Author Topic: Power up Lynx Express or DMX signal first  (Read 2187 times)

Offline Jeffl

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Power up Lynx Express or DMX signal first
« on: November 20, 2012, »
I have had a few planned power outages here the lately and when this happens I will have one or two LE's that power up, show they are receiving a DMX signal but do not respond.  After a reset they take off and run happy.  This is not specific to any one controller that I know of.

My question is; Is this a timing issue in the firmware of should I follow a power up strategy to make sure I don't have to dig through the snow looking for the reset switch? :)

Offline rrowan

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Re: Power up Lynx Express or DMX signal first
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2012, »
after the controllers are back up and running have you tried to unplug the cat5 feeding them the data and then plug it back in?
i.e.: I would do it from the dongle output is possible.

Rick R.
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Offline Jeffl

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Re: Power up Lynx Express or DMX signal first
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2012, »
I didn't try the data cable beings my beta testing was in progress and there just so happened to be testers watching.  I'm using an ED and it's not in an easy access spot so I haven't visited it.

My thought was beings the data light was on, the PIC code was spinning in the background, but it made me question whether if the data light is triggered by the PIC or other circuitry.

Offline rrowan

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Re: Power up Lynx Express or DMX signal first
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2012, »
ok,

can you get to the active hub or any way to easier remove data going to the LE?

My guess is if during boot up the LE is getting data it could lock up the pic. I think RJ added the reboot button for the wireless module since its always getting data and causing lock ups. The same idea can be applied to the wired side of the board.

Rick R.
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Offline Jeffl

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Re: Power up Lynx Express or DMX signal first
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2012, »
I can try playing with the signal.  We have another planned outage tomorrow.  :(

My guess is that the ED or even a regular dongle is sending 0's all the time and would always be sending packets even after a power outage so I would think that there would always be packets on the line.

I'm hoping for now there are no more power outages as these scare me more from a computer standpoint.  But I do have a standby ready for that.

Offline Ron

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Re: Power up Lynx Express or DMX signal first
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2012, »
I've seen a similar issue in the past, but I've never pursued it.  I just pull the plug and restart and all is fine.

Ron

Offline cBell

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Re: Power up Lynx Express or DMX signal first
« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2012, »
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I've seen a similar issue in the past, but I've never pursued it.  I just pull the plug and restart and all is fine.

Ron

I used to cut power every night and began seeing similar issues.  A push of the reset switch in the mis-behaving LEs would fix it, but I grew tired of doing this on random nights so now I just leave everything powered 24/7.  Never really tried to track down the cause.
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Offline Jeffl

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Re: Power up Lynx Express or DMX signal first
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2012, »
We had another power outage tonight.  Now that there is snow on the ground and below 0 I'm not happy with the power company.

It almost seams like there needs to be a delay added into the boot process after it does the LED display and before it tries to read the DMX signal.  I tried cycling power with and without the ED active and could not get all of them to start.  I don't have any wireless so it would not have been receiving a signal.

Some just seam to take 2 resets to get them to go.

Offline JonB256

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Re: Power up Lynx Express or DMX signal first
« Reply #8 on: December 11, 2012, »
Are you using the second DMX Out jack anywhere in your system?  Since that is a regenerated signal, it may be broadcasting "noise" down the line initially.

My runs are short enough that I did not use that output and I have reliably restarted from every power outage (by me or the power company).

Offline lortiz

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Re: Power up Lynx Express or DMX signal first
« Reply #9 on: December 11, 2012, »
Hi,

Through the years I've found out that using the DMX2 output on the Lynx Express causes unit 'freezing' issues when power cycling.

I try to avoid using this on-board splitter as much as possible.

Leo
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Offline Jeffl

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Re: Power up Lynx Express or DMX signal first
« Reply #10 on: December 11, 2012, »
Yes I am using the out 2 on about 4 spots where I feed LOR controllers and one spot feeding some LE's I think.  I didn't want to run the DMX signal through the LOR controllers and then back in the LE's.  I just might have to try this next year.  I also have some splitters that I could use next year. 

I'll battle through it this year as we have snow on the ground and as long as they don't restart they have been fine.

Thank you for the tip.