ELO 2216 Touchscreen not keeping calibration

[flashiv]

I have a ELO 2216 touchscreen that I mounted to a LCD monitor, and every time I turn off the computer for more than a few minutes, it loses it's calibration.  If I do a reboot it seems to stay.  It seems to "work" no matter what when I start the computer, but the cursor does not jump to or follow my finger when the calibration is lost.  I am an IT guy, so I am currently looking at the software end.  Installing newest drivers etc, but I was wondering if anyone knows of any known issues with particular ELO or if anyone has any suggestions.  (Besides tossing it off a bridge)     I can't rule out that the touchscreen isn't just going to .  LOL.

[lilshawn]

are you using the serial or USB cable hookup?

i have used many of these controllers (about 60 of them). the only issue i have had was with a weird calibration issue on maybe 2, i had to enable the 25 point advanced calibration and calibrate it with that one. i only think the xp install comes with it, i don't see it on my vista install at home here, but it's on all our xp installs. i believe the file to manually run it is called "elova25p.exe" i think you can just pull the file out of the install pack and run it. for some reason the units i had, came with a strange linearity table programmed into them.

some of the older driver versions had an option to WRITE the info directly to the controller or just load at the start via a config file. it was to keep the firmware from getting corrupted. i think since those versions it gets written by default.

it seems to "work" no matter what when I start the computer, but the cursor does not jump to or follow my finger when the calibration is lost.

does it match your left/right movements okay but inverses the up/down movement? (or vice versa) or does it just not line up properly (but the up/down left/right are correct directions)

these controllers are very susceptible to static discharge. often even if the ground cable is properly attached, a static-y finger can fry the controller through the overlay. (this has happened on maybe 5 controllers. once 3 times in the space of a few months due to a broken ground wire.)

as another option (assuming you are using the 5 wire flat ribbon connection this will not work with the 4 wire connector.) just unplug the cable and flip it over and plug it back in. (it will work either way) This reverses the horizontal and vertical lines. do a new calibration and see if it sticks.

[flashiv]

I will answer what I can now and the rest by Mon.  I'm at work now.  Working 

It is USB.  One time during all the install/reinstalls it did run a 25 point calibrate, but just once.  I am using the 5.2 version of the drivers and running XP SP3.  I will look for that file and run it if I find it.  Do you know how to write the info to the controller or what the config file is named.

My current solution is to uninstall the drivers, reinstall, then run calibration program all in silent mode.  If I can't get it to work another way, I will write a short batch file to do this at each boot.  I do remember that in prior years for parties, if I started it up not connected to the PC and then connected it worked fine.  However I now have it in a jukebox shell I built and would like to just turn it on and have it work.

I will check what directions it currently does or does not match.  I have tried the connector both ways, with the same end results.  I currently don't have the ground wire connected to anything.

[lilshawn]

I would connect that ground wire. Even if just to a metal part on the monitor (where the vga cable thumbscrews are)

If you are using the newest drivers, the info is being written directly to the controller.

I'm thinking since the 25 point calibration was done at one time, the table written to the controller is messed up.

I've noticed Once you calibrate with the 25 point calibrator, you always have to use it. The 3 point doesn't seem to work right anymore.

ELO does have some tools available but they are mainly for serial controllers.

I feel like you may have some luck with the elova25.

[flashiv]

Can I just use another piece of wire to loop around the end of the ground wire and then attach that to something metal?  There isn't enough ground wire to reach anything right now.

I will definitely try the 25 point calibrator.

[lilshawn]

Can I just use another piece of wire to loop around the end of the ground wire and then attach that to something metal?

absolutely!

worst case is the controller is gone sideways on you. if it's new, i would contact where you got it from. but i would first test it on another computer if you have one available before replacing it. that would rule out a bad windows/ELO file in your install.

should you need to replace the controller we get ours from "Pen-Tech" they are $77.00 US (says the invoice of the last order of 6 we bought in August this year)  the product # is "E658721"

[Kevin Mullins]

I am using the 5.2 version of the drivers and running XP SP3. 

Where did you find a set of 5.2 drivers ?

http://www.elotouch.com/Support/Downloads/dnld.asp

The XPU4.8.7b set found under TOUCH DRIVERS: Windows 7/XP/Vista is all I have ever used for the few ELO's I have messed with. (mind ya they were all serial and I have not tried them on an SP3 machine yet)

Just thought I'd throw that out there to maybe try a different set of drivers. 

[lilshawn]

IWhere did you find a set of 5.2 drivers ?

http://www.elotouch.com/Support/Downloads/dnld.asp

  Sorry, I had to.

[Kevin Mullins]

 

Oh yeah...... that one ...... um, don't use that one, try the other one. 


(seriously, I thought there was an updated version to the one I use somewhere that I wasn't aware of)

[lilshawn]

You know, I'm not really sure why they have two like that. There must be some kind of difference between them. I've always just used the one at the top, and have had no issues. Although you might be on to something. Perhaps its some kind of alternate driver pack. The "b" beta designation on the version is kinda unusual. Perhaps its worth a try.

[flashiv]

worst case is the controller is gone sideways on you. if it's new, i would contact where you got it from. but i would first test it on another computer if you have one available before replacing it. that would rule out a bad windows/ELO file in your install.

should you need to replace the controller we get ours from "Pen-Tech" they are $77.00 US (says the invoice of the last order of 6 we bought in August this year)  the product # is "E658721"

I've tried the 25 pt calibration.  Didn't seem to matter.  Being it's Christmas and all, I'm going to hold off anymore troubleshooting till Jan.  If it turns out to be the controller, but I can still use it, I think I might just save up for a new touchscreen.  It's unfortunately not new.

I will definitely review this topic postings and appreciate all the help so far.

[flashiv]

I know this is a resurrection of this thread.  But just an FYI, I did finally get the monitor to work.

[Kevin Mullins]

I know this is a resurrection of this thread.  But just an FYI, I did finally get the monitor to work.

So what solved it for you?

[flashiv]

To be honest Kevin, I don't know.  It now just works.  I've powered it up/down now over 100 times and as long as I wait 30 secs or so before I touch the screen after it boots, it just works.   

[Kevin Mullins]

Hey, an honest answer is better than no answer. 
Funny how some things just "fix" themselves.