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Need help getting my LOR1602W started


Tim Storey

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I've been posting this question on TCL. I thought I'd try to get help here too. I just started trying to set my first LOR controller up. Below is the problem I'm having.



Well, I'm just now getting around to trying out my first controller and I can't get past the first step. I can't get the setup comm port to autoconfigure. I have power (red LED blinks)
I have ShowTime 1.6.3 installed. USB485B connected to USB on my laptop. (Presario, Windows XP, Sempron 3300+, {2} 512 memory installed.), USB485B Drivers Ver 2.0 Hardware Utility for RF-V4 & MP3 Ver 1.5.10, 50' Ethernet patch cable from the USB385B to the left jack at top of circuit board to the left of flashing red LED. (I tried both jacks, left & right)
I have tried both USB connectors on my laptop.
I have tried manually selecting the comm port.
Notice in the USB485B driver that it says Ver 1.5.10. I started out tonight trying all of this on the 1.5.10 version of ShowTime that I downloaded from LOR. I had also orderd the CD at the time I downloaded. Ver 1.6.3 was on the CD. When I couldn't get the autoconfigure or anything else to work, I loaded Ver 1.6.3 from the CD to see if that was the problem. Still can't get it to autoconfigure.

The main thing to know is that I'm not very computer or electronics oriented. That's why I wanted to use the LOR w/MP3 director instead of a bunch of DIY stuff. So, my problem may be me not understanding the directions or terminology.
Thanks for any help anybody can give.
Confused Tim in Rockdale

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Hi Tim -

I'm not sure if this will fix your problem, but the input for the 1602 should be the center jack on the circuit board, not the left or right. Try it and see if that fixes your woes.

D.T.

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DownTown wrote:

Hi Tim -

I'm not sure if this will fix your problem, but the input for the 1602 should be the center jack on the circuit board, not the left or right. Try it and see if that fixes your woes.

D.T.


Thanks Dave,

I didn't really explain that right. I'm in the left jack of the 2 Ethernet jacks. But it is the center jack between the RJ45 and the other Ethernet. So, I think I'm in the one your suggesting. Thanks anyway.
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Tim,

First you need to know what comm port that the computer assigned to the USB485B. If you know that information then you can manually plug the comm port into the hardware utility. If you don't know what comm port was assigned to the USB device then we will have to take steps to find it.

To find the comm port assigned, with the USB device connected to the computer. Navigate to Start-control panel-system-hardware-Device Manager, then select ports. At this point you should see an entry that will be defined as the Chipset on the USB485B. You can then examine the current port assignment.

Pleas advise and we can go from here.

Chuck

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cmoore60 wrote:

Tim,

First you need to know what comm port that the computer assigned to the USB485B. If you know that information then you can manually plug the comm port into the hardware utility. If you don't know what comm port was assigned to the USB device then we will have to take steps to find it.

To find the comm port assigned, with the USB device connected to the computer. Navigate to Start-control panel-system-hardware-Device Manager, then select ports. At this point you should see an entry that will be defined as the Chipset on the USB485B. You can then examine the current port assignment.

Pleas advise and we can go from here.

Chuck


Thanks Chuck,

I did what you said. It says Comm 5
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I just thought of a possible problem. Keep in mind I'm not very computer literate. I have 2 USB hubs on my computer. One of them has the transmitter for my wireless mouse. The other normally has a Iogear 2.0 USB universal media hub in it. I use it for other USB plug-ins and was going to use it for my LOR SD card since I don't have an SD port on my laptop.

I unplugged the media hub to take the laptop where my LOR is. Normally I will be working on the sequencing from the location where I have my universal media hub. Is this going to be a problem? Should I always have the USB485B plugged into the univ. media hub?

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rstephenrrtx wrote:

Have you tried with no other USB devices (including the mouse) being in use? Maybe a good old fashioned conflict of some type.

rns

Thanks Robert


Haven't tried that yet. I'll try that possibility tomorrow.

Tim
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Tim,

You said that the computer assigned comm 5 to your USB485B. Was this information retrieve when connected through your USB hub? The Reason I ask is the USB485B requires power. Some hubs are not powered and will not power devices downstream. One way to know if your hub is powered would be. Does it have a walwart?

Have you tried manually assigning the comm port in the hardware utility?

I know that when I installed my USB485B my computer assigned it a port number like 11. I do remember reading that the hardware utility is not able or whatever to scan for a comm port above some level. Anyway if I manually select the port in the hardware utility everything is fine.

Chuck

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Tim Storey wrote:

cmoore60 wrote:


"To find the comm port assigned, with the USB device connected to the computer. Navigate to Start-control panel-system-hardware-Device Manager, then select ports. At this point you should see an entry that will be defined as the Chipset on the USB485B. You can then examine the current port assignment."



I did this to find what port was assigned. With device manager open, I pulled the USB from the 485 out and the Comm 5 went away. Plugged it back in and it came back. When I did this my universal hub was not in the same room. I was just jusing the USB port (connector?) on the computer where it normally goes.
With everything I do I still get the message telling me to be sure all my cords are plugged in and that power is on to the LOR controller. I then hit autoconfigure and it tells me that it is not finding it.
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Tim Storey wrote:

With everything I do I still get the message telling me to be sure all my cords are plugged in and that power is on to the LOR controller. I then hit autoconfigure and it tells me that it is not finding it.

i was having sorta the same problem..make sure you have the latest hardware utility found on LORs suppord page...i think its 1.6.4...i downloaded and installed it and the problem went away
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Tim,

Instead of doing the auto configure.

Do a manual configure. The box with drop down under the auto configure. Select Comm5 and then do a refresh. Should find your controllers then.

When you get the correct comm port the LED on the controllers will go solid.

Chuck

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Thanks Chuck. I won't have the time to play with it again until Wed. evening. I'll let all of you know how it's going. Thanks for all the help.

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  • 5 weeks later...

I am having somewhat the same problem. I have the CTB16 powered on (It worked great last year). I am getting the blinking red light.

Using the usb adapter I connected it to my PC. The hardware utility can not located the port. I've tried to manually locate it. But the hardware utility only gives me Comm1 and Comm3 to choose from and I have several usb ports on my computer.

In the hardware utility I have a questionmark on USB devices. Do I need to install a driver for this?

I've upgraded to the current version of LOR and I've tried several different Cat5 cables just in case something happened to them.

Will the ctb16dv5 work with the ctb16pc? ( Ihavent tried them yet, I was hoping to get the first one working.)

Thanks

Jim

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javerill wrote:

I am having somewhat the same problem. I have the CTB16 powered on (It worked great last year). I am getting the blinking red light.

Using the usb adapter I connected it to my PC. The hardware utility can not located the port. I've tried to manually locate it. But the hardware utility only gives me Comm1 and Comm3 to choose from and I have several usb ports on my computer.

In the hardware utility I have a questionmark on USB devices. Do I need to install a driver for this?

I've upgraded to the current version of LOR and I've tried several different Cat5 cables just in case something happened to them.

Will the ctb16dv5 work with the ctb16pc? ( Ihavent tried them yet, I was hoping to get the first one working.)

Thanks

Jim



Jim,

Attached is a trouble guide for the adapters. See if this helps.

http://www.lightorama.com/Documents/RS485_Adapter_Troubleshooting.pdf
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javerill wrote:

How do I see the attachment?



Jim


Jim,

Currently you need to be clairvoyant to see the attachment. The upload of the attachment failed because it was too large for the forum. I just updated the upload size so I can get the attachment attached!... It will be on that post in a minute.
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I take it that the troubleshooting guide did not help.

When you plug the LOR USB adapter into the PC's USB port, does it make the USB bong sound?

You say you have com1 and com3 in the dropdown in the hardware utility. If you unplug the USB adapter and then start the hardware utiltiy does it still have com1 and com3? Note: The hardware utility determines the ports when it first starts so it does no know about changes that are made while it is running...

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I got mine going by trying a different cable and I downloaded the latest driver (from LOR site) for the USB485B, and it started working. I'm not sure if it was the driver or the cable because I did them both at the same time. If you haven't already tried the latest driver on the LOR site, you might try that.

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