Xpress 512 Problem

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Xpress 512 Problem

Postby In10city » 27 May 2016, 20:38

Overview: I have (4) ShowXpress systems, all using identical Windows 10 laptops and Xpress 512 interfaces. Each system is a single universe. I also have 2 backup interfaces. I also have 2 mac laptops with ShowXpress installed.

Problem: On a gig last week, the Xpress 512 interface was not sending information to the lights. The first thing I noticed was that the 'PC LINK' light was not flashing on the interface. I have experienced this before, so my immediate assumption was that the Xpress 512 had gone bad. In an emergency situation, I had a backup Xpress 512 delivered to the gig so we could get the stage lights on. When it arrived, a few minutes prior to showtime, I plugged it in, restarted the software, and the same problem happened. I quickly grabbed a Mac laptop that also has the show on it, and went back to the first interface. It worked immediately and we did the show.

Now, back in the office, I've further worked this out. The conclusion is that none of the Xpress 512 interfaces work when hooked to this particular HP laptop. All four of the laptops are brand new, but have all done at least 2-4 shows successfully, so this one was working fine previously. Additionally, all of my Xpress 512 interfaces are working fine with the other three identical computers, and with the mac laptops.

FYI - the laptop in question that is not working properly does power the Xpress 512 (blue light is on). What doesn't happen is activity on the PC Link light.

Next, I thought maybe the driver had corrupted or something. Following instructions I found here, I manually reinstalled the 64 bit driver (after verifying I'm running 64 bit OS). When I attempted to reinstall the driver, I got the message on both attempts that the 'driver is current'. SO.... Show Xpress DOES recognize the interface, but does not send any info that causes the PC Link light to flash as it normally does. What am I missing here??
In10city
 
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Re: Xpress 512 Problem

Postby In10city » 27 May 2016, 20:43

GEEZ - after doing all that, I restarted the computer a second time, and now it's working. The PC LINK light now shows activity. So problem fixed.... sorta.

Now I'm worried that it's going to happen to the other 3 laptops. Does anyone have any idea what could have randomly caused all this? And why the last restart fixed things? Maybe the driver I reinstalled didn't take effect until after the second restart (weird, but who knows).

I have four productions that travel all over the country, and I now anticipate panicked phone calls before show time from my lighting engineers telling me the lights aren't working. If they verify the PC Link light is dead, then I know it's the same problem. However, I'm not positive what fixed it, so I don't have any confidence I could walk them through fixing the issue from hundreds of miles away, over the phone, in a panic situation before show time. Should I download the drivers and have them in folders on the desktops of each computer just in case? For the record, these computers never connect to the internet, have nothing installed aside from OS and Show Xpress, and are SOLELY used to run my lighting rigs. Auto update is turned off to the degree possible on each machine, so even in the event they did connect to the internet someway, they shouldn't update anything that would cause me trouble.

Any help preparing for the inevitable (I fear) here would be much appreciated.

THANKS
Joe
In10city
 
Posts: 9
Joined: 23 October 2012, 22:29

Re: Xpress 512 Problem

Postby DjKrazyIan » 20 September 2016, 01:36

Did you ever get this sorted out?

I have ShowXpress on a Surface Pro Win10 64bit, work great on Sat night, but on the Sunday gig it would not PC link.

Reset PC multiple times re connected everything and by random the PC Link light came on.



I'm lost here, any help....Thanks!
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Joined: 09 April 2016, 18:53

Re: Xpress 512 Problem

Postby BartKrap » 20 September 2016, 09:46

Make sure you get the latest windows version, I've had this problem too and updating the windows version fixed it.
Head of lighting, lighting designer and lighting operater at De Zoom and Pinky's in Renesse and Ron van der Veen Entertainment.
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Location: Netherlands

Re: Xpress 512 Problem

Postby lse » 23 September 2016, 01:49

Joe Hargrave it was a driver issue and yes you need to restart the pc after driver update. Just call me if you have any problems.
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Location: dallas tx

Re: Xpress 512 Problem

Postby YAAD » 31 July 2018, 11:47

Ok So I am reading what is going on with you.
My older laptop Windows was crashing all the time and pretty much doing same issues as yours.

. So Bought a new HP windows 10.
Uploaded new Showxpress copied my show over all buttons show up.
I run Midi with a M- Audio uno Sport to a Behringer FCB1010. All
is working fine expect I lost my flash butting via midi. messed with it
for hours last night. What am I missing? Flash buttons work on Computer just not Midi footswitch.
YAAD
 
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