CCR and sub-sequencing

[drivemewilder]

Yep, another newbie with some questions! I currently have 4 LOR controllers, and last week i recieved my first CCR's (2 of them). Since i don't have the time or the know-how to sequence the CCR, i elected to purchase some sequences from Brian over at Superstarlights. I read through and followed the directions that Brian sent me on how to download....save....channelize the sequences. Ok, all done with little issue (even though i didn't necessarily understand what i was doing, such as "channelize"). My concern now is that Brian told me i cannot use my showtime director because i had to sub-sequence the CCR. He mentioned that POSSIBLY the S3 will allow me to sub-sequence. Does anyone know if this is the case? I've only used the showtime director so i really don't even know how to run my lights without it. How do i even test the CCR and sequences, other than seeing it light up when i was assigning unit ID's and following the manuel for the CCR?

[rodman1369]

Hi there
Another newbie here. Just got my first ccr. In sequence editor with your sequence loaded...go to the black ccr channels. On left side, right-click on channel button and set to lor and the ID number you set your ccr to (in the hardware utility). Do this for each channel. Then your ccr should perform as advertised. Hope this helped. worked fer me.

When you are "adding device" to add a ccr...you can set this once for all the ccr channels added.

[drivemewilder]

Man i sure wished that worked, I'm getting aggrevated now. I can go into hardware utility...Console, and play with the lights. They work. Everything is hooked up right. But it doesn't want to play when i hit "play" in the sequence.

[BrandonH]

In the sequence editor, Do you have control lights selected? On the top file bar, choose Play > Control Lights to toggle the setting.
If this doesnt work, I would check your unit ID's and network type in the sequence editor. (when you click on the channel name of each channel in the CCR's, a dialog box comes up.) Are both CCR's set to LOR network, Type: Regular? and do the channels have the correct Unit ID's corresponding with your two CCR's?

[CLD Kevin]

BrandonH wrote:

In the sequence editor, Do you have control lights selected? On the top file bar, choose Play > Control Lights to toggle the setting.
If this doesnt work, I would check your unit ID's and network type in the sequence editor. (when you click on the channel name of each channel in the CCR's, a dialog box comes up.) Are both CCR's set to LOR network, Type: Regular? and do the channels have the correct Unit ID's corresponding with your two CCR's?

Everything Brandon said should fix your problem. First check if the control lights is checked. Next, check your Network Preference. Go to Edit >Preferences >Network Preference. Make sure that your Comm port is set to the correct Network. The Hardware Utility will tell you the Comm port. Last verify your channel property. Go to Tools >Channel Property Grid. Make sure the type is LOR, the Network and assign unit ID matches what you have your controller set to. You can verify the controller ID in the Hardware Utility.

I’ve included some snapshots.


Attached files

[CLD Kevin]

Network Pref (I have two USB485B apaters...Comm 3 for Reg and Comm4 for Aux A)

Attached files

[CLD Kevin]

Channel Prop

Attached files

[drivemewilder]

I've done all these steps. Everything seems to be like it should. The only thing i see as a problem is this: When i "channelize" for example Boughs of Holly, it is saved as BoughsofHolly_2CCRs_left_r1u7.sup. The R1=first ribbon, the U7= Unit ID. This is for the example provided in the walk through, but my first ribbon is Unit ID 5, not 7. I've ensured that the system knows the ID's of my ribbons, but it still comes up as r1u7, not r1u5.

[drivemewilder]

I have found, at least for now part of the problem. My software is Basic which only supports 2 controllers. I had 2 controllers last year, bought 2 more this year and bought 2 CCR's. So i need a software upgrade to at least Standard to cover the 6 controllers i currently have. Hopefully this is the only problem, easy fix.

[drivemewilder]

Updated my software from Basic to Advanced, and everything is working like a champ!

[Kieren James]

Hi there Drivemewilder

I'm very intrested in your post.

I have also just purchase via the summer sale 12 CCR anmd wait there arrival.

l'm in a similar boat. This is my first year of LOR and learning my way around.

I was going to purchase a completed sequence from the Super star lights web site so l had a least one show for my CCR's, but l was sure if would be able to play in the LOR sequencing software.

From what l have read, you can purchase the sequences and run them in LOR software, Is this correct? I don't want to blow $99.00 if it dosen't work.

Any help would be appericated

Cheers

Jerome j

[drivemewilder]

Jerome, yes the CCR's will play in the LOR software. In fact the SuperStar software is not intended to play the sequence. Just the LOR. Now it is a little tricky to get it from the Superstar software over to LOR, but Brian has great instructions to follow and bent over backwards to help me out.

[Kieren James]

Thanks

I really appericate the help

Now the only challenge is to work out all the chat on the forum about how many CCR's l can have in one channel

as l have 12 ccrs, l'm not sure what my next step is to get these to work correctly.

It sounds like 6 is the most you can have. It also sound like l need some sort of USB 485 dongle?

Is that the same as the channel splitter the LOR sell? Or is it something different?

Cheers

Jerome j:shock:

[CLD Kevin]

jeromej wrote:

Thanks

I really appericate the help

Now the only challenge is to work out all the chat on the forum about how many CCR's l can have in one channel

as l have 12 ccrs, l'm not sure what my next step is to get these to work correctly.

It sounds like 6 is the most you can have. It also sound like l need some sort of USB 485 dongle?

Is that the same as the channel splitter the LOR sell? Or is it something different?

Cheers

Jerome j:shock:

If your using LOR software, your going to need USB485 adapter to "talk" to the CCRs. I've read that some say use only up to 4 CCRs per Network, others 6 CCRs per Network. So your going to need 2 or 3 of the USB485. Each USB485 adapter or "dongle" is a Network. Since Brian (Superstarlights) uses 12 CCRs....he would be the perfect person to answer that. Dont forget that you also need Advance LOR Software to control all 12 CCRs.

If your going DMX (which CCR supports)...then thats a whole different animal.

I hope I'm explaining this right...I know how it works. Its the whole Networks, Universes, Dongles thing that starts to get confusing.



Here is the link to the adapter:

http://store.lightorama.com/uscoadwivobo.html

Here is the link to the software:

http://store.lightorama.com/software1.html



Oh...and with several networks, probably a good idea to get a powered USB hub.

Kevin

[Kieren James]

Thanks Cracker

Really appericate the help

So if l get a usb hub with 4 outlets, technically that will gives me 4 networks.

Is that correct? Or is there more to it than that?



If this is correct then

Basically off 1 usb out of the computer connect to the 4 wat hub.

Then run 4 CCRs per 3 usb output and put my other LOR controllers on the 4th one

Am l understanding this correctly?

Cheers

Jerome j

[BrandonH]

Yes, each usb rj45 convertor(sold by lightorama) is assigned a "comm port" that is unique to that one piece of hardware. Each "comm port" is its own lightorama network when set up as regular, aux a, aux b, etc... in the sequence editor> network options.

Network and comm port is not to be confused with ethernet plug ins. http://store.lightorama.com/uscoadwivobo.html has one usb cord, and two ethernet plug in's. Even though it has 2 plug in's, it still is only one network.

You can put 6 CCR's on a network. (i've read) but if you would like to put 4 per network, it may work better (I wouldn't know, as I have not tried it). This year I will be running a network for my controllers seperate from the network that is running the ccr's.

Hope that helps,
BrandonH

[Kieren James]

Hi Brendan

Thanks for the info.

So from what you have said, each one of the networks should have its own coms port allocated

Aux a could be coms port 1 and

Aux b could be com port 2 and so on



And when you set up the CCRs you alloctae them some how to that coms port and network.

Am l on the right track?

So does this mean that l would need 3 coms ( 3 usb out ports on my computer ) for 3 networks?

Or can these be run via a 4 output USB hub from one usb out off the computer?

Not really sure how this all works

Sorry about the questions, but this is all new to me.

Cheers

Jerome :shock:

[BrandonH]

Yes, I think you have a handle on this now. When you set channel id's in the sequence editor, there is an option as to what type of network the channel is using. In that dropdown box, you can choose what "aux", or "regular" network (usb output) the channel is tied to. If you have a usb splitter, that should work also. It has been said that a usb splitter that requires an electrical plug in to power it will work better, but I think Steven may be able to awnser that side of the question better than I can.

[JBullard]

BrandonH wrote:

If you have a usb splitter, that should work also. It has been said that a usb splitter that requires an electrical plug in to power it will work better, but I think Steven may be able to awnser that side of the question better than I can.

Do not use a USB splitter. Use a powered USB HUB

[Steven]

JBullard wrote:

BrandonH wrote:

If you have a usb splitter, that should work also. It has been said that a usb splitter that requires an electrical plug in to power it will work better, but I think Steven may be able to awnser that side of the question better than I can.

Do not use a USB splitter. Use a powered USB HUB

I have not heard the term "USB splitter" before. I suspect it's slang for "non-powered USB hub".

A non-powered USB hub gets all its power from the computer. This source of power is limited, and may not be enough to power 4 USB-485B adapters. On the other hand, cell phones are commonly charged from the USB ports on computers, so if you're using the USB-485 (not the 'B' model), I would think it would be enough.

The USB-485B takes power from the computer (or powered USB hub), boosts it from 5 volts to 9 or 10 volts, and sends that power down the LOR network to power accessories such as the ELL. That draws much more power than, for example, a USB flash drive or a mouse.