Setting up Unit Id for Pixie16

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9 minutes ago, wensteve said:

I have other controllers but I have never used NC before. I've always just assigned them to units in HU and matched the configuration in SE and played a show through Show Editor.

hmm, I didn't know this was possible. It is in your best interest to setup all your controllers in NC. Think of NC as a traffic cop directing data to where it needs to go, now with the Pixie16, some of your data will be hi speed and other won't. NC assures data goes to where it needs to, based on how you set it up.

To back up a bit, how many controllers do you have and what type? Are all these controllers running on the same network?

Are you running more then one network?

The reason for the network questions, is that the Pixie16 can have a lot of data sent to it, is it wise to have it on it's own network. (this isn't a big deal to setup a new network) Since you don't the Red HS485 yet, we can set one up in NC, but won't be able to test it until the HS485 (red) arrives. Is the HS485 due soon?

Alan...

 

[wensteve]

I have 8 controllers. 6 are LOR CTB16PC 2nd and 3rd generations. 1 is a CMB24D and then 1 Pixie16.  I have run them on 1 network in the past, the CMB24D I used along with my 6 controllers during Halloween with no issue on 1 network.  I had read somewhere that I may run unto lagging with older CTB16PC and Pixie16 so I went ahead and ordered the HS485.

[wensteve]

Without the HS485 my sequence with my Pixie16 won't play?

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2 minutes ago, wensteve said:

  I had read somewhere that I may run unto lagging with older CTB16PC and Pixie16 so I went ahead and ordered the HS485.

Yes, this can cause a problem. So ordering another HS485 was the right thing to do. Setting up another network is easy. I'll find a link to it.

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3 minutes ago, wensteve said:

Without the HS485 my sequence with my Pixie16 won't play?

You could try just hooking up your Pixie16 by itself on your existing network to try it. Chances are if you don't have NC setup then CommListener will tell you it can't comm 3. There is a way around it once you have NC setup.

Alan...

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One important item that you should really consider is to make some notes, as Mr P pointed out when you set the Base Unit 7 to your Pixie16, HU automatically set the Base Unit ID for ALL the strands your Pixie16 will use. That means that your next available Unit ID number now will be 17. This will matter a lot when you add another controller. You will probably forget this and try to add the next controller as 08 and it it will cause a conflict. In a years time, you will forget about all of this. It's very handy to have notes or a picture to help you remember what you already have setup.

This is how I keep my Comm Ports. Unit ID's, network speeds, firmware updates all organized so I can reference them later. I did this in a spreadsheet then took a screen shot and put the picture in LOR directory for me to review when adding new controllers. You don't have to do what I did, but I would recommend that you at least jot some notes down for later.

Alan...

Edited November 12, 2017 by default

[dibblejr]

1 hour ago, default said:

You could try just hooking up your Pixie16 by itself on your existing network to try it. Chances are if you don't have NC setup then CommListener will tell you it can't comm 3. There is a way around it once you have NC setup.

Alan...

Yes, you can run quite a bit with one network. this is what I tested at Halloween and it worked.

13 CTB16's, 3 pixie 16's and 1 pixie8 all on one network.  With that being said I will have 10 networks for Christmas.  I did notice a couple issues however they were not show stoppers. My computer issues along with some problem with 4.3.24 that is still being diagnosed caused me headaches. I used 10 sequences for my final Halloween night. no problems.

Lesson learned, never upgrade just before a holiday, you just never know. I upgraded to .24 because I needed some features that were added to SS.

JR

Edited November 12, 2017 by dibblejr

[wensteve]

1 hour ago, default said:

One important item that you should really consider is to make some notes, as Mr P pointed out when you set the Base Unit 7 to your Pixie16, HU automatically set the Base Unit ID for ALL the strands your Pixie16 will use. That means that your next available Unit ID number now will be 17. This will matter a lot when you add another controller. You will probably forget this and try to add the next controller as 08 and it it will cause a conflict. In a years time, you will forget about all of this. It's very handy to have notes or a picture to help you remember what you already have setup.

This is how I keep my Comm Ports. Unit ID's, network speeds, firmware updates all organized so I can reference them later. I did this in a spreadsheet then took a screen shot and put the picture in LOR directory for me to review when adding new controllers. You don't have to do what I did, but I would recommend that you at least jot some notes down for later.

Alan...

Thanks for all the help. I will take notes for sure but based on my experience so far with pixels I may not add anymore to my show. I feel so lost.

[dibblejr]

14 minutes ago, wensteve said:

Thanks for all the help. I will take notes for sure but based on my experience so far with pixels I may not add anymore to my show. I feel so lost.

I said that about 1 year ago. I caved under peer pressure, I have 5 pixie16's and my 8. It gets easy once you wrap your head around the fact that with the pixie let the HU set the unit ID's automatically. It will assign the next 16 consecutive units.

Ans as Default stated the next controller you add will fall after whatever the 16th prior unit ID was assigned.

Now with the latest pixie16 there are dip switches. It appears that from the factory #8 is set to on. In order to change the unit ID from "01" to the next all dip switches need to be in the "off" position.

I typed that so anyone searching may find that little piece of knowledge. Most skip over reading the manual.

I just discovered that during a phone call yesterday with a member that was having difficulties getting HU to find his pixie16 since he already had 1 and 1 AC controller.

JR

Edited November 12, 2017 by dibblejr

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1 hour ago, wensteve said:

I will take notes for sure but based on my experience so far with pixels I may not add anymore to my show. I feel so lost.

You are no more lost than I was when I started all this. No biggee, once everything is setup and working it will all be worth it.

Right now, (without your Pixie16) this what your NC screen should look like. Provided your Comm Port is Comm 3 (Your Gen 3's maybe able to run on a faster network, but if it has worked to this point, your good like this)

On the NC screen. click the Export Config button and name Show Mode (or something like that)

If you want to try to test just the Pixie16, then do the following.

Change the settings in NC (provided Comm 3 is what you are using) to what is in the picture below. This is going to remove all Comm Ports and controllers so that Control Panel/Comm Listener won't create an error. Then save that config as "Pixie16 Test"

Hook up you Pixie16, turn on Control Panel (which will start Comm Listener on the toolbar) Start SE, load your sequence, make sure Control Lights is check in SE, then run the sequence. The lights should work. If you need to, in SE, click Tools and then click Channel Configuration to see how they channels are set up in SE.

If all is good then sequence away. When you get your HS485. PM me and we can setup your new network and create a NC config that will work for you.

This config in NC is only for testing the Pixie16, your original "Show Mode" save will be used for running shows. (after we add the new network)

Alan...

[wensteve]

2 minutes ago, default said:

You are no more lost than I was when I started all this. No biggee, once everything is setup and working it will all be worth it.

Right now, (without your Pixie16) this what your NC screen should look like. Provided your Comm Port is Comm 3 (Your Gen 3's maybe able to run on a faster network, but if it has worked to this point, your good like this)

On the NC screen. click the Export Config button and name Show Mode (or something like that)

If you want to try to test just the Pixie16, then do the following.

Change the settings in NC (provided Comm 3 is what you are using) to what is in the picture below. This is going to remove all Comm Ports and controllers so that Control Panel/Comm Listener won't create an error. Then save that config as "Pixie16 Test"

Hook up you Pixie16, turn on Control Panel (which will start Comm Listener on the toolbar) Start SE, load your sequence, make sure Control Lights is check in SE, then run the sequence. The lights should work. If you need to, in SE, click Tools and then click Channel Configuration to see how they channels are set up in SE.

If all is good then sequence away. When you get your HS485. PM me and we can setup your new network and create a NC config that will work for you.

This config in NC is only for testing the Pixie16, your original "Show Mode" save will be used for running shows. (after we add the new network)

Alan...

I need to try this now!!!!

[wensteve]

5:53:26 PM: Comm Listener error 3: Comm Winsock Error / 10053: Connection is aborted due to timeout or other failure
5:53:27 PM: Connected to Comm Listener
 

Here is the error I get.

 

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Open Device Manager, and verify the USB485 is connected.

To open Device Manager, Open Control Panel (windows) and find Device Manager. Depending on the version of Windows you can try clicking the Start button, then type Device Manager and follow the prompts to open it.

When it's open, click on the Ports (COM & LPT) option. Plug in the RS485 adapter, it should come up on the screen, like wise when you unplug it, it should go away. With it plugged in, what's the Port number (next to it) it is assigned?

Alan...

[wensteve]

USB Serial Port (Com 3)

[wensteve]

[wensteve]

I feel like the config in SE is not right.  Does this look right?

[TheDucks]

I just went thru this. 2 networks Reg and AuxA

Both adapter must be present to set the COM# and speed for each in the network config.

Make a not of which  Network is the HS one, and configure the Pixie channels to use that  (your props all say Regular), but you put the Pixie on AuxA

 

BTW my pixie4 would pass the HW Utility tests on a 56K network, but I needed the HS (>115K) for consistent function

[wensteve]

Like this?

[wensteve]

This is what I've selected in PE

 

[dibblejr]

New members with pixies have questions and want assistance. However in an open forum discussion it can all add up to even more confusion.

This issue is a very quick issue to fix over a phone call. Messaging takes far to long with back and forth. And as you can see within this thread there are so many answers.

Over the past months of the people I have helped 85% over thinking, these are not AC controllers. Instead of assigning channels- they assign units.

5% - needed to upgrade their software to one after the Pixie was produced HU would not recognize.

5% - No HS adapter 

5% -Change settings while awaiting their adapters and then once HS adapter arrives are tight back to the beginning

With that being said if the OP would have contacted me this would more than likely have been resolved in minutes.

I would suggest the OP contact the help desk (open a ticket).

Also read my “pixie configuration advice and tips” thread. After helping about 100 people I figured it would save me time esp at crunch time. 

If you disconnect all controllers and connect only your pixie device and follow my thread above you should be get up and running.

JR