XLights not uploading all channels to FPP.

[JarrodWasHere]

I have been trying to connect my LOR ac controller to XLights and FPP. For some reason, XLights is only sending data to one port of my LOR controller and not through 2 - 16. Any advice?



You cannot view this attachment.

[MikeKrebs]

Is that channel correct?
What does the input/output config on FPP look like?
Using DMX? What are you using to get to DMX?
What is the ID of LOR unit?
How are your models assigned to the channels?

[JarrodWasHere]

I have set the ID for the controller (Unit is 4), I have set up the controller in FPP, I have set the models through all 16 channels. It's just refusing to send data to FPP.

[MikeKrebs]

Are you sending the data to FPP to send it to LOR? Or uploading the sequence?

[JarrodWasHere]

I'm sending the sequence to FPP as a .fseq file. All the lights are blinking all at the same time to match channel one, it's also just random channels on my LOR controller.

[MikeKrebs]

Screenprint of xLights sequencer and the model setup for each prop please. You should drop into the zoom room and raise your hand.

[JarrodWasHere]

You cannot view this attachment. You cannot view this attachment.

[MikeKrebs]

Ah, trying to use LOR protocol...I can't help with that.

I do see you have 28 channels defined but you showed 16 above. Also, does LOR really use 19200 for speed? That seems awful low. And where would the LOR ID be set. If you set your controller to 4, then doesn't xLights/FPP need to know that?

Still would like to see screen print of the sequencer screen showing how you set your effects and how that screen looks. As well as a sample of one or two models from the layout.

If you visit the zoom room and raise hand, someone will be able to talk through this in a few minutes and figure out how to get you running. It's like having a personal tutor. Zoom link on the xLights site (top right).

[JonD]

What model is the LOR AC controller?  If this is a LOR CTB16PCg3, it needs a RS-485 serial connection and supports LOR or DMX protocols.  I have used these in the past, but I connected them to a Falcon DMX port using e1.31.  The LORs have a special wiring order used, and you might need a crossover wire to connect it.  I have never tried to run one of these directly off an FPP device before, but was thinking it is possible. 

What version of FPP?
What CPU board are you using for the FPP device? (example Pi3b+,Pi4, BBB)
How are you connecting the LOR AC to the FPP Device?  Are you connecting a LOR USB serial adapter into the FPP Player?

[JarrodWasHere]

I am using 2 CTB16PC Controllers. To connect with FPP, I am using a new Raspberry Pi 4, and a USB-RS485 Adapter with Booster to connect the Pi 4 and the LOR controllers. All controllers are receiving the correct data from the testing panel in FPP, but the output to lights in XLights does not work, like I said, XLights is not sending data to FPP for ports 2-16 ( When I send the sequences to FPP, it just makes all the lights blink to port one and then my controller gets confused and starts to turn random lights off). Also, when I hit auto size, all the models I want in that controller are assigned to it, but it says that their is 28 channels when only their is 16. When I turn it off, I can set it to 16 channels but only a few of the models I want for that controller are hooked up to the controller in XLights. For my sequences, I am just simply using the on and off effect with a white color to turn my lights on and off.

[JarrodWasHere]

Also, is their a difference between Port and LOR Channel when uploading my channels?


You cannot view this attachment.

[JonD]

There are several known false positive/negative FPP tests, and you should never trust a hardware test completely.  They are a great tool in the toolbox, but they are not gospel.  The FPP test info would be helpful if I knew that particular one was typically accurate, but I do not in this case. 

I don't believe the older CTB16PC is DMX compatible, so that will limit options some. Confirming the RS-485 adapter is a LOR USB485B?  The actual model is important.  If it does not have the LOR logo on it, the wiring pin is most likely wrong.

The controller has 16 ports (1-16).  I suspect the LOR Channel would be the same as the port in LOR mode.  If the LOR was in DMX mode the channel number would be different than the port number.

I tried to set this up in a test lab, and I could not get the same screens.  What happens if you change the controller ID from 5 to 4?  It saying there is 28 channels concerning as it should only have 16 channels.

You cannot view this attachment.
You cannot view this attachment.

[JonD]

LOR really use 19200 for speed?

Yes, but for only 16 channels (32 with 2 controllers) it is fine.

[JarrodWasHere]

This is my second year doing this and I have the exact same configurations, it just is not working for some reason. 

[JarrodWasHere]

You cannot view this attachment. You cannot view this attachment. You cannot view this attachment. 

I changed the controller settings around a little bit and got it working, The problem was I think that I put both the port config and the LOR channel as the same number. For example, XLights though the LOR channel 16 has 16 lights attached to it. That still does not solve my problem of ports 2 -16 not working.