Random # of controllers 'found', bleed over and stuck channels

[Lisa Kennedy]

Hello LOR Family,

In my last round of posting, I got some great suggestions that I thought fixed my problem, but after a few hours of running my show, I am now having the same problems and a few more so not sure what to do.

In summary, I have 15 LOR CTC16PC boxes running 240 channels with no fuse issues. My HU goes from seeing all 15 with no problem to finding 9 or 10 or 12, not in order and some listed as 'unknown devices.' Then when we tested the show after moving our CAT5 lines away from our power cords and checking all our boxes individually with a CAT5 direct to the computer, all ran fine. Then after about two rounds in the show, we started having major bleed over where channels on my house were doing what my spiral tree was doing or lights on my MegaFlake were sticking on. I checked again and the HU was throwing odd controller numbers again.

Not sure if I need to pull all 15 boxes and manually reset them -- dont want to if I dont have to unplug all 240 channels, but if that is what it takes to work then I will happily do it.

Please send along some more suggestions, ideas or tricks so I dont get completely frustrated and sell all of these things...

Thanks again for any and all help and suggestions.

Lisa

[Guest guest]

So the show ran fine..for awhile?

I'd be looking closely at power connections, dongle connections, and especially cat-5 connections (both cable, and board connector), and then if all of that is 100%, considering resets of any controller that appears to be a consistent offender. Based on your comment, I assume you did not reset the controllers when doing the previous testing with the HU?

Is everything thing cat-5 from computer all the way to the last controller? No ELLs?

Not sure how your setup is, but if you can get laptop to controller, versus controller to show computer, that would make your reset work a bit easier.

All this assuming you are 110% sure your channel config and anything software/sequence related is 100% correct and pristine; based on the fact you are saying the show has run correctly, if that is true, would seem less likely to be software.

[Jim Hans]

Here's a shot in the dark... how long are the Cat 5 cables you are using. I believe LOR doesn't recommend going over 100'. My bet is still on a bad Cat 5 cable somewhere. If the hardware utility is always finding at least your first 9 controllers, for example, I would change out the cat 5 coming out of that box and see if that helps.

[cmoore60]

Lisa,

Can you provide a few more details. How are you controllers connected on the line....such as for me

8----usb485B----------6---5---4----3---2---1----OC---OD----OA---OB

Also when you run the HWU when it finds only 9 of 15 controllers....are the 9 that are found all in connected sequence order?

Like in my example...if I see less than 11 controllers...I am asking.... do you see something like 6-5-4-3-2-1...but nothing else? I realize that the HWU list them in address order so might take some decyphering to see a relationship.

I am thinking that you have a bad connection on cat5. Do you make your own cat 5? Are your cat5 all purchased?.....What if you were to bypass a particular controller and go past it...do you reliably see the controllers except the one that is bypassed?

Chuck

[-klb-]

Add one more person thinking it is likely an issue with the cat 5.. But, is there any CFL bulbs in tbe show, or on the same circuits that the controllers are plugged into? Is there any correlation to when they are on as compared to the issue happening?