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N4-G4-mp3 freezing during shows


davee

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23 minutes ago, Vince4xmas said:

The issue was that the G4-MP3 ran perfectly for about 1 month. Then randomly it would "freeze" up. Show playing would stop and G4-MP3 would display time "frozen". Then just cycle power and all is good again. This happened at three random times and is NOT weather temperature related.

Kinda difficult to simulate issue. If others have a way to do that, let me know. As at the current time I am looking to showtime NEXT YEAR to see if the new director solves the issue.

It would be sweet if there is a device out there that can send me a text if lights are frozen and then I can send a text back to system to cycle power.

THOUGHTS???

 

 

I think Jim K6CCC discussed this several years ago. It may have been Phil Massey though

Not sure but I don’t think it has come about.

However Bob’s MIIP program would help you the problem would be that is internet based. Must be connected to use. Negates the director

JR

Edited by dibblejr
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I do have my show computer sending me E-Mails (could also go to text message if desired) for various show characteristics.  However that is all with a show computer, not a director.  I am doing things that requires a show computer because it can't be done with a director (E1.31 among other things).  Setting up notifications from a computer is fairly easy, and I can help with that.  Not much you can do with a director however.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Purchased my N4-G4 Director in or around April 2020, ran tests on it with every contrioller in my show.  Yes, I set up a temp display for year round testing in most cases to check my progress on how a sequence is going to look and to make sure everything is and will still function at shoiw time.   So for several months and then it tan my show for about 45-50 days.  Never locked up once, never froze up, it's been outside now since the end of November 2020 and is running my handicap ramp lights for now, soon to have some additional yard lighting added, and it has never froze or skipped a beat,    I also updated mine to the newest firmware version 6.7 and have no issues at all with it.  

My Christmas 2020 display consisted of 7 RGB COntrollers {5-CCB100D and 2 Pixie2D {LOR Singing Trees} units} as well as 2 older V2 CTB16 PC Controllers with the closest CTB16PC Controller supplying power to the N4-G4.  I also had my  N4-G4 set up as CTB16PC V2 units in Regular, 115K, Non-Enhanced {Network 1/Net 1}, 2 of my CCB100D units were on Aux A, 500K, Enhanced {Network 2/Net 2} the LOR Singing Trees {Pixie2D} were on Aux B, 1,000K, Enhnaced {Network 3/Net 3} and my last 3 CCB100D units were on Aux C, 500K, Enhanced {Network 4/Net 4}.

I didn't want to take any chances that the RGB controllers might lag or bog down if they were all on the same network, although I could have put all 5 of the CCB100D units on Network 2, I didn't.   And the reason for that was because of the CCB100D Controller placement, it was easier to have them on two separate networks in my setup.  Same reason the trees were on a network of their own, that and they can run at a higher speed than the older 5V CCB100D Controillers.   And this slao would make for easier trouble shooting to track down any issues that may have arisen.  Fortunately, none evwer did.

But like some have said, waiting 10 months to test isn't the best option, you really should set up some type of temp display as close to your setup as possible and test that exchanged Director to be 100% sure it's going to operate correctly.  Mine ran for3-4 days with various test shows, again, fortunately I never encountered any issues with my N4-G4 Director. 

And I'm considering getting a 2nd one for my indoor holiday lighting, which will be strictly animation lighting, don't really need musical sequences for my indoor decor.   But if I do, and when I finally move over to S5, then I could just link them together and both could work together in harmony and also give me 4 more networks to use.  The N4-G4 Director link system {N4-G4 Director to another N4-G4 Director} does not work with anything less than some of the later versions of S5.  Don't recall which version of S5 this actually started in, but I'm pretty sure the early releases of S5 don't support it.

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I am moving this year and will NOT be having a home show. My display is relocating to City Square.

My issue is my G4Director had some random issues last year "show freezing up randomly" and LOR sent me a new G4Director.

This year since the show is at a remote location it will be much more difficult to view. Thus, if the "freezing up" occurs, I will not know it.

Is there a simple way that the "display" can send me a text if not running and then I can send a reset via cell phone and I can remotely cycle power to display?

Last year, when issues occurred, I just simply cycled power and all was well.

Hopefully, the new G4Director solves the issue, but not confident in that and looking for ways to solve the problem.

Anyone with ideas, please let me know (I have received some from Forum), but looking for additional assistance.

Thanks

 

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Unfortunately I know of no way to remote into any Director unit to do what you'd like to do. 

If an issue arises, the only way to reset a director is to open the case, remove the SD Card, unplug it's power source {adapter or via closest CTB16PC AC Controller} connected to it, then restore power and re-insert the SD Card.    

Many times to reset a show that has errored requires only the removal of the SD Card and then re-inserting it, in most cases this will correct the issue.   And there is just no way you're going to be able to do that remotely.  

And I really doubt there is any way you're going to be able to have the Director send you any form of message, they just aren't designed for that purpose and lack that type of capability.

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The issues I had last year was that the director "froze up". Displaying the time it froze.

I simply cycled power and all was good. Never had to eject the SD card.

 

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23 hours ago, Vince4xmas said:

The issues I had last year was that the director "froze up". Displaying the time it froze.

I simply cycled power and all was good. Never had to eject the SD card.

 

Okay, that would be correct.  I only had to eject my card when the sequence frose up, but the Directors time never did that, it kept keeping time as I watched the display and the clock kept keeping time, but the show locked up.  If the time clock froze upo, could be either the battery that was installed was defective and/or going bad.  I've had new batteries right of the packaging be dead on arrival, so it can happen.   The only other issue could be that in the assembly of the Director a wrong component or a defective component was installed that caused the clock lock up issue and would need tol be replaced to correct.  And lastly it could have been a bad firmware load that caused it.   There are so many factors when it comes to "computerized" controlled things that can do weird things.

Hopefully the new Director you have has, and will resolve any of the time clock freeze-up issues you had with the original.

Sometimes bad units can slip through the cracks and get out when it shouldn't.   Having worked in the elecrtronics industry for the larger part of my life, and as a quality control inspector, I've seen iot happen a time or two.   Everything worked fine in testing and passed 100%, it gets sent out, but then end user after a more extensive use, the unit fails and has to be replaced.

Good Luck with your new G4 and hopefully all those time freeze problems are now a thing of the past.

 

Edited by Orville
change sequience to sequence
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  • 2 weeks later...

I thought I had no issues with the G4-Director unit but now I remember an issue I had. Had nothing to do with Freezing up but with adding more than 1 non-musical sequence to the SD card with musical sequences. If I had 2 non-musical sequences mixed in with the musical sequences the director unit would only go through the one & then start over. I mixed them up but only the 1st 4 or 5 sequences played. So I removed one of the non-musical sequences & put 6 musical on then 1 non-musical (1 minute) as a break, then added 5 more & then it worked. I also had an emergency back up SD card. Just a thought but could the SD card you folks are using be something that just won't work right in your Director unit & so it freezes up?. I added a few musical sequences to an SD card & it played 1 musical sequences & stopped working. I ejected the SD card pushed it back in & again only 1 sequenced played. I formatted it & all but no help. I went to one of my original SD cards Lexar) from around 2007 formatted it uploaded 5 musical sequences & they all played. Even the one I got from Staples 2GB (their name on it) & it worked fine too. Try that SD card again (the one that only played 1 sequence) and added different sequences but again only 1 sequence played & stopped. I thought I would share that.

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