LOR elements not functioning properly

[danj]

Tonight I setup my AC minitrees and my LOR CTB16PC controller.  I was not able to get xlights and LOR to cooperate though.   My minitrees are setup as single channels (red/green/white as applicable)--channels 1 thru 16.   One thing I was not certain about is the "from output" selection box.   I have it selected as "from output 1" for all 16 channels.  All are clicked "on" as "part of my display".   One thing I noticed, though, is that I do NOT have "individual start channels" selected.  Not sure if I need to do that or not... When I run a sequence, the minitrees are not doing what the sequence "calls for" at all.    They seem to be doing random things not synched up with the sequence at all.   However, when I run tests of the minitrees from xlights (chase, chase 1/3, shimmer, etc etc) each minitree does exactly what the test is telling it to do.    I tried different combinations (1-6, 1-2-3,4-5-6,1-3-5,2-4-6, etc).So I think I have the minitrees' channel info setup correctly in the xights setup panel.  Ok, what simple little thing I am missing here???  Thanks very much.

[danj]

Update--I have the channels setup to use LOR protocol and I am driving the signal via the LOR USB dongle.

Update 2--I ran last year's display from the PC I used last year, with last year's models (16 single channel minitrees, one megatree 16 strips 3m long, and six arches 60 LEDs each).   Everything ran fine.  So I believe I have a throughput issue.  My next step will be to configure my E682 to drive some of my arches in series so I can free up one set of sockets as a set of four DMX outputs.   The difference between last year's setup & this year's setup is that I added a 20 string 5m megatree with 30 LEDs/me 10 ICs--3000 add'l channels.   That difference must have been enough to choke off my LOR protocol datastream in the USB dongle...

[scuba]

Dan

I sent a reply last night but it looks as if it wasn't posted....

If the physical setup is ok check  the following;

If the LOR minitreess are part of a group or model that you have color selected to include sparkles you will generate random LOR 'effects'...

I've run for several years LOR and E68X series of controllers without any issues (+32,000 Channels).  Please post your setup screenshot, and Xlights....XML files and I'll take a look.

Things can be a bit touchy with the setup...

[danj]

Very interesting, Scuba.   Thanks so much for the reply.  I figured maybe i had a slam dunk, as i had read about LOR protocol getting bogged down at high channel counts (though I know my setup is on the smaller side of channel counts..).   I do have my LOR channels setup as the colors they are in the yard (red or green or white) but I do not believe I have sparkles included (?)--not even sure how to do that.....

I could always change all my LOR AC models (minitrees) to white...  That would be quite simple.

I appreciate the help!!!!

11/25 update--I loaded my 2015 show folder files onto the PC I will use to run the display to see if there is some difference between USB ports on the different PCs.   Same results--the LOR AC channels do not respond properly during the sequence but all of them test fine when testing with xlights tests chase/twinkle/shimmer/etc.   I have looked and looked for any differences between the channels as configured last year compared to this year and I am not seeing any differences.    I am going to try inputting a DMX input and see if that makes a difference.   Probably something to do this Friday since tomorrow we will be dining on a turkey!

[danj]

I figured I must have a throughput issue, so I started inputting DMX from my E682 instead of using the LOR USB dongle.   Lag problem solved, but new problem with channels.   For example, when I run tests from xlights test panel, channel 1 test lights up channel 2, channel 2 iights up channel 3, channel 3 test lights up channel 1, etc.  So I have asked if anyone has seen this over at the LOR forum and what they did about it.

It just so happens there was another post a few days ago on this same subject.   The recommendation was to use the "openDMX" selection for the input to the LOR controller.  I did that in my setup, used my LOR USB dongle, and all is well with my LOR controller.   I lost some of the twinkle & shimmer effects, but I got all the timings--which are important to me because I used my AC minitrees to do a lot of the timings.