Standard 16channel Controller not running-help..pls

[scubanimal]

Hello all,

    Put my first Halloween lightshow, It worked fine in the house when building and testing; though I've not tested it in some time as I was focused on learning pixels.   Hung the singing faces etc kicked off the show and only the pixels run.   Pixels work, audio works but not the main 16 channel controller.   Using the Hardware editor, I've confirmed the unit number, all lights turn on and so the network, power must be work.  But when I run the show (demand or scheduled) none of the lights from the main controller work.     I doubled checked my actual sequences to be sure the unit number had not changed.   As I only have one standard controller its  unit O1, all the pixel controllers start at 20.   

    I ran the verifier, no errors found.

     Any suggestions of what to look at.  With the hardware utility working fine, and the pixels running fine I'm at a total loss of what to even investigate now.

 

    Thank you for any help,

                    Ian (aka scubanimal)

[scubanimal]

Some additional thoughts.    Reading some older posts I'm wondering if changing the network speed to work on with the CCBs & Pixcon16, if that might be it?

If  that is the problem then is there a solution to allow all three device types to work on the same network?

Thank you,

   Ian

[k6ccc]

Bingo!  It depends on what the older controller is.  Take a look at this page:

http://www1.lightorama.com/network-speeds/

The older controllers can't handle 500K or 1000K speeds, nor can they handle an enhanced network.  Whereas the Pixcon requires an enhanced network.  That's an incompatible combination.  Running two networks is not that big of a deal - I run two year round and a third for Christmas.

 

[scubanimal]

Thank you Jim,  Do you need 2 NIC cards to run 2 speeds?   

I upgraded the firmware to 1.08, still no joy, but now 1 channel comes on and just stays on. 

 

[scubanimal]

Tried switching back to 56K and both enhanced and not enchanced, still no joy.   I've rebooted the controller, and of course shutdown all software and restarted.   Hardware utility tests though still all work fine.  I do have a Gen3, Its only a year old, has the green light for status.   In theory I should be able to use 500K, but for now I'd just like the basic to work.

this is very frustrating.....  

Edited October 30, 2016 by scubanimal
additional info.

[scubanimal]

Not sure what I did, but the show is up.  Its running at 56K, enhanced mode, and both the Standard Controller, and the 2 CCBs are running on a common network.    I am curious though how to run 2 networks in LOR mode.  I ordered a second hi-speed  USB to LOR network adapter, so I'm guessing that is how I can run two networks for xmas.    I'm slowly digesting the E.31 manual, and it seems too easy so I'm not sure what I'm missing, but that may be an option now.       Now to get planning the xmas show, 2 pixcons, 3 CCBs, 4 Std controllers, and maybe some pixie4 cards for some firesticks if I have time.  Lot to do in the next 3 weeks, sure wish work wasn't mandatory OT ......   

 

Thanks again Jim!

[k6ccc]

Running two LOR networks is no big deal.  Plug in the second USB to RS-485 adapter, let Windows assign a comm port number.  Assign that comm port number to the Aux A network in Network Configuration.  Then assign channels on the controllers that will be on the second network to Aux A instead of Regular.

I run two networks year round,and a third for Christmas only as follows:

Com 3 - Regular Network - aka Network 1 (Year round - Inputs only - 57.6K normal)
Com 4 - Aux A Network - aka Network 2 (Year round - All Gen 3 capable devices - 115.4K enhanced)
Com 5 - Aux B Network - aka Network 3 (Christmas only - CCP arches & packages under tree - 500K enhanced)

You can't run inputs on an enhanced network, so I have to have a non-enhanced network for the InputPup.  All the lighting controllers are controlled as Intensity files from SuperStar, so I have to run those as enhanced.  In addition to this I have two partially loaded universes of E1.31 used year round and 12 more universes used for Christmas (if I counted that right in my head).