Help! Can't get MP3 Director to read card

[Van]

I know this is probably something simple - I seem to run into it every year, so I made notes to help me figure in out in subsequent years, but this time it has me stumped.  I have a small 48-channel system, with the 1603 G3 Show Time Director, controlling two 1603 G3 units with a pair of ELL's.  Running 3.12 software, and a 16 Gb SD card that I've used for several years now.

 

Here's the backstory:  I set up a VERY simple Christmas display this year, and inserted my "ALL LIGHTS ON" SD card - the one I use to test out the lights - it should turn on all channels on at full brightness, but on a timed schedule.  This year my display is VERY small, with no music or extras.  I'm basically using the hardware controllers as an expensive on/off timer and nothing more.   EVERYTHING worked just fine except the schedule was wrong  - the last time I used the controllers, Christmas came on a Wednesday, and I set the program to come on at 8 am and shut off at 11 pm, but of course Christmas is on Friday this year, so after running the schedule for several weeks, I finally found enough time  to change it.    In hindsight, I should have left it alone!

In a rush, I tried to find my old LOR computer software, but could'nt so I bought the latest version from LOR.  Could'nt make sense of the new web-based design, so I uninstalled it and finally found my original 3.12 version and reinstalled it.   It's the version I'm familiar with, and I just don't have time to learn new software this week!   Found the "all lights on.lms and all lights on.las files, along with the music file I used to make the LOR software happy.  Sent it to the SD card, formatted in FAT32, and the files now show up on the card on my Windows 10 PC.

 

So here's my problem:  The Show Director now gives me an "Err no Show01 file found" message when I insert the SD card.  I've seen this before, and determined that the player needs an LMS file with some kind of MP3 file to make it work.  (At least this is what has worked for me since 2011)  So far, I've tried reformatting the SD Card, tried another SD Card, gone back in with the Sequence Editor and "refreshed" the files.  Even tried a different set of files, all with the same error message.  I'm attaching screenshots of the most recent set of files I've sent to the SD card - but I've seriously tried every possible combination of LAS and LMS files.  Last night, after trying for about 5 hours, and wearing a visible path in the grass between the front door on my house and the LOR  Director without success,  I finally did the unthinkable and plugged my display straight into the electric outlet, just to have something lit up!

 

What am I doing wrong here?

All Lights On 2.lms

[Orville]

Why are your MP3 files, example SFile01 missing the .MP3 extension?   All my .SEQ files that are musical files have a matching file with extension .MP3.   If there is no MP3 extension, the Director won't see a music file that goes with the SEQ file, and therefore, it's not going to play.

Been using a Director since 2.9.4 and I've never has any SD Card written that didn't have the MP3 extension included.

So I don't know what's going on, but too me, this is what appears to be causing your problem.

 

[TheDucks]

1 hour ago, Orville said:

Why are your MP3 files, example SFile01 missing the .MP3 extension?   All my .SEQ files that are musical files have a matching file with extension .MP3.   If there is no MP3 extension, the Director won't see a music file that goes with the SEQ file, and therefore, it's not going to play.

Been using a Director since 2.9.4 and I've never has any SD Card written that didn't have the MP3 extension included.

So I don't know what's going on, but too me, this is what appears to be causing your problem.

 

Orville, That may just be Windows Explorer hiding KNOWN extensions. 

[Van]

The MP3 files are present - Windows just doesn’t show the extensions. 
 

Update:  I found an old SD card that had a show file from a few years back, so I plugged it into the controller and it began working again. I then loaded LOR 3.12 onto a laptop that had never used LOR before, and successfully loaded the current program onto the card. Worked fine. I then upgraded to 4.xx and began having issues. Upgraded to 5.xx. Now I’m seeing the same error messages as before. 
 

i’ve never updated the firmware in the 1602 controllers. I’m wondering if doing this might fix the problem? And I’m reasonably sure there’s a clock battery in the show Director - that’s never been replaced either.   Given the past reliability of the controllers, could this be the problem?

[Orville]

On 12/27/2020 at 9:49 AM, TheDucks said:

Orville, That may just be Windows Explorer hiding KNOWN extensions. 

I always make sure with any new computer or upgrade to a different Windows version that "hide know file types or extensions" is TURNED OFF, because that can make you see{not see?}, do or say things that are sometimes incorrect.  And without knowing if the file actually had their proper extension could sure make troubleshooting one hell of a nightmare at times!   Been there, done that and got the T-Shirt! LOL

 

[k6ccc]

1 hour ago, Orville said:

I always make sure with any new computer or upgrade to a different Windows version that "hide know file types or extensions" is TURNED OFF

In my opinion, that default in Windows is one of the DUMBEST things that Microsoft could have done.  Hiding extensions causes more problems...  I'm sure it was a " make it easier for stupid people who know nothing about computers " option...

 

[PhilMassey]

A bit like hiding all those annoying little icons in the system tray.

As in "what lightbulb"

[k6ccc]

2 hours ago, PhilMassey said:

A bit like hiding all those annoying little icons in the system tray.

As in "what lightbulb"

Right!

 

[Orville]

7 hours ago, k6ccc said:

In my opinion, that default in Windows is one of the DUMBEST things that Microsoft could have done.  Hiding extensions causes more problems...  I'm sure it was a " make it easier for stupid people who know nothing about computers " option...

 

Jim, I totally agree with you on that!

[Orville]

8 hours ago, PhilMassey said:

A bit like hiding all those annoying little icons in the system tray.

As in "what lightbulb"

That's why I don't use that option either!  I want to know and see what's down there!  There are only a very select few that I do hide because they are only used rarely, if at all.  And some things are just there and can't be removed because Windows {Microsft} wants them there.  So I hide those because, again, I rarely use them!

I just know if I don't see the LOR bulb down there, I know the LOR Control Panel isn't loaded and I won't be able to control anything until it is!

[Van]

Problem solved! I upgraded the firmware on my controllers (one had v1.11 in it) and MP3 director, and now I have also started formatting the SD card each time I add a new show. Seems to work nicely so far. As an aside, I suspected there was a clock battery inside the MP3 Director, and I confirmed it today - a Panasonic CR2032. This particular one has lasted for at least 6 years, so I’m sure it’s time to replace it. That could have caused or amplified the original problems - I’m packing it all away until next year, so I won’t know for sure until then. 
 

To the group, I don’t think the file extensions are hidden from the MP3 Director - only invisible when the cars is read by Windows 10. 
 

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions!