1 Topic by jlklein

  • jlklein
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  • Registered: 2013-10-14
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Topic: Replacing NION with no file/password info

Hi folks,
I have a fellow church tech friend whose NION N3 is failing, and as I have a couple available that our church recently decom'd I'm helping him out. Unfortunately the AV firm who installed his is no longer around and the church can't find any file or password info for the NION programming so we can load the program onto mine for replacement (supposedly they did, so it apparently got misplaced/lost). So, a few questions:

1) MediaMatrix tech support said that we should be able to take the compact flash card out of his NION and install it in mine and everything should just come up and run as before. Has anyone actually done this and are there any gotchas or additional configurations needed, or is all configuration stored on the CF card (program, network info, etc)?

2) Is there a way to connect to the NION with Nware without having the project file and just save the project (no editing necessary), and then load the project onto the replacement NION?

3) Is there any way that we can view the running program info in Nware in the event that nothing else works and we need to rebuild the file from scratch? It would certainly be nice to visually see how the running program was built to assist with that, if needed. Barring that, is there a way to export all the parameters in a text file that we can reference while rebuilding?

4) If the original programmer stored a copy of the Nware project on the NION (i.e. Save to Target), how would we retrieve this file, a CF reader or is there a way to retrieve it over the network?

Thanks,
Jeff

p.s. Although not a certified Nware programmer, I've managed a MediaMatrix system (5x N6 w/multiple CABs) at work for the last decade so have a working knowledge (translation: I know enough to be dangerous wink )

Jeff Klein, DMC-E
AV Project Manager/DoD
Technical Director/Faith Baptist Church
Baltimore, Maryland

2 Reply by Fergy

  • Fergy
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  • Registered: 2007-08-15
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Re: Replacing NION with no file/password info

#1 = True, with couple restrictions.  If you have the NION nX or nE, and they have the n3/n6, then there would be some changes required to the pion-config file, also if the opposite.  The n3 to n6 would be OKAY, but not n6 to n3.

If they match, this would be the quickest, easiest path to solution.

#2 = Not sure I understand the question.

#3 = Is there a Kiosk page they are using?

#4 = Yes.  If the Windows version is stored on the target (Save to Target) you can telnet into the Root of the Linux directories, then navigating to find and pull that file.  (Because of your p.s., I would suggest getting in touch with us for assistance, 'cause this is where you can be dangerous).

Fergy

Make it intuitive, never leave them guessing.

3 Reply by jlklein

  • jlklein
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Re: Replacing NION with no file/password info

Fergy wrote:

#1 = True, with couple restrictions.  (snip)
If they match, this would be the quickest, easiest path to solution.

N3 to N3, so no issue then.
I've got two N3's at home that I've since tested swapping CF cards with and the Program File/Role swapped fine. I did find that I would need to manually update the NION Config Info such as LAN Config and Audio Networking settings.
I did note also that he is running N3 fw 1.4.0 / CM fw 2.9.12 while mine have 1.7.0 / 2.9.16, so I have a question into Tech Support to see if that will cause any issues with the CF card swap.

#2 = Not sure I understand the question.

Whenever working with Nware and my N6's at work, I've always opened up the .npa file in Nware and then chose "Connect" (running man) in Nware to access the NION's programming, make live changes, etc. My friend's church apparently doesn't have the original fie, so I can't load it into Nware to connect to their NION. So, my question was is there a way for me to connect my Nware laptop to their N3 and "pull in the programming" to be able to save to a local file to then load on the replacement N3? Hope that makes more sense.

#3 = Is there a Kiosk page they are using?

I don't believe so. From the screen shots my friend sent me of the front panel, it doesn't even have Web Network Services enabled. The N3 was set up as an audio DSP: input from their Yamaha M7CL FOH mixer (Cobranet card) and four "Analog 8 - Output" cards feeding the various power amp destinations. In the event that #2 doesn't work, I was hoping to be able to at least view what the objects and settings were somehow if I need to rebuild it from scratch.

#4 = Yes.  If the Windows version is stored on the target (Save to Target) you can telnet into the Root of the Linux directories, then navigating to find and pull that file.  (Because of your p.s., I would suggest getting in touch with us for assistance, 'cause this is where you can be dangerous).

Ok, I've been talking with Brett Walker at tech support, would he be the guy to ask about that?
I can test it out on my N3's at home prior to messing with my friend's.
I don't know that the original programmers at AVI-SPL actually did Save To Target, but it's worth checking.

Thanks,
Jeff

Jeff Klein, DMC-E
AV Project Manager/DoD
Technical Director/Faith Baptist Church
Baltimore, Maryland

4 Reply by Fergy

  • Fergy
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  • From: The Home Office--Meridian
  • Registered: 2007-08-15
  • Posts: 334

Re: Replacing NION with no file/password info

#1 = Because the NION's firmware is also stored on the CF, when you move the flash from his NION to yours, the firmware will move with the flash.  Bottom line; when he boots up your NION with his flash, your NION with boot with 1.4.X (there was no 1.4.0 release.  1.4.0 was a first attempt at being "Vista Ready" and  by the time everything was working properly, we had moved to 1.4.1)


#2 = OHHHH.  I had assumed you knew about "Upload and Connect".  Go to File, then click on Upload and Connect, select which will open another dialog box.  Select the running project from the list and OK.  (It is called Upload and Connect because the command tells the NION to "upload" to your computer the project.  This still requires user and password.  Default is;

User = defaultuser
Pass = <null>  there is no password, it is a null or empty.

#3 = If there is no project stored or Kiosk pages exposed, then a copy of the project must be found, or rebuilding it blind will unfortunately be required.

#4 = Yes, Brett will be able to help.

Make it intuitive, never leave them guessing.