Plug into Laptop-works fine / Plug in with Cat5-Not so much

[mcnamara9]

Installed a controller last night that is not behaving properly. When I plug it in directly to my laptop and use the hardware utility, functionality for all channels works just fine (shimmer, chase, on/off, etc.). When I plug it into the network of controllers. only 11 out of the 16 channels work. 5 don't even come on. I verified the CAT5e is not bad by using that same cable to another controller and that controller worked fine. I even tried using a wireless linker with it and it did the same exact thing (same 5 channels didn't wok). It's almost like the controller is confused or the communication is not translating properly. It's a newer board with v4.4 firmware already.

Any tips/tricks or thoughts on how I can fix this?

[james campbell]

I would double check you channels in your layout in the sequence editor

[-klb-]

You don't say if your show is from a PC or a director, and you don't indicate if you have tested the HWU driving the channels when it is all plugged into the network. But I agree that the most likely issue if not working from the show, or even sequence editor is you channel layout.

[mcnamara9]

Thanks for your responses. I have double checked the channel layout and everything was correct. I am running the show from a director. If not the channel layout, what else could I check? Thanks again for your time.

[Max-Paul]

How in all of this green earth did you guys decipher the ops post? I would never have thought to ask about a director. Sounded like he was plugging the cat5 directly to the eithernet jack in his computer. Not via the USB to RS-485 adapter.

[mcnamara9]

No, when I tested the controller, I use my laptop and the USB adapter to connect to just make sure the controller number is correct and the lights work. Then, I plug it in to the network of controllers using LOR's Cat5e cable. So when I'm directly plugged into the controller, it works fine. When it's on the network (testing it both with CAT5e and wireless linker), the controller is not functioning properly based on the 5 channels or so that don't light up.

[-klb-]

Try building a new sequence with just that one controller, that just chases those channels. Try puting it on the card, and see what happens..

[TJ Hvasta]

Brian, I'm off Tues/Wed if you want to either bring it by or I can come down there to check it out, channels assignments is my first suspect. but try making a simple seq with just that one controller, on/off/fade/twinkle each suspect channel (or even just all of them) to see what it's doing.

[Dave Pursel]

And one other thing you can check. I have had weird results when more than one controller has the same address.

[waverlylights]

We are having the same issue. What I believe the problem is is the Cat 5 input/output jack has come loose from the board. We had the same problem last year, but it was just one jack (The output one) that wasn't working on one of our boxes so we just put that box at the end of our daisy chain of controllers. However, this year, we have a box that NEITHER jack is working properly. If we jiggle the Cat 5 cord a bit, it works but shortly after the status LED begins flashing again.

We have contacted LOR and are looking to get replacement jacks so we can repair it ourselves.

And of course we find this out a week before our show is about to start!

[TJ Hvasta]

Waverly, is there no chance of pulling the board out of the case and reheating the solder pads for those jacks? it would be a lot quicker than waiting for replacement boards..

Edited November 16, 2012 by TJ Hvasta

[Max-Paul]

Just an off hand recommendation to all. Maybe I am a wee bit OCD but I take my Cat5 cable and tie a loose overhand knot around the post my controller is mounted to. Then take the end up and into the box. There must be at least a dozen different ways to skin this cat. But the point is I anchor the cable to something before going into the controller with it. Same for the cable leaving the controller. Anchor that sucker. I rather trip and rip up the cable than have to deal with a yanked out socket on the controller.

[Nurples]

I'm having the same issues this year. The controller in question works fine when used alone but has issues when connected to the network. Also, the problem only exists when the whole network is powered on. If only the controller in question is powered on, it works fine even though the entire network is connected via Cat-5.

Testing using the LOR Hardware Console with the whole network setup and powered on:

With Channel 3 on, channel 15 turns on. If your dimming channel 3, channel 15 stays on at 100% until you dim channel 3 to about 20% then channel 15 goes off. The reverse is not true. Controlling channel 15 has no effect on channel 3.

Channels 9 and 6 control each other at the same time reguardless of which channel you attempt to control... neither channel will dim.

Now, with this being said... I haven't had time to troubleshoot the problem. I plan on working on this issue tonight and I'll be happy to post the outcome as it may help other users.

[Nurples]

I spent some time tonight testing this issue and it appears to be the Caat-5 inputs on the board. I was able to wiggle the plugs a little bit and the problem went away. I hope it holds out for the season as I don't want to take the controller apart to fix the inputs.

[TJ Hvasta]

maybe you can hot-glue the socket to the board so it's in the proper tilt postion to keep the cable seated..

[-klb-]

Also consider swapping the controllers around so this is the last one in your chain, and then you only need one jack on it...