And we begin....

[MSL]

I pulled out my equipment to start testing for this year's show.

Last year I went from an EtherDongle to a 16 port active hub. From the active hub I went out to my DMX and Zeus. That setup worked fine last year.

Of course like most of us with this binky/flashy addiction I decided to expand (again) this year. I want to add some SSC v4 to the mix going to a rectangle RGB LED I purchased from Ray Wu.

I have my equipment set up as follows:
                                                                       ->  DXM out to the Express controllers
Computer -> EtherDongle -> 16 port active hub - > SSC v4 to rectangle LEDs
                                                                       -> Pixelnet out to the Zeus controllers

The Express and Zeus work fine.

The problem I am having is that I cannot set the channels for the SSC v4's.

I have flashed the SSC to the v4-7 hex file. I am using RJ's Lynx Smart String Utility to set the channel. I set the SSC to "Program". When I go to set the channel (using the utility) nothing happens.

Am I missing something?

MSL

[twooly]

Make sure your lights are connected correctly, check and double check.  Don't rely on colors look at the led to get which is v+,gnd,di

[jnealand]

More than once I have forgotten to click on etherdongle when I used the programming utility.  Also make sure the programming utility has a grouping option.  If not you do not have the correct version.  That has been a continual problem here.

[tbone321]

The first thing that I would do is connect a known working string (one from one of the Zeus controllers) to the SSC V4 and see if you can configure it that way.  If so, then you know that the problem is with the new nodes.  If not, then confirm the string is still working with the Zeus.  If it still does, then you know that the issue is with the SSC.  If the problem is with the SSC, then post back and we can try and debug it further.  If the problem is with the nodes, as twooly said, check the wiring on the nodes.  Make sure that not only is the polarity correct, make sure that your data is connected to the node input and not the output.  If you connect to the wrong end of the string, it will not light.  The power can be connected to either end, as long as the polarity is correct but the data line must be connected to the correct end (input) or the nodes will not see the signal and will not respond.

[MSL]

Thanks for the response(s),

The SSC setup utility that I downloaded from the wiki (SS Setup Utility 7-10-2011) does not have a grouping. The Zeus setup utility does but I am not able to click on the SSC "Device". Where do I find the correct utility?

MSL

[tbone321]

In the WIKI on the SSR4 firmware description, you will see where it says "new file" in the text.  That is a link to the updated exe.  Download it and unzip the file and just copy it into the directory where you have installed the utility, overwriting the existing .exe and you should be good to go.  You may want to rename the existing .exe instead of overwriting it if this is the Zeus version.

[MSL]

I downloaded the new utility and attempted to set the start channel. No change.

I took a known working string off my Zeus and attempted to set it with the hub.  It did not work.

I attempted to re-flash the hub. I choose the chip and imported the hex file, hit "write" and get an error  "Lost communication to programmer".

What does that mean?

MSL

[tbone321]

Why did you attempt to reflash the hub?  The PIC on the hub only deals with DMX.  What programmer are you using?  What software are you using to reflash the chip?

[MSL]

I used the PICkit 3 and the firmware on the wiki (SmartString_Hub.hex).

MSL

[twooly]

Do you get 12v at the beginning and end of the SSC?

[MSL]

Do you get 12v at the beginning and end of the SSC?

Yes. 12.23v DC going in and 12.23v DC coming out.

[twooly]

Jumpers are all on universe 1?

I would re flash the ssc and just double check you have the right utility.  Should have grouping if it's the right one.  You do the install and the replace the exe, both are linked in the wiki under the sscv4.

[MSL]

That did it!

I re-flashed the SSCv4 to the Smart String Controller V4-7 hex (I thought I did that already). Looked to see that all the jumpers were on universe "1". I made sure I was using the correct Lynx Smart String utility (with "Grouping"). I set the start channel with the utility. Hit "stop" on the utility program. Shut the hub down. Took the jumper off of "program" on the SSC v4. Fired up the hub. Fired up my Light-O-Rama Sequence Editor. Loaded and ran a song. The controller is working! I have lights!

Many thanks to all that helped.

MSL