Controllers not responding

[Mark J. M.]

I run my display on a N4-G4 MP3 director with 5.6.6 Pro software and am trying to add pixels for the first time. I have 23 gen 3 16 channel controllers and 3 gen 2 16 channel controllers. In the hub setup for a show I setup two networks one running LOR/ELOR at 57.6k and the other at LOR/ELOR 500K. All the regular controllers are on the first network and the pixels are on the second. In S5 I constructed a musical sequence that turns on every channel for the duration of the song to test communications and lights. This test sequence is an update of an S4 version with pixels added. When I use the S4 version of the test sequence, all the channels and lights work except the pixels as they are not in the S4 version. When I use the S5 version, most of the controllers on the regular network do not work but random ones do. However the pixels all work. I have checked all communications and they all indicate they are receiving data. What am I doing wrong? Thank you.

[k6ccc]

The Gen 2 controllers can't be on an Enhanced LOR network.  Change your low speed network to non-enhanced.  You CAN if needed increase the speed on that one to 115K (but not 500K).

 

[Mark J. M.]

Thank you. All the non-pixel controllers are on LOR/ELOR at 57.6K and even the Gen 3 controllers on that network do not all work. If I try to specify LOR for the non-pixel controllers the HUB automatically changes the pixel network to LOR. I don't use my computer to run the show.

[Mark J. M.]

Okay. I found the solution to most of the issues. In order to have a different network on the MP3 controller, I set the pixels to a different network in their definition, in this case to AUX A. Now everything works except the pixel tree. I didn't consider this option since I was using a director and not a computer for the show. I still don't know why the pixel tree is not working. It is on the pixel network with the four singing tree faces. All the pixel items are LOR products. Do I need a third network for the pixel tree?

[dibblejr]

9 minutes ago, Mark J. M. said:

Okay. I found the solution to most of the issues. In order to have a different network on the MP3 controller, I set the pixels to a different network in their definition, in this case to AUX A. Now everything works except the pixel tree. I didn't consider this option since I was using a director and not a computer for the show. I still don't know why the pixel tree is not working. It is on the pixel network with the four singing tree faces. All the pixel items are LOR products. Do I need a third network for the pixel tree?

No but is your unit Ids correct for the network now that youve changed things

JR

[Mark J. M.]

My unit Ids are 30, 32, 34, and 36 for the singing tree faces (default by LOR I believe) and 40 for the pixel tree.

[TheDucks]

20 minutes ago, Mark J. M. said:

My unit Ids are 30, 32, 34, and 36 for the singing tree faces (default by LOR I believe) and 40 for the pixel tree.

There are 2 Parts. ID is one, Network (name: regular, AuxA, AuxB...) is the other. your sequence needs both.

FWIW Technically you can have ID 40 on all networks. They are NOT the same (but they are confusing, so I recommend NOT reusing any ID)

[Orville]

2 hours ago, Mark J. M. said:

My unit Ids are 30, 32, 34, and 36 for the singing tree faces (default by LOR I believe) and 40 for the pixel tree.

I am sending you my channel config file {download available below}, just create a new sequence and use this as a reference point, NOT as YOUR channel config, just go through and look how I've set my N4-G4 up in it.  I use Regular {115.4K Non-Enhanced for Regular, Aux A, 500K Enhanced for my OLDER 5V CCB Controllers, Aux B, 1,000K, Enhanced for my LOR Singing Trees and my CCC-II {Pixie} for my HC Smart RGB 10W Floods, and finally Aux C, 1,000K, Enhanced is for my Pixie16D {Which is out of service for this year}.

But I am using 4.4.16 Pro, my channel config is broken down into tracks, but if you create a new sequence using it, you'll see how I've set this up.  And you only need the NP settings for testing on a computer, along with an adapter for each network if you attach controllers for testing.  I have a special channel config for testing without controllers attached, but not going to get into that one.  Don't want to confuse you with that, at least not yet. ;)

Here's my channel config for my Director when I create my sequences {see below for download}.  You'll need to unzip the file, it was too large to upload in its default format.

Hopefully this may help you get things set up for your Director so everything works as it should.  And for anyone else that may need help understanding how to set up a channel config file for multi-networks on a multi-network capable Director, like the N4-G4.  And yes, this is its 8th generation as I've added to my display.

p.s. Just view the setup in the SE under the Channel Config section, scroll through it carefully, and, again, hopefully this may help.

Also note that some controllers have had channels removed that ARE NOT in use, so you'll see some that may only have 45 or fewer channels due to the number of RGB bulbs being used on that particular controller.  Same thing on my Pixie16D port/channel set-up.  You don't have to remove them, I did for my own clarity and reference of what that port or channel is controlling.

2021 X8_N4-G4_Musical-Multi-Track [Christmas].zip

Edited November 18, 2021 by Orville

[Mark J. M.]

18 hours ago, TheDucks said:

There are 2 Parts. ID is one, Network (name: regular, AuxA, AuxB...) is the other. your sequence needs both.

FWIW Technically you can have ID 40 on all networks. They are NOT the same (but they are confusing, so I recommend NOT reusing any ID)

Thank you. I don't repeat any IDs on the two networks either. My ids are set for location in the display and order of setup so I am very careful with that aspect of my sequences.

Orville- Thank you for the file. Currently I only have S5 on my computer so I will take a look at it when I get to my backup system. My setup has two networks, one that runs regular lights at 57.6K and a second the runs only the pixels at 500K. In my S5 preview all pixels are set to AUX A enhanced at 500K and the others are on the regular network at 57.6K. This is the same setup I use when I go through the HUB to create a show when it asks for the director information. I am still trying to get the regular lights to work with a sequence. The pixel lights run as expected but some of the other network lights are not.

[Orville]

4 minutes ago, Mark J. M. said:

Thank you. I don't repeat any IDs on the two networks either. My ids are set for location in the display and order of setup so I am very careful with that aspect of my sequences.

Orville- Thank you for the file. Currently I only have S5 on my computer so I will take a look at it when I get to my backup system. My setup has two networks, one that runs regular lights at 57.6K and a second the runs only the pixels at 500K. In my S5 preview all pixels are set to AUX A enhanced at 500K and the others are on the regular network at 57.6K. This is the same setup I use when I go through the HUB to create a show when it asks for the director information. I am still trying to get the regular lights to work with a sequence. The pixel lights run as expected but some of the other network lights are not.

You're welcome.

I run all my G1 V2 CTB16PC controllers at 115.4K, been using them at that speed for years.  You might want to try that higher speed on the CTB16PC units, it might help some.

[TheDucks]

1 hour ago, Mark J. M. said:

Thank you. I don't repeat any IDs on the two networks either. My ids are set for location in the display and order of setup so I am very careful with that aspect of my sequences.

Orville- Thank you for the file. Currently I only have S5 on my computer so I will take a look at it when I get to my backup system. My setup has two networks, one that runs regular lights at 57.6K and a second the runs only the pixels at 500K. In my S5 preview all pixels are set to AUX A enhanced at 500K and the others are on the regular network at 57.6K. This is the same setup I use when I go through the HUB to create a show when it asks for the director information. I am still trying to get the regular lights to work with a sequence. The pixel lights run as expected but some of the other network lights are not.

You can have any order of ID on a (correct) Net Cable.

[Dave Pursel]

Just wanted to say Thank You Orville for posting your N4-G4 config.  I just bought a new N4-G4 this year, one that I'm getting ready to crank up.  I'm looking forward to seeing if the way you've set yours up will affect the way I set mine up.  I have some checking to do on my controller boards to figure out speed capability.  I have about 18 pc-kits and I'm not sure which ones are at which gen levels.  Maybe their all the same since I've had them for about 5 years now.  So tomorrow, assuming it's not raining I plan on opening them up and checking (blue vs green).  I also plan on breaking my singing tree and new arches and rgb controller off to a separate network.  The biggest challenge is trying to figure out where I might place the N4-G2.  I've been running the original mp3 as well as the N2 in my basement with a single cable heading out to the world.  With 4 networks available, I'm trying to figure out how to get at least two/three cables out to the outside world now.  House design affects this cabling issue.  So Thanks Again for all of your support!

 

[TheDucks]

I believe the ones you Solder all components are =Gen 2

If you got the partially assembled version: Case, Board on Heat sink, cords, then it is Gen3 (Green LED)

[Don]

2 hours ago, TheDucks said:

I believe the ones you Solder all components are =Gen 2

Correct. Last I heard there were no G3 controllers available to solder.