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No lights during show but Hardware Utility works fine


gwallman1

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I've been running LOR shows for approximately 10 years now without any major issues.  At the conclusion of last season, I bought a laptop to be dedicated to only running the lights.  Now that I have everything installed, set up, etc, I'm running into an issue I've never had before and haven't found other threads with the same issue.

I verified my Network Preferences on the laptop match what they were on the previous PC (I have 2 networks - a regular at 500K and auxiliary at 57.6K due to age of the 16-channel controllers).  I've run the Hardware Utility and all devices are found and I can test each channel, and the lights work fine.  So all appears to be good to go.

But then when I initiate the show, only the audio comes through - all lights stay dark.  I've gone into the Sequence Editor and double checked the channel settings there as well to ensure they are showing the correct networks, unit ids, etc.

I'm dumbfounded at this point.  Any thoughts?

Thank you!

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9 hours ago, k6ccc said:

Do you have the LOR control panel running (which in turn starts the Comm Listener)?

 

Yes, I do have the Control Panel running in the system tray.

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Silly question but did you license the software for your computer, I understand that you've been doing this for awhile so I know you have a license. LOR allows multiple ports/computers off one license but maybe you have to do something to set that up on your new pc? Maybe the software thinks it's still in trial mode? Also double check that you've got your comm ports assigned, I had to do that on my same pc when I upgraded to S4. Just a few thoughts....

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What version of software?

What controllers for the 500k network?

I had similar problems with my new laptop with 4.3.24 I ended up rolling back to 4.3.18

That was at / before Halloween and last i knew HD team is still trying to figure out why. 

Most non lights after good test in HU not working issues are network or channel config.

Did you select “enhanced” for the 500k Network?

 

JR

Edited by dibblejr
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Thanks, all.  I've hooked everything back up to the old PC and the show runs just fine.  So it is definitely somewhere within the laptop settings, or maybe the registration of the PC, etc.  I'll keep trying.  Thanks again for the suggestions.

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These comments are directed towards the Laptop.

How are you running your show, directly thru SE or Show Player? If running thru SE, do you have Control Lights on under the Play drop down menu?

You say you are running Control Panel before you run the show, left click the CL icon on the windows taskbar, it will open Comm Listener are there any errors or clues there?

Also you could check your RS485 adapters in Windows Control Panel / Device Manager to make sure they are assigned the correct ports. With Device manager open, plug one rs485 adapter at a time and a see what port it is assigned, are they both correct?

I would agree with you it is some setting in the new laptop. I'm just throwing out some ideas.

Alan...

Edited by default
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changing computers, can result in the RS485 adapters getting new COM# assignments.

You can use the Network utility to Line up the names (Reg, AuxA) with their current COM assignments (and speed)

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Well, I thought with time I could figure it out, but I'm still having no luck.  If I connect to the old PC, all is perfectly fine.  As soon as I connect to the laptop, that is when I have issues.

So first process of elimination - it is obviously the controlling PC, not the controllers themselves or any of the connections.

So then into the laptop I go.  I went to Network Preferences and verified the COM ports with the proper network names, speeds, etc.  I verified the LOR product is licensed on this laptop (it has my license key, name for registered user, etc).

I've tried switching what COM ports things are connected to, but the results don't change (even with adjusting the Network Preferences to match).

It doesn't matter if I try to control the lights through the Sequence Editor or if I run the full show on its schedule - nothing happens.  Each controller status light is blinking, indicating a communication failure with the laptop.

What I can't seem to get over mentally is when I open the Hardware Utility, those status lights go solid and I'm able to successfully test every channel on every controller on every network.  So obviously the PC is communicating fine with the controllers...but something changes when moving from the Hardware Utility to the actual show.  At least I've got it narrowed down that far, but that is where I hit the roadblock.

To answer the other questions - I'm running 3.11.2 (yes, I know an old version, but its what I know and have always used and always worked....and still works on the old PC).  I have 5 16-channel controllers I put together as kits nearly 10 years ago.  I have a 6th 16-channel controller I purchased 2 years ago already assembled.  Then I also have 3 RGB pixel controllers.

I do not see a "COM Listener" anywhere in the menus, which I'm attributing to the fact I'm on an older software version.  I do have the Verifier, though, and have run that.  It did give me an error about "compatibility mode for old MC-P channel controllers."  So I turned that off, but it didn't fix anything (and worth noting, the old PC also has that option selected and again, the old PC controls things fine).  Verifier also gives me a long list of errors all the same saying the channel is off, and each channel is lists corresponds to all of the RGB Pixels.  All "traditional" channels seem to pass the test fine.  But as noted before, when using the Hardware Utility, I can control things perfectly fine...including the RGBs.

So I'm confident it is the laptop, since the old PC works fine.  And I'm confident it is somewhere in the show controlling, since the Hardware Utility works just fine.  But I'm back to scratching my head after that point.

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3 hours ago, gwallman1 said:

I do not see a "COM Listener" anywhere in the menus, which I'm attributing to the fact I'm on an older software version. 

I'm having to put my S3 brain back in gear.  If I recall back then, the Comm Listener was only needed if running E1.31.  If you are just running normal LOR networks, the Comm Listener does not come into play.

Confirm that you are not trying to run the show at the same time that the Hardware Utility is active?

Agreed that it's something about the laptop.  At least you CAN use the old PC until the laptop issue is resolved.

 

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Ahh

9 hours ago, k6ccc said:

If I recall back then, the Comm Listener was only needed if running E1.31.  If you are just running normal LOR networks, the Comm Listener does not come into play.

ahh, that makes sense. It's been a long time. Did 3.11.2 use the Visualizer?

13 hours ago, gwallman1 said:

I've tried switching what COM ports things are connected to, but the results don't change (even with adjusting the Network Preferences to match).

Just to be clear, does this mean you had Windows Device manager open as you plugged in each RS485 and found no errors with the comm ports?

This is a puzzler, I just did the same, bought a laptop and transferred everything over and all works. I keep going back to the laptop to check what settings it might be.

What versions of Windows are the old pc and the new laptop running?

When did you update your license? There was a post from DevMike that LOR had some issues with Licenses updating properly. Here is the thread, was it around this time?

Alan...

 

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Forgive me if I overlooked it earlier, I assume you downloaded the USB485B Serial Adapter driver from the disc that came with it? I had to do this for my new laptop.

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8 hours ago, Santas Helper said:

Forgive me if I overlooked it earlier, I assume you downloaded the USB485B Serial Adapter driver from the disc that came with it? I had to do this for my new laptop.

Good thought...didn't think of that as the drivers auto-installed as soon as I plugged each USB in.  But I did do that now, but the results didn't change unfortunately.

 

11 hours ago, default said:

Just to be clear, does this mean you had Windows Device manager open as you plugged in each RS485 and found no errors with the comm ports?

What versions of Windows are the old pc and the new laptop running?

When did you update your license? There was a post from DevMike that LOR had some issues with Licenses updating properly. Here is the thread, was it around this time?

Alan...

 

Correct in that the Windows Device Manager finds no errors.

I'm running Windows 7, 64-bit, Service Pack 1 on both machines.

The timing on the license is a possibility.  It sure seems like I did the laptop install prior to that timing, but I can't swear to it, so I will attempt that route with a service ticket.  If nothing else, it gets a ticket in for the overall issues and perhaps additional assistance, right? :)

 

20 hours ago, k6ccc said:

I'm having to put my S3 brain back in gear.  If I recall back then, the Comm Listener was only needed if running E1.31.  If you are just running normal LOR networks, the Comm Listener does not come into play.

Confirm that you are not trying to run the show at the same time that the Hardware Utility is active?

Agreed that it's something about the laptop.  At least you CAN use the old PC until the laptop issue is resolved.

 

No, I am not running the show and HU (or any other LOR application) simultaneously.  I always close out prior to enabling the shows, and vice versa when I disable them.

 

 

Overall folks, I just want to say a huge thank you for all of the thoughts.  This is a tremendous community and you all taking time out of your schedules, Thanksgiving holiday, and probably last-minute changes/setups/additions/etc to your displays....what a great group of people.  I can't say thanks enough for all of the tips to try.

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Damn!, My money was on Santas Helpers suggestion, when I read that I thought "ooh good one" :)

Yup, this is a good group of people. I think you will find LOR very helpful also.

On 11/23/2017 at 5:32 PM, gwallman1 said:

Verifier also gives me a long list of errors all the same saying the channel is off, and each channel is lists corresponds to all of the RGB Pixels.  All "traditional" channels seem to pass the test fine.

As an after thought, and some more things to try until you hear back from the helpdesk have you tried hooking up just one controller and one network at time? starting with the controllers that the traditional channels give no errors in Verifier

Whatever the outcome please let us know what you find? It maybe helpful for others down the road.

Alan...

Edited by default
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I am having the same problem. It was working fine yesterday afternoon and when I turned the show on that evening sound with no lights. The only thing different yesterday was, trying to get a ELLs to work with no luck. LOR all the way. Is Listener suppost to say "(Sequence Editor) connection closed while reading msg header? 

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My usual computer that I run my shows crashed, I've tried 3 alternate computers, loaded the LOR software and my sequences, all the same result - sound works but NO LIGHTS? Lights operate as expected in Hardware Utility but as soon as I initiate a show, only sound and no lights! Any suggestions are much appreciated.

Thanks

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9 hours ago, Rick Sellner said:

My usual computer that I run my shows crashed, I've tried 3 alternate computers, loaded the LOR software and my sequences, all the same result - sound works but NO LIGHTS? Lights operate as expected in Hardware Utility but as soon as I initiate a show, only sound and no lights! Any suggestions are much appreciated.

Thanks

Suggestion one would be to open your own thread so this will get better attention.

Sugguestion two- more info about your cintrollers and software version

Suggestion three would be your channel config is wrong but without the info needed in sugguestion two it’s just a guess and or network config.

The bad news I just had the exact same prob at Halloweeen and computer #4 runs my show. 

JR

Edited by dibblejr
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I just went through this and maybe it's not the right answer but this is what worked for me. Go to your port settings in windows and see what port are in use, you can google to find out how to navigate there for your type of windows. I then cleared all my ports using something similar to this. https://superuser.com/questions/408976/how-do-i-clean-up-com-ports-in-use

After I did that I went to my port settings again and plugged in my first network cable and adapter to the port I wished to use, when I did that the new port came up and I wrote that down and wrote that number on the rs-485 adapter that was plugged into that port. I modified the network preferences to reflect these changes and now it appears to work. Fingers crossed. If you now always use the same rs-485 adapter in the same port nothing should change. Not promising that it works but it appears to have worked for me.

oilmoney

Edited by oilmoney
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If you connected the USB adapter before loading the drivers, you could have the wrong driver associated with the hardware.   Go into Device Manager and remove the USB adapter, then reboot, reinstall the device driver, THEN plug in the USB adapter.  

 

 

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