Error message.

[Tuke]

I made a show in the editor and the music started when the time came but the lights didn't activate.

I purchased 5 sequences and when I pull them up it asks me to convert them but I get a channel error saying they won't be able to drive lights. 

[TheDucks]

Tell us about your rig

What controllers?

What is attached (string counts and type)?

[Tuke]

14 minutes ago, TheDucks said:

Tell us about your rig

What controllers?

What is attached (string counts and type)?

"Show Time" 16 channel controller. (The one in the metal enclosure).

Software version S5

Maybe 2000 lights strung at most, 4 floods, 4 spiral trees.

Nothing extravagant.

I loaded all the sequences I purchased and updated them to S5 so I don't get the channel error message but now when I schedule a show the music won't play. It plays when I open the sequencer and open a file.

For some reason, I can only find the sequences when I go through the LOR software. If I try to do a show on demand it only gives me the option to play a created show. The individual sequences do not show as available. 

The guy I bought them from has been trying to help me and is gonna call me tomorrow so we'll see what happens.  I'll keep fooling with it tonight in the meantime. 

Any ideas would be appreciated. 

[PhilMassey]

In order to play a show, scheduled or on demand, you must add the sequences to a show in the show editor and save the show file.

The show file is what you play. NOT the individual sequences.

[Tuke]

Just now, PhilMassey said:

In order to play a show, scheduled or on demand, you must add the sequences to a show in the show editor and save the show file.

The show file is what you play. NOT the individual sequences.

Yes. I did that. I added the 5 sequences as I got them from the guy I purchased them from. At that time, I got the error message about the channel being unable to drive lights. The music would play but nothing else when the show was scheduled to start.

I then updated each sequence to the S5 and I then had an lms file (the original) and a loreddit file (the updated version) of each sequence. 

I loaded the sequences in to the show builder, scheduled it for a time and got nothing. The log that pops up when you click on the light bulb in your app tray says it is running and the music is playing but nothing is coming over the speaker.

[PhilMassey]

Does your preview play.

[Tuke]

8 minutes ago, PhilMassey said:

Does your preview play.

Honestly, I don't know how to do that. Here's the breakdown.

I bought a used controller. Had it tested and everything worked. I tested all my lights in every channel and they all worked. I then bought 5 sequences.

Now I'm here. When I load the sequences I bought, all of his channel info is still showing on the right side of the screen. I was told it doesn't matter nor does it matter to reset the controller ID.

I kind of jumped in with both feet here without having any clue how deep the water was.

I'm 70% disabled with PTSD from my time in the Marines and my doctor said I needed something to occupy my mind and time so I thought, "An Xmas display will be cool" LOL!

I tried clicking on preview and it's just a black screen.

[PhilMassey]

You have to create a preview to control lights. That's where the unit ID is used

If you have one ac controller it will be unit ID 1

The preview is the configuration for the whole system. 

When you imported your lms files it should have given you several options for creating the preview.

In all honesty, you would have probably been better with S4 for your relatively simple setup.

[TexasLights]

I would be willing to spend some time to do a screen sharing web session with you to see what you have.   Probably a bit late tonight but message me tomorrow and when I get a break from work, we could walk though a quick session. 

[Tuke]

26 minutes ago, TexasLights said:

I would be willing to spend some time to do a screen sharing web session with you to see what you have.   Probably a bit late tonight but message me tomorrow and when I get a break from work, we could walk though a quick session. 

That would be great. I seen the preview that the other poster mentioned and I made one with a pic of my home and I added what I was using and assigned channels but I don't know how to show me the preview. All I have is a static image.

[tlogan]

Are you sure the assigned channels in the preview match the actual unit IDs? If you bought them used, the controllers' UnitIDs may have been reset to different UnitDs than what your sequences says. YOU can use the Hardware Utility (HU) to find out the UnitIDs of the physical controllers.

I think another tip that is being overlooked in the S4 to S5 sequence conversion process to get going quickly is that each sequence can have its own preview. In order to get going quickly, when you open the S4 sequence in S5, you can select the option to create a Quick Preview and save it with a name that links it to the sequence name so you can know which is which.  Keep in mind that it defeats the purpose of creating a single Preview and re-using it for every sequence, but you can go back and do that after the season.

[Tuke]

21 minutes ago, tlogan said:

Are you sure the assigned channels in the preview match the actual unit IDs? If you bought them used, the controllers' UnitIDs may have been reset to different UnitDs than what your sequences says. YOU can use the Hardware Utility (HU) to find out the UnitIDs of the physical controllers.

I think another tip that is being overlooked in the S4 to S5 sequence conversion process to get going quickly is that each sequence can have its own preview. In order to get going quickly, when you open the S4 sequence in S5, you can select the option to create a Quick Preview and save it with a name that links it to the sequence name so you can know which is which.  Keep in mind that it defeats the purpose of creating a single Preview and re-using it for every sequence, but you can go back and do that after the season.

I think it has something to do with the ID as well.

I fooled with it late in to the night and made a preview of my home with all the lights and decorations I have up currently but when I played it with one of the sequences I purchased the only item that would show lighting/fading in & out were the lights around my garage.

All of the channel names that the creator had made were still showing in the left column while mine were nowhere to be found.

I'm gonna hook it all back up today and recheck the ID. It'd be so much easier if there were just a controller reset button somewhere to reset the controller back to factory settings.

Any ideas, tips, or information you have would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks in advance.

[Tuke]

I don't know, maybe I got something defective.

Last night and again this morning I decided to make a new preview and try the superstar auto sequence thing. Watched the video, followed step by step 3 times. Preview part saved and was done correctly. On to the next video........

I start the next video and when I load the song and the preview none of the "motion effect" rows are showing up.

This is getting obscenely ridiculous!

[tlogan]

You said you purchased sequences....did you get the ones that can modified? Just checking that first. If you got sequences that are locked, whomever you got them from should be able to tell you the channel configuration.

I think you should make sure all the controllers are hooded up, close the Sequence Editor (SE) and open the Hardware Utility (HU). There is a section in the middle of the screen at the top that says "Select Unit to Configure..." and right below it is a blank text box and a button that says "Refresh. " Click that button and wait a while. OR...you can first find the text box to the right of that that says "Max Unit ID." Enter the number in the text box to however many controllers you have and click the "Change" button. THEN click the "Refresh" button. That might speed up the fresh a bit, especially if there is a high number in Max Unit ID box.

After the refresh is done, you will see the list of controllers that have been found on your network in the drop down box that initially says "Select Unit." Make a note of those and then close the HU and reopen the SE and see if your unitIDs in the sequences match the UnitIDs actually on your network. Since SOME of your lights work, they are probably mapped to a unit ID that matches something on your network and rest do not.

 

[Tuke]

1 hour ago, tlogan said:

You said you purchased sequences....did you get the ones that can modified? Just checking that first. If you got sequences that are locked, whomever you got them from should be able to tell you the channel configuration.

I think you should make sure all the controllers are hooded up, close the Sequence Editor (SE) and open the Hardware Utility (HU). There is a section in the middle of the screen at the top that says "Select Unit to Configure..." and right below it is a blank text box and a button that says "Refresh. " Click that button and wait a while. OR...you can first find the text box to the right of that that says "Max Unit ID." Enter the number in the text box to however many controllers you have and click the "Change" button. THEN click the "Refresh" button. That might speed up the fresh a bit, especially if there is a high number in Max Unit ID box.

After the refresh is done, you will see the list of controllers that have been found on your network in the drop down box that initially says "Select Unit." Make a note of those and then close the HU and reopen the SE and see if your unitIDs in the sequences match the UnitIDs actually on your network. Since SOME of your lights work, they are probably mapped to a unit ID that matches something on your network and rest do not.

 

So I just got home and I changed the ID on my controller and in the HU. I tested the lights and all the lights turned on/shimmered/ & twinkled.

When I received the sequences that I purchased, I followed his directions and downloaded the lms files in to the sequences folder and the mp3 files in to the audio files.

He sent further instructions of which channel each of my lights should be plugged in to. I am rechecking all of that right now.

I created a show with the original lms files. When the time came for the show, the music played but the lights did not function. I did get an error message that stated something along the lines that the channels in the sequence did not match and would not be able to drive lights.

I opened the individual sequences in the sequencing program, I was prompted that each sequence needed to be updated to S5. I did that. That changed each sequence from an lms file to a loreddit file. The message about being unable to drive lights no longer popped up.

I made another show with the updated loreddit files but when the time came for the show nothing happened. No music or lights.

 

[tlogan]

There is a checkbox to turn on the control of lights in the sequence editor so that you can control the lights form the Preview. IT's way over to the right in that skinny column.

[Tuke]

13 minutes ago, tlogan said:

There is a checkbox to turn on the control of lights in the sequence editor so that you can control the lights form the Preview. IT's way over to the right in that skinny column.

Had a guy help me this morning and after a bunch of copying and pasting I now have lights but the music doesn't play LOL

[Tuke]

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone that assisted in helping me figure this out.

And a BIG TEXAS sized thank you to TexasLights for going out of his way and above and beyond to call me and help me troubleshoot until we figured it out.

Thanks again to all! I never would have figured it out without the help!