Help needed

[RG]

It's been frustrating and disappointing to see how poorly the CCR's work out of the box. I got two in the summer sale and they were shipped to me in October. I tested them stretched out in the room with my computer and they seem to work fine following all the steps in the quick start guide. After trying the macros, it seemed more straightforward to use the 50 RGB channel approach, so I added two devices in the sequence editor and modified my existing sequences. In the animation grid, I also added a single point for each of the RGB channels so I can see each individual pixel light. All the sequences look good in the animation view.

I disassembled my old 3-arch display and used the framework for a new display using the 2 CCR's. They are attached using zip ties at every other cut point. I installed the ribbons and electronics over the weekend. When I run my show, the CCR's follow the sequence BUT they have all sorts of spurious results: anywhere from 1-8 adjacent pixels not turning on or not turning off in anywhere from 1 to 3 or more random spots on the ribbon. In chases, I'll have sections of pixels that don't light. If I have all the pixels red, for the most part they stay red, but if I have a chase of red followed by one of another color, there will be random pixels in the chase of random color. Needless to say, the display looks awful as this arch is in a prime place. After a segment of song using the arch, I'll have random segments of random length and sometimes random color left on, never consistent in position. Since the ribbons are quite bright, it's very distracting and destroys the effect.

Reading on the forum, it seemed like it might be a speed problem. I tried the suggestion of setting the network to shortest range/fastest speed but then none of the lights in the entire display turn on (neither the 2 CCR's or the 3 regular LOR boxes). As the CCR"s where at the end of the Cat5e cable daisy chain, I moved them to the beginning. I went through the sequences and got rid of any fades and any short timings. I took every color back to red. I reset both CCR's. I rechecked the settings in the hardware utility and they are normal ID mode, 50 pixel resolution, triples channel mode, 1 strip. These changes helped some (got rid of random colors) but not the random lengths of gaps and excess lights left on after use of the arch.

Only thing I hadn't tried was to reinstall the firmware (HWU indicates they were 1.06). Tonight I downloaded a new copy of 1.06 from the LOR site and installed it in each of the CCR's. I then reset them when I reinstalled them outside. No luck - still the same poor results.

These problems occur whether I'm using the sequence editor or having it run as a show. The computer I use is 64 bit vista with 8 gig of memory and a fast processor, so I don't think it will be the computer.

Any ideas of suggestions? I've had great luck with my previous purchases of LOR equipment but this is not fun. I've already spent 8+ hours troubleshooting this.

Rich

[RG]

After posting the above, I rechecked my version of LOR software. Even though I had only installed it in mid-Nov, there was a newer version released 12/1. So I've installed 2.9.4 (replacing 2.8.12) and tested it. Same results - lots of random lights off or on. Still can't show any lights if I use any network setting other than average.

[cmoore60]

This sounds like a network interference issue. Make sure that your cat5 cables are not near your AC lines. The farther away the better.

Did this work before you had it all assembled?

Chuck

[Dale Gannon]

Have you tried setting the CCR's to Normal mode instead oF naitive? i found this worked on mine, as i had the same problem! Now it works like a dream

[Dale Gannon]

Sorry, what i meant to say was

1. Open Light O Rama Hardware
2. Click "refresh"
3. Select the problematic Ribbon from the select unit dropdown.
4. Click configure at the bottom.
5. Click on CCR-Config Screen
6. Check that Unit ID Mode says "Normal" and not "Legacy"

My Mistake.

[Dale Gannon]

Sorry, what i meant to say was

1. Open Light O Rama Hardware
2. Click "refresh"
3. Select the problematic Ribbon from the select unit dropdown.
4. Click configure at the bottom.
5. Click on CCR-Config Screen
6. Check that Unit ID Mode says "Normal" and not "Legacy"

My Mistake.

[csimmon5]

Have you checked to make sure that there weren't any leftover stuff in the macro channels? I accidently did this in one of my songs and it made some of my sections look all crazy. It is also hard to notice because of the intensities for the macros being so low that you can't see them.

[stevehoyt]

I agree check macros. I did paste multiples when programming my ccr and sometimes got the count wrong and cells in the macros section were turned on by mistake. It took me a while to figure out that this was causing wierd effects.

[RG]

Yes, I had checked before and again and they are in normal mode, not in legacy.

I had thought of something being in the macro channels so had erased those channels, then deleted them, and reset the CCR's to clear anything out. No change.

Both ribbons have the problem so I don't think it should be a bad ribbon or controller, unless both were made at the same time and have the same fault (I did receive them together). That's why I was thinking network speed. I will test the idea of power lines interfering with the signal to see if that helps any. That's one difference from testing indoors vs outdoors.

Rich

[LightORamaJohn]

What you're describing is usually CCRs in legacy mode and/or a stand-alone sequence loaded.

Use the HWU to make sure both CCRs are in Normal Unit ID mode. Then power them off, hold the reset button in and power them on. They will reset and clear any loaded stand-alone sequence, then they will run solid colors along the ribbon. Make sure the color test looks good and let go of the reset button. Try your sequences.

[RG]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

I moved the Cat5 cables away from the power lines. Hard to tell in daylight but that seemed to help some, although I could still see missing segments in my test sequences.

I've already reset the CCR's twice and got the running lights fine so no pre-loaded sequences. I've also checked and they've been in normal unit ID mode.

I did relook at the firmware list on the LOR site. Turns out there is firmware for the Easy Light Linker. As my linkers are 4 years old, they were running version 2.5 and the newest version is 2.8. I installed the new version and it looks in the daylight to be running OK. Keeping my fingers crossed that they look fine in the dark which will be here in 1.5 hours.

Rich

[RG]

YEAH! SUCCESS!

Looks like the updated firmware for the Easy Light Linkers did the trick. I just looked at the show at night and all is working as it should be. I wondered if the CCR's would be bright enough and they definitely are. So anyone who has an older system and buys CCR's may want to check which version their linkers are using.

I also think what cmoore60 said (network interference) played a role. I hadn't thought of it but I coil the excess lengths of extension cords and put them in a corner just off the porch. And I ran the cat5 cable right by it. Probably had my own little induction coil running. So I now run the cable across the sidewalk right to the first CCR.

Thanks to all who took time to respond.

Rich