Author Topic: Random Channels Work  (Read 6007 times)

Offline twooly

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Random Channels Work
« on: July 04, 2014, »
Trying to test some new elements this year and was getting some random problems with my mr16.  This unit worked great last year without a problem and I just pulled it out of storage to do some testing.  I've noticed some of the channels work and some don't and not sure what might be causing it.  I haven't tried reflashing/reconfigure yet and will do that but wanted to see if anyone had any other thoughts before I did that.

This unit is configured with a start channel of 33 and below is a listing of what channels work and what ones don't
33 - No
34 - No
35 - Yes
36 - No
37 - No
38 - No
39 - No
40 - Yes
41 - Yes
42 - Yes
43 - No
44 - No
45 - Yes
46 - No
47 - No
48 - Yes


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Offline DonFL

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Re: Random Channels Work
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2014, »
Are you sure its the MR16, and not the dmx source driving the MR16? Being that it worked fine for you previously, that would suggest to me something other than the MR16 itself.

Would check the obvious stuff on the MR16:

1. connections (realizing, it was solid for you last season)...likely connections to your elements, so the spade lugs.

2. loose chips

3. Rj45s and cable

but i'd first eliminate everything in front of the MR-16, along with the elements you are testing.

Offline twooly

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Re: Random Channels Work
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2014, »
Only difference from the show and my testing is I'm using a USB dmx dongle directly connected to the mr16 vs etherdongle to am active hub to a dmx splitter.  I'll try to get it setup like the show to see if that helps.  The dmx dongle does work fine with my other sources like an express and a ray 27 channel board
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Offline DonFL

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Re: Random Channels Work
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2014, »
So that eliminates the dongle as an issue, its as simple a config as it gets.

I'd give the board a good look, as noted above...when you say some channels work and others don't, is it consistent? Or is it intermittent behavior on all channels?

I've got limited experience with the MR-16, no longer have one, so others more familiar with the board will hopefully chime in. Its not a complex board, by any means.

Offline t.jo13

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Re: Random Channels Work
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2014, »
That's a lot of channels to mysteriously go bad . I would look at the channel configuration and try to reconfigure and/or reflash if everything is good coming out of the dongle

Offline RJ

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Re: Random Channels Work
« Reply #5 on: July 05, 2014, »
I agree, Seems like without some major issue happen you would have noticed to be to many failures. I would look elsewhere first also.

RJ
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Offline DonFL

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Re: Random Channels Work
« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2014, »
How is the board, and new elements, being tested?

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Offline twooly

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Re: Random Channels Work
« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2014, »
So more testing.  I got my active hub and etherdongle out to test that signal and same results some work and some don't.  Its consistent with what channels work and don't.  Also tried new cat5 cables same result.

Doing the reflash now
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Offline mmais68569

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Re: Random Channels Work
« Reply #8 on: July 05, 2014, »
Sounds like you have assigned the channels wrong in your sequencer. If you are testing RGB then 33 should be Red, 34 Green & 35 Blue. Then repeat you will have one unused channel 48 at the end.

       Mike

Offline twooly

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Re: Random Channels Work
« Reply #9 on: July 05, 2014, »
Not testing RGB with it yet, just a spotlight I used last year.  One channel to operate it
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Offline tbone321

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Re: Random Channels Work
« Reply #10 on: July 05, 2014, »
What are you using to test the channels?  Are you using the same item on each channel or do you have 16 different items with one on each channel?
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Offline twooly

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Re: Random Channels Work
« Reply #11 on: July 05, 2014, »
I'm just using xlights to test the channels.

One item I'm moving on all the channels.

I did a reflash and getting better these are just the channels that don't work now

33
36
37
38
39
44
46
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Offline DonFL

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Re: Random Channels Work
« Reply #12 on: July 05, 2014, »
Xlights would be my choice to do that channel by channel testing.

So if I understand you correctly, you're bringing one channel up at a time, testing the spotlight?

And all 16 channels were in use and definitely working for you last year?

If all you did was store the unit, and then bring it back out, and you have a pretty simple verified test setup, I'd be again giving the board a good look... chips firmly in their sockets, nothing amiss from a connections standpoint that might not have manifested itself previously. I'd be looking there before looking for any kind of actual component failure...

You built the board yourself?

Offline tbone321

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Re: Random Channels Work
« Reply #13 on: July 05, 2014, »
I would take a close look at the PIC's socket.  Did the MR16 get wet or was it subjected to high humidity.  This could be a corrosion issue and removing and reinstalling the PIC to reflash it probably had more to do with some of the channels working than reflashing it.
If at first you don't succeed,
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Offline twooly

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Re: Random Channels Work
« Reply #14 on: July 05, 2014, »
Correct using xlights one channel at a time with on spotlight I would move channel by channel.  I took the board out of the waterproof box it was mounted in and I'll give a look over and post some pics.  No humidity since it was stored inside of the house in my office.  Thanks guys for the help, I'll report back more that I find.
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