Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems DSP33 & comms weirdness

Dear Hikers,
This is my current situation (building an Atmos system maybe 5.1.2 or 5.1.4 layout):
Processor is Storm ISP Elite mk1 with AES output option.
Fronts are DSP5200 & 5200HC legacy comms.
Rear surrounds (DSP33) being configured and installed, but having lots of problems with comms.
Volume control is is in digital domain on the storm, fixing the volume of the DSP speakers to 87 with vmsr->ip2sl->centre speaker (master & controller).
Current Comms topology:
centre ->511 "slave hub" clone
511 clone then goes
1) to the front left/right;
2) the left surround & left height speaker
3) sub (when it gets fixed)
4) right surround & heights speakers
all cables are legacy s5.
All speakers configured as type 6.
All speakers are configured as slaves except centre
The DSP33s have been configured using RS232 interface to be type 6, slave, not controller.

Here's what happens.
Centre, Left, Right all behave themselves until we plug in a DSP33. then the comms hang until we unplug it. Even if the dsp33 is not switched on, we have to unplug it and power cycle to get comms back.
With my G68ADV in a 5.1 layout using a daisy-chaining comms topology I didn't have any issues with the same 2 DSP33 I'm trying to add as rears now.


Any ideas? Looks like at least worth trying daisy chaining but why?
Could it be that the centre speaker can't drive the 511 hub by itself?
All connectors have been opened up and checked for shorts - pins 1,2,5 checked for continuity all about 1.5-3 Ohms,
Tried 2 different DSP33s , same results.

If the Storm is controlling the volume digitally anyway, perhaps it doesn't really matter, but it's bothering me that there seems to be some sort of comms issue that I can't figure out.
Other possibility is that both DSP33s have faulty comms?
Any ideas, suggestions etc welcome.

Graham