SOLVED!! - no results with Vixen->ED->LE

[mmorlan62]

Hi all,

I finally hooked up my newly-built ED and LE boards but experienced zero feedback from the LE channel LED's while running a Vixen sequence.  Setup:

Vixen -> 4096 channel sequence -> Lynx_EtherDongle plugin -> cat5 cable -> wired GigiBit switch -> ED -> cat5 cable -> LE

ED:
o power LED is on
o eNet jack link LED is on
o eNet data LED blinks when sequence running
o still set to default DMX channel 001

LE:
o data link LED lit
o 5v OK LED lit
o 3.3v OK LED lit
o when on-board test is run, LED3/DMX is lit
o no lights connected to 120v outputs yet.
o terminator and power jumpers are bridged

When running sequence, ED eNet jack data LED blinks but no other activity.

Other "stupid questions" answered: 

o yes, everything is plugged in
o the ED chips are properly oriented
o the LE on-board test runs okay
o LE PIC chip successfully flashed for DMX

Next steps:
o A/B test ED chips by swapping them around - no change
o WHAT ELSE?

Thanks,

Michael

[caretaker]

Is the Ed flashed for DMX  You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login with the DMX firmware?  And you have the Vixen 2.1 plugin for the etherdongle?  If yes to both,  download Xlights and try the hardware testing utility and see if you get any blinky.

[peteandvanessa]

Also try turning off Virus protection S/W. I had blinking on the Etherdongle, but it wasn't getting to my Hub (not the same set up as yours). Turned off my virus protection and everything fired up.

[mmorlan62]

caretaker: yes on both counts.  I'll try the xlights util next.

M

[mmorlan62]

STILL NO JOY.

I discovered the ED is assigned an IP address by my DHCP server.  (Not sure where that info is on the DLA site.)  I set up xlights with the following:

Network Type - E131
Port - 10.10.11.255
Universe - 1
Last Channel - 512

I get the same flurry of traffic at the ED ethernet jack but no response from the LE.  The LE's DATA LINK LED is on showing, I presume, a physical connection.  Should it blink when there is data present?

On a related subject, how does the ED DLL find the ED on the network?  There doesn't appear to be a distinctive name when I scan with an IP scanner.

M

[RJ]

No the ETD does not use DHCP and will not be set by your DHCP server the address is fixed.

RJ

[mmorlan62]

Hi RJ.

Okay, that's odd then.  My switch is apparently recognizing the ED as address 10.10.11.255.  When I set the xlights network to 10.10.11.254, I get no IP blinky.  When I set it to 10.10.11.255, I get IP blinky along with the xTester routines.

EDIT:  Oh, nevermind.  That 10.10.11.255 address is the VPM gateway on my router.  Doh!

What is that ED address?  I can try entering it into the xlights network setup.

[RJ]

You set the address to the multicast addresses for the E1.31 universe. It is not sending stuff to the ETD it is broadcasting data to the world and the ETD knows what to listen to.

The guys using Xlights posted a image of the correct setup info somewhere can someone point him at it?

RJ

[mmorlan62]

Aha!  Okay, I get that.  I'm still trying to find an E1.31 spec somewhere that would explain everything.

I note some directions in xlights for setting up a multicast network.  I'll play with that now.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

While I may get xlights talking to the ETD properly, I presume vixen is already doing so via the ETD DLL.

M

[rrowan]

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

IP Address     Universe   Last Channel
239.255.0.1    1           512
239.255.0.2    2           512
239.255.0.3    3           512
239.255.0.4    4           512
.
.
.
.
239.255.0.16   16        512

[rrowan]

Aha!  Okay, I get that.  I'm still trying to find an E1.31 spec somewhere that would explain everything.

I note some directions in xlights for setting up a multicast network.  I'll play with that now.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

While I may get xlights talking to the ETD properly, I presume vixen is already doing so via the ETD DLL.

M

In the wiki I posted a pdf that talks about the e1.31 standard - You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
Rick R.

[mmorlan62]

I found the "Setting up LSP 2 and xLights.pdf" file explaining how to set up xlights with an ETD to run an LOR sequence.  I have four universes set up with IP address 239.255.0.1 through 239.255.0.4 now.

No response from the attached LE when I run the xlights tester.

M

[chrisatpsu]

does the LE show any signs of receving data?  there should be a dmx led?

[RJ]

Ok best way to test is to eliminate everything you can from the setup.

So for ease of setup this is the basic. Do not skip steps because you know it is ok do it to be sure.

1 - load DMX firmware loaded into ETD from wiki making sure you are getting the ETD DMX firmware.
2 - Load vixen 2.1 not 2.5 / not 3.0 but 2.1 on your computer. if it is not there already.
3 - download the vixen 2.1 etherdongle plugin
4 - start vixen and make a simple seqence with random lights blinking in it with the Etherdongle plugin setup. Almost nothing you have to do to it but set the start channel in the plugin setup.
5 - make sure you use a stright through network patch cable that is good not a crossover like comes with most of the equipment you buy. This needs to be a standard patch cable. hook this from the etherdongle jack that is on the right when looking at the end of the ETD has no lights on it.

6 - hook another cable from you computer to the ETD ethernet jack (has lights). if you computer is not a newer device you may need a cross over cable here. Newer computers will swap it for you if they support this so either type works on them. Other will not. Make sure the Connection light on the ETD ethernet jack lights up. when it is plugged into your computer. 

7 - Power the ETD up and the LE up with the start channel of the LE set to 001.

8 - run the Vixen seqence and set it to repeat.

at this point you should see the ETD ethernet lights change when the seq is running and calm down when you stop it.

this setup has little to configure so it is easier to troubleshoot with then what you are doing . When you have to configure a lot it gives you more places to make mistakes. Once it is working then you go back to the more complicated and if it does not work you know you configuration is the problem.

RJ

[mmorlan62]

RJ, I'll get back to basics, as you suggest, and report back.

Thanks,

M