RyanB123 Posted November 14, 2021 Share Posted November 14, 2021 Hi community. This year I added a 4th controller for my display. I am running 4.4.16 with basic plus software. I am having trouble getting my fourth controller to work. The power is working and all it is recognized when it is the only controller plugged in. For some reason when trying to play it in my show the only controllers that are working are 1 2 and 3. Ive tried messing with the ethernet cables and if I move it around the 4th controller will work but it stops the 3rd controller from working. Its almost like the computer is only allowing for three controllers to work in the show. When plugged in the green light on my controller is also blinking not steady light. Please let me know if anyone has a solution as this is causing much frustration. THANK YOU! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted November 14, 2021 Share Posted November 14, 2021 13 minutes ago, RyanB123 said: Hi community. This year I added a 4th controller for my display. I am running 4.4.16 with basic plus software. I am having trouble getting my fourth controller to work. The power is working and all it is recognized when it is the only controller plugged in. For some reason when trying to play it in my show the only controllers that are working are 1 2 and 3. Ive tried messing with the ethernet cables and if I move it around the 4th controller will work but it stops the 3rd controller from working. Its almost like the computer is only allowing for three controllers to work in the show. When plugged in the green light on my controller is also blinking not steady light. Please let me know if anyone has a solution as this is causing much frustration. THANK YOU! A SLOW Blinky green says it does not see the network. A Fast blinky says JP3 is missing or the controller is in Boot Loader mode (firmware failed to initialize) Network issues could be from a bad CAT5 (Only Pixcons use Ethernet. Avoid confusion . We have had folk plug devices into routers)or damaged jacks (bent pins or loose ) Strain relief you cables to the housing as a trip damage precaution Please update your profile (upper corner) License level. Basic is only good for ID 1, 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted November 14, 2021 Share Posted November 14, 2021 If you have a cable tester, check you cables. Also, very carefully visually inspect the RJ-45 connectors on the controllers. What you are looking for is that the eight small pins are not crossed over each other. If you find that, your a VERY SMALL hook to move the wrong one back into position. Also make sure the connectors are tight to the PC board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanB123 Posted November 16, 2021 Author Share Posted November 16, 2021 On 11/14/2021 at 12:57 PM, k6ccc said: If you have a cable tester, check you cables. Also, very carefully visually inspect the RJ-45 connectors on the controllers. What you are looking for is that the eight small pins are not crossed over each other. If you find that, your a VERY SMALL hook to move the wrong one back into position. Also make sure the connectors are tight to the PC board. I've been messing around with it past couple days and am still struggling. I'm going to get a cable tester to see if its my cables. I don't think it is being that i've switched them around and they work with other controllers. My black cat 5 connecters on the PC board are loose. I'm assuming from taking Cat 5 cables in and out so many times. Could this be a solution to my problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanB123 Posted November 16, 2021 Author Share Posted November 16, 2021 On 11/14/2021 at 12:16 PM, TheDucks said: A SLOW Blinky green says it does not see the network. A Fast blinky says JP3 is missing or the controller is in Boot Loader mode (firmware failed to initialize) Network issues could be from a bad CAT5 (Only Pixcons use Ethernet. Avoid confusion . We have had folk plug devices into routers)or damaged jacks (bent pins or loose ) Strain relief you cables to the housing as a trip damage precaution Please update your profile (upper corner) License level. Basic is only good for ID 1, 2 Cat 5 cables i meant not ethernet I apologize. I've also updated my profile. I'm still struggling with this issue. This is year 3 of using LOR and the only time I've been having issues such as these. Any other solutions that you can think of? I connected controller 1 to 4, 4 to 2, and 2 to 3 and by doing this got all my lights to work. Problem was that it caused some sort of interference between controllers 2 and 3 as they seemed to combine and channels in controller 2 were playing on controller 3. I know this probably sounds crazy but I'm trying my best to explain it in words. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanB123 Posted November 16, 2021 Author Share Posted November 16, 2021 On 11/14/2021 at 11:47 AM, RyanB123 said: Hi community. This year I added a 4th controller for my display. I am running 4.4.16 with basic plus software. I am having trouble getting my fourth controller to work. The power is working and all it is recognized when it is the only controller plugged in. For some reason when trying to play it in my show the only controllers that are working are 1 2 and 3. Ive tried messing with the ethernet cables and if I move it around the 4th controller will work but it stops the 3rd controller from working. Its almost like the computer is only allowing for three controllers to work in the show. When plugged in the green light on my controller is also blinking not steady light. Please let me know if anyone has a solution as this is causing much frustration. THANK YOU! Could it be a bad RJ45 ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 Yes, it could. As a test, with the Hardware Utility or show player running (that get's the heartbeat pulsing) plug each controller one at a time into a short known good cable from the USB to RS-485 adapter and see if the status LED goes solid. Do the test with both RJ-45 connectors on all of your controllers. Since you said that the connectors are loose, gently wiggle each RJ-45 connector while performing the test. If you have any bad ones, document in whatever way works for you the bad connector or connectors. If each controller has at least one good connector, there is a easy work around using parts available at in many places that will get you through this year. After your show is completed, you can worry about a proper fix. If you discover problems and want the work around, just ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orville Posted November 17, 2021 Share Posted November 17, 2021 10 hours ago, RyanB123 said: Cat 5 cables i meant not ethernet I apologize. I've also updated my profile. I'm still struggling with this issue. This is year 3 of using LOR and the only time I've been having issues such as these. Any other solutions that you can think of? I connected controller 1 to 4, 4 to 2, and 2 to 3 and by doing this got all my lights to work. Problem was that it caused some sort of interference between controllers 2 and 3 as they seemed to combine and channels in controller 2 were playing on controller 3. I know this probably sounds crazy but I'm trying my best to explain it in words. Thanks again. Are you saying that Controller 2 and 3 were BOTH playing the same lighting commands? If so, double-check your Controller ID's one at a time, as this sounds like you have Controllers 2 and 3 are BOTH identified as Controller 2, or Controller 2 and 3 are BOTH identified as Controller 3. Sounds like a mistake in your ID set-up from what I'm seeing in your description. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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