k6ccc Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 I recently had one of my ServoDog controllers fail. It was stuck in the bootloader and could not be re-loaded. LOR replaced it even though it was out of warranty (Great LOR service!). However the replacement unit arrived with a unit ID of 02, and although I could change it using either the hardware utility or the ServoDog utility, whenever the unit loses power, it reverts to unit ID of 02. Since the ServoDog does not have hardware switches for setting the unit ID, that is not the cause of the problem. Anyone have any ideas why this ServoDog is changing IDs and a work-around (and no, re-arranging my controllers to it is ID 02 is not a good option)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a31ford Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 OK, I'll take a stab at diagnostics on this. First off, ONLY it' connected to the computer, or director. set new unit id, play some sequences. power off dog, power up, ID stay or revert ? I'm looking for this: "one on one" connection, does it still do the same thing. report back, and we will continue. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a31ford Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 did you do a "GET" function from the dog in question ?? this is an EEPROM based unit, you will need the special software from here http://www.lightorama.com/SoftwareDownloadPage.html to do a get funtion. READ page 11 in this : http://www1.lightorama.com/PDF/ServoDog_Man_Web.pdf Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted October 22, 2013 Author Share Posted October 22, 2013 Greg, Thanks for your comments. The "special software" you refer to is the ServoDog Utility which is a normal included part of the a LOR installation. OK, let me give some more detail on the steps I took.1) Hook up laptop via USB-485 to the new ServoDog (nothing else connected).2) Using Hardware Utility, read units. HU reports the ServoDog with an ID of 02.3) Using HU, change the unit ID from 02 to 04.4) Using Hardware Utility, read units. HU reports the ServoDog with an ID of 04. Exit HU.5) Start ServoDog Utility and GET Configuration for Unit ID 04 (successful).6) Using SDU, change all 8 ports to Digital output. Send Configuration (successful).7) Exit SDU.8) Start ServoDog Utility and GET Configuration for Unit ID 04 (successful).9) Confirm that all 8 outputs are set to Digital.10) Using SDU, change ports 4 & 5 to PWM. Send Configuration (successful).11) Exit SDU.12) Start ServoDog Utility and GET Configuration for Unit ID 04 (successful).13) Confirm that outputs 4 & 5 are PWM and all other outputs are set to Digital.14) Exit SDU.15) Power down ServoDog .16) Install in front yard in "normal" installation (see details below).17) Power up in normal configuration.18) Using Show computer, disable show immediately and start Hardware Utility.19) Using Hardware Utility, read units. HU reports 7 cards found - 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8. ID 02 correctly shows a DC card.20) Repeat step 19 3 more times with same results.21) Take laptop out to front yard and disconnect ServoDog from the rest of RS-485 string and connect to laptop via USB-485.22) Using Hardware Utility, read units. HU reports the ServoDog with an ID of 02. Exit HU.23) Start ServoDog Utility and GET Configuration for Unit ID 02 (successful).24) Confirm that outputs 4 & 5 are PWM and all other outputs are set to Digital.25) Using SDU, change ID to 04.26) Exit SDU.27) Start ServoDog Utility and GET Configuration for Unit ID 04 (successful).28) Confirm that outputs 4 & 5 are PWM and all other outputs are set to Digital.29) Exit SDU.30) Power down ServoDog .31) Power up ServoDog.32) Using Hardware Utility, read units. HU reports the ServoDog with an ID of 02.33) Using HU, change the unit ID from 02 to 04.34) Using Hardware Utility, read units. HU reports the ServoDog with an ID of 04. Exit HU.35) Start ServoDog Utility and GET Configuration for Unit ID 04 (successful).36) Confirm that outputs 4 & 5 are PWM and all other outputs are set to Digital.37) Disconnect laptop and connect ServoDog to show RS-485 network.38) Reset light show to use input on ServoDog to trigger show. It's worked fine for the past 6 days. Have not had a power failure. Got a response from LOR Tech support this afternoon. They suggested reloading firmware on the unit. I will be doing that in a few minutes. Conveniently it is the end of the cable so I can disconnect it and leave the rest of my show running... Just for information, my "normal" show network configuration is as follows:Show computer with USB-485 adapter -->About 100 feet of cable to 16 channel AC controller with ID=06 --->About 2 feet of cable to 16 channel AC controller with ID=07 --->About 2 feet of cable to ServoDog (the other one) with ID=05 --->About 45 feet of cable to 16 channel DC controller with ID=01 --->About 35 feet of cable to 16 channel DC controller with ID=08 --->About 60 feet of cable to 16 channel DC controller with ID=02 --->About 6 inches of cable to 16 channel DC controller with ID=03 --->About 6 inches of cable to the subject ServoDog with ID=04 --->Terminator plugged into second port on ServoDog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a31ford Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 (edited) Jim, I do not know what to say, if you have a ticket with LOR, I'm sure they will figure it out. I would like to know the outcome. Greg Edited October 22, 2013 by a31ford Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted October 22, 2013 Author Share Posted October 22, 2013 LOR is sending out a replacement. They say they have never seen anything like that before and I'm sure that they want to see if they can figure it out. That part of memory is supposed to be non-volatile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a31ford Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 The more I thought about it, the more I bet that the EEPROM has been "toasted" (as in it was written, BUT, since then static or something has crashed that portion of memory), you can set an ID (will run in ram until power loss), sounds real familiar....... Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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