DiyLightAnimation
Hardware => Lynx Wireless DMX => Topic started by: cBell on November 25, 2011,
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First of all, let me state that I don't have a complete picture of what is going on here, so this is all speculation at this point. I have some more variables to remove before coming to any conclusions. Just wanted to pose the problem and see if anyone else has had something similar and if they were able to correct it.
Running V2 wireless TX directly from DMX dongle. The problem has also occurred running the TX off of the DMX output of a smart string hub. At some point, generally when there is not activity, the LE's stop responding to the TX. The TX has a flashing data light, but the LE/RX's data light stops flashing. Range is probably 20 -30 feet, so that shouldn't be an issue. Both LE/RX's act this way when it happens, it's not just one. I've tried universes 1, and 2. I have not tried universe three yet, and I have not tried hard wiring the dmx to the LE's to be sure it's not the LE's themselves.
The only thing that seems to clear up the lockup is to first reset the TX, and then power cycle the LE's. Just power cycling the TX does not seem to clear it up. This has occurred when using both xLights and Vixen, but the only real commonality seems to be that it happens after a lack of DMX activity for some unknown time period. (i.e. I haven't run any sequences for a bit). It's happened after 15 minutes and it's happened after 24 hours.
The other thing that happens that may or may not be related is occasional "spikes". For example, using xLights tester tonight I had my blue strings on my mega tree on. About every 10-20 seconds, the green strings would blink on real quick. I've seen this before, but it was really noticeable tonight with only the blue on.
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I am running LSP V2 Pixelnet and wirelss DMX directly out of the Pixelnet Hub. I have not seen the problem that you are describing with wireless. However, I had something happen similiar.
I have a couple of thoughts here.
1. Something wrong with DMX wireless XMTR or RECVR.
2. Check your DMX IN and OUT on all controllers downstream of the wireless receiver.
This one happened yesterday related to #2. I was having some strange issues with two of my SSR4 DMX controllers where they would apparently lock up. I also noticed that one controller had some strange barely flashing light strings. Resetting the controller would help for less than a minute and then lockup again. Back and forth controller to controller I reset the power. I even went as far as putting them on separate AC power circuits thinking it was low AC vaoltage affecting the controllers. The rest of my show appeared to be functioning, but being fixated on the two oddities, I was not seeing the big picture. Once I solved the probelm, it was apparent the rest of the show was acting oddly as well. A slave controller down stream had the data lines reversed. Meaning that the DMX IN and DMX OUT were swapped. Once I figured this out the whole show came alive and worked great. Having DMX IN and Out worked but not completely. It was confusing the controllers.
Hope this helps your problem and anyone else that may have pulled my stunt!
Greg
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Make sure you are both running the latest firmware not the original as we did have some glitches with it.
RJ
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Make sure you are both running the latest firmware not the original as we did have some glitches with it.
RJ
Thanks RJ. I thought I was using the latest firmware from the wiki, but found when checking the hex file on my computer I was using the one from 08-2010. I found the latest at http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=3712.msg70447#msg70447 (http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=3712.msg70447#msg70447) and will give it a try tomorrow.
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Just to confirm my thoughts! Are the latest greatest updates for firmware on the Wiki? That is where I have been loading them from.
Mike.
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I have my doubts
I will investigate and update asap
Rick R.
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As of this morning I have updated the wiki firmware to the latests version
its marked as 12-12-2010
Sorry for the older version and any problems it caused
Rick R.
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I re-flashed the wireless yesterday morning with the latest firmware, and it seems to have taken care of most of the problems I was seeing.
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As of this morning I have updated the wiki firmware to the latests version
its marked as 12-12-2010
Sorry for the older version and any problems it caused
Rick R.
Any changes for the V1 wireless compatible with V2 firmware?
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I was wondering about the new Firmware on the wiki. Are the listed checksums still valid?
Checksums
Pickit2 - 1E69
Pickit3 - 1EE1
I have not been able to get my Rx/TX v2's to work since I built them and when I flashed the pics with the new code, I got a different checksum.
I'm going to post my problem in a new thread but I thought this comment was relevant for this thread.
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Rick - I am getting a check sum of 1AED using Pickit2 for the 12-12-2010 version. I get the 1E69 checksum for the previous 8-2010 version
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PK, that is the same one I"m getting for the new code.
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Yeah sorry about that I didn't update the checksum. Been going crazy trying to get the show up and running.
Rick R.
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I updated to the new firmware for the receiver, now all the status light is doing on the le is strobing.
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I update the checksums for the wireless
Rick R
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Perhaps I spoke too soon. The occasional instances where one channel lower comes on (what I referred to as "spikes" in the first post) have definitely been fixed with the 12-2010 firmware. I still seem to be having lockup issues. It happened yesterday when there was no DMX being transmitted (or at least being changed) so I thought that might be it, but then I had lockup tonight during the show during one of the songs. I have 1 wired LE before the transmitter and it keeps on chugging along happily. It also seems like it has to be the transmitter because both of the wireless LEs stop responding, however just as before, if I only power cycle the TX, it doesn't correct itself, it takes power cycling the whole display to get it back up again.
Tomorrow I'll try Uni 3 just for giggles, and if that doesn't do it, I'll run wires this weekend just to verify that it is indeed the wireless causing problems.
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I have been having the same problems. I have to power down the whole display in order to get the wireless on the Express to come back on. I think I am going to hard wire mine also. <fp. They are not that far apart.
Brian
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I'm having the same problem here as well. It is more pronouced when I have EX/RX connected to a Renard. I have a green flashing light, but nothing appears to be going to the board. i power cycle everything and it works for a song or 2 and then stops.
I have 5 Renards with wireless on them that all worked great when I tested in the house. When I moved them outside, not so much.
I have a Lynx Express that is 3 houses down from me that doesn't appear to be affected at all and operates rock solid.
Temp here is <10 degrees today, so I don't know if that would have anything to do with it.
TimT.
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I did some more testing:
I have a wireless on the roof for renard channels 1-24. I have Vixen sending ALL ON for ALL channels. They come on and off like it is not receiving the signal to turn on all the channels. All the channels will turn on and off randomly.
I have another Renard programmed the same way in the house to test and it has no problems at all.
I'm leaning towards temperature problems.
Suggestions are welcomed as it looks like I will have a few days for the snow to melt off the roof before I can get up there to hardwire it.
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I had a LE on the roof last year and when the controller got too cold it would have random flickering. I put inside the box 3 c7 lights and had them on the whole time to give it some warmth and that got me through the season. This year I move the box to the back wall and extended the wires.
Rick R.
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I will give that a shot. Thanks.
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adding a strand of minis to the inside of the boxes appears to have fixed the problem.
As i'm running all LEDs it looks like they just weren't drawing enough current to keep the circuitry warm enough.
I will either have to add a strand of old school to the boxes in the future or maybee LEs and/or the PCBS could add a resistor to help keep them warm.
Thanks rrowan for saving me lots of time and the show this year.