Strange issue

freadZdead · Post by **freadZdead** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 7:27 am

Hi Claude,

I recently encountered a strange issue with LXConsole Version 3.7.4 (8517.1), one where I did find a work around but did not have time to nail down exactly what was the problem:

- I used Mavericks 10.9.5, and the EnTTec USB Pro MK2 with the fixed (uninstalled) driver, seemed to work fine on both universes.
- Some LED fixtures did not react at all. First I thought,
a) dodgy fixture (but I got it to work later, and other fixtures of the same type worked on a different address)
b) dodgy lead(s) (but items both up-and downstream of the fixtures worked fine)
- I was using only partial patching (so unpatched channels in between and above the highest patched channel), as well as condensed view (i.e. not displaying unpatched channels), and because I couldn't be asked to create fixtures, I worked just with "dumb" channels (no subchannels).
- I finally caught on to the fact that the fixtures not reacting where both the HIGHEST DMX address patched, as well as the HIGHEST patched channels.
- The fixtures started to work again (without any changes to them or any other part of the setup) when I patched an even HIGHER DMX address to an even HIGHER channel.

Could it be that there is some error in the sending of DMX signals in the case described above? Like I said, if I had had more time, I would have tried to record incoming DMX to monitor what the verdict was, as it is, this is all I can offer in terms of diagnostic help

.

Post by **admin** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 6:57 pm

Can anyone repeat this problem?

It doesn't seem to matter in tests, but was this in the first or second universe? What type of fixture was it? It sounds like the DMX configuration wouldn't matter if you were only using straight channels and not sub-channels. But, how many addresses per fixture and what was the order? Its also unclear why you couldn't use sub-channels.

freadZdead · Post by **freadZdead** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:19 am

Hi Claude,

I will try to see if I can re-create the incident over this coming weekend; as it were, the fixtures were Quad LEDs, I believe IRGBs, with a few channels after that which I did not use (but left plenty space for - we are talking one set of four LEDs starting at DMX 50, and one set starting at DMX 80).

If my memory serves me right, the issue occurred on both universes;

And the only reason why I did not ended up using subchannels was for ease of entry and view (I did not have my usual MIDI or OSC gear with me to do quick subchannel manipulation, and the gig was both under time pressure and with just a handful of easy to mix colours, so I ended up doing it this way.

freadZdead · Post by **freadZdead** » Sun Apr 05, 2015 12:31 am

Hi,

Sorry for the slow update on this, good news and bad news: I wasn't able to recreate the error...

I guess that means that something might have been weirdly wrong with the fixtures, although I have never before encountered this behaviour. Hm... oh well, at least for now it looks like LXConsole is in the clear

.

calfredson · Post by **calfredson** » Thu Apr 30, 2015 10:48 pm

I had a similar issue recently. I was using a recent (but not the most recent) update of LX Console and a DMX King (Enttec compatible) in single universe mode. I was trying to patch an LED black light, which was in 2 channel mode, but I was only concerned with the first channel (intensity). It was patched as channel 3 into DMX address 300. When there was nothing patched into any addresses higher than 300, it wouldn't work at all. When I patched a dummy fixture into an address higher than 300, the UV light started working normally.

When I get back to the show computer, I can double check the version and build of LX Console that I am using.

calfredson · Post by **calfredson** » Sat May 02, 2015 3:43 pm

FYI, I'm running Version 3.7.3 (8431.1). I'll upgrade once my current tour is over to see if the issue persists.

Post by **admin** » Sun May 03, 2015 4:37 pm

There are any number of strange things that can happen with DMX and bad cables or connections. Proper troubleshooting is a process of elimination. To help determine if the problem is in software or hardware, the best practice would be to use ENTTEC's Pro Manager to test the output.

The Pro Manager allows you to test individual DMX outputs which eliminates all software patching and other errors. You should be able to determine if the fixtures work or not using Pro Manager. This will tell if the answer is in the software on the computer or outside, down the line somewhere.

Not only have bad DMX cables been known to produce odd errors, a bad USB cable can cause similar issues with the connection between a computer and a DMX interface box. For example, with LXConsole, this may cause a spinning beach ball as the driver attempts to communicate with the box.

Unfortunately, an intermittent cable problem can be hard to track down because it will produce an error that comes and goes. This can make the normal A/B elimination process of troubleshooting difficult. To try to narrow down the possible problems, its best tp use DMX Pro Manager to eliminate software/driver issues. Once a stable connection exists, then you can be (more) sure if a problem is related to the software or not.