Control/Dimming marquee crashing (freezing)

[gotnoblue]

hello all.
i just started a new job and the control surface here is a marquee console. for quite some time now, the processor has been freezing. sometimes its before the show loads, sometimes after. a second computer has been tried, with the same results. currently, a laptop has had the most success at remaining stable. the processor and tower have the latest software, the lappy is running an older version (one step back).

i am new to the marquee - so i don't even know where to begin. marquee just sent the board and processor back, unable to repeat the fail - so no help there.

any basic troubleshooting advice for this console would be helpful. i could also use some background info on the desk itself. any leads appreciated.

ed

 

[derekleffew]

I hope someone here can help you gotnoblue. Unfortunately, I can't think of any of our members* who run the Marquee. Sounds like you're already in contact with Entertainment Technology , so that may be your best chance to solve your problem.

*Oh wait, this thread http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting-electrics/20891-marquee-discontinued.html reveals a Marquee user: Lotos.

 

[Lotos]

The Marquee itself seems to be a little finicky at times in its old age... Our ILC has shown similar symptoms time to time... We actually run a Strand Palette VL these days, and use our Marquee as a backup console, but I'm still very familiar with the way this thing thinks.
Without being at the console, off the top of my head, things to check:

USB Cable between processor and Console... This is a standard USB A->B Cable (Printer Cable) some seem to be of better quality that others, and I've had one of these fail on me.
Interference... The shielding doesn't appear to be great in these things, apparently Motorola walkie-style radios (amongst others) have been known to freak the system right out.
Dirty Power... As a PC-based console setup, your computer wouldn't notice if the power you were attempting to run it off wasn't clean and happy... But the Marquee might, attempt to put a power conditioner between the board PSU and the wall...

I'm sorry if any of this seems silly, but these are just quick suggestions off the top of my head, it's likely that the guys at Horizon Controls have already suggested many, or indeed all, of these things. (Who are you dealing with at Horizon by the way?)

I'm actually in the middle of teching a show at my home space, so my hours are all over the map, but I'm more than willing to spend some time on the phone with you and attempt to troubleshoot this. Please send me a PM here on the forums if you're in need of more assistance, and I'll do my best to help you out.

 

[gotnoblue]

thanks for the info. my counterpart here is going to do play with it today, based the tips suggested.
lotos - thanks for the offer. i'll be in touch after today's work.

 

[coldnorth57]

do you have the lastest softwear I found that our Marquee was not happy running the second to last softwaer fix... check and see

Marquee Download Area

Also i found that the Marquee does not like to be run for a long time .... so I got in the habit of shut it off and let it sit for 5 and then restart.

 

[gotnoblue]

yes, it is the latest software.

the issue seems to be in networking. the console was hooked up to a server that was backing up the show files and allowing access for rfu.

unplugging the the network has eliminated the software crash and freezing upon start up (at least so far).

not sure what on the server side is causing the crash. we may try a closed system next week to see if the issue remains.