Al Saunders Posted December 7, 2023 Share Posted December 7, 2023 Hi Everyone, Can the Easy Light Linker 4 channel controller be made non wireless and used just as another controller that is daisy chained in with other controllers? I have 2 ELL 4 channel controllers that I wanted to use this year. I had issues with them working so I pulled them and am using two pro 16 channel controllers. The background of my situation is I have a 3 channel star for my mega tree and then 4 bells I made for when a song has bells in it. The bells are mounted probably 40 feet or more from the mega tree so I would have 4 power wires going from my mega tree to the bells. I was using 1 pro (metal) 16 channel controller but only using the first 7 channels and the other 9 were not used. I wanted just 2 4 channel controllers that were not ELL but it looks like LOR does not make/sell a regular Non ELL 4 channel controller. Can the antenna be removed so it can't transmit and just cover the controller so it can't transmit or receive? Or is there some way to "turn off" the wireless transmitting and receiving? To make a quick fix when the ELL's weren't working right I swapped out both of them for 16 channel controllers so now I have one 1602 controller using 3 channels and another only using 4 channels. LOL The issue with the ELL's was, I think, one was mounted inside the mega tree and kinda on the back side from the other ELL and the other ELL was mounted to a metal pole that is holding one of the bells. I'm thinking there was a lot of interference because the props that were after the ELL's either didn't work at all or were very spiritic. The ELL's also had to try and transmit near two medium trees that both have 10' metal poles holding them up plus the strings of lights around them. The show is up and running now so I'm not changing anything now but am asking for next year. I would appreciate any input. Have a great day and stay safe. Thanks, Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted December 7, 2023 Share Posted December 7, 2023 Why not. Isn't it just packaged together? Just unplug the CAT5 from the CTB04. and ignore that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted December 7, 2023 Share Posted December 7, 2023 It has two RJ-45 jacks for Cat-5, so I don't see why not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Saunders Posted December 7, 2023 Author Share Posted December 7, 2023 Yeah, I'm thinking if I just unscrew the antenna to prevent them from transmitting and receiving they should work as normal wired controllers using the two Cat5 jacks. As I was setting them up at some point I removed the antenna on one to try and set the unit id because it kept trying to connect to the other ELL controller and the Hardware Utility found other controllers. I now have the dip switches set for the unit id's I want them to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted December 7, 2023 Share Posted December 7, 2023 Just now, Al Saunders said: Yeah, I'm thinking if I just unscrew the antenna to prevent them from transmitting and receiving Don't do that. Most radio transmitters don't like operating without an antenna. May result in permanent damage to the transmitter. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted December 7, 2023 Share Posted December 7, 2023 When you unplug the CaAT5 going to that, is should be powered off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Saunders Posted December 7, 2023 Author Share Posted December 7, 2023 2 hours ago, k6ccc said: Don't do that. Most radio transmitters don't like operating without an antenna. May result in permanent damage to the transmitter. Thanks for this but I'm not really concerned with damaging the transmitter as I never intended to get a ELL. I just wanted a regular 4 channel controller so if this would permanently damage the transmitter but the controller itself still works that would be fine by me. 52 minutes ago, TheDucks said: When you unplug the CaAT5 going to that, is should be powered off I'm not sure but I'm thinking at least one of them was still plugged in and powered on when I disconnected the Cat5 cable on the ELL controller. Thanks for the replies guys. I'd like to get these 2 CTB 4 channel controllers working next year but if I have to keep using 16 channel ones I will. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted December 7, 2023 Share Posted December 7, 2023 3 hours ago, Al Saunders said: Thanks for this but I'm not really concerned with damaging the transmitter as I never intended to get a ELL. I just wanted a regular 4 channel controller so if this would permanently damage the transmitter but the controller itself still works that would be fine by me. I'm not sure but I'm thinking at least one of them was still plugged in and powered on when I disconnected the Cat5 cable on the ELL controller. Thanks for the replies guys. I'd like to get these 2 CTB 4 channel controllers working next year but if I have to keep using 16 channel ones I will. Al Wow, they discontinued the version without ELL (CTB04-PC) (the copy of the manual refers to both Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightningrod4life Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 On 12/7/2023 at 5:38 PM, TheDucks said: Wow, they discontinued the version without ELL (CTB04-PC) (the copy of the manual refers to both They also discontinued the CTB-08 , WHY!!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 2 hours ago, lightningrod4life said: They also discontinued the CTB-08 , WHY!!? I am guessing it is the same common reason other companies do. Inventory turns. Production batches need to be ox X size to offset the setup charges (fixtures, pick n place programs...) are spread across runs. One way is to take your low volume items and combine the boards into a larger board with snap apart lines , The run is one big board, then they separate the units (this is done when there are boards needed in different internal locations in consumer electronics) Storage (they occupy space) until shipped Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgander Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 yeah I went to buy a CTB04-PC last March and it said out of stock so I called and they said it was being discontinued. I just needed it for strobes. So I had to get a 16 instead. Disappointing that I had to pay an additional $100 but then again I did get a 16 that can act as a spare in an emergency Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 44 minutes ago, dgander said: yeah I went to buy a CTB04-PC last March and it said out of stock so I called and they said it was being discontinued. I just needed it for strobes. So I had to get a 16 instead. Disappointing that I had to pay an additional $100 but then again I did get a 16 that can act as a spare in an emergency They could just have board stuffing options: 4 , 8 or 16 channels worth of components placed. (My company had lunchtime talks on better manufacturing processes, What to avoid, what to look at) If they moved the power feed points on a Pixie16, CMB24, they could increase amp rating with no additional 'plating up' the copper of the power buses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightningrod4life Posted December 14, 2023 Share Posted December 14, 2023 (edited) 11 hours ago, dgander said: yeah I went to buy a CTB04-PC last March and it said out of stock so I called and they said it was being discontinued. I just needed it for strobes. So I had to get a 16 instead. Disappointing that I had to pay an additional $100 but then again I did get a 16 that can act as a spare in an emergency A CTB04-PC was actually a thing? Edited December 14, 2023 by lightningrod4life changing controller name Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Posted December 14, 2023 Share Posted December 14, 2023 1 minute ago, lightningrod4life said: A CTB04 was actually a thing? Yes. So were 8 channel units in the metal enclosures. There even used to be a 32 Channel Digital I/O Controller board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightningrod4life Posted December 17, 2023 Share Posted December 17, 2023 (edited) On 12/13/2023 at 9:55 PM, Don said: Yes. So were 8 channel units in the metal enclosures. There even used to be a 32 Channel Digital I/O Controller board. They still have 8 channel unit in metal enclosures? PRO Series LOR800Wg3 | Light-O-Rama (lightorama.com) Unless you mean being available for purchase outside of the enclosure?? Edited December 17, 2023 by lightningrod4life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Saunders Posted December 19, 2023 Author Share Posted December 19, 2023 I think I'm going to try them after the show is over next month. I'm going to remove the antennas on both controllers and try seeing them in the HU and see if they can control the lights without being wireless/ELL. Hopefully they'll just operate as a regular 4 channel wired controller. Thanks, Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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