Carsten Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 Greetings, LOR users! I have an issue I'm hoping you can help with. I am using two LOR CTB16 controllers (the second one is new this year) with a laptop providing the sequences (also new this year) via CAT5e. When I run the hardware tester everything works fine on both controllers. When I run a sequence in sequence editor and select "control lights" everything works perfectly. Lights perform flawlessly. However, when I run the sequence as part of the show using the scheduler I get light strings that seem to turn on by themselves, off by themselves, stay on when they shouldn't, and not come on when they should. It happens maybe a dozen times in a 2-minute sequence. I have changed the routing of my Ethernet wire so it doesn't cross any power lines and this hasn't helped. I have played around with the baud rates and a few of the other settings with no success, either. As I mentioned, the sequence works perfectly when it runs in sequence editor. HOWEVER I have discovered that when I pull the USB connector that sends the signal through my CAT5e line from my laptop and then plug it back in the problem disappears. My controllers are 'on' all the time and I usually leave the laptop connected as well (though it does go into 'sleep' mode). Still, something happens from one night to the next, strangely. I'm hoping there is a fix for this issue that replaces having to unplug / replug the USB every night when my show starts. If anyone has experienced a similar issue and knows what the fix is, I'd be indebted if you'd please let me know. Thanks in advance! Carsten Ramcke Allen Park, MI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 could your show schedule have been accidentally configured to run concurrently? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carsten Posted December 1, 2017 Author Share Posted December 1, 2017 Hi TheDucks, I thought of that and made sure that the sequences were set to run sequentially (and not randomly either). Plus I'm not sure how the sequences would have been fixed simply by unplugging and re-plugging the USB connector into the laptop if I had that enabled... But I appreciate the suggestion! I'm at my wit's end... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 32 minutes ago, Carsten said: Hi TheDucks, I thought of that and made sure that the sequences were set to run sequentially (and not randomly either). Plus I'm not sure how the sequences would have been fixed simply by unplugging and re-plugging the USB connector into the laptop if I had that enabled... But I appreciate the suggestion! I'm at my wit's end... How long are the CAT5 cables, and what do they run along side of? (I am thinking EM interference) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carsten Posted December 1, 2017 Author Share Posted December 1, 2017 The cable runs 50' along the outside edge of the house, no other circuitry or electrical lines in the area until you get to the controllers, and the signal does not cross any power lines when it gets there. I've moved the data line a couple of times just to make sure I don't have an interference issue. In all cases there were no 'anomalies' once I reset the data connection between laptop and controllers. Btw I ran the same distance last year with no problems. - Carsten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfuller8400 Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 Another thing you might try is running the LOR Verifier tool against the individual sequences as well as the entire show to see if it detects any problems. It almost sounds like there are multiple commands being sent to the same channels (which the Verifer tool will find/identify) but not certain why resetting the USB adapter would resolve the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carsten Posted December 4, 2017 Author Share Posted December 4, 2017 Thanks, JFuller, I'll give that a try. So frustrating... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Septon Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 (edited) I don't have any input but hoping it worked out for you. I can say as a network Engineer, if it were me I would re-build Crimp my cat5 Cables... a crossed pair could cause this... *** CORRECTION*** I didn't mean it would do this... but a nicked cable touching each other... I would run a new cable myself. Edited December 5, 2017 by Septon Correction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Arch Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 I’d order a new USB connector asap, before it fails completely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carsten Posted December 5, 2017 Author Share Posted December 5, 2017 Good point, Mr Dreessen! I should probably have a spare in any case... I may have found the culprit last night, though I won't know until tonight. When I first put the show together I added an animation sequence that was designed to just have the lights change without music, as something to run before and after the musical sequences. In other words, I want the house to look like it just has lights on it before and after the musical sequences run from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Last night I discovered I never deleted that sequence, so now it's gone and I'm hoping that was running concurrently with (or at least affecting) the musical sequences. Although I still struggle how the removal of the USB would have affected that, it's the best lead I have so far. I'll feel pretty stupid if that was the case, and apologize for wasting (cyber)space on this forum, but I do want to thank those of you who read and responded to my situation. - Carsten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Arch Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Never feel that way. We all have moments like that. Just some aren’t big enough to admit it. Glad you figured it all out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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