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Computer says my CTB16PC gen 3 is not responding


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7 minutes ago, Stacy R said:

I had lowered the number to I think 20. It finds the unit, sporadically, but when I go to change the id, it throws up an error and where it says 1 unit found, it says com3 error. 

K, we will hopefully solve your issues with a new adapter.

Will start from square 1.

I will include my cell in the box just in case.

Give yourself a break, this hobby/ addiction can cause hwadaches.

Read my friend Orville’s signature above, it sums it up.

JR

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If having a comm error you need to check your computer to see if there is a conflict with the comm port the HWU is being assigned.  When I first got into this crazy hobby, I had some comm errors and turned out the HWU was trying to use a comm port that was already in use for something else.  I don't recall off hand the way to check it, but there is a way to do so.   Once you find that out, and set the comm port to an unused comm port {except for LOR stuff}, you might be good to go.   It's the only thing left I can think of that would be generating comm errors and why the computer {HWU} can't communicate with the controller{s}.

And if you have all new controllers connected, that could also be an issue if their ID's weren't changed independently 1 at a time, then all daisy chained together.  As they ship with a default ID of 01 and that means the HWU is only seeing ONE controller, even though 3 are physically present, this is why when you add new controllers you have to set their ID one at a time with no other controller connected anywhere to the system.  That too can generate comm errors at times, it's not usually as likely, but can happen.

Now for the upgrade when you change your license, Sorry TheDuck, the license key NEVER changes, your license key ALWAYS stays the same as does the name you used to put in the registration area, along with the original e-mail used to make your purchase.   If you make any changes to those from when you first purchased your software and did not inform LOR of any changes, so they can update your info, this can cause things not to work and put your software back into demo mode.  So you don't get a new license key ever, I never have, my license key is still the same today as it was when I first started with this hobby using version 2.1.2{I think it was}, I just upgraded to 4.3.30 and my license key for the latest upgrade is still the same as it was in 2010 when I started using version 2.1.2.

 

Edited by Orville
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I guess it could be a HWU issue, but it is giving me the same error on two different computers. It recognized the comm port utilized by LOR. However, It sometimes recognizes that a controller is connected and sometimes tells me it found 0. If I hit refresh again, it might find the controller. It’s very sporadic.   

I am only connecting one controller to the computer. 

I agree about the licensing statement. Even with the basic plus license, I was allowed to connect up to 4 controllers. I only had 2 controllers, prior to purchasing these 3 new ones. 

JR is sending me another usb485. I’m hoping that will solve the problem. 

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I actually I've had this exact situation happen before on my controller. Sometimes it finds it sometimes it doesn't and I have to refresh it multiple times. I have found that closing down the program completely starting it back up then trying again sometimes it will work in most cases it is the adapter plug in you can possibly try switching the USB port or Ethernet cable but I have a feeling it's going to be related to your adapter. Not the hardware utility. I wouldn't pull your hair out anymore until you get the new adapter Jack then try again. Worst case scenario you can always open a helpdesk ticket if it doesn't work. I have found the lor customer service staff are really easy to work with.

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I would agree. I think it is quite possible the adapter. 

Ive opened a help desk ticket. They are offering suggestions, but it hard to explain the issues via email. I email when I’m home but don’t get a reply until the next day during business hours. That’s gone on for about a week, with no solution. No biggie.  

The people on this site are awesome. LOR would be tough without them. 

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3 hours ago, Stacy R said:

I would agree. I think it is quite possible the adapter. 

Ive opened a help desk ticket. They are offering suggestions, but it hard to explain the issues via email. I email when I’m home but don’t get a reply until the next day during business hours. That’s gone on for about a week, with no solution. No biggie.  

The people on this site are awesome. LOR would be tough without them. 

Stacy if you8 lived in or near me I'd have been willing to come over and help you diagnose this mess, sometimes it's good to have a second person be able to come over and see exactly what's going on physically, so that a diagnoses can be obtained.   I know just how difficult it can be to describe how some things go awry via e-mail or on a forum, even with photo's of the problem, not actually seeing the issue first hand does make it a challenge to figure out just what exactly is going on.

 

Hopefully the new adapter will solve the issue, if not, going to be quite the challenge to figure it out and get it corrected, but sure it will be fixed hopefully very soon.

Sure wish I lived in your neck of the wood, I'd just come over and see what we could figure out and see if there might be something you're missing.  It doesn't sound like you are, but I've thought that too, and then get hit with an answer that should have been obvious and directly in front of me, but for some oddball reason, it eluded me and I was totally oblivious to a simple step I overlooked.

Again, best of luck on getting this issue resolved soon.

 

Edited by Orville
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On 6/26/2018 at 4:01 PM, Stacy R said:

Is the comm problem an easy fix?

The easiest way to check and fix this is have one controller you know that works in the HU every time you refresh it, it always finds it, then once you have that controller operating in the HU, click on Auto Configure  under the "Setup Comm Port" in the HU, it should come back with the comm port that it finds the controller on, that would be the default comm port you should use.  It may return the same comm port already shown there, if so, you should be good to go, if not, sometimes this can change, if it changes, then there may have been a conflict on the comm port that the HU may have initially selected.  Select and keep the comm port that the HU assigns, then remove the controller and place one of the new controllers in its place, click the Refresh button, hopefully it finds the new controller.

 

Just tested this in 4.3.30 and it worked out perfectly, although it returned the same comm port I was already using, but on occasion, something can happen that'll make the default comm port not recognize controllers or the HU will re-assign a new comm port, I've done this to re-establish my comm port in the HU, and then it found the controllers that were not being found previously.

Good Luck!

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I’m in mid Missouri. Quite a ways away from you. I’m going to spend some time working on the issue, this weekend. I’m sure it’s something simple. I will definitely give your suggestion a try. Luckily I have a few months to figure out the issue. 

Appreciate everyone helping with this issue. 

Stacy

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34 minutes ago, Stacy R said:

I’m in mid Missouri. Quite a ways away from you. I’m going to spend some time working on the issue, this weekend. I’m sure it’s something simple. I will definitely give your suggestion a try. Luckily I have a few months to figure out the issue. 

Appreciate everyone helping with this issue. 

Stacy

My wife has relatives that live in St. Louis.  Never been there myself, but folks always say I must be from Missouri because I'm always saying "SHOW ME"!?? ?

But I was born and raised in Florida and still here. 

Maybe one of these days someone will perfect the Star Trek Transporter method, then we could just transport anywhere in a matter of seconds. 

Wouldn't that be a cool way to visit folks displays? B):D

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My wife is from St. Louis and her sister lives in Orlando. We’ve been to Orlando a few times. We always used Disney as a cheap back-up vacation fro us. 

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1 hour ago, Stacy R said:

 We always used Disney as a cheap back-up vacation fro us. 

Never heard Disney and cheap in the same sentence before. 

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My sister-in-law works for Disney’s credit union. Free admission to the parks and free room and board made for a cheap vacation. 

 

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8 minutes ago, Stacy R said:

My sister-in-law works for Disney’s credit union. Free admission to the parks and free room and board made for a cheap vacation. 

 

I get to stay in Snow Whites old Castle. Compliments US Army Shades of Green. A lot more “affordable” than other resorts and it’s right on Disney.

Orville- we are without power for 24 hours. Though not as long as your problem a couple years ago it’s a pain to lose power from a rain storm not a tornado or hurricane. They have said it could be a week. 100 mph winds knocked down 300+ poles to the line that feeds our under ground lines. 4400 of us.

JR

Edited by dibblejr
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Holy cow!!  It’s fixed!!  Apparently I had LOR software version 4.3.22. It was a short-term release that apparently had trouble locating controllers.  I updated my software to 4.3.26 and it solved the issue. Thanks to everyone  for all of the help.  

Stacy

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9 minutes ago, Stacy R said:

Holy cow!!  It’s fixed!!  Apparently I had LOR software version 4.3.22. It was a short-term release that apparently had trouble locating controllers.  I updated my software to 4.3.26 and it solved the issue. Thanks to everyone  for all of the help.  

Stacy

Glad to be of help when we can.  Sure happy to hear your issue was fixed by a simple software upgrade and not bad controllers or a bad USB485 device.

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20 hours ago, Stacy R said:

My sister-in-law works for Disney’s credit union. Free admission to the parks and free room and board made for a cheap vacation. 

 

Well next time you're in Orlando, you'll have to look me up! :)  

One of the Pastors of my church also works for Disney, he's in the maintenance dispatch department, which I found fascinating to know they can actually control lights and other things at Disneyland in California from Disney World in Orlando!

If you're ever going to be in Orlando, just PM me and I'll send you my address and maybe we can meet and discuss our LOR projects/displays..

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3 minutes ago, Orville said:

Well next time you're in Orlando, you'll have to look me up! :)  

One of the Pastors of my church also works for Disney, he's in the maintenance dispatch department, which I found fascinating to know they can actually control lights and other things at Disneyland in California from Disney World in Orlando!

If you're ever going to be in Orlando, just PM me and I'll send you my address and maybe we can meet and discuss our LOR projects/displays..

 

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Absolutely. My sister-in-law works for their credit union and her husband is one of the guys in charge of Disneys transportation department. Must be a good company to work for, they have both been there over 20 years. 

The invire is mutual. If you are ever in mid missouri, let me know. I live at lake of the Ozarks. One of the biggest man made lakes with more shoreline than the state of California. It’s also a tourist area. 

Keep in touch. 

Stacy

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20 hours ago, dibblejr said:

I get to stay in Snow Whites old Castle. Compliments US Army Shades of Green. A lot more “affordable” than other resorts and it’s right on Disney.

Orville- we are without power for 24 hours. Though not as long as your problem a couple years ago it’s a pain to lose power from a rain storm not a tornado or hurricane. They have said it could be a week. 100 mph winds knocked down 300+ poles to the line that feeds our under ground lines. 4400 of us.

JR

Yep, no fun having no power.  We did that for almost 6 years and folks wonder how we managed.   Used to be every time we had a thunderstorm in our area, the power in our section would *always* go off and then it'd take the power company from 5-10 hours to get it back on.  why so long I never could figure out, it was just a simple transformer shorted out and the only one that serves our area.  Before the new company took over for them, the old power company would have us back up and running in usually less than an hour, 30 minutes or less was usually normal.   But the new one, well, let's just say I wish the older company was the one still around! LOL

Good Luck with the power.  Hope it comes back on soon!

 

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2 minutes ago, Stacy R said:

Absolutely. My sister-in-law works for their credit union and her husband is one of the guys in charge of Disneys transportation department. Must be a good company to work for, they have both been there over 20 years. 

The invire is mutual. If you are ever in mid missouri, let me know. I live at lake of the Ozarks. One of the biggest man made lakes with more shoreline than the state of California. It’s also a tourist area. 

Keep in touch. 

Stacy

If we ever get that way to visit my wifes relatives, will do. :)  BTW: The Pastor has been there since they opened the park in 1971, can't believe it's been that long, 47 years Disney's been here and he must've been some of the first crew hired on.  I had my short stint with them in 1977-1978 time frame, just wasn't for me. LOL

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