Computer says my CTB16PC gen 3 is not responding

[TheDucks]

2 hours ago, Stacy R said:

I had the basic plus but last week paid for the upgrade to standard. 

Paid!

But did you install the new key?

[k6ccc]

Basic Plus will go to Unit ID 04, so that should not be an issue on this problem - but great suggestion!

Stacy, open Sequence Editor and re-register for it to recognize the higher license (on the help menu).

 

[Stacy R]

When I open SE, it has standard listed after which volume of se I have. 

[Stacy R]

It tells me I am currently licensed for the standard edition. 

[dibblejr]

The HU should still be able to “see” the controller in order to at least set/ change the unit ID, no matter what license level. Ie; if someone buys a used controller with unit ID 20  the HU will see it and the new user would be able to set to unit 1 or 2.

SE will not let you sequence outside your licensed number.

JR

Edited June 27, 2018 by dibblejr

[Stacy R]

I tried to download the firmware and was not able to do so. It said It could not communicate with the controller. It said I needed to turn the controller on or check my connections. 

[TheDucks]

15 minutes ago, Stacy R said:

It tells me I am currently licensed for the standard edition. 

When you paid, you should have received shortly after with a new key to install (a user operation)

 

 

 

 

[TheDucks]

5 minutes ago, Stacy R said:

I tried to download the firmware and was not able to do so. It said It could not communicate with the controller. It said I needed to turn the controller on or check my connections. 

You will not be able to update the firmware till you can communicate reliably.

Also There should be only a single unit connected when updating FW

 

Is the jumper on JP3 on pins 5 and 6?

[Stacy R]

Only one unit is connected. The jumper is on pins 4 and 5. 

[TheDucks]

7 minutes ago, Stacy R said:

Only one unit is connected. The jumper is on pins 4 and 5. 

That is correct.   5+6 was reset, so I was just checking

Look in the RJ45 jack and make sure all the pins are at the same level and none are bent. 

 

[Stacy R]

I’ve used 4 different cat5 and cat6 cables and I’ve tried them on both of the jacks on all three new controllers. I get the same errors an all of the combinations I have tried. 

[TheDucks]

49 minutes ago, Stacy R said:

I’ve used 4 different cat5 and cat6 cables and I’ve tried them on both of the jacks on all three new controllers. I get the same errors an all of the combinations I have tried. 

Lets back up.  We may  getting confused.

STANDARD allows ID's 01 -08 for sequencing .  The HU should not care.STANDARD allows ID's 01 -08 for sequencing .  The HU should not care.

You have older units?  They work  in HU when attached to the SAME RS485 adapter?

 

IF Yes, that rules the cable and adapter good.  Don't change anything else, just put one of the NEW controllers in place of the old.  Now click REFRESH (in the top-middle of HU)

BTW what is the Max unit ID set to?  0F (looks for the first 16 ID's) should be fine for controllers running on a STANDARD license

 

 

[Stacy R]

These units are brand new. Straight from LOR. 

[dibblejr]

43 minutes ago, Stacy R said:

These units are brand new. Straight from LOR. 

I think he’s referring to your original units.

Will send the adapter tomorrow hopefully that will fix it.

Di one thing though as mentioned above.

Open HU and the top right corner their will be a small box that says Max Unit ID. Ensure it is set to anything above 1-6 normally OF but since you only have 6 I would say just put 10. That way HU doesn’t have to search as hard for new unit IDs.

With that being said  it would still have nothing to do with the fact HU is not even finding your controllers and retiring out.

The next thing to do is change the adapter.

JR

[Stacy R]

I had lowered the number to I think 20. It finds the unit, sporadically, but when I go to change the id, it throws up an error and where it says 1 unit found, it says com3 error. 

[dibblejr]

7 minutes ago, Stacy R said:

I had lowered the number to I think 20. It finds the unit, sporadically, but when I go to change the id, it throws up an error and where it says 1 unit found, it says com3 error. 

K, we will hopefully solve your issues with a new adapter.

Will start from square 1.

I will include my cell in the box just in case.

Give yourself a break, this hobby/ addiction can cause hwadaches.

Read my friend Orville’s signature above, it sums it up.

JR

[Orville]

If having a comm error you need to check your computer to see if there is a conflict with the comm port the HWU is being assigned.  When I first got into this crazy hobby, I had some comm errors and turned out the HWU was trying to use a comm port that was already in use for something else.  I don't recall off hand the way to check it, but there is a way to do so.   Once you find that out, and set the comm port to an unused comm port {except for LOR stuff}, you might be good to go.   It's the only thing left I can think of that would be generating comm errors and why the computer {HWU} can't communicate with the controller{s}.

And if you have all new controllers connected, that could also be an issue if their ID's weren't changed independently 1 at a time, then all daisy chained together.  As they ship with a default ID of 01 and that means the HWU is only seeing ONE controller, even though 3 are physically present, this is why when you add new controllers you have to set their ID one at a time with no other controller connected anywhere to the system.  That too can generate comm errors at times, it's not usually as likely, but can happen.

Now for the upgrade when you change your license, Sorry TheDuck, the license key NEVER changes, your license key ALWAYS stays the same as does the name you used to put in the registration area, along with the original e-mail used to make your purchase.   If you make any changes to those from when you first purchased your software and did not inform LOR of any changes, so they can update your info, this can cause things not to work and put your software back into demo mode.  So you don't get a new license key ever, I never have, my license key is still the same today as it was when I first started with this hobby using version 2.1.2{I think it was}, I just upgraded to 4.3.30 and my license key for the latest upgrade is still the same as it was in 2010 when I started using version 2.1.2.

 

Edited June 29, 2018 by Orville

[Stacy R]

I guess it could be a HWU issue, but it is giving me the same error on two different computers. It recognized the comm port utilized by LOR. However, It sometimes recognizes that a controller is connected and sometimes tells me it found 0. If I hit refresh again, it might find the controller. It’s very sporadic.   

I am only connecting one controller to the computer. 

I agree about the licensing statement. Even with the basic plus license, I was allowed to connect up to 4 controllers. I only had 2 controllers, prior to purchasing these 3 new ones. 

JR is sending me another usb485. I’m hoping that will solve the problem. 

[GriswoldStyle]

I actually I've had this exact situation happen before on my controller. Sometimes it finds it sometimes it doesn't and I have to refresh it multiple times. I have found that closing down the program completely starting it back up then trying again sometimes it will work in most cases it is the adapter plug in you can possibly try switching the USB port or Ethernet cable but I have a feeling it's going to be related to your adapter. Not the hardware utility. I wouldn't pull your hair out anymore until you get the new adapter Jack then try again. Worst case scenario you can always open a helpdesk ticket if it doesn't work. I have found the lor customer service staff are really easy to work with.

[Stacy R]

I would agree. I think it is quite possible the adapter. 

Ive opened a help desk ticket. They are offering suggestions, but it hard to explain the issues via email. I email when I’m home but don’t get a reply until the next day during business hours. That’s gone on for about a week, with no solution. No biggie.  

The people on this site are awesome. LOR would be tough without them. 

[Orville]

3 hours ago, Stacy R said:

I would agree. I think it is quite possible the adapter. 

Ive opened a help desk ticket. They are offering suggestions, but it hard to explain the issues via email. I email when I’m home but don’t get a reply until the next day during business hours. That’s gone on for about a week, with no solution. No biggie.  

The people on this site are awesome. LOR would be tough without them. 

Stacy if you8 lived in or near me I'd have been willing to come over and help you diagnose this mess, sometimes it's good to have a second person be able to come over and see exactly what's going on physically, so that a diagnoses can be obtained.   I know just how difficult it can be to describe how some things go awry via e-mail or on a forum, even with photo's of the problem, not actually seeing the issue first hand does make it a challenge to figure out just what exactly is going on.

 

Hopefully the new adapter will solve the issue, if not, going to be quite the challenge to figure it out and get it corrected, but sure it will be fixed hopefully very soon.

Sure wish I lived in your neck of the wood, I'd just come over and see what we could figure out and see if there might be something you're missing.  It doesn't sound like you are, but I've thought that too, and then get hit with an answer that should have been obvious and directly in front of me, but for some oddball reason, it eluded me and I was totally oblivious to a simple step I overlooked.

Again, best of luck on getting this issue resolved soon.

 

Edited June 29, 2018 by Orville

[Orville]

On 6/26/2018 at 4:01 PM, Stacy R said:

Is the comm problem an easy fix?

The easiest way to check and fix this is have one controller you know that works in the HU every time you refresh it, it always finds it, then once you have that controller operating in the HU, click on Auto Configure  under the "Setup Comm Port" in the HU, it should come back with the comm port that it finds the controller on, that would be the default comm port you should use.  It may return the same comm port already shown there, if so, you should be good to go, if not, sometimes this can change, if it changes, then there may have been a conflict on the comm port that the HU may have initially selected.  Select and keep the comm port that the HU assigns, then remove the controller and place one of the new controllers in its place, click the Refresh button, hopefully it finds the new controller.

 

Just tested this in 4.3.30 and it worked out perfectly, although it returned the same comm port I was already using, but on occasion, something can happen that'll make the default comm port not recognize controllers or the HU will re-assign a new comm port, I've done this to re-establish my comm port in the HU, and then it found the controllers that were not being found previously.

Good Luck!

[Stacy R]

I’m in mid Missouri. Quite a ways away from you. I’m going to spend some time working on the issue, this weekend. I’m sure it’s something simple. I will definitely give your suggestion a try. Luckily I have a few months to figure out the issue. 

Appreciate everyone helping with this issue. 

Stacy

[Orville]

34 minutes ago, Stacy R said:

I’m in mid Missouri. Quite a ways away from you. I’m going to spend some time working on the issue, this weekend. I’m sure it’s something simple. I will definitely give your suggestion a try. Luckily I have a few months to figure out the issue. 

Appreciate everyone helping with this issue. 

Stacy

My wife has relatives that live in St. Louis.  Never been there myself, but folks always say I must be from Missouri because I'm always saying "SHOW ME"!?? ?

But I was born and raised in Florida and still here. 

Maybe one of these days someone will perfect the Star Trek Transporter method, then we could just transport anywhere in a matter of seconds. 

Wouldn't that be a cool way to visit folks displays?

[Stacy R]

My wife is from St. Louis and her sister lives in Orlando. We’ve been to Orlando a few times. We always used Disney as a cheap back-up vacation fro us.