-Need Advice Getting Controllers To Work and They Always Worked Before--Disabled and Both Physically and Mentally Exhausted

[samstone11]

I am 58 years old and had to go on disability a few years ago. This means I can’t physically and mentally do the things I used to and I absolutely cannot afford to buy new equipment. Clearly, I am far behind schedule but plan to see this through to the end as a “thank you” to all my neighbors and friends who have helped my family in many, many ways with my illness through the years. They ask every winter when I will put the show back on. I am blessed to have neighborhood kids willing to help me finish if I can make it work, but it was all we could afford to purchase the $29 upgrade, and since I can’t get the system to work right I am desperate.

 

I use seven 10 year old D-Light 16 channel controllers with the newest advanced upgrade to LOR. Over the years a few channels have acted up so I made notes of which ones and work around them. This year, controller 1 comes on at unscheduled times and then won’t go so and I may not be able to use it this year. Using the LOR hardware utility, I can control units 2-7, but they don’t show up in network search meaning I cannot assign or reassign them. It says it cannot find any hardware even though I can go to the console and each one works according to its previously assigned unit. All the reset lights are on until I switch and try to test a show or run the sequence editor. Then four units' reset lights  go out and do not respond to sequencing but the ones remaining lit do. If I go back to the utility, I can control them all individually and by each channel, but they still won't show up in the controller search. I have looked at everything I know and can find no difference in settings between controllers and can find nothing. I tried running 2 different versions of D-Light hardware utilities, but it can’t find as many controllers as LOR utilities can and only LOR's can operate everything through the hardware utility.

 

It is both humbling, embarrassing, and frustrating to discuss my disabilities, but I have to admit I do not have the mental acuity I once had. I was greatly looking forward to this Christmas for a morale boost for all of us and it has turned into anything but. Truly, my family has been incredibly supportive and encouraging, so I can’t possibly express how badly I want to fix this.

 

These forums saved me before, and I have not nor will not forget and am always grateful. Thanks for any time and suggestions anyone can give and even if you’re not able to help I wish you and yours the greatest Christmas ever.