Jay Czerwinski Posted October 18, 2022 Share Posted October 18, 2022 I’m on 5.5.6 and probably same show I’ve been using for years with no problems. (5) 16-channel controllers, (1) 8 channel CCF controller with 8 floods, and one UV black light 50w controller for 7 total on regular network. Aux B has 5 CCP controllers on it and does not show this symptom at all. Without any changes to versions or my controllers from last year, the show starts horribly as if I have conflicting channels or failing controllers. Some things never come on and others do partial channels. I’ve tried so many things and thought I solved it because the show starts to work. Resetting controllers, rebooting my computer, restarting my software, etc. But what I think I have discovered is that letting the disaster play out - eventually the problem just goes away and show runs fine. what’s going on here? thanks for any suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted October 18, 2022 Share Posted October 18, 2022 Copy your player log and paste here. 9 hours ago, Jay Czerwinski said: (1) 8 channel CCF controller with 8 floods, Can I assume you mean a CMB24D with dumb floods? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Czerwinski Posted October 18, 2022 Author Share Posted October 18, 2022 Hello Jim and thank you for the reply! Yes, it is a CMB24D V6. My Regular Network setup is PC >> Black USB485 115.4k >> CTB16PC (ver4.40) >> CTB16PC (ver4.40) >> CTB16D (ver4.40) >> CTB16D (ver4.40) >> F50UV (ver1.04) >> CMB24D V6 (ver 1.05) >> CTB16D (ver4.40) Aux A Network is PC >> Red USB485 500k >> 5x CCB100 (ver 1.21) ----------------- I am not sure the log file you are looking for. I have since rebooted my computer and have not seen the error just yet. I have been doing everything this morning to recreate it with no luck. It seems to happen at show start when people are watching!! LOL. This time, before the show started, channels were on randomly after I cycled power to the controllers. But, here is what I think you are asking for in the log file ? : I stopped it after a few songs. 11:15:14 AM: Connected to Comm Listener 11:16:52 AM: Show Player starting 11:16:52 AM: Schedule loaded 11:16:52 AM: Initializing LOR networks 11:16:53 AM: LOR networks initialized 11:16:53 AM: Schedule loaded 11:16:57 AM: Show Player initialized 11:18:00 AM: Starting show: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\Sequences\Halloween\2022\Show 1.lss 11:18:00 AM: Checking S5 sequence: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\Sequences\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 This is Halloween v0.loredit 11:18:02 AM: Loading compressed sequence: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\LORInternal\Playback\L\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 This is Halloween v0.0000.120.play.lms.lcs 11:18:02 AM: Starting Musical: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\LORInternal\Playback\L\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 This is Halloween v0.0000.120.play.lms.lcs 11:21:20 AM: Ending Musical: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\LORInternal\Playback\L\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 This is Halloween v0.0000.120.play.lms.lcs 11:21:20 AM: Checking S5 sequence: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\Sequences\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 Ghostbusters v0.loredit 11:21:20 AM: Loading compressed sequence: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\LORInternal\Playback\L\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 Ghostbusters v0.0000.120.play.lms.lcs 11:21:22 AM: Starting Musical: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\LORInternal\Playback\L\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 Ghostbusters v0.0000.120.play.lms.lcs 11:25:26 AM: Ending Musical: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\LORInternal\Playback\L\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 Ghostbusters v0.0000.120.play.lms.lcs 11:25:26 AM: Checking S5 sequence: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\Sequences\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 Thriller v0.loredit 11:25:26 AM: Loading compressed sequence: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\LORInternal\Playback\L\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 Thriller v0.0000.120.play.lms.lcs 11:25:29 AM: Starting Musical: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\LORInternal\Playback\L\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 Thriller v0.0000.120.play.lms.lcs 11:31:27 AM: Ending Musical: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\LORInternal\Playback\L\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 Thriller v0.0000.120.play.lms.lcs 11:31:27 AM: Checking S5 sequence: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\Sequences\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 Grim Grinning Ghost v0.loredit 11:31:27 AM: Loading compressed sequence: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\LORInternal\Playback\L\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 Grim Grinning Ghost v0.0000.120.play.lms.lcs 11:31:28 AM: Starting Musical: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\LORInternal\Playback\L\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 Grim Grinning Ghost v0.0000.120.play.lms.lcs 11:32:31 AM: Ending Musical: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\LORInternal\Playback\L\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 Grim Grinning Ghost v0.0000.120.play.lms.lcs 11:32:31 AM: Checking S5 sequence: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\Sequences\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 Deadmans Party v0.loredit 11:32:31 AM: Loading compressed sequence: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\LORInternal\Playback\L\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 Deadmans Party v0.0000.120.play.lms.lcs 11:32:32 AM: Starting Musical: C:\Users\Computer\Documents\Light-O-Rama\LORInternal\Playback\L\Halloween\2022\Frisco Halloween 2022 Deadmans Party v0.0000.120.play.lms.lcs ...... Is there a different log file I should be pulling up for you? Thank you again for your help!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted October 18, 2022 Share Posted October 18, 2022 That's what I was looking for. Nothing really jumps out at me... Does it always clear up at the same point or does that vary? What I was hoping to find was two sequences playing at the same time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Czerwinski Posted October 18, 2022 Author Share Posted October 18, 2022 39 minutes ago, k6ccc said: That's what I was looking for. Nothing really jumps out at me... Does it always clear up at the same point or does that vary? I'm not really sure when it goes away. I freak out and start running around trying to find the problem and notice just randomly it is working just fine all of a sudden. Tonight, I'll try to keep a better eye on that. But in all of my tests now, it runs just fine. My mind was going towards the idea it was a buffering problem of some sort - like when I first turn on my computer after being off for a while, it is really slow at first while it tries to update things in the background. Then after being on for a while, it runs fine. Maybe the computer is my problem.... However, the computer stays on, so I don't think that is the problem. I was speculating, since I didn't notice it until I added the F50UV (ver1.04) into the system. Maybe it can't handle the 115.4K speed at first or needs a software update. When I first noticed it, I was about to remove it from chain when I noticed everything was running fine by that point. Could be coincidence though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hasslerk Posted October 18, 2022 Share Posted October 18, 2022 1 hour ago, Jay Czerwinski said: My mind was going towards the idea it was a buffering problem of some sort - like when I first turn on my computer after being off for a while, it is really slow at first while it tries to update things in the background. Then after being on for a while, it runs fine. Maybe the computer is my problem.... This is EXACTLY why I use a Director instead of the computer to run my show. I do NOT want Windows deciding to do anything, and ruining the presentation. :) Probably not your issue, but I know an issue with Directors is that they are really picky about having properly sampled audio, and when they don't they present themselves as problems similar to what you stated. But I also hear this is not so much an issue with running from a computer (I wouldn't know). :) Have you tried changing your play list order to see if it is a startup problem or a specific sequence problem? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted October 18, 2022 Share Posted October 18, 2022 Best way to insure the computer isn't the cause is to disconnect it from the internet. Let it boot up and do its things. Then try your show. If it runs normally, then you know its the updates, Av and etc getting in the way. Another possibility is that you've been infected. Hope you keep your AV up too date and full scans at least once a week or so. Depends on your usage. Make sure all MS updates are installed, prior to attempting to run a show. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted October 18, 2022 Share Posted October 18, 2022 18 minutes ago, hasslerk said: This is EXACTLY why I use a Director instead of the computer to run my show. I do NOT want Windows deciding to do anything, and ruining the presentation. :) For whatever it's worth, I have run from a computer 365 days a year since 2011 and NEVER had a windows induced unexpected problem - other than a dying file server computer in 2014. The computers have always been network connected, and have Windows updates allowed. I have a scheduled reboot on Wednesday afternoon (because Microsoft NORMALLY pushes updates on Tuesday night). In my opinion, using a director is FAR too limiting. The big one is can't run MIIP on a director. Used various computers (two different desktops, and one server) and OSes (Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows Server 2012r2, and Windows Server 2019 Essentials). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hasslerk Posted October 18, 2022 Share Posted October 18, 2022 @k6ccc Yes, agree on the MIIP comment. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Czerwinski Posted October 19, 2022 Author Share Posted October 19, 2022 I really appreciate all of the input and am doing the extra research based on what I am hearing. Ironically, the issue has not presented itself again. So weird and I hate inconsistent troubleshooting. Sor far the show is running just fine. Thanks again and I'll post again when there are any known developments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Czerwinski Posted October 19, 2022 Author Share Posted October 19, 2022 (edited) 17 hours ago, hasslerk said: This is EXACTLY why I use a Director instead of the computer to run my show. I do NOT want Windows deciding to do anything, and ruining the presentation. :) Well, there might be something here. The show ran fine for a week prior, then this issue came up and has mysteriously gone away. But now this.... My Ring camera catches a still frame every 5 minutes - so times are estimated: After my show and playing a silent background animation only, The show just turned off at 3am, back on at 3:24. Then repeated 3:30-3:45, 3:55-5:25, 5:40-6:20, and back off at 6:30 where I woke up and noticed the computer was somewhat off, black screen, with hard drive chattering away. After a while I took the risk and shut off the computer. I started it back up successfully (whew!!) and then restarting the silent show that ended properly at 7:30am. No programs were running, but I did my best to clear out notifications or any update or security shield program settings. Maybe the solution is getting off of a PC or getting a new PC with nothing loaded on it. I'll look in to seeing how many networks a Director will run. Suggestions welcomed! Edited October 19, 2022 by Jay Czerwinski clarity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hasslerk Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 If you haven't done so yet, backup everything. I always backup my LOR directories onto a thumb drive, as well as any images in your "Pictures" folders that you may have incorporated into your show. The N4-G4-MP3 has 4 networks, but you can daisy chain Directors together at the expense of one port (the Network 1 port) if you need more networks. I am not sure how many you can daisy chain, but it appears to be many. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Czerwinski Posted October 19, 2022 Author Share Posted October 19, 2022 1 hour ago, hasslerk said: If you haven't done so yet, backup everything. I always backup my LOR directories onto a thumb drive, as well as any images in your "Pictures" folders that you may have incorporated into your show. The N4-G4-MP3 has 4 networks, but you can daisy chain Directors together at the expense of one port (the Network 1 port) if you need more networks. I am not sure how many you can daisy chain, but it appears to be many. Thanks for that input. I backup quite often. In fact - I sequence on an entirely different computer and move the files over to play - so there are multiples already anyway. But Once a week or so I also backup again to a portable hard drive. Thanks for the Director info - good to know for after this season settles down or if I continue to have PC problems! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 3 minutes ago, Jay Czerwinski said: But Once a week or so I also backup again to a portable hard drive. Do you then store that portable hard drive at an off-site location? You should. I do. I have two portable hard drives that alternate between backups. The most recent backup drive is taken into my work (25 miles from home). If you want to read the longer version: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 It certainly sounds like something is going wrong with the PC. One thing I've found long ago, Windows will turn off USB ports supposedly to conserve power. So one small possibility is that its shutting off the USB ports on you. To fix, Device Manager, Universal Serial Bus Controllers, then right click on each device in there and select properties. If any have the "Power Management" tab, go into it uncheck the allow the computer to turn that device off. Mostly it "hubs" are the devices that have this. Next on the list, open a command prompt with admin level access. In the command window, type in "sfc /scannow" without the quotes, then enter. Let it do its thing. Next, run a full AV test on the entire system, not a quick scan. Anything it finds, delete it. Anything it finds, you need to investigate thoroughly and completely. Do not just let it go. Next, open the Windows Control Panel (Not LOR), go to "Internet Options", go down to Browsing history. There's a button there to "Delete", selecting that, then it'll ask you what to delete. Select your options there. I generally select all of them except Passwords. Run it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBrown Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 On 10/18/2022 at 1:53 PM, Jay Czerwinski said: I was speculating, since I didn't notice it until I added the F50UV (ver1.04) into the system. Maybe it can't handle the 115.4K speed at first or needs a software update. When I first noticed it, I was about to remove it from chain when I noticed everything was running fine by that point. Not sure it is causing your issues, but there is a firmware update for the 50W floods: https://store.lightorama.com/pages/controller-firmware-updates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Czerwinski Posted October 21, 2022 Author Share Posted October 21, 2022 22 hours ago, MattBrown said: Not sure it is causing your issues, but there is a firmware update for the 50W floods: https://store.lightorama.com/pages/controller-firmware-updates I've installed that update just now. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Czerwinski Posted October 21, 2022 Author Share Posted October 21, 2022 On 10/19/2022 at 1:59 PM, dgrant said: It certainly sounds like something is going wrong with the PC. One thing I've found long ago, Windows will turn off USB ports supposedly to conserve power. So one small possibility is that its shutting off the USB ports on you. To fix, Device Manager, Universal Serial Bus Controllers, then right click on each device in there and select properties. If any have the "Power Management" tab, go into it uncheck the allow the computer to turn that device off. Mostly it "hubs" are the devices that have this. Next on the list, open a command prompt with admin level access. In the command window, type in "sfc /scannow" without the quotes, then enter. Let it do its thing. Next, run a full AV test on the entire system, not a quick scan. Anything it finds, delete it. Anything it finds, you need to investigate thoroughly and completely. Do not just let it go. Next, open the Windows Control Panel (Not LOR), go to "Internet Options", go down to Browsing history. There's a button there to "Delete", selecting that, then it'll ask you what to delete. Select your options there. I generally select all of them except Passwords. Run it. Thank you. Almost all of my USB ports needed to be unchecked as you noted. I did all of these things. the "sfc /scannow" did find corrupt files and repaired them. Don't know how many. Verification 100% complete. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them. For online repairs, details are included in the CBS log file located at windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For offline repairs, details are included in the log file provided by the /OFFLOGFILE flag. And lastly, I cleared internet browsing history. Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Czerwinski Posted October 25, 2022 Author Share Posted October 25, 2022 Whelp - I hit the point where for a moment you wonder why I am doing this as a hobby. Ready to throw in the towel. What a point of frustration and defeat. Last night the show started to freak out again. A storm passed through all the while. A check of wiring showed a Cat5 coupling after unit 2 in a network run became exposed to the rain. I dried off the cables and installed a new coupler. I ran the hardware utility and the units way farther down the line after unit 4 (UV flood light at #5) would not show up. My earlier suspicion of the UV flood being the problem came to the front of my mind. Can water in a CAT 5 cable damage controllers? So I bypassed the UV light and the show seemed to work fine. A bit later, everything started to go crazy again. I reset the computer and controllers and that did not solve the problem this time. I ran the hardware utility again to see what unit might have dropped off or something, and my 6 remaining units came back showing 14 units on the line! I reset power to everything and then the hardware utility showed 20 units!!! I only have 7 units 1,2,3,5,7,31, and 41 (UF Flood - removed) It was listing units I do not have and the Ver numbers were 4.? or Unknown Device ??? I shut the show off and waited for daylight. In the morning I ran HW utility and only the first two units showing. I saw that two powerstrips in totes were off for the 3rd and 4th units down the chain. Then my neighbor calls me and says they were hit by lighting last night and lost a lot of equipment in his house. AC Units, Circuit breaker, AV system, routers, etc. Even black marks on a power strip!! I remember the moment because we all jumped in the house when we heard the lighting/thunder that was more of a crackle than a boom sound. Damn - so many variables before and after the lightning strike. Guess I'll go back and rebuild the network chain adding one unit at a time and replacing units along the way.... Any suggestions as to how to do a deep test on an individual controller are appreciated. Maybe I should also replace the USB485s too? And now the side note - instead of buying more equipment for my show, looks like the budget will be getting a lightning rod system installed on our home instead. Within this year, another house in our neighborhood was hit and started a big fire in the attic that burned down the house entirely. The neighbors there got a lightning rod system installed immediately but I told my wife the odds..... and then this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 Any outlet strip that trips because of a bug surge, has probably had the MOV give its all and needs to be replaced. Even if the strip resets. The sniff test should give the clue if that part got toasted. Rule #1 (Courtesy of APC waking up this tech). Only ONE Surge strip in a chain (at the start) of strips. Think Keystone Cops. 'I got it' No I got It. The surge causes the circuit to Avalanche , and dump the excess. when you use many on a chain, the dump becomes erratic and undependable As to other items. Give each a Sniff (burnt components have an odor) FIRST then power them up (from a strip with a Breaker on it) Be SURE to have the equipment on a fireproof surface. Face protection strongly suggested Once you have cleared the Dead. Check that HU can find the survivors. and do other checks. 💡 Elk Products has a Surge Protector with a 8P8C, while intended for RJ32 service, the same pair is used by LOR https://www.elkproducts.com/product/inline-telephone-line-surge-protector-952/ Be sure to attach the Green lead CLOSE to a solid ground point (eg water pipe IF NOT on a Plastic pipe system). Drive a ground rod right before the other side continues into the house 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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