I am trying to test my Zotino by outputting through IDC-BNC adapter into an oscilloscope. The Artiq dashboard shows Zotino outputting between 0-100% depending on the set point (-10.0 to 10.0 in the code [e.g. 5.0v=75%]). However, regardless of the output in dashboard, I am getting no readings on the oscilloscope. Another issue I am having is that if I try to run zotino.init(blind=False), I get the error:

root:Terminating with exception (ValueError: DAC CONTROL readback mismatch)

Below is the code I am running. The code will run with blind=True and it sets the Zotino output accordingly in the dashboard but not in oscilloscope. If run with blind=False, it gives the error above.

from artiq.experiment import *


class SimpleZotino(EnvExperiment):

    def build(self):
        self.setattr_device("core")
        self.setattr_device("zotino0")
        
    @kernel
    def run(self):
        self.core.reset()
        self.zotino0.init(blind=False)
        delay(10*ms)
        self.zotino0.write_dac(0, 5.0)
        delay(10*ms)
        self.zotino0.load()

Hi,

Where did you purchase your Sinara system from?

M-Labs. The name on the order is Hood. We received it ~ 1-1.5 months ago.

OK, it's probably either an incorrect device database or a hardware problem. Let's continue this by email.

For future reference to anyone who had this problem, my problem ended up being that the secondary port-expansion card in the back of my Kasli was loose. Thanks to Sebastien for the help in figuring it out!

    3 years later

    Hi. We're having a similar problem with our Zotino (main card + SMA-IDC breakouts) that occurred after a loss of power in the lab a couple of weeks ago. We have the rest of the hardware working as expected (2 x Urukul, TLL & Sampler), but we have no outputs from any Zotino channel regardless of what values we enter in our code. Furthermore, we have no errors in the ARTIQ logs and the communication between Kasli and the main Zotino card appears to be working as we can change the state of the LEDs on the front of Zotino.
    We've tried resetting our hardware with mixed results, as sometimes we have no output (~ 6 mV) on all channels, or a very small constant output (110 mV) on all channels.
    From the last comment made by dpeana , it seems like it could be a similar issue with the secondary port expansion card on Kasli, but I want to try to see if there is any solution besides opening up the rack module and checking the connections.

        esavkin There's no high frequency noise coming from Zotino when we power it on, at least as far as I can tell.

          Which zotino version is it anyway? Also try artiq_sinara_tester.

            sb10q It's a Zotino v1.3.

            As an update, after checking the connections on both Kasli and Zotino things seem to be working for now...

              a year later

              Hello, I am following up on fponciano's messages (fponciano was in my group). Our zotino board fails again to start up after a complete shut down of the experiment. I checked this issue: https://github.com/sinara-hw/Zotino/issues/2, but I think our zotino board is more recent, and that this bug should have been fixed already. Any other ideas?
              After a couple of complete reboots zotino ends up starting normally, but I would be happy to know if there is a more permanent fix available?