Express + Lynx Dongle + Vixen - no blinky flashy?

[Opopanax]

Okay, I'm at my wits end. I've spent the last few days searching the wiki and the boards and I simply do not know what to do.

This is my first time ever with light animation so I'm sure I"m missing something simple

I have my lynxx board all put together. I ran the test and it works great! Blinky and flashy! Yay!

I have my lynxx dongle setup and I get both red and green LEDs light up. I even managed to program my PIC after much reading.

Then I got Vixen Setup. I'm using the Entec USb plugin. DMX add=in is unchecked, I'm using Com1 which is matched in device manager and Vixen.

I can play the sequence, but I get no blinky or flashy.

So I have the USB to Dongle. Dongle has Cat5 going to the Lynx DMX in spot. The board is on and I have the channel set to 1 (right? Set it to the first channel that'll be used by the board).

Everything is powered. I hit play sequence. It starts -- but nothing happens. The channel LED lights don't light up.

What am I missing?

[rrowan]

If you only see Com1 then I am guessing you didn't install the FTDI drivers or you are not selecting the right com port. Normally windows takes com 1 for a serial port even if its not there.

Rick R.

[shaunkad]

I have the same problem using com4 settings match dmx unpluged.  I can test the channels with vixen. However if I create a random sequence in vixen and hit play nothing happens vixen ignores my comand. 

[rrowan]

Try using RJ's DMX Deck program. To see if the problem is hardware or software setup. The only setting is to select the com port

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If DMX Deck works then we know its a setting in Vixen.

Rick R.

[shaunkad]

Rick I figure it is a setting in vixen I just need time to trouble shoot it but it sound a lot like the OP so I thought I would share.

[jnealand]

Watch out that your sequence and your original test are using the same profile.  If you have a test sequence and it works do a create profile from sequence and then be sure to attach that sequence to a real animation sequence.  I'm just guessing that if you are like me I have a sequence called test512 that has nothing animated in it.  Just an empty sequence that I can use with the test channels function and to play with the configuration.  I never save any blinky in that sequence even if I do turn on a couple of channels and put it into loop mode to to check out my lights.  If I know that works good and I have all my channel labels and my animated preview like I want it then I create a profile from the test 512 and attach my created profile to all my new sequences.  I name all my profiles like 2011 DMX Halloween or 2011 Pixelnet Halloween, 2011 DMX Christmas, etc.   If you try to use a different profile for each sequence I can almost guarantee that you will get messed up at some time, maybe when you go to schedule a show.  Ask me how I know.  Been there done that.

BTW this thread should be moved to the Software - Vixen area and not in the Hardware - LE area.

[shaunkad]

only if it is a vixen issue

[Opopanax]

I did install the FTID drivers. I'm using the d2xx not the VCP version. Does that make a difference? Which should I be using?

I'm actually running this on a netbook with no serial running windows 7. According to the device manager the USb is COM1.

[rrowan]

I always run this on a computer for the first time and never had a problem

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Rick R.

[Christmas.joe]

Okay, I'm at my wits end. I've spent the last few days searching the wiki and the boards and I simply do not know what to do.

This is my first time ever with light animation so I'm sure I"m missing something simple

I have my lynxx board all put together. I ran the test and it works great! Blinky and flashy! Yay!

I have my lynxx dongle setup and I get both red and green LEDs light up. I even managed to program my PIC after much reading.

Then I got Vixen Setup. I'm using the Entec USb plugin. DMX add=in is unchecked, I'm using Com1 which is matched in device manager and Vixen.

I can play the sequence, but I get no blinky or flashy.

So I have the USB to Dongle. Dongle has Cat5 going to the Lynx DMX in spot. The board is on and I have the channel set to 1 (right? Set it to the first channel that'll be used by the board).

Everything is powered. I hit play sequence. It starts -- but nothing happens. The channel LED lights don't light up.

What am I missing?

Shouldn't the DMX add-in be CHECKED?  Mine is and Vixen works perfect with the Dongle and LE.

jnealand, that was probably some of the best advise on Profiles.  That's what I did and all my stuff works as expected.  Profile it baby, that's the ticket!

 

[rrowan]

Okay, I'm at my wits end. I've spent the last few days searching the wiki and the boards and I simply do not know what to do.

This is my first time ever with light animation so I'm sure I"m missing something simple

I have my lynxx board all put together. I ran the test and it works great! Blinky and flashy! Yay!

I have my lynxx dongle setup and I get both red and green LEDs light up. I even managed to program my PIC after much reading.

Then I got Vixen Setup. I'm using the Entec USb plugin. DMX add=in is unchecked, I'm using Com1 which is matched in device manager and Vixen.

I can play the sequence, but I get no blinky or flashy.

So I have the USB to Dongle. Dongle has Cat5 going to the Lynx DMX in spot. The board is on and I have the channel set to 1 (right? Set it to the first channel that'll be used by the board).

Everything is powered. I hit play sequence. It starts -- but nothing happens. The channel LED lights don't light up.

What am I missing?

Shouldn't the DMX add-in be CHECKED?  Mine is and Vixen works perfect with the Dongle and LE.

I took it he met the Add-In menu there is a DMX option there. Which is unchecked

I think you mean the plugin Output Entec DMX USB Pro, needs to be checked

Rick R.

[Christmas.joe]

Rick, actually I meant what I posted; in my Add-in menu my DMX option is checked.  In my plugin I have Entec DMX USP Pro checked. 

All my lights work as expected; they flashy blink to the music.  If Opopanax Add-in DMX is unchecked wouldn't that possibly be why no lights blink form the controller because Vixen is not DMXing?

Should I not have DMX checked in the Add-in menu and if it's working why would it not be checked? 

At the Vixen website it says Use of this add-in will maintain a constant DMX stream while the application is running, regardless of whether or not a sequence is executing. This only works with the Enttec Open DMX. I believe I checked this because I left everything on one night just to see what would happen, and then next morning all my lights were on.  I think it was RJ who said if that is checked and I leave everything on with Vixen loaded, the lights won't randomly come on. 

I'm just guessing the DMX Add-in should be checked.

 

[KeithTarpley]

Greetings,,,

 You don't want the Add-in DMX checked for the Lynx Dongle.

He should try the VCP driver.

Keith

[Christmas.joe]

Why would one not want to use the DMX Add-in with the Lynx Dongle?  Is it because of the constant stream?  I don't want to damage my Dongle 

 

[KeithTarpley]

Greetings,,,

That add in is for a different type of dongle.  The Lynx Dongle doesn't need it.

Don't worry about damage.  Just turn it off and just use the plug in.

Keith