Has there been any progress on getting network connectivity for the Saturn 2? Coming from using Octoprint with my FDM printers, the Saturn 2 feels like a huge downgrade.
Options:
- Octoprint-Chituboard - Doesn’t work for Saturn 2 due to CTBv4 file format
- Alternative firmware - I am really hopeful for the .goo file format but haven’t seen any news that it will be coming to the Saturn 2. The board runs on an STM32 microcontroller (stm32f407zet6) which can be reflashed. Again, a great open source opportunity for someone smarter than me.
- Alternative controller board - If we can’t find an improved firmware, a whole new board wouldn’t be impossible. I haven’t found anything available but we’re only driving a stepper motor, displaying images and controlling the UV light. This should be an easy win for an open hardware design.
- Upgrade controller board - The Saturn 3 Ultra added much better connectivity but sadly locked that down to Chitubox slicer.
The main issue with all of these resin printers is the proprietary displays all have NDA locked documentation. This is the main reason they can’t be supported by the community at all. This is one of those situations where reverse engineering the API and protocol for the display requires a serious professional level electronics lab where anyone that can afford the kit, can’t afford the time, and it isn’t worth it for just one revision of a display in a product that could be changed at any time without warning.
That’s a good point. Although I would just replace it with a Nextion display. IMO, the interface isn’t that great. I don’t really need to see the thumbnail either, just some basic maintenance functions and a progress indicator directly on the unit. Once we have network connectivity, we can build a far better interface via a web interface a la Octoprint.
Hm, interesting that the board has a solder point for an ethernet jack, but I see none of the usual “support” components near it that are typically also required (a PHY and/or network chip). Could be that that’s supposed to be run in software on the MCU, but that would require that the firmware supports/includes it.
It’s there because these boards are mass manufactured by chitu systems and shoved into almost every singe popular resin printer out there. They can be customized depending on what features the different manufacturers want for each model.
