HLANDIS Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I am using four units powered and run by the mp3 show director unit attached by a cat5 data cable and loaded using and sd card. For some reason the lights are flashing on channels and units they are not sequenced to flash on? What would make the lights on unit 3 flash when only the lights on unit 1 are sequenced turn on. All channels and controller numbers are set correctly on each unit. Have alot of people counting on me this year to see the light show and I cant figure out the problem! Help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Ensure that your lights are connected to the right controller and channel.Review your channel config, and your sequences for errors, duplicate channels, etc.You may find running the Verifiier helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HLANDIS Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 Everything seems to be hooked up corrrectly. Verfier only found warnings that dont apply such as weekly show scheduling etc. All sequences are correct and channel settings are correct. For example my arches take up all of unit 1, they are the only active channels in the show beginning, but for some reason all channels on unit 3 are also on at the same time. Unit id's are correct. Could this have something to do with the computer I am using to schedule and sequence the shows? Windows 7 64bit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Hans Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Check to see if your cat 5 is running/bundled with the extension cords as this can cause funky things to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 HLANDIS wrote: I am using four units powered and run by the mp3 show director unit attached by a cat5 data cable and loaded using and sd card. For some reason the lights are flashing on channels and units they are not sequenced to flash on? What would make the lights on unit 3 flash when only the lights on unit 1 are sequenced turn on. All channels and controller numbers are set correctly on each unit. Have alot of people counting on me this year to see the light show and I cant figure out the problem! Help!Okay I use almost the same set up (only diff being I have 5 controllers) and I'm going to almost wager a guess here that you still have the cat5 from the USB485 dongle connected to a controller AND to the computer.If the USB485 is still connected and connected to both a controller and to the computer and you're running a show from the SD Card in the Director, you will get lights randomly coming on from your controllers that may or may not be sequenced, what is happening is the MP3 Director is reading the SD Card, the USB485 is also sensing it is connected to the computer and the two end up confusing each other, with each trying to operate the controller(s) at the same time.Check and make sure you have your cat5 disconnected from the USB485 dongle and things should work normally. You don't need to disconnect the cat5 from the controller *(I keep a cat5 connected for tests and checking controllers and lights when I remove the SD card) only from the USB485 dongle and plug the cat5 from the controller back into the USB485 unit.I'm almost certain this may be your issue. This happened to me a few times and even once this season when I upgraded to S3, I forgot to take the cat5 out of the USB485 and I was having some strange lighting issues, unplugged the cat5 from the USB485 and everything was back to normal operation!Hope this may help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HLANDIS Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 Thanks all for trying to help diognose my problem! I do not have any of the controllers hooked to the computer. Unit 1 has the mp3 show director installed and runs shows from the unit and the sd card on its own. It is not hooked to the computer at all. I read on another thread that small amounts of moisture in the unit can cause similar problems, do you think this problem could be from moisture in one of the units or does that not fit with this problem? Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HLANDIS Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 Hi Jim,Yes at some points my data cable is laying on top of about 8 extension cords. How far from the extension cords should I isolate the data cable? Also, one of my data cables is much longer than needed by approx. 20'. Will extra length on the data cable cause any issues? It is coiled up next to the last unit on top of extension cords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Roberson Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 I have a few coils of cat5 in my set up and have no problems. Although I would never put a coil of cat5 on top of extension cords.I would move the coil of cat5 you have onto the ground away from the extension cords. Its ok for the cat5 to cross extension cords, laying right on top of them. They should not run laying side by side though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 So you don't have any cat5 connected to the USB485 unit at all? Even if the USB485 isn't connected to the computer, but still connected to a controller via the cat5 can still cause issues.Question for the cat5 folks:My cat5 has to go out and come in through a windown alongside the power cord that supplies power to my GFCI outlet that powers my LOR boxes, the cat5 also shares this in/out with the speaker wires for the external speakers. Since I have limited space, the cat5, speaker wire (left/right speakers) and the power cord all are alongside each other when they come through the window, but are fairly seperate before exiting the window from inside and then after exiting the window outside. So the cat5 (single cable) is run together for possibly about maybe 3 or 4 inches, possibly as much as 5 inches right next to the power cord and speaker wiring. Now I've not have any issues yet (and Halloween was the same set up basically), but would, or could this create any issues in such a short run directly next to each other?Being in an apartment and NOT having any exterior outlets, this is the only way I can set up to get power out to the controllers and run my show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HLANDIS Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 I dont have any cables hooked to a usb adapter. All my shows run in stand alone mode from the show director/mp3 unit. I only use the computer to load shows to the sd card. Once the sd card is inserted into the show director unit it runs on its own and directs all other controllers from the show director built in unit. I have cat5 from going out of unit 1 to in on unit 2, out of 2 to in on 3, out of 3 to in on 4. Thats why I have not clue why channels on unit 3 would be flashing from commands that should only be going through unit 1.??? I'm starting to think that I have a bad show director unit. One other thing, when I sequenced a test sequence with all lights on everything worked fine, they all came on when they were supposed to. It seems the turning on and off is what is screwing things up for some reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Do you have any way of running your show from your computer, and eliminating the show director, as a test?If you are ok with a basic sequence being run by your show director, would think your issue is with your sequences, or possibly channel config. You may want to try a test sequence a little more involved to exercise each channel of your controller, and make sure configs match controllers and match connections.I'd still lean towards your director unit being fine, and the issue being sequence or configs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Orville wrote: Question for the cat5 folks:My cat5 has to go out and come in through a windown alongside the power cord that supplies power to my GFCI outlet that powers my LOR boxes, the cat5 also shares this in/out with the speaker wires for the external speakers. Since I have limited space, the cat5, speaker wire (left/right speakers) and the power cord all are alongside each other when they come through the window, but are fairly seperate before exiting the window from inside and then after exiting the window outside. So the cat5 (single cable) is run together for possibly about maybe 3 or 4 inches, possibly as much as 5 inches right next to the power cord and speaker wiring. Now I've not have any issues yet (and Halloween was the same set up basically), but would, or could this create any issues in such a short run directly next to each other?Being in an apartment and NOT having any exterior outlets, this is the only way I can set up to get power out to the controllers and run my show.I think you pretty much answered your own question... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Roberson Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 DonFL wrote: Orville wrote: Question for the cat5 folks:My cat5 has to go out and come in through a windown alongside the power cord that supplies power to my GFCI outlet that powers my LOR boxes, the cat5 also shares this in/out with the speaker wires for the external speakers. Since I have limited space, the cat5, speaker wire (left/right speakers) and the power cord all are alongside each other when they come through the window, but are fairly seperate before exiting the window from inside and then after exiting the window outside. So the cat5 (single cable) is run together for possibly about maybe 3 or 4 inches, possibly as much as 5 inches right next to the power cord and speaker wiring. Now I've not have any issues yet (and Halloween was the same set up basically), but would, or could this create any issues in such a short run directly next to each other?Being in an apartment and NOT having any exterior outlets, this is the only way I can set up to get power out to the controllers and run my show.I think you pretty much answered your own question...I would agree. If you are having no problems I would not worry about it. IF you started seeing some issues I would seperate the CAT5 from the other wires going thru the window opening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Keon Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 hook a computer up and make sure all controllers show up. I have changed the ID on one before and it not take affect. So I had to reset the controller. and then set the ID to the correct one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HLANDIS Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 I tried the computer option and when clicking refresh to find controllers unit 3 does not show up. I think unit 3 may be the issue, the same unit that flashes when only unit 1 should be on. Also I noticed that with cat5 unplugged from all units The lights will still flash randomly on unit 1 and unit 3?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Use the HU on each controller one at a time. Do two main things:1. verify (or reset) the unit ID.2. Ensure each channel works (as long as you have them connected, you may as well).For any balky controller, makes sense to do a reset of the controller, and then follow steps 1 and 2.Sounds like it may make sense to start with unit 3 and do that, and as much of a pain as it might be to pull the controller out of your setup and test it, it eliminates multiple issues from confusing the situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulXmas Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Disconnect all the controllers except 3 and see if the HU picks it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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