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Hardware Utility not seeing boards


oxnard

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I have 12 controllers, 8 channels each (early models). When first set-up, I used hardware utility to set address of each of the first 6 boards. (All genuine LOR boards, and I did this years ago.). I need to change the hardware address of a few of my current boards, yet currently, the hardware utility cannot see ANY boards.. I've tried using Hardware Utility with 'ignore errors', yet I cannot get my boards to change [their] addresses. When I run Sequence Editor, I can control all boards perfectly. Currently, I have 2 boards stuck on address '02'. I would really like to find out how to get hardware utility to change one board to '04', plus a few other 'address' changes on the 7-12 boards. (The 8 channel boards do not have hardware address select switches). Ideas?

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No address jumpers hardwired to the boards?

Are the status lights solid when the hardware utility is running? And not when you exit?

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Sorry, early versions of 8 channel boards have hardware utility to set ID only. No jumpers, no address selectors. As for 'solid lights', I only get that when running Sequence editor (and playing sequences). When I exit sequence editor, I get 'blinky-blinky', when I start Hardware Editor, I still have 'blinky-blinky'.

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Sorry, early versions of 8 channel boards have hardware utility to set ID only. No jumpers, no address selectors. As for 'solid lights', I only get that when running Sequence editor (and playing sequences). When I exit sequence editor, I get 'blinky-blinky', when I start Hardware Editor, I still have 'blinky-blinky'.

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What com port are you using in the sequence editor? I think there may still be a limit of only up through com15 supported in the hardware utility...

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I have [an] USB to RS485 'dongle', (COM10), and a RS232-RS485 dongle (COM4), both work with Sequence editor, lights flash, etc. Hardware utility doesn't see 'boards' with either interface.... (both devices were supplied from LOR, no home-brewed devices).

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Have you tried manually specifying which com port to use? With 2 networks, you will have to select which network it is talking to that way. Just setting that correctly should light up the status lights. Then check that the max unit ID scanned is set high enough. Don't let hw utility change the show port when asked.

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Manually setting com port, yes. I am currently using com10, and sequence editor runs all the boards just fine. (I'm using just one network, all LOR). status lights are all glowing solid red with sequence editor. When I set max unit ID scanned to very 'high', and scan for boards, it returns 'none found'.

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Couple questions:

#1. Are you clicking the REFRESH button after the Hardware Utility is started?

If I don't click the refresh button my HWU won't find the controllers, nor does it turn their RED LED steady until I do, otherwise it's like yours blinky blinky. I'm using the CTB16PC 16 channel controllers, not sure about how the older 8 channel ones work. So this may not apply.

#2. Do you only have ONE controller connected when trying to reset the address?

I made the mistake of having all 5 controllers connected and couldn't change the address of 2 controllers. Once I only connected one controller at a time, I could change their assigned unit ID number to what I needed it. All connected and all got the same unit ID! Than again, I can't say for sure on your older 8 channel units as I'm not familiar with them, so this also may not apply to your particular situation.

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As for software version(s), I originally started with v 1.5.x, (my first attempt at changing ID's was with this version, which worked when I deployed the boards for the first time, but didn't work this year.). I've since updated to v2.9.4, same situation. Just this morning, I downloaded v3.0.x on a different machine, clean install. Same situation.
I DO hit the refresh button, scanning for 10 boards: "None Found". I do only have 1 controller in the network when trying to change address. Reminder: Sequence editor controls all the boards perfectly..
Additionally, I found that If I manually add '4' to the 'select unit to configure', I can control this board with hardware utility (steady red light). (Yet hardware utility does not find this board when I hit 'refresh'). No other boards (2,3,5,6) can be controlled nor found. I think I may have an issue with 2-way com necessary for hardware utility? I'll go back and see if I can communicate with each board individually, rather than daisy-chaned.. fingers crossed.

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Update: I've finished controller number 7 today, a fresh build, never been powered up, clean board, fresh. Mounted, connected, 8 strings of lights connected. Sequence editor finds this board as '02', and all 8 circuits perform perfectly. ??Out of the box unit number 02??
Now I have 3 modules stuck on unit '02'. THe latest creation works fine with sequence editor, but alas, again, hardware utility does not scan the board, nor does it allow me to change address. Same situation, 3 different modules stuck on '02'.

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My current 'box' to drive my network is using 2.9.4 software. I also have two different network interfaces that gives me a bit more leeway: An original rs-232/RJ-45 (Rs485) dongle, (yellow) and a/an usb/rs-485/rj-45 dongle. (Black). Both of these interfaces from my puker allow me to run sequence editor and control the modules perfectly. I"ve just done a de-install of the driver software for the usb-rs485 dongle, and re-installed the LOR cd driver disc. (on my 3.0.x machine, which is not registered, but should allow me to hardware configure my modules) I'll update shortly. (Damn, I have 5 more boards that I need to address... and not having any luck so far..)

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