Need help, controllers not found.

[cojaloja]

So yesterday i started to add new controllers to the ones i already have, all went well no problems, tested with an updated show containing new controllers, everything working as it should, went back to it this morning to carry on updating new shows, nothing working, pc lead flashing as it should, controllers keep on flashing no matter what, show files and music in separate folders,  device manager says controlers not found and serial interface found, see pics and videos. working fine last two years, any help would be appreciated.











These alll had a green tick beside them yesterday.










Ray Butler

[Craig]

On your video it looks like both send and receive leds are flashing on the usb lead. If that is the case it is likely to be an issue on the network, possibly A and B wires touching somewhere. Try with just one controller connected first and if that works add other controllers one by one to try and identify where the issue is on the network.

Craig

[cojaloja]

Thanks for getting back to me, i have disconnected all but the first controller, still no joy, show player says inactive and nothing showing in device manager, have i put the wires back incorrectly, i thought i put them in as i fetched them out, the Computer Interface Cable has four inner cables, red, black, green and white, the controller has three little inputs, B, A and ground, can you put me right with the colours just too make sure.

[Craig]

White is A, green is B and black is GND. Red is not used. Are both lights on the Usb flashing? Only one should normally flash.

[cojaloja]

wires are correct, still nothing, show player inactive, nothing showing in device manager, there are two lights showing, one blue, one red.

[Craig]

If you cannot get any controllers to show up individually and the wiring, baud rate etc are correct but the controller staus led still flashes, then I would suspect that the USB-485 lead has failed unfortunatly.

One final thought, I guess you have already tried rebooting the pc and just opening the device manager?

[cojaloja]

yes rebooted many times,
for info, i have now disconnected all controllers and tried every one individually, all have the same symptoms, no device manager but it does show correct com port and baud rate, continuous flashing on control board,  blue and red light on the Computer Interface Cable. so it looks like the end of the line.
If yo think the Interface Cable has failed i will get a new one as a last resort, its a bugger this, i have hundreds and hundreds of quids worth of controllers, lights and accessories and can't us them

edit:- i have also tied it all on another laptop with the same results.

[Craig]

Yes unfortunately it sounds like the USB cable. Like any electronics things can fail without reason. With the non-plug and play style controllers the network can be succepable to static when wiring the network. The equipment does have some ESD protection but it is limited.

[cojaloja]

Thanks for the prompt delivery, for info:- spent hours yesterday trying to sort this out with the new data cable, i was ready for giving up when i noticed one of the controllers, the second in line had a very low red light, nowhere near as bright as usual, after removing the controller from the series things at last started to happen, all i can think is that the controller failed some how and blew the data cable, at least now on the other controllers tested separably, they all show in device manager, hopefully now i can get everything  rewired and working, i have ordered another controller.

Thanks for your help.