LOR Controller Issue/Software Related

**Protege94** · 11-21-2018, 10:05 PM

have 4 controllers. When I search in the hardware utility I find all 4. However controller 01 for some reason is reading inputs on channels 1/2/3 even though there are no inputs and those channels are just hooked to normal string lights. Also my 04 controller will turn on all channels within the hardware utility but when I run my sequence the controller doesn't turn on any lights? I know this sequence is not the issue because I used it last year and haven't touched it at all since.

Any thoughts? Not sure if it matters but I am on a new computer this year. I am currently hooking up my old machine that I used last year to see if that's the issue.

**Protege94** · 11-21-2018, 10:09 PM

I restarted the new computer and ran the Hardware Utility again and it still shows all 4 controllers but 3 inputs on controller 01. Also when I run a sequence that has all 4 controllers in the channel map, controller 3 and 4 become unresponsive (blinking LED) and half the channels on controller 02 dont work.

**Don Gillespie** · 11-24-2018, 05:22 PM

You are not the only one having a similar problem John Sesso has the same issue, we can figure it out, if you do get it sorted make sure to post the fix so he can at least try it.

**plasmadrive** · 11-25-2018, 11:10 AM

It's almost impossible to tell what this is from a few words, but if it were my problem, I would do the following:

1. Separate the controllers and work on them one at a time
2. Double check all cables and the RJ45 jacks on the controllers.
3. Visual inspection at the input pins on the suspect controller to see if there is any "hidden" reason for the inputs to show.
3a. Once you know each is working on it's own, put them back together 2 at a time. ie... 1&2... 1&3...1&4... 2&3.. as so on
4. Reprogram the controllers so they each have a different starting address than they have now. Watch to see if trouble follows the controller number. You don't need to move the controllers physically, but number wise.
5. Make a small test program that would run all the channels individually and in some order (like a chase) so you can see what is what and where. You could just use the chase in the HU but it will only do one controller at a time.
6. put them all back together once you have fixed any issue to this point and see how they go. If you still have issue, by this time you should have narrowed it down to what and where.

**Protege94** · 11-26-2018, 05:28 PM

I swapped out all the cat 5 cables, that didnt work. Then I did a board reset on controller 01 by jumping the pins and that corrected that specific issue. I have no idea why a CTB 16 channel AC controller would throw input values when the controller is completely output based. (There was no input board installed)

Then the next night the boxes took on a mind of their own and I had to retrace my steps. About half way through I started getting a GFCI trip. The trip was due to a bad line of c7 bulbs shorting out. I found that if I had my input pup daisy chained into my four CT controllers then I would get crazy network errors and activity. If I plugged the input pup directly to my USB adapter (has 2 cat5 outlets) then everything worked correctly.

So far no other issues have come up, other than the blizzard we had yesterday which caused my driveway arches to sag a LOT.

**oldandslow** · 11-26-2018, 07:27 PM

For what it's worth, I have 3 channels come on at the same time on three different boxes running in DMX. I did as Plasma said did 1 box at a time and switched cat 5 cable. When I run the same sequence in LOR with the USB dongle all twelve boxes run fine. DMX has not been kind to me. I even put a blank cat 5 in the last box incase of bounce back as another member suggested.
The only thing I didn't try was John Storms idea of putting a 2 watt resistor on a old cat 5 cable. He has a video on how to do this.
I'm running my show and it's consistent on the off channels and I had the help of a expert with no luck.
John

**plasmadrive** · 11-27-2018, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by Protege94

I swapped out all the cat 5 cables, that didnt work. Then I did a board reset on controller 01 by jumping the pins and that corrected that specific issue. I have no idea why a CTB 16 channel AC controller would throw input values when the controller is completely output based. (There was no input board installed)

Then the next night the boxes took on a mind of their own and I had to retrace my steps. About half way through I started getting a GFCI trip. The trip was due to a bad line of c7 bulbs shorting out. I found that if I had my input pup daisy chained into my four CT controllers then I would get crazy network errors and activity. If I plugged the input pup directly to my USB adapter (has 2 cat5 outlets) then everything worked correctly.

So far no other issues have come up, other than the blizzard we had yesterday which caused my driveway arches to sag a LOT.

So if I read this correctly, everything is working ok now if you plug the Input Pup into the USB adapter, is that right? If it is, perhaps your Input Pup has something to do with the inputs showing up on the controller.. ???? maybe???? BTW, I believe the CTB16PC controllers have input pins you can use without any input board.

**plasmadrive** · 11-27-2018, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by oldandslow

For what it's worth, I have 3 channels come on at the same time on three different boxes running in DMX. I did as Plasma said did 1 box at a time and switched cat 5 cable. When I run the same sequence in LOR with the USB dongle all twelve boxes run fine. DMX has not been kind to me. I even put a blank cat 5 in the last box incase of bounce back as another member suggested.
The only thing I didn't try was John Storms idea of putting a 2 watt resistor on a old cat 5 cable. He has a video on how to do this.
I'm running my show and it's consistent on the off channels and I had the help of a expert with no luck.
John

Are you aware that the wiring to the controller is different for LOR protocol and DMX512 protocol? You need a crossover cable for the first one in the daisy chain if you are running DMX. You don't need that crossover cable if you are running LOR protocol.

**Protege94** · 11-27-2018, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by plasmadrive

So if I read this correctly, everything is working ok now if you plug the Input Pup into the USB adapter, is that right? If it is, perhaps your Input Pup has something to do with the inputs showing up on the controller.. ???? maybe???? BTW, I believe the CTB16PC controllers have input pins you can use without any input board.

Yes if I have the input pup directly connected to the adapter it works perfectly fine, but if I put it into the daisy chain it throws everything off. I so know the CTB16PC has input pins and I actually have the board for that, but none of my controllers are close enough to use that so I went with the input pup instead.