Help Controller wont reset

[John Filipoff]

I've been having issues with channels sticking on randomly for the past few nights. It doesn't always do, but if it does it seems to be in the same spots of the same songs. I've been reading this board and it seems a general solution to try is to either eliminate noise in the network or try resetting the boards.

I have 1 16 channel Blue board, and 2 PC boards. I was able to reset the blue board, and was able to check it in the HU, and everything works OK.

For the PC boards, I turned off the power, I pulled the jumper, turned the power back on, the LED blinked fast, I turned the power back off, reconnected the jumper to the second one down. I then plugged it back in, the LED blinks at a slow rate, however I cannot locate the unit in the HU. When I try to set the unit id to #2 the HU gives me a cannot locate, check power and connections error. I'm using a USB adaptor and the cables are good. I tried using the ignore errors button, but it still doesn't work.

ANY IDEAS!!!!!

[Tim Fischer]

Connect only that unit to the HWU, and use "any unit" for the old unit ID.

-Tim

[John Filipoff]

Yep, I tried that. I'm sitting here with it next to me right now, I brought it in because it's too cold out. The LED is flashing but HWU cannot find it, or set the unit ID. Cables are good, I can connect to my blue board.

I tried fuses too, and both are good.

Any other ideas?

[John Filipoff]

Anybody know which chip is the COMM chip on the 16 channel PC unit?

I have a second unit I could swap them out to see if the chip is burned out.

I see an 8 pin chip labeled U1 and a 28 pin chip labeled U2.

I've emailed LOR but with it being Saturday I don't think I'll hear anything back from them.

[fire_paramedic]

Can you connect to either pc board? or are both not working. if both are not working its gotta be a unit id or comm error not a chip.

[John Filipoff]

I haven't tried the second unit yet.

I'm going to go get it now. It's snowing out, so I don't want to do it outside.

I can connect to my Blue board so I don't think it's a comm issue with the PC.

[LightORamaDan]

John Filipoff wrote:

Yep, I tried that. I'm sitting here with it next to me right now, I brought it in because it's too cold out. The LED is flashing but HWU cannot find it, or set the unit ID. Cables are good, I can connect to my blue board.

I tried fuses too, and both are good.

Any other ideas?

John,

You say the LED is flashing whch makes it sound like it is not getting communication. What type of a flash is it, the steady, even On/Off pattern.

edit: The comm chip is the 8 pin U1 chip.

Best regards,
Dan
Light O Rama, Inc.

[John Filipoff]

Dan, Yes, I'm getting a steady even on/off pattern. I'm familiar with LOR products and it's the normal flash rate you get when your board is not hooked up to the computer. I just brought in my box#3 which is another 16PC unit. I have NOT reset the Id on this one, but I connected it to the computer, and the HWU was able to identify it right away, so my computer connection and cables are fine.

I'm going to try to swap out the U1 chip from the good unit to the bad one to see if that makes a difference.

--John

[John Filipoff]

BINGO !!!! I found the problem. I took the COMM chip from unit#3 and put it in box #2. The HWU was able identify the unit right away.

Now how do I get a new COMM chip ASAP?

--John