E861 and SuperStar

[john southeast iowa]

Help! I can not get my E861 to turn my pixels on. I have checked the config for the controller and everything is ok there and I can test all the pixels with no problem. I've made sure the the test pattern is set to 00 and saved when done with the testing. My network is working with the IP address. I set up the LOR network using the "Use E1-31" and "multicast" for all my universes. I restart the Listener(all 4 universes show as being open on 2....I don't know what the 2 is tho) and Sequencer Editor afterwords. I make sure the E861 and the GE pixels power up at the same time as a power switch controls both. I've instance sequenced to nutrocker and exported it to my LOR sequence and inserted it as a new channel and as a sequence with it turned on for whole sequence. I make sure the "control lights" is checked and the sequence plays but nothing happens with the pixels.I've attached a image of the controller config. Thanks in advance for any and all help. What am I missing or not doing right? John

[BrianBruderer]

It sounds like you are using the exported sequence as a subsequence within your main sequence. That should work, but also try playing the exported sequence as a "stand alone" sequence by itself. If that doesn't work either, post another reply

[bob_moody]

First let me state that I do not have any DMX equipment (although I have been reading and reading ..and .. well you know .. reading)

First look at this thread ... http://forums.lighto...e-want-to-help/

You mentioned that you were running Multicast and I "THINK" LOR has a specific set of addresses for multicast.

if I saw correctly, you were running on a 192.x.x.x network and I dont think the E861 and LOR will talk there. ...

I'm not 100%, but I think you may find some help in the above thead....

Hope this helps ...

Bob

Edited October 25, 2012 by bob_moody

[bob_moody]

First off, let's not get the configuration web server IP address confused with the multicast IPs. 239.255.0.1 is multicast universe 1, which you have assigned to Cluster 1. You've stated you can control the pixels in test. What are you using to test them?

When you select "control lights" then play the sequence, check to see if it's still selected. If not, you may have a network conflict with some unattached network device. If this is the case, just attach the needed device or remove it from the network settings.

Have you tried a more simple sequence to ensure you can actually control the pixels from the sequence editor? Superstar is an add on, and not required to control pixels. I use simple animations for testing.

Make sure you're using universe 1 and 2 in your channel settings.

Jeff

Jeff,

Is everything that I am seeing in the attachment strictly related to the managment IP's ?

Like I said, I havent seen this board, or worked the interface. i was trying to assemble what I thought I understood...

Nothing like practical experience (which I dont have), but I really want to learn and understand.

Bob

[Tim Fischer]

Help! I can not get my E861 to turn my pixels on. I have checked the config for the controller and everything is ok there and I can test all the pixels with no problem. I've made sure the the test pattern is set to 00 and saved when done with the testing. My network is working with the IP address. I set up the LOR network using the "Use E1-31" and "multicast" for all my universes. I restart the Listener(all 4 universes show as being open on 2....I don't know what the 2 is tho) and Sequencer Editor afterwords. I make sure the E861 and the GE pixels power up at the same time as a power switch controls both. I've instance sequenced to nutrocker and exported it to my LOR sequence and inserted it as a new channel and as a sequence with it turned on for whole sequence. I make sure the "control lights" is checked and the sequence plays but nothing happens with the pixels.I've attached a image of the controller config. Thanks in advance for any and all help. What am I missing or not doing right? John

Under the LOR Network Manager, do you have all your universes defined as 'Multicast'? And are they all defined? (I forgot to define one and was temporarily confused why some of mine weren't working)

[bob_moody]

Jeff,

Thank you very much for the explination...

By Management IP's I of course meant the Web IP's to access the board's setup.

Bob

[john southeast iowa]

Update

I tried the SuperStar sequence as a "stand alone" and nothing there. I then created a new RGB sequence in Sequence Editor and nothing there. My RGB channel settings are device type....DMX network......Universe 1 circuit ......1 for RED 2 for GREEN 3 for BLUE for the 1 st RGB...with the 2nd RGB being 4 5 6 the 3rd RGB 7 8 9 and so forth. I have 3.8.0 advanced with 8 CCR's license on Superstar.I can test the E861 and pixels in it's test mode and everything works good there, so that leads me to think that it's a configuration conflict somewhere. Listener is working ok and double checked my LOR net/prefer settings with all universes show E1.31 and Multicast. One thing I have noticed is that I have to recheck "control lights'' each time I play a sequence and wondering if it is really being activated as I don't recall having to recheck each time I played a sequence last year.It does still show as being check if I go back to it with out playing anything tho. I have screenshots of the listener and LOR net settings but it won't let me attach as it says I've exceeded my allotted disc space for attachments. I see no conflicting items on the LAN but I am using a 5 port Ethernet switch and get green activity lights flashing as this is the only thing on that network and I turn off my WLAN before trying anything. It's got to be something simple doesn't it?......John

[Tim Fischer]

Ahhh. I bet you don't have an LOR dongle plugged in BUT have one configured in the network manager. Either plug one in, or remove it from the NM. The SE is seeing you don't have it there, and automagically unchecking "control lights" for you before it starts playing.

Don't ask me how I know this

The little colored square at the bottom right corner of your screen needs to be BLUE or things will definitely NOT work.

Edited October 25, 2012 by Tim Fischer

[n_gifford]

The little colored square at the bottom right corner of your screen needs to be BLUE or things will definitely NOT work.

Sort of true. With only E1.31 equipment configured (No LOR hardware), the little box is orange for me and everything works fine. It just tells me that there is no COMM port configured..

[john southeast iowa]

Ahhh. I bet you don't have an LOR dongle plugged in BUT have one configured in the network manager. Either plug one in, or remove it from the NM. The SE is seeing you don't have it there, and automagically unchecking "control lights" for you before it starts playing.

Don't ask me how I know this

The little colored square at the bottom right corner of your screen needs to be BLUE or things will definitely NOT work.

Thanks Tim!!! You bet was right, I plugged my dongle in and get the blue square, "control lights" stays checked, and the sequence I did with setting the RGB's up works. But I still get nothing with using the sequence with SuperStar as a subsequence or with SuperStar running in "stand alone". Has to be a configuration problem. How do I set the configuration for SuperStar using an E861? Also is there a fast way to set up RGB's in the Sequence Editor by string or number of pxels? Thanks!

Edited October 25, 2012 by john southeast iowa

[Crazydave]

once you click on play and then hit stop is the "Control Lights" still checked?

from the instructions:

The pixel strings plug into the 16 4-pin euro-style connectors labeled 1-1 through 4-4.

In general, pixel strings can be plugged and unplugged while the system is powered up,

but it is recommended, to reduce risk of damage to pixels, that pixel

connection/disconnection be done only while the system is off. If using the GE

ColorEffects strings, they will not function properly if plugged in while the E681 is

powered up.

[Crazydave]

One thing I have noticed is that I have to recheck "control lights'' each time I play a sequence and wondering if it is really being activated as I don't recall having to recheck each time I played a sequence last year.It does still show as being check if I go back to it with out playing anything tho.

This is your problem.

You need to make sure on the control panel that "enable shows" is not checked

The Control Panel can only control 1 thing at a time... either the sequence editor or the show schedule.... but not both.

the control panel needs to be enabled.. but the shows need to be disabled in order for you to use the sequence editor to display a sequence.

^- sorry I was late to the game.

[Tim Fischer]

Sort of true. With only E1.31 equipment configured (No LOR hardware), the little box is orange for me and everything works fine. It just tells me that there is no COMM port configured..

Thanks for the clarification. I've never tried using it that way - I've always just plugged in my LOR dongle as I will have an LOR network for the foreseeable future So I wasn't aware of the orange square.

Thanks Tim!!! You bet was right, I plugged my dongle in and get the blue square, "control lights" stays checked, and the sequence I did with setting the RGB's up works. But I still get nothing with using the sequence with SuperStar as a subsequence or with SuperStar running in "stand alone". Has to be a configuration problem. How do I set the configuration for SuperStar using an E861? Also is there a fast way to set up RGB's in the Sequence Editor by string or number of pxels? Thanks!

Sorry I can't help you there - I've never used Superstar. Good luck...

[n_gifford]

Thanks for the clarification. I've never tried using it that way - I've always just plugged in my LOR dongle as I will have an LOR network for the foreseeable future So I wasn't aware of the orange square.

No problem. I'm happy to screw up everything you thought you knew about this wonderful software!....

[vvolf27]

Also is there a fast way to set up RGB's in the Sequence Editor by string or number of pxels? Thanks!

John,

Thanks to someone else, I just went through how to get my Superstar sequence into the LOR sequencer so I thought I would pass on the information.

First, in Superstar export your sequence that you created. If there is more than one, export them all, make sure you know exactly where you exported your files to.

Close Superstar and open LOR sequencer.

Insert Device, DMX select number of channels you need. Keeping in mind each pixel is three channels. (for me I created universe one with 468 channels) ( you want to select the next higher number of channels than you actually need)

Now go to the first DMX channel, right click it and select change to RGB channel, a window pops up, you can chose how many RGB channels you want. (for me I selected 150)

Now you might have some extra DMX channels left over.

Right click first left over channel, select convert to group, window pops up, on the second drop down choose the last DMX channel, click OK. (did each universe before starting the next universe, so I had 18 extra DMX channels)

Now you will have a group, right click it then select Delete Channel group list, confirm

I repeated this 3 times as I will use 4 universes, each universe will use 450 channels. Your milage may vary

I then right clicked the first RGB channel and set it as a group of 50, I then renamed it String 1, I did this for all 12 strings.

Now save as Blank, or what ever, this is your base sequence.

Now open up the superstar sequence you exported, you do this, in LOR sequencer.

You will now have 2 sequences open that you can switch back and forth between.

On your blank sequence, save as, what ever you want. I save mine as the song name. Now you won't mess up your blank one.

Now click the superstar sequence, see how long the song is.

Go back to your LOR sequence from now on I will call it song sequence.

In edit, go to change total time, enter the exact time that the superstar sequence was.

Now go to edit again, mouse over timings, go to switch grid timing, click switch to a fixed timing, input .05, from what I can tell this is what superstar sequencer exports as.

Now go to your superstar sequence, you should have X number of CCR's

Make sure the sequence is at the very begining, click the first grid square, using the slider bar at the bottom slide all the way to the end of the sequence.

Hold down shift and mouse click the last grid square for CCR 1, it should now have a white box around it.

Either click copy at the top or hold down Ctrl then press "C"

Go back to the song sequence, click the first box in the grid for your string 1 group.

Now either click paste up top, or Ctrl V.

Repeat until you have done all strings.

Save it and your done.

It is very important that the time lengths of the two sequences are correct or else it will not line up and your timings will be off.

Also before you export from superstar go into Tools, Layout, make sure the location of ribbon controllers are in the correct place!

I learned that the hard way

Edited November 24, 2012 by vvolf27