If your computer does not send the first pick and seems totally unable to talk to your Compu-Dobby here are some areas to review:

• USB to Serial Adapter software not installed
• Incompatible USB to Serial Adapter
• Computer "assigned" port and the weaving software "chosen" port do not match.
• Bad serial cable
• Bad serial port on computer
• Bad RS-232 interface on the Compu-Dobby

The solutions to these issues are as follows:

• Install the USB to Serial Adapter software and ensure that the assigned port is within the range allowable by the weaving software. Staying within COM1-7 is usually safe. Please refer to your weaving software manual to determine how many and what COM ports are allowable.
• Purchase a compatible adapter. For the Mac, you must use a high speed adapter. AVL has qualified Keyspan and Cool Gear adapters and sells them.
• Verify "assigned" port through the Device Manager or USB to Serial Adapter software, then match it up in the weaving software.
• Buy new serial cable. The RS-232 serial cable is readily available at most computer stores and through AVL.
• Purchase PCI Serial card, new computer or USB to Serial Adapter if the computer is equipped with USB ports. All of these solutions are readily available at most computer stores.
• Send the Compu-Dobby to AVL for repair. However, before you send us your Compu-Dobby, please contact our customer support to ensure we know its coming. Please notify Lucinda if you are sending it in for repair. There is a standard fee for Compu-Dobby diagnostics and we will provide a quote for your approval prior to doing any work. Please note that AVL will not re-use your Compu-Dobby packaging if it is substandard or significantly damaged upon arrival. Our standard crating fee applies to all Compu-Dobby repairs.

If your Compu-Dobby receives and executes the first pick, but fails to advance to the second pick, the answer is not a communication problem. Rather, the issue lies in the arm/slide plate up/down sensor.

The solution depends up the Compu-Dobby. Click on your Compu-Dobby, below, to view possible solutions:

The arm position sensor, located in the Eye-Case, is triggered by light. Bright light can fool the sensor. Low light can also cause problems. If the loom is in bright light, where for example sun light is falling directly on the arm near the sensor, move the loom or filter the light. If there insufficient light, tape a white piece of paper onto the arm right in front of the sensor.

If this fails, the arm position sensor or the Compu-Dobby may require repair. Before contacting us, it is always wise to check that your cables were properly connected.

The arm position sensor, again located in the Eye-Case, is triggered by a magnet. This sensor type is a Hall Effects Sensor. Here are the potential causes:

• The Eye-Case electrical connection is plugged into the wrong port on the Compu-Dobby. These were supplied color-coded from the factory, so the solution should be obvious. However, if the color coding is no longer present, count the wire strands in the Eye-Case plug, then compare to the receptical.
• The proximity of the sensor to the magnet mounted on the arm may be too far away. The Eye-Case should be adjusted to approximately 2 sheets of paper from the magnet.
• The magnet on the arm is backwards. Flip it over.
• The arm position sensor or the Compu-Dobby may require repair. Return unit to AVL for repair.

The Compu-Dobby III is configured with a Hall Effects Sensor mounted inside the Compu-Dobby and a magnet mounted on the slide plate. Here are the potential causes:

• The proximity of the Hall Effects sensor to the magnet may be wrong due to the magnet/bracket being turned. This is typically easy to decipher as the bracket or magnet will be scraping against the inside of the Compu-Dobby housing.
• The magnet on the arm is backwards. Flip it over.
• The Hall Effects sensor or the Compu-Dobby may require repair. Return unit to AVL for repair.