Cannot get SS megatree to work!

[rdebolt]

OK so I guess I need to have my hand held and told exactly what to do. I am at work right now so all of my info is by memory, but I am going to give as much detail as possible because I do not know if I am having hardware or software issues.

I am having issues trying to get my Mega tree working. My tree has 32 strings of 60 node smart strings. I have 2 Lynx SS hubs tied to one power supply with 16 strings out of each hub. The power supply is a 750watt supply. I have 3 dongles, 1 Lynx dmx, 2 Lynx pixelnet. My software configuration is Output configure- dmx= com1 zone1, pixelnet1= com5 zone1 (refresh rate 60), pixelnet2 com6 zone2(refresh rate 60). Controller config= pixelnet 1-16 zone1 com5,controller 1 channel=1-180, channel 2= 181-360.... pixelnet 17-32 zone2, controller 17 channel= 1-180, channel 18=181-360.

Hardware=computer-dmx dongle-wireless lynx Express-LOR (Everything working fine)
pixelnet dongle1-lynx combiner in#1
pixelnet dongle2-lynx combiner in#2
combiner out- ss hub #1 jumpers set to pixelnet 1 universe 1, then Pixelnet out hub 1 to pixelnet in on hub 2 with hub 2 jumpers set to pixelnet 2 universe 2. SS controllers 1-16 are programed for for channels 1-2880 standard RGB no hybrid or null nodes and controllers 17-32=1-2880 standard RGB no hybrid or null nodes as well.

I was up very late last night trying to get this tree to work with no luck. When I build a transition (LSP flag) some of stings on controllers 17-32 would light, but I could not tell what it was. By that I mean that the colors were way off and there were a lot of off nodes throughout. controllers 1-16 would not light at all. I could not even get them to light through the controller hardware test. I really need to get my show running so I will take any suggestions on where to go when I get home.

A bit of history now, I tried to get the first 16 nodes to play the flag off of hub 1 as a test and they would all light, but the colors were way off. I have another post on that issue. I did not have the parts to build my second dongle at the time. I was hoping that after I had the second dongle built and hooked up things would get better, but now they are worse. I am sure that there is something that I am doing wrong, but right now there is a wall up in front of me that I cannot see through!

I have this same post on LSP site looking for all help that I can get!

Running Win7 64 bit, AMD quad core, 16g ram, LSP V2....1750

[Mickpat]

What channel numbers did you program your SSC to?  If you have two controllers added to LSP, are you sure one should be Zone 1 and the other Zone 2?  Wouldn't both be Zone 1 since you have two seperate dongles attached each with their own COM port?  (Honestly I am not sure what zones actually do.)

All of the controllers attached to hub 2 should start at channel 1.  In LSP these will start as channel 4097. 

Your setup is a little different, but check out this guide which may help.
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[rdebolt]

What channel numbers did you program your SSC to?  If you have two controllers added to LSP, are you sure one should be Zone 1 and the other Zone 2?  Wouldn't both be Zone 1 since you have two seperate dongles attached each with their own COM port?  (Honestly I am not sure what zones actually do.)

All of the controllers attached to hub 2 should start at channel 1.  In LSP these will start as channel 4097. 

Your setup is a little different, but check out this guide which may help.
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SS controllers 1-16 are programed for for channels 1-2880 standard RGB no hybrid or null nodes and controllers 17-32=1-2880 standard RGB no hybrid or null nodes as well.

I am using Pixelnet controllers in LSP Not E1.31. So I basically have 32 pixelnet controllers in LSP 1-16 Zone 1, 17-32 zone 2. It is because I have 2 pixelnet dongles that I have to have 2 zones. If I do not set up 2 zones, LSP puts all 32 controllers on the same com port. It will not let you select a com port for each controller. So in LSP I start over with channel 1 on controller 17. Make sense?

Maybe I should set it up with E1.31, but I am not familiar with that at all!

[keitha43]

If you have 3 dongles you need 3 zones I think. Now if you ran your DMX from one of the hub cards DMX out you would use the same zone as that hub card. I have 1 LOR zone and 1 pixelnet zone with my dmx floods on the same zone as my pixelnet.

[rdebolt]

If you have 3 dongles you need 3 zones I think. Now if you ran your DMX from one of the hub cards DMX out you would use the same zone as that hub card. I have 1 LOR zone and 1 pixelnet zone with my dmx floods on the same zone as my pixelnet.

I don't think that you have to run different zones as long as you are using different protocols. Last year I ran LOR and DMX on the same zone, but that is easy to change so I might give it a try.

[rdebolt]

YAHOOOOO!!! My tree is working!!!!      The Cat5 cable running out of my house is bad! It must have a bad connection on one end or the other. If I put my Cat 5 tester on it, it would test ok once then fail cables 1 and 2 the second time. There are several node colors off, and a slight delay on the second half of the tree that I will have to work on, but for now I am sitting back and having a cool drink watching my tree burn! That is a cool effect! Thanks to all that helped!