Light o rama pc software

A preview is a representation of your light display. It defines the lighting elements, how they are arranged, and what channels they use. Creating a preview is required before you can create a sequence. One preview can be associated with multiple sequences. Update the preview once, and the next time you open any sequence associated with that preview, the update will automatically be applied.

The display elements in a preview are referred to as 'props'. You must add a prop to the preview for every display element that you want to control. A prop could be a single string of lights, a wireframe, an arch, a wreath, or a tree. In fact you can model just about any lighting element in a preview. The Sequencer program is used to create and modify previews. A schedule is a list of shows and the times at which those shows are to be played.

If the Light-O-Rama Control Panel is running on a PC, and its " Enable Schedule " option is turned on, then the schedule will be monitored, and its shows will be started and stopped at the appropriate times. The Schedule Editor program is used to create and modify schedules. A sequence is a file that contains a set of lighting commands to be sent to Light-O-Rama controllers. There are two types of sequences: musical sequences , which have an associated music or video file that is to be played at the same time, and animation sequences , which do not.

Before creating a sequence, you must create a preview. The lights you can control in the sequence are defined by the props in the preview. Sequences can be grouped together into shows. The Sequencer program is used to create and modify sequences.

A show is a file that contains a number of sequences , and the order in which they should be played. A schedule can be created to specify the times at which various shows should be played. The Show Editor program is used to create and modify shows. A sequence , created using the Sequencer , can be downloaded to a standalone controller using the Hardware Utility. The controller can then be set up to run this sequence whenever it has power, or, if the unit is a model with an internal clock, it can be instructed to run the sequence during a particular time.

A standalone controller whose sequence contains lighting commands for other controllers will transmit those commands to the other controllers. In this case, the controller is known as a director unit. A unit is another term for a Light-O-Rama controller. Each unit has a number of circuits, each of which can be used to control lights independently of each other. Each unit is identified by a unit ID. Each unit has an identifier assigned to it, known as a unit ID. When a lighting command is sent to a unit, all of the units that are daisy chained together can see that command.

However, the command contains a unit ID; only the units having that unit ID will act upon that command. For example, "01", "25", "37", "5C", "BD", or "E2". However, not all possible combinations are allowed: "00" and "F1" through "FF" are disallowed.

To connect lights using Light-O-Rama controllers, take the following three steps:. Determine the serial port and hook up a controller. Select a unit ID. Test the lights.

If you're not sure what all this is about, simply try to find a connector on the back of your PC that has nine pins and which will accept the SC adaptor. Make sure that the LOR controller is powered on. The LED in the controller should be blinking. This will cause the Hardware Utility to look for the attached controller and determine which comm port is being used. If your controller has unit ID selection switches, you can select its ID by adjusting the selectors to the desired ID.

If your controller does not have these unit ID selection switches, then you will need to set its unit ID by using the Hardware Utility :. This button will only work on new units that have never been assigned a unit ID to change the unit ID of a unit that already has one assigned, use the Change Existing ID section instead. This will make maintenance of the units faster. With the unit connected to the PC, attach lights and power the unit on.

In the Hardware Utility , click the Refresh button in the top center of the screen. After a short time, your unit should appear in the dropdown list to the right of the Refresh button. Select the unit, and you can then test the lights using the various controls in the Test Unit's Operation section of the Hardware Utility. This is the maximum unit ID of controllers that you plan on using you can always change it to a higher value if you add more controllers later. Setting it to a low value makes the Hardware Utility run faster though it will not find any connected units with higher unit IDs.

To create a lights display and have it run at certain times, take the following steps:. Make your sequences. Make a show. Make a schedule. Turn on the Control Panel's "Enable Schedule". Using the Sequencer , create the sequences that will be used in your show.

You can test how the lights will look for a sequence while in the Sequencer: Make sure Control Lights is enabled, and that you have assigned the channels in the sequence to a controller that is hooked up to your PC.

Then, click the play button which is the green arrow in the toolbar. A show is a collection of sequences. A show can be created using the Show Editor program. Shows have several sections, each of which can have sequences:. Only after the "shutdown" sequences are finished will the show truly end.

In the Show Editor, you can add sequences to any of these sections by selecting the appropriate section's tab, and hitting the big PLUS button. Our Light-O-Rama software suite is the key to turning your dreams of creating a synchronized light show into a reality.

It all begins in the Preview Editor of the LOR S5 Sequencer, where you'll use our simple and intuitive interface to design your layout, draw your props, and easily make changes and additions as you grow year after year.

Once you've put all of your props in place, you'll use the Sequencer itself to let your imagination run free and create one-of-a kind "sequences" for your home or venue, using any song you choose. Start by using one of our many audio wizards like the beat, tapper or VU wizard to create your timings so that your effects can be perfectly in sync with the music, or just create a basic fixed grid if you only need to create a simple animation.

Then, choose from a variety of effect options for standard lights "AC Channels" , colors and intensities for dumb and smart pixel lights, or tap into our built-in motion effect generator with the Pro license to create thousands of unique effects for your smart pixel props. Not interested in creating your own sequences?

Don't worry - we have an entire store of light shows for you to choose from just in case. After you've created or purchased all of your sequences, you'll head to our Show Editor and Schedule Editor to create your playlist and schedule for the season. You can choose to play your show in a loop with special startup, shutdown, or background sequences , or set your sequences to play when triggered by motion detectors, switches, or other devices so that you can let your audience interact and feel like they're a part of the show.