jamills706 Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 (edited) I have built my first 12 CCR matrix and have it wired and running. Some things look great on it - other things are a mess. For example - I created a big face that sings along with a song and he works just fine! But I made another song with some shockwaves and spirals in it and while the spirals work great (if they are slow and by themselves) the shockwaves are nothing but a jumble of lights. My first impression of it is that there is too much happening on the matrix all at once --- but just expanding a shockwave from the center out to the edge off the matrix shouldn't be that overwhelming to the CCRs I wouldn't think. It makes me feel like the network is not fast enough or the processor in the computer isn't fast enough or something like that --- but I don't have enough experience to know where to look to trouble shoot this. I used SuperStar to create the sequence and exported it to the Sequence Editor to play it to the CCR Matrix. As I mentioned it is a 12-CCR matrix...the computer is running Windows 7 on a 1.7Ghz processor (HP laptop) with 4Gb of RAM. If any of you with more experience could give me a few suggestions I'd really appreciate it. Thanks in advance! Edited September 23, 2015 by jamills706 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saxon Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 Very well could be your speed. What is your network speed at now? Put it 500k if it's not. Are all 12 on one network? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamills706 Posted September 23, 2015 Author Share Posted September 23, 2015 (edited) All 12 are on 1 network.I am not a Windows user typically - I'm a Mac guy - so not quite sure how to check for the speed on the USB network device. Edited September 23, 2015 by jamills706 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmienLightFan Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 All 12 are on 1 network.I am not a Windows user typically - I'm a Mac guy - so not quite sure how to check for the speed on the USB network device.What do you mean USB network device? The LOR dongle speed can read and can be adjusted in the network preferences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 12 CCRs on a single network is way too many channels, especially if there are ANY significant effects other than solid color on/off. You should be using at least two networks, even with some of the higher speed options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Laff Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 In order to use high speed networks you need 2 usb-R485 HS ( their the red ones) from light o rama put 6 ccr"s on each network . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamills706 Posted September 23, 2015 Author Share Posted September 23, 2015 OK - well that explains my current issues then!So as I add to my display (planning on a second 12-CCR matrix, 6-CCR arches and a tree)....how do I get all of that onto individual networks? There are not that many USB ports on the computer.an I use a powered USB hub pugged into the computer with multiple USB-R485 HS units attached? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.Y.R.G. Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 (edited) Sure a USB hub will work but If you're planning on adding that much in the future, I would look into going the E1.31 route. No speed limitations and no USB-R485 adapters needed. Not as easy to setup as the plug 'n' play of LOR CCR's but it's still not difficult. Especially if you're using a dedicated computer for your display and keep the E1.31 network separate from your home internet access network. Which is what I do and it works great. Edited September 23, 2015 by B.Y.R.G. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamills706 Posted September 23, 2015 Author Share Posted September 23, 2015 (edited) When I search the forums here for "E1.31" nothing comes up.Is that something supported directly by LOR? Or, do I have to go out on my own to get that hardware?And, will my current Windows 7-1.7Ghz machine drive it? Yes - the Windows machine is dedicated to the LOR display - so can remain separated from my home internet/wireless network. Edited September 23, 2015 by jamills706 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.Y.R.G. Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 There is a whole section devoted to this.......E1.31 + LOR S3/S4. Scroll down the Main forum page. Yes LOR does support E1.31 and is starting to sell hardware for this. It's the PixCon 16 controller. There are also other companies that sell pixel/RGB hardware/lights and such. Yes your current machine will more than handle it as I'm using a 10 year old computer and works like a champ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamills706 Posted September 23, 2015 Author Share Posted September 23, 2015 Thanks so much for all off this information! I'l read up on it and move forward on that new path!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 Assuming you are running real Light-O-Rama Cosmic Color Ribbons, ignore all the E1.31 talk - CCRs don't speak E1.31. I'm being very explicit about that because many people use the CCR term when they are talking about any pixel based strips or ribbons. A CCR is a specific LOR product. The rest of this assumes you are running CCRs and NOT some other pixel ribbon or strip. With that said, I agree that network speed is likely your problem. Bring up the Network Configuration utility and see what your network speed is set for. The default is 57.6 Kbps. If you didn't change that to a higher speed, the network will certainly get swamped with 12 CCRs. If your USB-485 adapter is the high speed version, it will be red in color and will operate at 500K bps speed. If your USB-485 adapter is black it is not guaranteed to work at 500K bps speed, but there are reports that it will, so you might want to try it anyway. Move the speed of the network up to a higher speed and see if your problem clears up. Historically the general recommendation has been no more than 6 CCRs per network, but that was before the high speed network adapters came out and the software would support 500K bps networks. Assuming your hardware will support 500K bps, you most likely will be able to operate 12 CCRs on a single high speed network. The other option as said is to split into two networks (which will require buying an additional USB-485 adapter anyway), so I would go buy a high speed adapter. If you need help to split your network, or even to change speeds, feel free to ask - We're all here to help.. If you are using some other nor LOR CCR ribbon, let us know because it changes the answers. Also let us know what the results of your speed checks and testing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saxon Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 Exactly what k6ccc said. I use the black adapter, and it works fine but people will say it wont work. The red one is specifically designed for 500k and is the better choice but for now use your black one. I cant add anything else, Jim said it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamills706 Posted September 24, 2015 Author Share Posted September 24, 2015 I checked the speed and upped it ...which improved it but it is still way too slow. And yes, they are LOR CCRs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 What speed was it to start with and what were you able to go up to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmienLightFan Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 You could order another USBRS485 and do half the strips on each one. Also, try smoothing the sequence to fades. Select the whole thing and right click and smooth to fades. It worked for me when my sequences had too much going on that they would just stop a certain points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamills706 Posted September 24, 2015 Author Share Posted September 24, 2015 Well...maybe Ineed more help... I went back to the network and it is on Com1@57.6 so I set it to Com3@500, saved and exited. Now nothing works! Went in again and it is back to Com1@57.6!!!! Seems it won't save my settings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamills706 Posted September 24, 2015 Author Share Posted September 24, 2015 My first answer was a computer Com port that I set not the LOR software. The Com1/Com3 answer was the LOR Network Utility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Laff Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 How old are your ccr's check which firmware they are running Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamills706 Posted September 24, 2015 Author Share Posted September 24, 2015 1.17 Firmware. They worked last night ... Laggy but working... Now I fiddled with the Network Utility and NOTHING. I'm sure I am doing something stupid....but this is sure frustrating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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