DC-MP3 Director Card multiple shows question

[dslowik]

I just run a single show with the DC-MP3 and use the built-in scheduler to run it from approximately 5PM-11PM.

What I would like to do is to also run music during the non-show hours. From reading the manual, I believe that I can create a higher number show (i.e. SHOW9) and run it from 11PM-5PM. The manual says something about lower number shows have a higher priority when times conflict. I'd create "semi-blank" sequences for these songs.

What I am wondering is how the transition between the shows would work. I'm hopeful that it would either just cut the song off or wait until that song is over, but I'm afraid that it might wait until the entire show is over. If I put 3 hours of music in this show, then it could potentially not start the normal show until 8PM.

[Guest wbottomley]

David...

You can create shows with music only playing. Create a new musical sequence with one channel, configure that channel with an unknown controller like 0F. After you made all you want, load them in like a regular show. Set your start time at 11pm and ending time at 5pm. When the last song is finished at 5pm, then your show with light will come on.

I do this at the beginning and the end.

[dslowik]

Mountainwxman wrote:

When the last song is finished at 5pm, then your show with light will come on.

This is the part I'm still not clear to me. If I put 100 songs in my overnight only show, when 5PM comes around and the normal show is ready to start, will the overnight show have to finish to completion before the 5PM show starts or will other overnight show stop after some song.

I think I am reading that the overnight show must finish completely which won't work for me since that could delay my normal show for hours depending where we are in the overnight show at 5PM .

[Don]

Assume the DC version doesn't vary vastly from the computer based method ...

At 5pm, the song/sequence that is currently playing will finish .. then your overnight show will begin.

[Guest wbottomley]

David... Don is correct. That's what mine does.

[dslowik]

Excellent news. Thanks guys.

[dslowik]

Just a followup that may help others.

This hasn't worked for me the past 3 days. During the day when my audio only show was supposed to be running, the 'E' light on the DC-MP3 was on solid. According to the manual "Steady ON if the Hardware Utility is attached to the DC-MP3 – no SD card may be inserted while communicating with the Hardware Utility." I knew that wasn't the problem since no computer is anywhere near the LOR network.

Today I realized my selector swich was set to '1.' According to the manual, that means that only Show1 will play. I set it to '0', pressed reset and my other show started to play perfectly. At the correct time tonight it switched shows just like it should.

Now if I can just figure out why my songs are in sync perfectly on the computer, but are often (not always) behind outside. I did see another thread about that at one point, but I haven't heard of a fix for it. Many of these sequences were used last year and have on slight modifications to them.

[Guest wbottomley]

Dave... on the last step, do NOT check the "Lock Step" feature. By doing that, it has cured my problems like you mentioned.

[dslowik]

Mountainwxman wrote:

Dave... on the last step, do NOT check the "Lock Step" feature. By doing that, it has cured my problems like you mentioned.

I had hope when I read this message. I stopped the show, rewrote the SD card without lock step, but it appears to be off just as much. I then reran one of sequences on my computer with the animation view (not actually hooked up to the boards) and it looks perfect.

I decided to study 4 sequences in depth. Two were made last year and two were made this year with LOR II. Last years sequences work perfect, this years sequences are off consistently when I watch them. They start off almost a second behind, but by then end of the song they seem to be caught up.

I think tomorrow I will try and find the time to hook a computer in the network and see what happens if I play it live in the sequence editor.

[Guest wbottomley]

Also, try setting your baud speed to 115.4.

As you mentioned, I noticed the same thing about version I vs. version II sequences.

[imfsimm]

dslowik wrote:

I just run a single show with the DC-MP3 and use the built-in scheduler to run it from approximately 5PM-11PM.

What I would like to do is to also run music during the non-show hours. From reading the manual, I believe that I can create a higher number show (i.e. SHOW9) and run it from 11PM-5PM. The manual says something about lower number shows have a higher priority when times conflict. I'd create "semi-blank" sequences for these songs.

Hello dslowik

I was wondering what size and kind of SD card you are planning to use?

I too would like to do this, but I don't know how much more music I can put on the 128 card to make it run without repeating. Have you tried any other SD cards?
I have a Kingston 512 that I will try tonight after the show ends at 11:00pm.

Thanks

Tim

[Guest wbottomley]

Tim, I use a San Disk card. Both are 1 gig and you can put a ton of music on them.

If you want to know how much space is left on your card, go to my computer, right click on that drive the disk is in then click on properties. That will give you the details.

[dslowik]

imfsimm wrote:

I was wondering what size and kind of SD card you are planning to use?

I too would like to do this, but I don't know how much more music I can put on the 128 card to make it run without repeating. Have you tried any other SD cards?
I have a Kingston 512 that I will try tonight after the show ends at 11:00pm.

The one I am using this year is a 1GB Kodak. I've got a little over 100 songs between the 2 shows and have plenty of room left over.

[dslowik]

So I spent many hours yesterday trying to debug my sequences that were not properly synced when using the DC-MP3. Here are the steps I took.

I got out a hammer, one of the 2 universal fixing tools (the other being duct tape).

I threatened the DC-MP3 and left the hammer in view, but never did use it.

I took a laptop outside with my sequences loaded up on it.
Unplugged the DC-MP3 and plugged in the laptop.
I started the sequence editor with one of the sequences that was not staying in sync. It worked perfect on the laptiop
I then used the laptop to write out just that one sequence to an SD card and plugged in the DC-MP3. It was out of sync just as before.
I tried a different SD card. It was still out of sync.

I then took the laptop over to the 2 CTB16's that control the lights that I use to verify sync and plugged directly into them. This eliminates my longest CAT5 run of 80ft. It was in sync.

I plugged in the DC-MP3 at this location and it was still out of sync.

I tried all the various DC-MP3 settings: 57.6, 115, Lock step, no Lock step, play all the time, play on schedule, various selector switch settings. Always out of sync.

Summary: DC-MP3 is always out of sync on some of my sequences, but it isn't consistent across the song. 3/4 of a second at the start and almost perfect at the end. Laptop is always perfect.

I then took the DC-MP3 and packed it up. I was originally thinking this was a firmware issue, but maybe it is in LOR II - I really don't know. I spent the rest of the night building up a PC to use as the controller for the rest of the season. I used the DC-MP3 last season with no problems. Definitely frustrating.

[Guest wbottomley]

Dave... That's the same problem I'm having.

Dan mentioned that a bug could exists somewhere in the final steps.

I'm still using the mp3 card but a couple of sequences are still out of sync just a little.