Show Stopping Randomly

[Jaajdry]

I have an arch show and I am using G3mp3 director via SD card and a pixcon16 MKII V1.0. They have a specific time for on and off and every half hour the show repeats but on many occasions it stops and the lights remain static.  I've tried everything, I configured the pixcom, I configured the gp3, I even changed GP3 and nothing has worked 

Edited November 16, 2023 by Jaajdry

[dgrant]

I don't have a director, but it sounds like the problem might be with it. Truly I don't know. Does it stop on the same song? Same place in a song?

[Mr. P]

Are you running an enhanced network (ELOR) as the Pixcon16 requires it.

[Jaajdry]

23 hours ago, Mr. P said:

Are you running an enhanced network (ELOR) as the Pixcon16 requires it.

Yes, I am using ELOR, the show stops randomly, sometimes it is every half hour, other times every hour and always in different songs. Note that I have musical sequences and animation sequences.

 

I bought a better quality SD card because I read in another forum post that low quality SD cards often have problems. The most curious thing is that I have another show with G3mp3 director and that one is good, it never stops.

 

I have 11 shows on the SD for a total time of 2 and a half hours.  At first it didn't stop, it started doing it in a matter of a few days, I already tried everything configuring the G3mp3 director, having it in a loop, I also paid attention to loading the show on the SD and everything but nothing has worked, I already changed the G3mp3 director and nothing, today when I was watching the show it stopped again and when I looked at the pixcon 16 the communication status LED was shining intermittently which indicated that the communication between the pixcon 16 and the G3mp3 had been lost, I disconnected the network cable (Rj45) and I reconnected them and nothing the show only started again when I removed and reinserted the SD card.

 

[Jaajdry]

On 11/18/2023 at 2:15 PM, dgrant said:

I don't have a director, but it sounds like the problem might be with it. Truly I don't know. Does it stop on the same song? Same place in a song?

I already changed the G3mp3 director and nothing changed, the show stops randomly, that is, it can take half an hour or one or two hours before it stops regardless of what moment in the show it is, whether starting, ending or in the middle.

[dgrant]

If you are losing comm to the Pixcon16, that's certainly a serious issue. I don't know the protocols in the director or how it might be impacted by that, but it sounds like you are onto a serious find. I'd replace that cable in a heartbeat then as well, I'd be looking at whatever "switch" you are using. If they are outdoors, then water contamination is a real issue as well as insuring the Cat5/6/7 contacts in the RJ45 connectors are clean.

[Jaajdry]

10 minutes ago, dgrant said:

If you are losing comm to the Pixcon16, that's certainly a serious issue. I don't know the protocols in the director or how it might be impacted by that, but it sounds like you are onto a serious find. I'd replace that cable in a heartbeat then as well, I'd be looking at whatever "switch" you are using. If they are outdoors, then water contamination is a real issue as well as insuring the Cat5/6/7 contacts in the RJ45 connectors are clean.

The place is indoors, and I only use a timer and contactor to turn on the show, I already tested the RJ45 using a network tester and it turned out to be good

[dgrant]

Ok, still, if losing comm to the Pixcon16, something is amiss. Is it connected to a GB Switch? Again, I don't know the capabilities of the director so if for example there's only one Cat5/6 output coming out of it for ethernet...or is it a Cat5/6 output for rs485, do not connect it to a switch!

 

My Pixcon16's are only connected via ethernet therefore a switch is required. But I quickly remembered that it also has the RJ45 for LOR's RS485. They are not compatible but use the same type of cable

Edited November 19, 2023 by dgrant

[Jaajdry]

6 minutes ago, dgrant said:

Ok, still, if losing comm to the Pixcon16, something is amiss. Is it connected to a GB Switch? Again, I don't know the capabilities of the director so if for example there's only one Cat5/6 output coming out of it for ethernet...or is it a Cat5/6 output for rs485, do not connect it to a switch!

 

My Pixcon16's are only connected via ethernet therefore a switch is required. But I quickly remembered that it also has the RJ45 for LOR's RS485. They are not compatible but use the same type of cable

I am not using a GB Switch, the G3mp3 director has two output ports, one single (RJ45) and one double (RJ12 & RJ45). I have the individual port connected to the pixcon16 and this in turn is connected in cascade to another pixcon16

[Jaajdry]

12 minutes ago, dgrant said:

Ok, still, if losing comm to the Pixcon16, something is amiss. Is it connected to a GB Switch? Again, I don't know the capabilities of the director so if for example there's only one Cat5/6 output coming out of it for ethernet...or is it a Cat5/6 output for rs485, do not connect it to a switch!

 

My Pixcon16's are only connected via ethernet therefore a switch is required. But I quickly remembered that it also has the RJ45 for LOR's RS485. They are not compatible but use the same type of cable

The show works until the connection is lost, there are times where the connection is never lost, as I already mentioned, it is random, there are days when everything works perfectly and others in which the problem occurs.

[dgrant]

So only for clarification, you are using the LOR RS485 mode. Yet the connection to it is still lost for unknown reasons. ID #'s for each are different? Both Pixcon16's are configured identically except for the ID#? Maybe its an interference issue...are you using Cat5 cable or Cat6? Any close-by RF towers or sources of interference?

[Mscannic]

We have the same issue with our show - just keeps stopping randomly.  It works without issue for several days, then we troubleshoot it, it might get up and running again, but then will crash again.  We have the G4mp3 director and have tried new cables, resetting controllers - almost everything under the sun and can't figure it out.  This happened last year as well.  Very frustrating - especially when you are out for the evening and the show shuts down or even if you are home and don't realize the show went down.  We are using 3 of the network ports and all are programed correctly with ELOR and speed.  

[TheDucks]

31 minutes ago, Mscannic said:

We have the same issue with our show - just keeps stopping randomly.  It works without issue for several days, then we troubleshoot it, it might get up and running again, but then will crash again.  We have the G4mp3 director and have tried new cables, resetting controllers - almost everything under the sun and can't figure it out.  This happened last year as well.  Very frustrating - especially when you are out for the evening and the show shuts down or even if you are home and don't realize the show went down.  We are using 3 of the network ports and all are programed correctly with ELOR and speed.  

are you terminating the last controller on each port?

[Orville]

On 11/19/2023 at 3:27 PM, Jaajdry said:

Yes, I am using ELOR, the show stops randomly, sometimes it is every half hour, other times every hour and always in different songs. Note that I have musical sequences and animation sequences.

 

I bought a better quality SD card because I read in another forum post that low quality SD cards often have problems. The most curious thing is that I have another show with G3mp3 director and that one is good, it never stops.

 

I have 11 shows on the SD for a total time of 2 and a half hours.  At first it didn't stop, it started doing it in a matter of a few days, I already tried everything configuring the G3mp3 director, having it in a loop, I also paid attention to loading the show on the SD and everything but nothing has worked, I already changed the G3mp3 director and nothing, today when I was watching the show it stopped again and when I looked at the pixcon 16 the communication status LED was shining intermittently which indicated that the communication between the pixcon 16 and the G3mp3 had been lost, I disconnected the network cable (Rj45) and I reconnected them and nothing the show only started again when I removed and reinserted the SD card.

 

 

What brand, sppleed and size is your SD Card?

I don't have a Pixcon, but have had a similar issue not too long ago.

Turns out the SD Card had gone bad.  I could format, reformat and add shows to the card, it would work for several hours, or several days, and some of my Pixie Controllers would randomly lose connection and show shut down.

I replaced with a brand new Kingston 32GB SD Card(old SDC was also Kingston) and didn't have any further issues.

Might want to try a BRAND NEW SD Card.

[Mscannic]

I don’t think we are terminating the last controller on each port.  I’ll have to look that up.  I can also try a new SD card but I had already done that but I can certainly try again.  Thanks for the suggestions.  We’ve already changed our network cables and added separate power supply and those Didn’t work either.  

[k6ccc]

1 hour ago, Mscannic said:

I don’t think we are terminating the last controller on each port.

Lack of termination is NOT going to make the show player stop.  It MIGHT cause data errors, but won't stop the show from playing.

 

[Mscannic]

Thanks - as an update - we got the show to run smoothly for three days using an old disk (i have like 7) but it stopped today (after three days).  Only thing different was I used a different card and accidentally only selected 6, instead of 7, sequences (just forgot to select one) and then the program worked for three days.  Today, it stops.   We restarted controllers, put disk back in and did all of the usual stuff but it kept stopping (somtimes after the running the whole show twice or three times).  Just tried copying to a new Kingston card.  Will see how it goes...It appears we are not the only ones with this issue as i have seen two other posts since this one on the same issue.  

[Orville]

4 hours ago, Mscannic said:

Thanks - as an update - we got the show to run smoothly for three days using an old disk (i have like 7) but it stopped today (after three days).  Only thing different was I used a different card and accidentally only selected 6, instead of 7, sequences (just forgot to select one) and then the program worked for three days.  Today, it stops.   We restarted controllers, put disk back in and did all of the usual stuff but it kept stopping (somtimes after the running the whole show twice or three times).  Just tried copying to a new Kingston card.  Will see how it goes...It appears we are not the only ones with this issue as i have seen two other posts since this one on the same issue.  

DO NOT COPY THE FILES FROM THE SD CARD CAUSING ISSUES!

Re-write the show from your original sequences, copying from a BAD, or DEFECTIVE card, will put you into the same situation, as the data on the SD Card causing the malfunction(s) has probably gotten damaged/corrupted.

So, just copying from a BAD/DEFECTIVE Card to your new one is just going to transfer your current issue.

Better to re-write the entire show over to the NEW SD Card, otherwise you're going to think there might be another issue going on, when, in fact, you just transferred bad data to your NEW SD Card!  Then, if everything works and no further issues, you know the SD Card was the culprit, but, if you re-write the show fresh to the new SD Card, and the issue persists, we'll have to look further to see why this is happening.