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Not all pixels lighting during show


jgcorl

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So I have a pixie 8 controller, 4 ccc-II controllers, and 2 pixie 4 controllers.  I have ccr bands connected to the pixie 8 for my mega tree and 3 sets of 2 bands connected to the ccc-II boxes.  The other controllers are controlling my square rgb pixels.  

Whenever I play my show, there is like 1 pixel in each strand that is lit up most of the time.  Usually the first pixel in the sequence.  Occasionally all pixels will light correctly with certain parts of the song, but most of the time they are just blinking with the first pixel.  I have my old lights on a 56k network and all rgb components on a 500k network.  I am running these off my computer for my show.  Any advice on what could be causing this??

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3 things i would check, they have both bit me.

 1) verify the connections are good, i.e. corrosion has not caused a poor link. 

  2) verify that the pixel type and speed are correct.   I would disconnect so that one by one you can use the H/W utility for each controller.  Then test each light & Controller.  Found this to be an issue with my Amazon bought pixels. 

  3) Check the controller definition (via hardware utility and SE) make sure you have defined it properly (i.e.  X strings, Unit IDs etc).  For instance if you have a CCD and told it 1 string per unit ID, but you have it running differently that can cause issues (i.e  1 unit ID with 100 pixels, verses 2 unit IDs with 50 pixels ea).  

  Finally,  after confirming that all configured properly, I know this sounds really strange, but I have had an CCB that only the first bulb would light (dimly) then a few more sporadic spaced.   Then accidentally I left the CCB powered up, 2 days later it now works fine.  I didn't change anything that would affect it.  no idea why it is working now, but that is what happened. 

Good luck, these kinds of issues are kicking my tail this year. 

 

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3 hours ago, scubanimal said:

3 things i would check, they have both bit me.

 1) verify the connections are good, i.e. corrosion has not caused a poor link. 

  2) verify that the pixel type and speed are correct.   I would disconnect so that one by one you can use the H/W utility for each controller.  Then test each light & Controller.  Found this to be an issue with my Amazon bought pixels. 

  3) Check the controller definition (via hardware utility and SE) make sure you have defined it properly (i.e.  X strings, Unit IDs etc).  For instance if you have a CCD and told it 1 string per unit ID, but you have it running differently that can cause issues (i.e  1 unit ID with 100 pixels, verses 2 unit IDs with 50 pixels ea).  

  Finally,  after confirming that all configured properly, I know this sounds really strange, but I have had an CCB that only the first bulb would light (dimly) then a few more sporadic spaced.   Then accidentally I left the CCB powered up, 2 days later it now works fine.  I didn't change anything that would affect it.  no idea why it is working now, but that is what happened. 

Good luck, these kinds of issues are kicking my tail this year. 

 

Thanks for the input!  I definitely checked my connections.  I bought brand new cat 6 cables to go along with my cat 5, and all of them tested out OK.  I tried different combinations through the network and the problem happened no matter what.  As for the pixel type and speed, I did test the lights for each controller individually and they all checked out, but not sure about speed.  I have the network speed at 500k if that is what you are referring to.  I will check on #3 right away.  

Strange thing is that everything worked fine the past 3 years, and I just upgraded with 4 new boxes and a pixie 8 controller and thus upgraded to the s5 sequencer software (I was living in the stone age before), and all the sudden things don't work well.  So it has to be one of those things!  Thanks again for your advice, it gives me something to try.

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2 hours ago, jgcorl said:

I bought brand new cat 6 cables to go along with my cat 5

A word or warning about Cat-6 cable.  Cat-6 cable is much stiffer than Cat-5.  The problem with that is that with some controllers, when you plug in the cable and then close the controller door, the cable is stiff enough that it will put a lot of strain on the RJ-45 jacks on the PC board.  This can result in breaking the connection between the jack and the PC board.

 

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20 hours ago, k6ccc said:

  This can result in breaking the connection between the jack and the PC board.

 

So would that happen on brand new boards?

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21 minutes ago, jgcorl said:

So would that happen on brand new boards?

ANY PCB mounted RJ type jack. the jack is not expecting strain (they are selected for cost and ease of mounting)LOR sells Pigtails that have A w/p mount and a flexible lead to connect to the PCB. 👍 $6, cheap insurance

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BjuuMb1R5x0u-NmzX4J3vtB6zNKjtqf5/view?usp=sharing

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28 minutes ago, TheDucks said:

ANY PCB mounted RJ type jack. the jack is not expecting strain (they are selected for cost and ease of mounting)LOR sells Pigtails that have A w/p mount and a flexible lead to connect to the PCB. 👍 $6, cheap insurance

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BjuuMb1R5x0u-NmzX4J3vtB6zNKjtqf5/view?usp=sharing

So if I already connected it and it strained, then the damage is done? I had a port get peeled up on one of my old 16 plug boxes and it still works.  Dont know how much strain is too much.

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9 minutes ago, jgcorl said:

So if I already connected it and it strained, then the damage is done? I had a port get peeled up on one of my old 16 plug boxes and it still works.  Dont know how much strain is too much.

When it fails, it was too much.

There is no set 'how much' to break it.

The point is: AVOID STRAINING IT

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