Pixie16D Controller was Flashed - now issue - Help Please

[jmraider]

Hi

 I recently sent in my Pixie16D - V2 (1st generation) to be flashed by LOR in order to enable it to work with S5 motion.  Great fast service too.  Now it is not working properly and I am puzzled. After spending 3-4 days troubleshooting, I believe that something is not right with the Computer Board, that is causing the ribbons (Pixel16 Ribbon Tree) to go off intermittently at different times within the same sequence.  They do not go off at the same time even when I replay the same sequence either and same issue occurs with other sequences too.  The whole tree goes black for 1-2 seconds.

 I believe it is a communication loss, because the red led light on the board blinks at random times in the sequences when pixel ribbon tree goes completely off.  There is no rhythm or reason as to when the tree turns off. The 1-2 second outages changes every time I play the same sequence.  I have had other experts check my sequences to make sure it is not a programming issue and so far nobody can determine it is a programming issue with in my sequences or Preview.

Here is what I tried, nothing worked or isolated the issue:

Switch out CAT5 cable to a brand new CAT6, which I have tested using my cable tester.  Both CAT5 and Cat6 passed cable tests too.
Changed out the USB connector, I first took away the red one and used just two black ones
Tried just using one USB and one comm port, did not connect up the regular network
Change the various comm ports using network preferences and changed out USB connectors too.
Turned off my computer and unplugged it to let it sit for about 15 minutes, then reconnected comms
Change the Regular network back to 57.6 not enhanced (Aux A is where the pixel16 tree is on)
Connected a Pixel4 unit with pixels to the same comm using a USB485B as the Pixel tree and ran at the same time.  The tree still went out, but the pixels attached to the pixei4 did not.  Watch the red LED light on both and the tree the light blinked when it went out, but at the same time the LED light on the Pixel4 stayed solid.
I also disconnected all of my other USB devices from my computer, even though they were the same as I had last year, but that did not work either.

LOR said to check the board by pressing white button, all ribbons light up and colors scroll through

Here are a couple of other ideas I have thought of to help solve the issue:

Should I do a reset on the Board?  My only concern is will this undo what LOR did when they flashed the board? 

Should I go back to firmware 1.06, currently it is set at 1.07

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I usually do a tribute to Veterans on Nov. 11^th, but this year I may not be able too because of this issue.

Jim  

[TheDucks]

Jim are you running a Red adapter?  Is the speed set at >115K?

[Mr. P]

Do you still have Advanced license? The symptoms show a speed issue, a Pixie16 needs the red usb adapter and a 500k enhanced network.

[dibblejr]

Things you need

Pro License
 

Things to stop doing 

1- do not  try 57.6 or 115k the pixies need 500k Enhanced

2- do not swap from the red to black adapters- red is recommended if not required 

3- do not revert back to 1.06 fw

What to do 

1- reset the board- it will not affect anything LOR has done

To reset properly

1- power up the controller

1A-Push and hold the white test / reset button until the entire process is finished

2- unplug controller

3- wait for about 15 seconds after the status light goes out

4- plug unit back in

5- as soon as the status light blinks fast - release the button

Things to check

1- no jumper on JP3, JP4 or JP5

2- jumper on JP2

3- logical resolution in HU/ Configuration/ CCR/ Pixie Config is set to 50

4- pixels per port set to # you need

Let me know what you find

JR

 

Edited October 30, 2021 by dibblejr

[jmraider]

HI Everyone,

 

Thanks you for all the responses, here is so more information that some of you have requested.

I do have a Pro License, all the bells and whistles and using 5.6.6.  Prior to getting my board flashed, I tested all of my controllers.  My Aux A network is running at 500, enhanced with the red usb.  On this network is my pixie4 (2 Singing Bulbs props with pixels), pixie8 (2 Singing Elves prop with pixels) and pixie16 (16 ribbons pixel tree), also on my 500 enhanced network is 3 LOR Singing Face Christmas Trees.  I had all of these prop controller devices daisy chained together running them in my dinning room.  The chain started from my computer to the Pixie16 controller to the pixie4, then pixie8 and the the 3 Xmas tree controllers. There was NO loss of communication from the pixie4, pixie8 and 3 Christmas trees, they all worked perfect.  As for the pixie16, because it was a first generation board (V2) it had to be sent back to LOR for flashing in order to upgrade firmware to be able to use motion. 

I also run a regular network at 115.4 enhanced with all of my AC controllers which all controllers have  been ungraded firmware in order to work with motion.

Upon getting my flashed board back, is when I noticed that the pixel tree was not working correctly, so I started to trouble shoot as explained above, by isolating devices and testing and changing out USB's in case one was bad.  I even just used the 500 enhanced network and did not use the regular network. Obviously I was not able to isolate the problem other than my pixie16D just is not functioning properly.  I even connected my pixie4 by itself to though the same cable/usb that was connected to the pixie16D and it worked perfect.  Currently I only have my pixie16D connected to the Aux network so I can just focus on that device, knowing that all of the other devices are working fine. So I am stumped to why my tree is not functioning properly.

I will now follow the suggestion from dibblejr and see what happens.

Thanks again

Jim

[jmraider]

SUCCESS!!!  DibbleJr thank you.  You helped me solve my big issue.  Resetting my Pixie16D controller solved the intermittent problem of my tree going off.  YEA>>>>  this is why I LOVE the LOR forums, seems that someone out there always has an answer.

Now my other issue which I think is a programming/conversion issue with my tree. Ribbon #16, which is the last ribbon is dim for the most part, it does function as far as motion, but is dim.  However, it is only dim for sequences that I converted from S4 to S5.  New sequences that I did this year in S5 I have no problem with ribbon #16, it is bright and functions fine.

Here is what I did during the conversion process from S4 to S5

After doing the initial conversion process I did the following:

GO to line: Pixel Tree Ribbon > open +

Delta symbol shows select row (lt click) (Effects row)

Clear/delete row

SAVE LMS as Loreedit

(rt click) Insert SS – takes you to SS –

Open SS file seq (use tool bar) - Click on SUP file matching the song

Close SS click through warnings

In sequence click yes if asked

Row (delta) will turn white

Select 3 rows above ribbons 1-16, 1-8, 9-16

(rt) Clear/delete

SAVE  TEST

The above is the process I used, I am assuming I did something wrong, is there an easy fix or do I need to go back through all of the sequences and  follow the process again, but make some sort of change that I did not do?  Any help would be appreciated.  Again this is only an issue with converting from S4 to S5.

Thanks for responses.

Jim

[jmraider]

Problem Solved everything works now.  Thank you DibbleJR🙂

[jmraider]

Also thank you to Brian for assisting me in my programming issue.  Everything works now!!!  😀