Just spent the last hour searching and reading previous post dealing with the RFX9600 and RS232 serial issues. Unable to find an answer to the issue I am currently having. I will try to provide as much detail as possible so Please bear with me as this is a very large home with many components, here goes:
System Components:
Philips Products;(3) RFX9600, fixed IP, current firmware
(4) TSU9600, fixed IP, current firmware, PEP1 current software
(2) TSU9400, fixed IP, current firmware, PEP1 current software
Pronto Scripts; (4) HAI v1.3 TSU9600
(2) HAI v1.3 TSU9400
(4) Russound ST2 v1.6 9600 extender 0, serial 1actual (0 setup)
(2) Russound ST2 v1.6 9400 extender 0, serial 1actual (0 setup)
(3) Yamaha RX-V2700 v1.4 RX-v1800 extender 1 serial 2
RX-V3800 extender 0 serial 3
RX-Z11 extender 1 serial 1
(4) Russound CAM6.6 extender 0, serial 1actual (0 setup) HEX
(1) Russound ST2 XM extender 0, serial 1actual (0 setup) Pronto Script
CentraLite Elegance extender 0, serial 2 ASCII
Jandy AquaLink RS extender 2, serial 1 Pronto Script *BRAND NEW*
Vizia RF serial bridge extender 1, serial 3 ASCII

Now to the issue: All Russound RS232 serial commands / Pronto Scripts have been working without a hitch since date of installation. All Russound CAM6.6 controllers use HEX code while the ST2 XM use Pronto Script. CentraLite Elegance lighting system using simple ASCII commands example: turn on Family Room can lights / activate relay 74 written ^A074/r bit 9600, 8, 1 and have worked from day one of the installation back in May. That was until earlier this week. Now ALL Russound stopped working and CentraLite have now mostly stopped. Let me explain, now the only lighting that can be controlled are multiple relay loads using multiple serial commands from same button and some of the CentraLite scene commands. As I was standing in the equipment room I noticed that on RFX9600 extender 0 that RS232 1&2 green lights are steady on? So, I reset the extender by powering down then back up. Serial lights went off and now have complete control of All the Russound, but still no lighting control for CentraLite. Now earlier in the week the Vizia RF serial bridge was installed for lamp control but for some unknown reason will not respond from the Philips system. So I exchanged the Vizia RF serial bridge connected to the HAI Omni Pro II v2.16 that does work but still get no response from Pronto even though the correct RS232 LED blinks as if a command is being sent. Example command; turn on lamp/node 4 written >N4ON/r also tried >N4ON and >N,4ON/r but get nothing. Called Levinton tech support and was told the command >N4ON/r should be correct? I went back into all remote programs and doubled checked serial extender assignments and all check out fine. All the other devices work fine Jandy Aqualink Pronto Script OK, Yamaha RX-V1800 OK, Yamaha RX-V3800 OK, Yamaha RX-Z11 OK and all Russound OK (FYI- TSU9400 Script more reliable and receives data return a lot faster for both AM/FM and XM then TSU9600 Script).

So my questions are could the Vizia RF ASCII protocol have any effect on CentraLite's ACSII protocol? Is there any relation between the protocols? Is the Vizia RF protocol correct? And what's up with / why did the RFX9600 extender 0 lock up it's serial ports number 1 & 2? Or is this just way too much for Philips Pronto to actually handle once the home owner and family just so happen to execute commands at the same time?

702Tech,

I've had an RFX9600 lock-up on much simpler systems and there was no chance of simultaneous transmissions from multiple units. In my experience the lock-ups occurred when no one was using the system.

Which router are you using? As I recall, the Russound CAM units require a DHCP server. Some routers can't seem to manage complex networks and you'll eventually end up with duplicate IP addresses or very slow response from the DHCP server. Fixing as many IP addresses as possible will help, but replacing a defective router is the best solution. In some cases the ISP supplies the defective router. The only real solution here is to place a working router after the ISP's router. True, it will add a very small latency to Internet traffic, but this is better than taking phone calls and making house calls.

In a few cases I've found network printers that can't seem to play nice with the DHCP server and I'll find them using a duplicate IP address. Fixing the printer's IP address is the solution.

Overall, I find that using DHCP is the easiest path -- as long as everything on the network plays nice. I'm impressed that you are using fixed IP addresses for the 9600's. I use DHCP for Pronto's because I can't remember to change the IP address as I download to each 9600. (or more likely, I am interrupted and forget where I am in the sequence)

Reboot each of the extenders (power cycle).

Assume you included the Leviton device into your ZWave Network and associated all of the devices to it? However, may not be the issue as you also tried the one being used on the HAI controller. I have the same setup with ZWave. >N4ON/r would be the correct command to turn on node 4 if the leviton RS232 device has node 4 associated with it. Not sure if there is an issue with the location of the Leviton RS232 device in relatioship with the mesh network? Have you used the "rediscover network" from the programmer and is it showing up as being OK? SJ

Thanks for the response everyone,

Buzz just to be clear, the Russound CAM6.6 controllers are talking to the RFX9600 via HEX serial commands, not ether-net. Only the ST2 XM talks via Pronto Script. But the router is a Linksys WRT54G and the Pronto Network is independent from the home network due to security reasons. As stated, the Russound is working again after resetting the extender with the issue. The CentraLite (serial 2) also talking via HEX serial commands has yet to recover. Also I use fixed IP because of the different access points and as you know Prontos + roaming = not good.

Lyndel I will try resetting all 3 RFX9600 extenders to see if that helps. Why would the other 2 extenders have any effect on the first one the is physically connected to the Russound and CentraLite? Should I reset all remotes as well? Could this have happened due to adding a new device and controlling it via RS232?

SJHart, the 2 Vizia RF serial bridges are located 5-6 feet from each other in the equipment room. Just to confirm commands example node 4 ON >N4ON/r OFF >N4OF/r DIM UP >N4BR/r DIM DOWN >N4DI/r are correct? I will try Lyndel's advice and reset ALL extenders and see if that helps. If I remember right, you also are using two serial bridges one for HAI and one for Pronto? If so, have you noticed that controlling Vizia RF via the HAI keypad or OmniTouch that sometimes will skip controlling on/off nodes? But if you enter the HAI Pronto Script and go to control, room, all commands work every time. Weird

After a few long weeks I found the problem. I have no idea how this happened maybe someone else can make sense. Using ProntoEdit version 1.1.20.0 when programming a button via serial ASCII command, at the end when selecting carrige return \r it was inputting /r. I found this issue when looking at other programs from my other laptop. So I unloaded then reloaded the software again and everything is good. Has anyone ever come across this?

You are doing the mistake most programmers do when troubleshooting a system. Not trying to sound sarcastic but did you actually check the RS232 connection towards the the system you are trying to control? Are you aware of the dry join bug? Are you sure the connection still is solid? The best way would be loading a software like Docklight or equivalent on your laptop, hook the RS232 cable directly on your laptop and send the string to see if you are receiving anything back (mostly all RS232 controlled equipment will feedback something). If your commands still don't work, try checking the cables. Try connecting directly on the end of the chain and control the unit with the RS232 commands. Things that work usually DON'T STOP WORKING on their own (although there have been references of the RFX's locking in RS232 commands). Check these first and then we see.
Demetris

Demetris,

What is the "Dry Join Bug?". I don't believe I've seen such a thing discussed here. Help me out please if you could.

Oops. I meant dry join syndrome. A soldered connection made by a technician which is dry enough to come out of place after a period of time. Perhaps that is his case and the RS232 connection has a dry join.
Demetris