The preview is playing and the yard is dark. Start small: one prop, one output and one test you can repeat. Changing five settings at once makes it harder to learn which one mattered.
This is the order we recommend for Light-O-Rama S6. Write down what passes and where the result first goes wrong. Those notes will either lead you to the fix or give us a useful starting point when you contact support.
Describe what actually fails
Is the whole show dark, one enclosure dark, one output wrong, or one string stopping partway through? Does it happen in the controller's own test, LOR's direct channel test, the Sequencer, or only the scheduled show?
“The lights do not work” leaves a lot of possibilities. “The first 50 nodes work, and the fault follows this extension” is something you can investigate. Take a short video before moving things so you can compare the next result.
Prove the hardware first
Follow the controller manufacturer's test procedure using a small compatible string. Check voltage, pixel protocol, pinout and data direction. Disconnect power before changing cables or inspecting connections. Stop testing a section that is damaged, overheating or repeatedly tripping protection.
If your test string uses EVO pixels, confirm the selected connector variant and 12V requirements. If it uses EVO+, follow that product's dual-data wiring and adapter instructions. A plug fitting does not prove the complete setup is correct.
For supported LOR serial controllers, the Hardware Utility can scan the selected COM port and Unit ID range and test compatible devices. An Ethernet controller may instead use its own web interface. It is not necessarily faulty because it does not appear in a serial scan.
Leave the Hardware Utility when finished. In current S6 it is part of the Control Panel, and scheduled shows do not start while it is active.
Check the path from LOR to the controller
USB/LOR: Confirm that the intended COM port belongs to the correct named network. Match speed and Enhanced mode to the hardware. If the adapter is missing, check its connection and driver first. Follow the adapter settings guide.
E1.31/Ethernet: Compare the actual controller IP address and universe range with the Control Panel entry. For unicast, make sure the destination is the device you are testing. Use the E1.31 guide and network examples to check addresses, subnet and the computer's chosen connection.
Make one correction, test again, and write down what changed. Keep a copy of the original settings until you know the new ones work.
Test the address without the song
Open Control Panel > Test Lights. Test Channels and Test Pixels can address a defined network without needing a matching preview prop. Select only the small range you are checking, test red, green and blue at suitable brightness, then send off. The Test Lights instructions explain the controls.
If those direct tests work but the prop test fails, check its preview assignment next. If neither works, stay with the communication and output path before editing the sequence.
Compare the preview with the cable labels
For LOR, check network, Unit ID and circuit. For DMX, check universe and starting channel. Then verify count, RGB/RGBW selection, color order and starting pixel. The controller's name alone does not define those settings.
Use String Summary to review assignments or copy them into a worksheet. Write the physical port next to each prop. Review Channel Conflicts for unintended overlaps, while preserving any deliberate mirroring you understand.
Check Other Warnings too. Empty groups, duplicate names and inconsistent sub-prop definitions can interfere with playback when Control Lights is enabled.
Let one program drive the test
Keep the Control Panel running, enable Control Lights in the Sequencer and select the intended network. Stop scheduled playback and exit Hardware Utility. Follow the official output checklist.
Also stop any xLights, FPP or separate tester sending to the same controller. One deliberate sender gives you a result you can interpret.
If ordinary channel effects work but Motion Effects do not, check network mode and licensing. Motion Effects need Enhanced LOR or a supported DMX path and a license that includes them. See the Grid Rows guide and current feature chart.
Use the symptom to choose the next check
| What you see | Where to look next |
|---|---|
| Every pixel shows the same wrong color | RGB/RGBW type, color order and first-channel alignment. |
| Only the first section lights | Pixel count, input range, output map and the first failing connection. |
| Colors shift at a universe boundary | 510/512 mapping and the next universe's starting channel. |
| Local tests work; the sequence does not | Selected preview, prop addresses, enabled outputs and effect rows. |
| The fault appears as brightness rises | Power delivery and hardware load limits. |
These are clues, not a diagnosis by themselves. Repeat a simple test after each change.
Send us the useful details
Contact Mattos support with the exact product and controller, software version, output number, pixel count, cable length, screenshots and a short video. Include what already passed. Clear connector photos with power disconnected also help.
Once it works, save the configuration and label the connection. You want the next setup to start from that working result.
