Controller not receiving signal.

[saintjoe53@gmail.com]

My current set up is 3 CTPC 16 channel controllers (units 1 through 3) and one pixie 8.  My last year set up which worked fine was Showtime director to unit 1 to unit 2 to unit 3 to pixie 8.  Set it up this year and pixie 8 was not receiving signal.  Replaced the CAT 5 cables with no change.  As a test I rearranged cables and went director to pixie 8 to unit 1, unit 2 and unit 3,  Pixie 8 now worked, but unit 3 did light blinking was apparently not receiving a strong enough signal.  No matter how I set up my cables one controller not receiving signal.

 

Thanks

[TheDucks]

36 minutes ago, saintjoe53@gmail.com said:

My current set up is 3 CTPC 16 channel controllers (units 1 through 3) and one pixie 8.  My last year set up which worked fine was Showtime director to unit 1 to unit 2 to unit 3 to pixie 8.  Set it up this year and pixie 8 was not receiving signal.  Replaced the CAT 5 cables with no change.  As a test I rearranged cables and went director to pixie 8 to unit 1, unit 2 and unit 3,  Pixie 8 now worked, but unit 3 did light blinking was apparently not receiving a strong enough signal.  No matter how I set up my cables one controller not receiving signal.

 

Thanks

Try the other jack on the unit that blinks.  (there are other threads here about RJ45 jacks not surviving strain. Yours should be STILL  (not just pushed back) flat on the board

Are all the RJ plugs clicking home? 

[saintjoe53@gmail.com]

I have switched jacks around, have bought new cat5e cables and no matter what set up I create the 4th controller regardless of the unit won't receive the signal at a strength to operate the lights.  If I change current unit 4 to unit 1 and unit 1 to 4 it does not matter.  What ever unit is number 4 it won't run the lights.  Even using the exact setup from last year that worked it isn't this year.

[saintjoe53@gmail.com]

If I make the 4th unit the 3rd unit it works just fine but now the previous 3rd unit that was working but is now the 4th won't work.

[TheDucks]

43 minutes ago, saintjoe53@gmail.com said:

If I make the 4th unit the 3rd unit it works just fine but now the previous 3rd unit that was working but is now the 4th won't work.

The OLD 3 has a bad jack.  Move it  to the chain end (renumber ID's if needed), and use the good jack (the red LED should be steady)

[Paul L Johnson]

I have basically the same issue. but no pixels..... LOR customer no service just gives me generic answers such as if it blinks it isn't communicating and if it is steady it is communicating.  No real answers. 

[basis21b]

47 minutes ago, Paul L Johnson said:

I have basically the same issue. but no pixels..... LOR customer no service just gives me generic answers such as if it blinks it isn't communicating and if it is steady it is communicating.  No real answers. 

So, is the LED on the board(s) blinking or steady?

[Paul L Johnson]

1 minute ago, basis21b said:

So, is the LED on the board(s) blinking or steady?

it is blinking of course.... if it was steady we would not have an issue, according to LOR customer service.

 

[TheDucks]

44 minutes ago, Paul L Johnson said:

I have basically the same issue. but no pixels..... LOR customer no service just gives me generic answers such as if it blinks it isn't communicating and if it is steady it is communicating.  No real answers. 

Because that is all they can determine from the symptoms. No solid = no signal making it ONTO the board that blinks.

It could be it never LEFT the prior location, the Wire (CAT5) or plug is bad, the input jack is damaged.

Some detective work is needed, and that is YOU. Examine the fine wires inside the jacks of BOTH controllers. They all should be the same. The jack bodies should BE flat on the board, if they have been tilted, the board needs those removed and replaced.

Replace the CAT5 with a cable that is working elsewhere

 

 

[Paul L Johnson]

7 minutes ago, TheDucks said:

Because that is all they can determine from the symptoms. No solid = no signal making it ONTO the board that blinks.

It could be it never LEFT the prior location, the Wire (CAT5) or plug is bad, the input jack is damaged.

Some detective work is needed, and that is YOU. Examine the fine wires inside the jacks of BOTH controllers. They all should be the same. The jack bodies should BE flat on the board, if they have been tilted, the board needs those removed and replaced.

Replace the CAT5 with a cable that is working elsewhere

 

 

not sure what SaintJoe53 has done but I have looked at ALL of those things.  ALL the other controllers talk to each other alone and together.  All my stuff looks good.  the cat 5  cable detects ALL the other controllers so I am confident the issue is in the controller not the externals.

Edited November 28, 2017 by Paul L Johnson

[dibblejr]

3 minutes ago, Paul L Johnson said:

not sure what SaintJoe53 has done but I have looked at ALL of those things.  Not sure what you are talking about BOTH controllers All my stuff looks good.  the cat 5  cable detects ALL the other controllers so I am confident the issue is in the controller not the externals.

RESET the controller.

Also check and double check your network preferences and config.

What I do with hard cases while assisting folks with their configs and pixie setup.

1) Ensure only one unit connected to pc

2) Hardware utility - ensure it finds the unit and write down comm port

3) Network Preferences - verify that it is showing the unit ID and comm port as found in HU

4) SE - open sequence with the device in it

5) Tools - Network Config

6) you will not change anything but the fastest way to look at your unit ID's without scrolling through a bunch of stuff is to select "change unit" it will show you the unit ID and comm port. If all of those areas HU, NP and Config does not show the same data per the controller there is your problem.

JR

[dibblejr]

On ‎11‎/‎26‎/‎2017 at 3:08 PM, saintjoe53@gmail.com said:

If I make the 4th unit the 3rd unit it works just fine but now the previous 3rd unit that was working but is now the 4th won't work.

Read my reply on where to look for problems and resolve them. Trust me I have been there.

JR

[Paul L Johnson]

10 minutes ago, dibblejr said:

RESET the controller.

Also check and double check your network preferences and config.

What I do with hard cases while assisting folks with their configs and pixie setup.

1) Ensure only one unit connected to pc

2) Hardware utility - ensure it finds the unit and write down comm port

3) Network Preferences - verify that it is showing the unit ID and comm port as found in HU

4) SE - open sequence with the device in it

5) Tools - Network Config

6) you will not change anything but the fastest way to look at your unit ID's without scrolling through a bunch of stuff is to select "change unit" it will show you the unit ID and comm port. If all of those areas HU, NP and Config does not show the same data per the controller there is your problem.

JR

JR my unit is just dead in the water.   If in position 1 then no controllers are found, if I move it down the line it finds controllers before it only.   I have pulled the jumper and reset the controller. 

[dibblejr]

8 minutes ago, Paul L Johnson said:

JR my unit is just dead in the water.   If in position 1 then no controllers are found, if I move it down the line it finds controllers before it only.   I have pulled the jumper and reset the controller. 

I see, just putting out some of the little knowledge I have just in case.

I have 5 dead myself. I had 7 dead at Halloween but resetting and firmware update seemed to have work on them.  Would have sent them back to LOR for repair but I'm too busy and wouldntget back until sometime early 2018 so I'm waiting until then.

Best of luck

JR

[saintjoe53@gmail.com]

JR

Tried and does not help.  When I do the reset the lights respond just the way it says.  Checked all the port and they match up.  If I take the pixie 8 and put it as the 3rd controller in the chain the pixie 8 works just fine and runs perfectly.  But now the previous controller 3 no longer works.  For some reason, regardless of how I set it up, controllers 1 to 3 will work fine but the 4th controller does not get a strong enough signal.  It is almost like the signal does not have enough strength to go to all 4 controllers.

[saintjoe53@gmail.com]

Okay I shortened the length of the cable and that helps.  Thinking now it might be the jacks as on the 3rd as with the pixie plugged in and is working, the 3rd will work then stop for a bit then go back to working.  Will play with it more tomorrow

[Richard Hamilton]

Having heard that you shortened the length of the cables and that helped.... are you sure about the quality of your cables?  I've seen a lot of crappy cheap cat5 cables on ebay this year.

[saintjoe53@gmail.com]

now the pixie 8 works (4th in the chain) but the 3rd controller going on and off.  Will be checking the jacks tomorrow as it appears....not sure yet...that if I hold the cat 5 cable at a certain angle it all works.  Need more testing before I am sure.

[basis21b]

It sounds like the wires/pins in the RJ45 socket are not aligned evenly so contacts in the plug do not seat properly.  Make sure all eight of the wires in the socket are in a perfect line.  Often times you will see every other one slightly offset or behind the one next to it.  If the socket gets pulled away from the board this is the outcome.  Today there is a controller sitting on my bench waiting for a socket to be soldered in.  I had quite the adventure locating it. I had to get a magnifying glass to finally see the issue.

[TheDucks]

5 hours ago, saintjoe53@gmail.com said:

now the pixie 8 works (4th in the chain) but the 3rd controller going on and off.  Will be checking the jacks tomorrow as it appears....not sure yet...that if I hold the cat 5 cable at a certain angle it all works.  Need more testing before I am sure.

The 'holding' thing, says bad jack or bad plug.

Cheap cables may have  strain relief 'casting' issues and need cleanup around the contacts. 

or

The spring wires in the jack are stuck down due to dirt.