 is right now.

    BTW, I never level my R2 since I set up UBL on 1.1.9
     
  11. DavidR

    DavidR Member

    Joined:
    Jan 3, 2018
    Messages:
    78
    Likes Received:
    13
    I actually just found this thread looking for something else regarding palette2. I am still setting mine up--but mosaic has apparently typed a Robo R2/C2 -specific manual on installing the octo plugins here. There's apparently some extra installation steps to take because of Robo uses it's own version of octoprint:

    https://support.mosaicmfg.com/hc/en...-CANVAS-Hub-Plugins-with-Robo-Printers-R2-C2-

    I will note I haven't tried it yet.
     
  12. TransBat

    TransBat Member

    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2016
    Messages:
    67
    Likes Received:
    35
    Just a quick note (real life keeping away from 3D printing at the moment). The TransBat on other forum posts on Mosaic's site is me - and I can confirm that their setup guide does indeed work for configuring the Robo R2 and C2 units for full Palette 2/2Pro integration. Still need to do more calibrating on my end, but I've achieved multi-color prints on my C2, and a test print on the R2 ;)
     
    WheresWaldo likes this.
  13. KenO

    KenO New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2015
    Messages:
    25
    Likes Received:
    12
    Partsbuild 3d sells a replacement Raspberry Pi for the Robo C1/C2's. Rather than re-program the existing Raspberry Pi, mount a replacement on a 3d printed table over the top of the existing one. It uses a micro SD card, but the rest of the connections match. Then install OctoPI and necessary Plugins into the new one. Attach the Robo cables into the appropriate sockets leaving the existing Raspberry Pi that could then be re-connected and return the printer back to its original settings if this was every desirable.

    Any thoughts on this idea?

    Ken Olsen
     
  14. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Messages:
    23,912
    Likes Received:
    7,338
    It is easier to simply replace the SD card than do all of that. I have seldom seen a Raspberry Pi actually die (I HAVE seen it, but it is not often or easy). If you backup the SD card in the stock one (and that is in the FAQ as something you really should do) then formatting a new one and swapping it in is much easier. Actually I see what you are trying to do -- simply backup and replace/retsore the SD card as needed to load/unload the changes.

    I mean you could mount another Pi in parallel (be careful of power) but ... why? Just swap the Sd card as needed.
     
  15. KenO

    KenO New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2015
    Messages:
    25
    Likes Received:
    12
    OK, there is so many bits and pieces of info on how to get the Palette to work, that this is good info. I did make a duplicate SD card and saved the info to make another. Thanks for that piece of info. Ken
     
  16. tkoco

    tkoco - -.- --- -.-. ---
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    May 7, 2018
    Messages:
    721
    Likes Received:
    273
    Overheating the RPi will toast a Raspberry Pi board :D (pun intended, but it is true!)
     
    mark tomlinson likes this.
  17. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Messages:
    23,912
    Likes Received:
    7,338
    #37 mark tomlinson, Jan 18, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2020
  18. KenO

    KenO New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2015
    Messages:
    25
    Likes Received:
    12
    The idea of linking two Raspberry Pi's together was not intended. It was to simply to locate a 2nd Raspberry Pi above the other, but only one of the would be connected, not both together. I was mistaken based on other posts that gave me the impression that there was no easy return to the factory settings by Robo once the modifications suggested by Mosaic to get the Palette up and running were done. As Mark noted to me was just have a duplicate memory card with the Robo firmware available that could be used if the changes did not accomplish the desired result. I made two copies back when Robo did the last firmware upgrade, so I am set. I will report the results once I find time to get back and do what Mark suggested.
     
    mark tomlinson likes this.

Share This Page