RF Instability (resolved)

[sadayo]

I've been having problems with the hardware remembering the configuration for my wireless setup. It's been a nightly thing where I have to run the Hardware Utility and click "Get Configuration" under the LOR RF tab. Then it tells me that I need to make sure units are powered and connected, which they are. And, ultimately, my pc shows that Hardware Utiltiy is "Not Responding."

I can't rely on show schedule automatically beginning my show if LOR RF continues to lose configuration... Any tips?

[LightORamaJohn]

Sorry, just noticed this post.

The ELL saves its configuration in flash -- there are no know issues with it losing the config.

The PC should have a USB485B powered USB adapter installed. The ELL should be cabled to the USB485B with a 10' or less Cat5e cable. If this is done, LED1 on the ELL should blink about once per second. When you start the Hardware Utility, LED2 should blink faster but dimmly. On the lower right of the Hardware Utility screen, there should be a small, animated ELL icon. Do all these things happen? (The latest Hardware Utility version is 1.6.4 -- get a new one from the LOR support page if yours is older)

If the ELL is connected to a remote controller, you cannot get its configuration over the RF link. Only one ELL can be polled by the Hardware Utility. If you use the Get Config button on the RF Tab, you must have only one ELL cabled to the PC. During operation, it is OK to have multiple ELLs driven by the Sequence Editor or Show Player.

[Charles Belcher]

John,

Are you still on line? Where can we find 1.6.5 hardware utility?

Charles

[Steppe Wolfe]

1.6.5 is available on http://www.lightorama.com/support.html

[sadayo]

I still have problems with the ELL losing it's configuration. If I keep my controller plugged in, it doesn't seem to have a problem. Or if I unplug it for 5 minutes, no problem. If I leave it unplugged overnight and notice my show isn't going outside, I pull up the hardware utility and have to click on "Get Configuration" because the code is no longer in the "text box" and the icon is no longer on.

LightORamaJohn wrote:

Sorry, just noticed this post.

The ELL saves its configuration in flash -- there are no know issues with it losing the config.

The PC should have a USB485B powered USB adapter installed. The ELL should be cabled to the USB485B with a 10' or less Cat5e cable. If this is done, LED1 on the ELL should blink about once per second. When you start the Hardware Utility, LED2 should blink faster but dimmly. On the lower right of the Hardware Utility screen, there should be a small, animated ELL icon. Do all these things happen?

[LightORamaJohn]

sadayo wrote:

I still have problems with the ELL losing it's configuration. If I keep my controller plugged in, it doesn't seem to have a problem. Or if I unplug it for 5 minutes, no problem. If I leave it unplugged overnight and notice my show isn't going outside, I pull up the hardware utility and have to click on "Get Configuration" because the code is no longer in the "text box" and the icon is no longer on.

What is the configuration of your network? PC -> USB485b -> ELL ~~~~~ ELL -> controller? How long is the cable between each ELL and the USB485B or Controller?

Clicking Get Configuration doesn't perform any configuration, it simply asks the ELL what its current configuration is. If the HWU can't see the ELL, then the little icon on the lower right won't appear. Do you have Shows Disabled and all other LOR programs stopped when you run the HWU to test the ELL? Is the comm port correct in the HWU?

Your post is confusing because powering down the controller has no effect on the ELL on the PC. It is only the ELL directly connected to the PC that you can fetch the configuration of. It would not matter if you had no second ELL at all.

[sadayo]

Yes, I've got the PC -> USB485b -> ELL ~~~~~ ELL -> controller? and one more ELL -> controller. Each one has the 10' Cat5e cable that came with the ELL.

Every now and then my show doesn't start as programmed. So, I disable the show and open up the HWU. The LOR control tab doesn't show the ELL icon, and the LOR RF tab shows "searching...." in the Current Device Parameters box. I've tried troubleshooting a couple different ways now, which leads me to believe that perhaps this is simply a HWU error? Becuase if I unplug the PC to USB485B connection and then plug it back in, an error screen comes up and forces the program to close. When I reopen it, everything is back up and running.

I can get things going again farely quickly now, knowing I have to begin my troubleshooting "in the office," but it's just annoying.

[LightORamaJohn]

This is most likely a problem with comm. I would like you to get me some information. Here's a doc that will help you track down some of the info: http://www.lightorama.com/Documents/RS485_Adapter_Troubleshooting.pdf

1) What version of the LOR software are you running?
2) Use the document to locate the USB adapter. Then right click the USB Serial Port and click properties. Click the Driver tab. The driver provider should be FTDI -- what is the driver version?

If your driver version is older than 2.2.4.0, UNPLUG the USB adapter and use the document to load the latest version of the drivers. Then plug the USB485B back in and use the Hardware Utility to test. If you do load new drivers, let me kn ow if it helps.

Thanks

[sadayo]

I discovered that I had Driver Version 1.0.2176.0, which has now been updated. I ran a HWU test and my lights came on, so hopefully this has resolved the matter. I had the 1.5.0 LOR and then updated it, but I'm not sure if it's 1.6.3 or the 1.6.9 one.