Serial port failed

[Jim Mors]

I can connect to and set the id on my CTB16PC through the USB485 adaptor and also test the various channels running the various effects on each from the hardware utility, but when I try to use the sequencer I receive a serial port failed error (Error: (8002) )

Specs:

CTB16PC
USB485
Windows XP Laptop
Using a Cat5E cable
USB adaptor was assigned Comm 12

I have tried updating the USB485 drivers. I ran the LOR163 software update. I even updated the Hardware utility. I tried reducing the speed of the serial connection from preferences in the sequencer menu already.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. I am a first time LOR user.

[Tim Fischer]

Check the following:

1) COM port properly set in the sequence editor (NOT just in the Hardware util).
2) You've actually assigned the sequence rows to controlers: Click on column name, select channel settings, verify: Lightorama controller, proper unit# and channel # for each row.
3) Make sure that the LOR control panel has shows disabled.

This will fix it 99% of the time, when you're working in the HWU as you are.

[Jim Mors]

Thank you for the fast response.

The com port in the sequencer is set to the proper port.

I don't have a sequence that loads up when I try firing up the sequencer, it informs me on opening that I will not be able to control lights and then gives me the error. The text of the error reads out the parameters it is tryin to use on the port, comm12, baud 57,000 (or 19200 when I throttled it back in the network preferences) data bits =8 xon = off etc. etc.

The LOR control panel does indeed have shows disabled.

I never get far enough to actually open or create a sequence before the error.

[Tim Fischer]

Sounds like something else is grabbing the serial port out from you. Is it a real serial port or a USB adaptor? Any other devices, like palm computers, etc?

-Tim

[Jim Mors]

The port I am using is the USB485 adaptor.

The software set it up as comm 12. The machine ha had other devices attached in the past such as usb data cable to my cell phone, however the HWU finds the com port fine. Nothing else is connected to the laptop during my attempts to run the CBT16PC. I will say that the original HWU version 1.6.3 did not run autoconfigure successfully but did work with a manual setting to com12, version 1.6.4 allowed the HWU to autodetect the network on comm 12 but the LOR sequencer will not open the port. I have tried opening thew sequencer directly after closing the HWU and also rebooting and opening the sequencer first thinking that perhaps the HWU was somehow not releasing the port.

I'm really at a loss here

[cmoore60]

Jim,

You may want to try to relocate the virtual serial port that the USB485B is defined as.

I remember something about comm ports over a particular value have problems being recognized. I cannot remember the details.

Remember that if you relocate the USB485B from comm 12 to a lower number that there may be a chance that what ever device is at that lower comm port will not work properly and cause interference.

Chuck

[Jim Mors]

Thank you for the advice. How do you go about relocating the comm port? I have removed and reinstalled the drivers, it always gets assigned to 12? Is there a means during driver installation for relocating or specifying the port?

[Jim Mors]

Well I installed the USB485 adaptor on another laptop and it happened to install at comm 7 rather than 12. Everything worked flawlessly. I went to the first machine and figured out how tochange the assigned port for the adaptor. Everything below port 10 worked fine.

I can only assume the sequencer software is unable to initialize and use ports over 9? Once it goes to 2 digits?

Thank you all for your help, it was much appreciated!