EZ Light Linker

[Bizywk]

As part of our troubleshooting last night, we were investigating a problem with a newer and lesser used EZ Light Linker connected to a group of 3 LOR AC controllers.   I literally watched it sync and unsync periodically several times in just 2 minutes without any external manipulation. 

We have other EZLL's in our display that all work and are rock solid reliable.  I inspected both the EZLL and controller and connectors for cleanliness, corrosion, looseness or other issue.  The controller is brand new and the EZLL looked absolutely factory fresh.  I checked the LOR provided green data cord using an Ethernet cable tester and it tested fine.  I continued substitution testing with two other short cables (3-5ft long ea, one CAT6 and another a CAT5) with the same result.   Distance is about 45ft from the LOR RF source, and it has a Line-Of-Sight advantage.  I even changed the connection point of the EZLL using a series of connection tests involving both of the internal EZLLl connectors and to each of the three controllers with no change indicating that the problem was truly with the EZLL.   Given the rock solid performance of the other EZLL's, I'm also inclined to rule out the LOR RF source as well.

I have a trouble ticket in, but they're initial thought was that it was power to the EZLL which doesn't seem to bear out.  

 

Any ideas?  

[jfuller8400]

Just a couple of shots in the dark but you could check firmware levels, channels, and/or link speeds to insure they are consistent/compatible.

[Saa62]

I was also having a similar problem.  I put a help ticket in and they suggested either my distance was too far or my linkers were not elevated high enough.  My initial distance with a clean line of sight was only 75" and elevation was 3'.  In my set up the first linker feeds my entire side yard, so as a linker, it is only transmitting.  So I swapped it with another linker that only receives.  The problem went away.  I think there is an issue with the transmitting portion of my linker causing it to lose the signal and not regain it again until I reset the show director.  Not sure if this will help your problem, but maybe someone doing research on ELL problems will find this useful.

[Bizywk]

Thanks guys.   I cut bait and switched to a cable as I couldn't trust the ELL.    I didn't realize that there were Receive Only ELLs. 

[plasmadrive]

1 hour ago, Bizywk said:

Thanks guys.   I cut bait and switched to a cable as I couldn't trust the ELL.    I didn't realize that there were Receive Only ELLs. 

Really?  Never heard of those.. I use ELLs and they are quite reliable. I have had one fail in 5 years and another had a rj45 jack go bad.. but that was about it..

[Saa62]

All ELL's receive and transmit.  It just depends on where they are being used in the setup.  I have areas where the ELL is at the end of the line, so it only receives a signal.  It is not needed to send it on further down the line.  Likewise I have another that the LAN cable connects.  This ELL starts the chain reaction to the others, therefore it is only transmitting.  So there are not receive only or transmit only  ELL's, it is just the function that I am referencing.

[CanelaLights]

While on the subject of EZ Light Linkers, do these transmit for RGB use?  I have the typical analog set up and would like to plan accordingly for incorporating an RGB element. My four residential (16 ch each) controllers are all controlled via the EZ Light Linker connected to the laptop in the garage; saved me a ton in CAT5 cable costs and issues.  I was wondering if I could just add an EZ light linker to the RGB controller to connect it to the network or if I really need to directly connect the controller to the laptop via a network switch.

[jfuller8400]

I've got 7 CMB24's that are connected by ELL's without any problem.  I don't know that you could use them for Pixels, though.

[k6ccc]

32 minutes ago, jfuller8400 said:

I've got 7 CMB24's that are connected by ELL's without any problem.  I don't know that you could use them for Pixels, though.

You can use them for anything on a LOR network with one MAJOR limit.  The bandwidth is not all that high, so you can't run very much.  ELLs can be used up to 115K speed.  The old time general rule of thumb was six CCRs on a 115k circuit.  So you should be able to run some pixels over an ELL connection.

BTW, I said a LOR network.  I would speculate that it would also work on a RS-485 DMX circuit as well (educated guess), but would NOT work for E1.31.

 

[CanelaLights]

20 hours ago, k6ccc said:

You can use them for anything on a LOR network with one MAJOR limit.  The bandwidth is not all that high, so you can't run very much.  ELLs can be used up to 115K speed.  The old time general rule of thumb was six CCRs on a 115k circuit.  So you should be able to run some pixels over an ELL connection.

BTW, I said a LOR network.  I would speculate that it would also work on a RS-485 DMX circuit as well (educated guess), but would NOT work for E1.31.

 

Is there a way to create a second network with a separate ELL network and join the two networks via network switch connection for the purpose of one synchronized LOR show?  

I can easily run CAT5 for the RGB element I want on our roof, but this is the issue: I have areas in my display that are detached (swale between the sidewalk and road) that are about 100' from the current controller; that would be some lengthy CAT5s, not to mention running another PVC under a two-car driveway to connect the controller.  For the analog channels I just ran SPT1 the entire distance (I only use LEDs) and ran a PVC under the sidewalk to run the 16 channels.  I wanted to add RGB floods (facing up) to the top of our 16' palms which would require the controller to be mounted to the trunk of the trees and had planned on getting a few of the CTB04-PC-ELLs and using crossover cables to a bridge for the DMX lights. 

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  If I am way off on my logic, I would also appreciate getting pointed in the right direction as to how to transition from analog to DMX or having both elements in a single display.

[k6ccc]

Here is my suggestion.  If you have stuff that needs to be wireless and you will have lots of stuff that will be on all wired connections, run two LOR networks.  Let's say for example that you have a separate area (the house across the street for example) that has 100 channels in use and really must be a wireless connection.  For the example you also have your own couple hundred channels plus a Pixcon or Pixie with 1,000 pixels.  You certainly don't want to try to stuff all the pixel data on the ELL!  So the solution is run two LOR networks.  One has all your wired traffic running at high speed and enhanced (assuming all your controllers can handle the high speed and enhanced), and then run a second LOR network that has the ELL link across the street.

And yes, you can run multiple ELL networks as well on different radio frequencies, so you could have one ELL link to the house across the street, and a second ELL link from a second LOR network to some other location.