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My Alfawise EX8 (Anet A8 Clone) had an issue, so I flashed the firmware provided on the GearBest page. After the flash the LCD is no longer doing anything and I can't really identify the LCD to confirm whether the correct one is selected in configuration.h

Currently the firmware had 'Mini VIKI' selected, but I'm not confident it works.

I cannot see anything on the screen, but I can still turn the dial and click things to make it do stuff.

enter image description hereenter image description here

I really hope somebody can help!

0scar
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Ollie
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    Why do you rephrase and repost [the question](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/11143/alfawise-ex8-flashing-issue), please use a single account, you can always edit the question. – 0scar Oct 09 '19 at 19:48
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    Hi Ollie, would you like to have this account merged with your [other account](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/18779/oliver-gerrard?tab=profile) which you used to post the nearly [identical question](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/11143/alfawise-ex8-flashing-issue)? How do these two questions differ? – Greenonline Oct 09 '19 at 21:54
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    Download a clean copy of the firmware from the official site (https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/tree/bugfix-2.0.x) and adapt the changes from the firmware you've downloaded. That display appears to be a standard-ish "RepRapDiscount Full Graphics Smart Controller", but certainly not a "MiniVIKI" – towe Oct 10 '19 at 06:19
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    Probable duplicate of [Alfawise EX8 Flashing issue](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/11143/alfawise-ex8-flashing-issue) – Greenonline Oct 10 '19 at 11:22
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    @towe That will not work as the printer uses a specific Melzi board that is not available in Marlin, only in the vendor's link to a fork of the software. It uses the standard Melzi pin layout at first but then redefines pins, notably LCD pins. – 0scar Oct 10 '19 at 16:03
  • @0scar One of the "Sanguinololu" types, like Tronxy uses? That's rather easily added in; https://github.com/Lauszus/Sanguino Do you have a link to that manufacturer firmware? – towe Oct 11 '19 at 05:55
  • @towe Yes it is a "Sanguinololu" type, link to firmware is found [here](https://www.dropbox.com/s/e1ab6p2s8j61w6q/Marlin.rar?dl=0), I updated the question with the link. – 0scar Oct 11 '19 at 07:52

3 Answers3

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According to the link to the fork of Marlin you need to be sure that a bootloader is present before flashing, see pins_MELZI_WYH.h:

/**
 * Melzi (WYH) pin assignments
 *
 * The WYH-128 board needs a bootloader installed before Marlin can be uploaded.
 * If you don't have a chip programmer you can use a spare Arduino plus a few
 * electronic components to write the bootloader.
 *
 * See http://www.instructables.com/id/Burn-Arduino-Bootloader-with-Arduino-MEGA/
 */

From this same pins layout file you can find hints to the usage of the REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER display:

// For the stock M18 use the REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER
//   option for the display in Configuration.h

Maybe you can use that one instead of the "Mini VIKI". Though, an internet search, does hint to the "Mini VIKI" being the correct display for this printer, but it does look different from other Mini VIKI displays.

Note that in the Configuration.h, by default this display is not enabled as can be seen:

// RepRapDiscount FULL GRAPHIC Smart Controller
// http://reprap.org/wiki/RepRapDiscount_Full_Graphic_Smart_Controller
//
//#define REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER
0scar
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I know this is a closed and already answered question, but for anybody having an Alfawise EX8 and wanting to update the firmware, I've changed some things in the Marlin bugfix-1.1.x version, so that it now works perfectly with this printer. You can find it here. The issue with the display is in the file ultralcd_st7565_u8glib_VIKI.h. The Alfawise EX8 version contains added functions like contrast adjustments and addressing offset, which is not present in the Marlin vanilla version. Also, the original Alfawise firmware grabbed 93% of RAM for global variables, which lead to unstability and in my case to spliting screen and other issues. Now there are only 46% allocated. I suspect the SD alpha sorting of this, as you can clearly see in the advanced config, that it creates an array of more than 200 instances. 37B each. Sooo since I don't usually hoard gcode files on my SD card, I disabled the sorting completelly. Feel free to make adjustments to your own taste! Wish you luck and many successful prints! :)

EDIT: If you are still experiencing glithes with the LCD, try separating the LCD data cable from the extruder cables. I didn't. My bad. Also, don't add capacitors between power inputs. Caused more problems than it solved and yes, I know how to connect an electrolytic capacitor. The firmware is fully functional, working with a MightyCore bootloader inside. There was an issue with the SD print abort function. In the bugfix version, there is a gcode function added to abort SD print and it somehow doesn't work too well with the LCD option. So I removed the gcode from Marlin_main.cpp and brought some things from the original firmware to get it working. Also since the SD was really slow, I had to re-enable the alpha sorting using RAM, but decreased the array size to 30 instances. For the memory it means, that right now it is at 89% Flash and 39% RAM usage. Enjoy! :)

BTW: For anyone saying that you cannot print good prints on this printer, I just printed tha Maker's Muse Gauge and clearance test model, and got it moving completely! That's pretty awesome for a printer that cost me less than 150€.

Jakub Perička
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  • This could be very helpful to others! Even better would be to incorporate this into creating a pull request to save your code changes to the original sources and rewrite your answer to point to the code changes! – 0scar Nov 24 '20 at 07:47
  • Thanks. Sadly, the LCD is still glitchy at times, so I'm trying to figure out the problem right now. Just thought to put it down for now to avoid unnecessary issues. – Jakub Perička Nov 24 '20 at 12:01
  • Sorry, I wasn't aware that it was glitching. Please mention that in the answer as well as your code changes. If you work it out please update the answer! Hope you get the glitches out! – 0scar Nov 24 '20 at 12:46
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    In fact it seems like a bootloader issue. Now it crossed my mind that when I bought the printer, it had no bootloader and when I tried optiboot, the display would not work. It works sort of with the sanguino bootloader, but I'm gonna try to just flash the firmware via ICSP. I will update the post as I manage to get it working properly. – Jakub Perička Nov 24 '20 at 14:26
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I have the same problem.

I think it is not a bootloader problem because the screen is all blue but machine can work with serial connexion. I tried to use the new Jakub's file but it doesn't work either.

I found new type of screen for EX8 on Marlin V2 called "WYH_L12864_LCD" - Has anyone tried this solution?

Greenonline
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Simondft
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    Hi and welcome. Could you [edit] you answer so that it isn't another question? Otherwise it could end up being deleted as "Not an answer". Either that, or ask another new question (you can refer back to this question, using the URL, if need be). Please take the [tour] to get a better understanding of how the Q&A mechanism of Stack Exchange works. – Greenonline Mar 08 '22 at 23:03
  • Please try the "WYH_L12864_LCD" solution yourself and see if it works, you can then change your answer in a proper answer, even if it doesn't work. Otherwise we need to move this answer to a comment on the Question or delete the answer. "Me too" answers are not allowed. Please remember that SE is a Q and A website, not a threaded message forum. – 0scar Mar 09 '22 at 08:03
  • Sorry. I thought publish a new question with the same content was not good idea. I would like like to publish as comment but website blocked me (missing 50 reputation). I'm going to change this publish soon. – Simondft Mar 10 '22 at 08:10