Problem in the Hardware Utility

[Guest guest]

Ok. I set up a bunch of lights in my bedroom, hoping to show my parents my nice show. I hooked everything up to the computer. I opened the Hardware Utility and clicked Auto Configure. I set up the Comm port to port 3. I clicked refresh in the box next to it. I waited until it finished SEARCHING NETWORK. Then, I chased a sequence using the test stuff...adn played around a little. Then I set a unit ID to 01. I got this pop-up that said Unable to locate unit to change address. Check connections and power. I know everything is hooked up, because the light on my board is steady, adn the lights flash. I opened up an sequence, and no luck after i assigned unit id's to each one.

I have no clue what is going on. I can play with the lights using the test stuff, but I can't assign or change the unit id's, hence I can't play a sequence. I checked the LOR Wiki, but I didn't find anything there. I have the CTB-08...and I can't get it to work.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

[Guest guest]

The CTB-08 is a different animal. Looking at the documentation on the LOR site, I wonder if you set the channel directly. Not having one, I can't say what you might have done wrong.

Someone else is going to have to get this one. (Though let's make sure it gets added to the LORWiki Troubleshooting section.)

[Guest guest]

Hi,

If your lights were flashing then your unit already has a unit ID. The Unit ID would be displayed as the first two characters in the window next to the refresh button.

There are two buttons in the Hardware Utility for (setting/changing) the unit ID of a controller.

If your controller does not already have a Unit ID (just got it) you use the "Set New Unit Id" button... This is only for the first time you set it.

Once your controller does have a Unit ID assigned then you need to use the "Change Existing ID" button. With that you need to provide the Old ID and the New ID.

If everything else fails!!! Then use the "Change Existing ID", Set the Old Unit ID to "Any Unit" and the New Unit ID to the value you want. Be carefull... If you have 3 units attached they will all get their unit ID set to the "New Unit ID" so only have on unit attached when you do this.

[Guest guest]

Well, I have only one controller, so that was OK. I did that, and I got the Unit ID set to 01. I went into the sequence editor, assigned the unit id's , and didn't get anything.

Also, If I exit my Hardware Utility, the light starts flashing again. Then, I have to go back into it and spend like 5 minutes re-refreshing it.

Thanks for your help,

[Guest guest]

I would think that the CTB-08 keeps it's channel information until it's reset. Loss of power, or communication with the Hardware Utility shouldn't affect it.

The LED starts flashing when you close the hardware utility because ... well, there's nothing for it to talk to.

Make sure you don't have the Hardware utility running when you open the sequence editor.

Check to make sure the "Control Lights" option is checked. (Check LORWiki under troubleshooting for more. Can't recall where in the Sequence editor that option is.)

[Guest guest]

Well, If I don't have my Hardware Utility open, the light on my board starts flashing--because It has no one to talk to.

Is there anyway that I can reset the board to factory settings and start over from scratch?

Because a month or so ago, we tested it and it worked like a charm.

Thanks,
Luke

[Guest guest]

lkcubsrule wrote:

Well, If I don't have my Hardware Utility open, the light on my board starts flashing--because It has no one to talk to.

Is there anyway that I can reset the board to factory settings and start over from scratch?

Because a month or so ago, we tested it and it worked like a charm.

Thanks,
Luke

Your first sentence is correct. This is normal. (I assume you don't have the control panel running with shows enabled.)

Have you tried to reset your controller?

For some problems, you may be able to reset your contoller(s).

1. Power off, set unit ID to "00", Power ON (led blinks fast)
2. Power off, set Unit ID back to original value, Power on

[Guest guest]

How do I set the Unit Id to 0? In the Hardware utility, the lowest one is 01...

Thanks, Luke

[Guest guest]

lkcubsrule wrote:

How do I set the Unit Id to 0? In the Hardware utility, the lowest one is 01...

Thanks, Luke

Hi Luke,

Unit Id 0 is invalid, the lowest allowed unit id is 1. It looks like your CTB-08 is set to unit id 1. [You can verify this by making sure your CTB-08 is powered and connected to the PC, starting the Hardware Utility, clicking the "Auto Configure" button to find the comm port, when this completes, I would then click the "Change" button under Maximum Units, move the slider to Min and click "Save" (that way it won't poll for 240 units, which can take a while), then click "Refresh" and you should see your device in the box to the right. The left most digits are its current unit id]

Stop the Hardware Utility. Start the Sequence Editor. Click "Edit" -> "Preferences" -> "Network Preferences" and use the drop down in the Light-O-Rama section to select the comm port the Hardware Utility found and click OK. Click "File" -> "New" -> "Animation Sequence" The "New Animation Options" box should appear. The defaults are ok for a CTB-08, so just click "OK." You should see a new sequence window. Click "Channel 1" -> "Change Channel Settings" -> use the "Device Type" drop down to select "Light-O-Rama Controller", the default Unit of 01 and Circuit of 1 should be correct for your controller, so click "OK" You will then see the Autopopulate box. use the drop down to select "Eight Channels" and click "OK". Make sure "Control Lights" is checked on the "Play" menu. Everything is now configured in the sequence editor. If you select effect tools and click in the grid, then click the green play button, your lights should flash.

[Guest guest]

YES!!!!!

It works....

Thanks John!!! and Dan!!! and Don!!!

Thanks for telling me about the Max/Min number that it will search for!! I've been waiting for like 5 minutes other times! Now it's only like 15 seconds!

Thanks again,
Luke