Configuration Advice - # Networks & USB Ports

[Jay Czerwinski]

Background:

Long story short about my wife about to have a baby and the time I have available, but I am rushing to get a new setup done in a couple of weeks and your advice will help me have a working display this year.

 

Last year I used 6 of the basic controllers, 5 of the CCRs doing simple stuff, and the 4 CCPs in a mega tree configuration. All on one network and at the slower speed. I began to notice at times that the CCP tree would begin to have hesitations/pauses during a lot of pixel movement. I figure it was a network speed issue.

 

This year, I will not be able to use all of my lights, but I definitely want to set up a 12 CCR tree and to save time, purchase sequences online from the pros.  I am trying to avoid doing a lot of troubleshooting putting most of my available time on building the 12 CCR rig and mounting/hanging all of the lights.

 

My Equipment:

2 LOR Pro controllers older 1600 series (I didn't know any better when I entered this hobby and spent too much $$)

4 CTB16PC controllers that I have collected over the years with the newest one being 3 years old.

4 CCPs that I bought last year

6 CCRs that I have collected over the years with the newest one being a couple of years old

12 more CCRs that I just bought this year for a 12 CCR tree.

I just bought two USB485HS adapters to help.

 

QUESTIONS:

Does the type of USB port make a difference to the USB-RS485 adapters?  USB 1.0, 2.0, 3.0?

I am thinking on putting half the 12 CCR tree (6 CCRs) on on USB-RS485-HS and the other half on a second USB-RS485-HS adapter and set it up for 500k

The 6 regular controllers would go on a standard USB-RS485 adaper at the slower speed.

 

Then I would try to figure out where the remaining 5 CCRs should go and at best, the 4 more CCPs.   Should they go on the HS network or the basic?

 

Will I have good results on 3 networks or should I have more?

 

Should I get a new USB card in my computer with the USB 3.0?

 

 

Any help or suggestions you can provide would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you in advance!

[Don]

Short answers ...

 

Don't worry about USB 2.0 3.0. Not going to be a deal breaker (in my opinion)

 

Just looking at the post, my initial thought is 1 USB485 network, and 2 USB485-HS networks. All the CCR/CCP stuff would go over the two -HS networks. Keep them as even as possible, remembering that the CCP's will count as 2 CCR's (from a pixel count.)

[Jay Czerwinski]

Short answers ...

 

Don't worry about USB 2.0 3.0. Not going to be a deal breaker (in my opinion)

 

Just looking at the post, my initial thought is 1 USB485 network, and 2 USB485-HS networks. All the CCR/CCP stuff would go over the two -HS networks. Keep them as even as possible, remembering that the CCP's will count as 2 CCR's (from a pixel count.)

 

Thanks Don for the quick reply and direction!   I know older 16 channel controllers can't run on the newer HS protocol, but can all of the older CCRs run at the HS? 

[a31ford]

The speed at which a USB device (even 1.0) runs is insanely fast, HOWEVER, what speed the 485 network is running is a different story.

 

NOT having the proper termination on the 485 network can be an issue, it can also fool the director or computer to "wait for send" see, here is how it all works, (in a nutshell).

 

There are protocols withing the packets being sent, IF, the network is flooded with traffic the director (or computer) will have to wait for a CTS (clear to send) ACK (Acknowledgement) from the highest order device on the network (00 in hex) if there is re-bounding of packets (because of incorrect termination OR a bias voltage), the controllers will in fact, attempt to re-read the same packet(s) a second and even 3rd time (in reality they read everything placed on the 485 cable, it's just how it's interpreted as to "that packet is not for me" and simply falls off the end of the receiving processor on the controller board. HOWEVER, the packet is still read, and this in fact is why the ACK is NOT received early (the garbage flying around on the 485). This garbage will cause "stutter" in a receive only type setup (what you have seen) with the CCR's and CCP's.

 

Solution, correctly terminate the RS-485 network FIRST, then go for a higher baud rate (speed), but I would simply use the resistors at each end first, you might be very surprised what a pair of 2 cent, 120 ohm resistors can do......

 

Greg