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16kpc Chanel's come on and stay on


tjmarty

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Try using your laptop in the "normal" position with and without it's power supply plugged in. Since it worked in the driveway, I assume you were on battery, operate on battery inside, this would remove any doubts about location or maybe your power supply is dying. If your "driveway" cable is long enough, drag it into your normal position (through windows, stairs or whatever) and try it as above.

If all is OK with the laptop on battery inside and when connected to power supply it goes crazy, remember it's been 11 months since it last worked normally. Have you added any electric/electronic items anywhere in the house? Unplug them, not just turned off, to see if they are injecting noise on the power lines. May be something as small as a cell phone charger.

Something is obvioiusly different. Just my thoughts.

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  • Mark h2o

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I have rerun my network cables away from the power lines, and still have the issue. The only addition I have in my house for electronics is a LCD TV.

George, why does the problem go away when I remove the three controllers I added this year?

Scott.

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I am starting to think I had a flaw in my network cable. Last night I refreshed the network in the hardware utility and it only recognized 5 out of the six controllers. After refreshing it a couple more times it picked up the sixth controller.

After replacing the first and second cable everything started working as it should.

As far as the laptop it was hooked to a power supply. Thats what started to make me think it was a cable/routing issue.

I've toned out a broken wire that tested just fine volts and all only to have it fail every time it had to carry the amps when in use.

The show has been running tonight with no issues so far. Before I would have stuff stick on 2 - 20 times a song.

I have a mixture of controllers from this year and last year, showtime and PC units. I don't think is a issue with this years boards since it was happening to me last year with both types of units and the first version S2 on my PC.

I'm starting to really think that the routing of the comm wire was an issue as well, because before I got the filtered USB cable I had so much noise coming back through that it was knocking my driver off line and locking up the program. That was a big problem.

So far it really seems that the comm wire was to blame. I didn't have time to check if the cable was faulty or the routing coming out of the garage yet, but it really seems to be related to one of those or both.

From now on I'm going to be really careful when those cable ends go on as well as make sure the colors match the factory diagram.

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Can you post the wiring you used for the cables?



I re did mine and though that was it but still the same problem I'm also going to switch out my USB cable to one with the ferit choke on it and try again.

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The configuration to the right is how my cables are wired. I don't think it should matter as long as the wires match on each end but I wanted to make sure everything was right.

I did notice in one of the connectors on my old wire that there was some bare wire showing through the insulation. It wasn't touching anything but it was there.




Attached files 189387=10661-DSC02896.JPG

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Thank you for the post, that's how I re did my cables 2 nights ago...problem is still there... :(.



Also checked and found that my USB cable actually has 2 ferit chokes already on it and I'm 99% sure its the one that came with the original kit.

I emailed LOR support early this afternoon...have not heard any thing....

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stachows wrote:

If it was a problem with the cables, why does it go away when the New Controllers are removed from the mix?


You said you have three new controllers?

Did you just disconnect all at the same time or one by one?

How close together are they?

I'm assuming they are at the end of the comm cable. If you can leave the first hooked up and the rest unhooked is it still there?

I'm not saying that replacing the cable or ends will fix the problem for everyone but it did work for me.

It's just that the symptoms that you guys are having are exactly what I had.

Also, I did reset all of my controllers several times last year with no success.
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In the case of my setup, my first controller in line is about 100-125 feet from the computer..I did happen to see that controller have at least 1 channel hang. (its also last year's controller).

The controller I seem to be having the most trouble with is my #3 which is about 40 feet from #2 and then another run of wire to it thats about 40 feet. Let me ask a dumb question, when your saying about reseting...please confirm what you mean.

My #3 is also the controller I was testing things with prior to actually putting things in place out side, including the fact that i changed the ID a few times on it before setting it back to #3. so now, its the controller with the most problems of the "hangin' channel" issue. Maybe from swithing the ID around a few times has it thinking its more than just #3? which would kind of explain things in a way since I had it as 1, 2, 3 and 4 while I was testing my sequesneces....

Alot of work, time and money and after this year, i think i will be getting a new hobby. Just not worth the trouble if the end result looks like a my dog did the sequencing.

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Hi Mark, one of the new controllers is the third, the other two are on the end right next to each other (and my DMX1000 in a custom Box....

My show is running live right now and I have been working VERY long hours no time to test today.

Funny thing is that the channels that hang are on ALL controllers, even the very first and second in the chain. What ever feedback I am getting is flowing all the way back to the beginning. Most of my cable is CAT6 that I test using a PC any my home network.




Also, I did change the ID of every controller (except the first two) this year, and they have the same problem.

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As far as resetting the controllers it's different for the PC versions vs. the showtime with the rotary switch.

To reset the PC version,

-Turn off the power to the controller

-pull the jumper off of the J0 header (second set of pins from the top)

-Turn on the power without the jumper for 10 seconds or so, unplug and replace jumper

-Turn on power

You will need to set the unit ID again. I've been told you need to unhook all other controllers but just unplugging all but the one you need to change seems to work just fine.


Attached files 189408=10663-DSC02903.JPG

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For the showtime units with the rotary switches to select unit ID,

-turn off power switch

-turn both rotary dials to 0-0

-turn on power switch for 10 sec or so

-turn off power switch and set rotary dials back to desired unit ID

-turn power back on

These are my favorite because you don't need the harware utility to set the unit ID after reset.


Attached files 189411=10664-DSC02904.JPG

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Yes it is alot of time, work and money. Last year was my first year and I really wanted to quit but too many people commented on how they enjoyed the show and didn't notice the flaws, I'm sure some were saying it to be nice but everyone said I was just too picky.
I know how you feel but I really think people do enjoy it.
I'ts alot of work but if you can un hook all but the first controller after you get them reset and just start with the first hooked up and then run the program (not from the sequence editor) and keep adding one by one, running the show in between untill it starts acting up again.
Maybe it is the boards but all other options should be eliminated first.
HillBilly4Ever wrote:
In the case of my setup, my first controller in line is about 100-125 feet from the computer..I did happen to see that controller have at least 1 channel hang. (its also last year's controller).

The controller I seem to be having the most trouble with is my #3 which is about 40 feet from #2 and then another run of wire to it thats about 40 feet. Let me ask a dumb question, when your saying about reseting...please confirm what you mean.

My #3 is also the controller I was testing things with prior to actually putting things in place out side, including the fact that i changed the ID a few times on it before setting it back to #3. so now, its the controller with the most problems of the "hangin' channel" issue. Maybe from swithing the ID around a few times has it thinking its more than just #3? which would kind of explain things in a way since I had it as 1, 2, 3 and 4 while I was testing my sequesneces....

Alot of work, time and money and after this year, i think i will be getting a new hobby. Just not worth the trouble if the end result looks like a my dog did the sequencing.

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Mark,

To help clarify,

Was your problem that channels were hanging on as planned, and not turing off, or were they comming on and then not turning off when not even used in that sequence (or that part).

My issue is that I have channels comming on when they are not used near that point of the sequence, and in some cases not even used in that sequence. They come on and then will not turn off until they are supposed to turn on and then off, or end of the sequence, Whichever comes first. If I test my channels they all work normally.

In some cases the channels that are on that sould not be are in Shimmer mode, when NOTHING else is shimmering in the entire sequence. Also since my CCR is set at intensity 1 for the whole sequence, even that has a few pixels that come on and stay on when that is not even used in the sequence...(YES, I know that is a sin!!!)

Sorry to be long winded, just trying to figure this out while I still have hair left.



Here is a copy of my Channel Config if anyone wants to take a look.

Scott.


Attached files XMAS2009-NOSIGN.lcc

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I would try the same thing to find the source. Is it one controller? Is it all controllers? Is it location?

Try just one of the controllers with only the incoming comm wire hooked up. Run the show. If it's ok then hook up the next with only the incoming comm wire hooked up, run the show. If it acts up then it could be that controller or cable.

If it does it on the first controller then go get a RJ45 connector or a connector for whatever end you are using on your cable so you can splice it together and bypass the controller. If it keeps giving you problems then it could be a comm cable or both controllers, but I don't think all 2 or 3 controllers having issues would be likley.

Are all three controllers coming off the same power source / outlet?





stachows wrote:

Hi Mark, one of the new controllers is the third, the other two are on the end right next to each other (and my DMX1000 in a custom Box....

My show is running live right now and I have been working VERY long hours no time to test today.

Funny thing is that the channels that hang are on ALL controllers, even the very first and second in the chain. What ever feedback I am getting is flowing all the way back to the beginning. Most of my cable is CAT6 that I test using a PC any my home network.




Also, I did change the ID of every controller (except the first two) this year, and they have the same problem.
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Scott,

I was having the EXACT same problem. Especially the shimmering on my friggin arches. I would have crap just start magically coming on. Then the next time that channel would get used it would get wiped clean. Or at the end of a sequence stuff would pop on then shut off as it switched to the next song.

The strange thing is I tested my cables tonight and they came out OK. Ohms looked good and everything.

I don't know why but it made the difference.

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Here is a picture of a connector that I used last year throughout the show. I'm sure that didn't help anything.

But a new one would be good for bypassing controllers


Attached files 189434=10666-DSC02254.JPG

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