Express 125 - menu cycles through options

 

Last week I had to relocate our console which involved turning it off and unplugging the power supply.  Now it has developed a behavior that makes selecting anything from the menu impossible.  If it were a video switcher I would describe it as being stuck in bulb test. 

 Example:  I select the 'set-up' key.  The set-up menu appears but the options curser cycles through the options.  I cannot directly enter an option number; it goes to whatever option is highlighted when I press enter.

If I select 'stage' / 'channel' the blue box in the top right of the display rapidly cycles through all of the channels.

Left setting for several minutes and random functions activate and other numeric displays cycle.

HELP!

  • Check for a stuck key- it sounds like the "+" key might be stuck down.  If that's not the case, then call ETC tech service - 800-688-4116.

    -Todd

  • Check to be sure that the RFU and ETCLink connections are correct location.

     

  • tdrga said:

    Check for a stuck key- it sounds like the "+" key might be stuck down.  If that's not the case, then call ETC tech service - 800-688-4116.

    -Todd

    The + key does not feel to be stuck.  It seems to move / function as any other key.  I repeatedly tapped it in an effor to dislodge any bit of junk that may have moved into the contact during the relocation.

    Edit to add.  All of the channels do not show up in 'stage'. I power cycled the unit and while it was stable I could add them through capture/drop #/enter.  Then 'release' and they would stay in the list.



    [edited by: Wade at 1:14 PM (GMT -6) on Mon, Sep 10 2012]
    • kathy williams said:

      Check to be sure that the RFU and ETCLink connections are correct location. 

       

     

    The cable labled "1085A 1004 RFU/ETC Link" is in the receptical 'RFU'  The other option is to place it in the 'ETC Link' location.

    Cable labled '1085A 1002 25' DMX EXT Rev. C' is in 'DMX 512'  The option for this is '513 1024'

    Nobody wrote down the actual location of cables prior to moving.... doh!



    [edited by: Wade at 1:21 PM (GMT -6) on Mon, Sep 10 2012]
  • Are you using RFU, or are you using ETCLink?

    Try unplugging it from the RFU jack and see if the problem disappears.  This is exactly what can happen if you plug in an ETCLink network into the RFU jack.

  • mgarrison said:

    Are you using RFU, or are you using ETCLink?

    Try unplugging it from the RFU jack and see if the problem disappears.  This is exactly what can happen if you plug in an ETCLink network into the RFU jack.

     

    How can I tell which type of control we are using?  I will move the cable and see what the results are.  This is not a network cable, it is a multi-pin XLR type conection.

  • What's the other end of this cable going to?

  • mgarrison said:

    What's the other end of this cable going to?

     

    Short answer . . . THE WALL!! 

    Ultimatley it goes to Sensor ETC Lighting Control System , Dimmer Rack Model SR48 series.

    I did a power cycle on the 125 after moving the cable since the flashing menu contined after a minute.  It has been more than 15 minutes and everything is still stable!!  I though the cables were side by side on the back panel but now there is a plug between the ETC cable and the DMX EXT cable.  I could be wrong about them being together.  The empty plug is labled '513 1024'.

    Somewhere along the way today the 'stage' display changed from rows to columns.  Also it is not showing me all of my available channels / drops.  I can add the missing channels through 'channel/ # /enter'.  How can I get the display back to rows?  I've looked at rows for 10 years and now it just looks strange in columns.

    We'll keep an eye on it tonight to see if there is any strange behavior.

  • This is one of the most typical problems that occurs when relocating a console. It happens to everyone at one time or another. Both Link and RFU use a 6 pin Xlr Cable, which basically just adds one pin dead center to a 5 pin cable. There is no way to tell from the cable itself which is which, unless you mark them at both ends.  You can pick one cable (Rfu or Link) at the wall port, and follow it up to the back of the console.

  • If it's going to your Sensor Rack, then it is an ETCLink cable.  I imagine that plugging this into the ETCLink port instead of the RFU port on your console will magically make the problem disappear :-)

    The RFU port is for a Remote Focus Unit -- basically a small handheld remote for your console so you can control it from afar.  If you plug in the ETCLink network to the RFU port, the console will interpret the data on the ETCLink network as the remote "telling it" to do things (push lots of buttons).  Thus... havoc.

  • Also, I'm not quite sure about the "columns mode" you got yourself into... but as for channels missing, it sounds like it's possible that the random keystrokes enabled FlexiChannel (showing you only channels in use).  Somewhere in the Setup menu you can disable that.

  • Thank you!

    Turning off the FlexiChannel restored all channels to display in the column mode.

    I had moved the ETCLink cable to the ETC plug yesterday and restarted the console and that corrected the cycle problem.

    As of now it looks like everything is back to normal! Thanks again to everyone who helped me through this.

    Wade

  • We're glad to hear you are all set, and you are quite welcome!

  • Everything is working fine I just have a house keepping question.  Is there a way to 'clear' sub-masters?  With our new set all of the old setups are no good.  Would like to get all the old subs cleared out so that random folks (news photogs / marketing) don't just go in and start potting up random things...

  • If you're looking to just delete all submasters, you can go to Setup -> Clear Functions -> Clear Submasters.



    [edited by: mgarrison at 4:45 PM (GMT -6) on Mon, Oct 22 2012]
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