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Adjusting sequence on the fly????

cwbysfan3

By cwbysfan3
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cwbysfan3 Member

cwbysfan3

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Hello all, newbie here. Just received my LOR starter package, 16 channel and I upgraded to the advanced software. I have completed a few songs but I would like to perfect them. Can you watch the show and adjust the effects and timing in real time? Meaning watch your show and make timing or effect changes while watching the show?
I would like to see some different effects in the middle of my show but I can't figure out how to do that without creating a show, watching it and then change whatever I didn't like and recreating another show.
I have used the visualizer but it isn't the same as watching live.

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cmoore60 Member

cmoore60

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First of all need to make sure we understand that same terms. A sequence is the thing you build with your music and the programming OR just programming effect alone. This gives you either a music sequence or an animation sequence. Second, a show is a grouping of sequences played on a schedule. Shows are created in the show editor and schedules created with the schedule editor.

Now if you are talking about making changes within a true show. NO there is no way to make changes as the sequence editor and show player cannot control the lights at the same time.

You can definately play a sequence in the sequence editor and have the editor set to control lights. Stopping the editor where you wish to make tweaks.

Hope this answers your questions.

Chuck

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jerryb721 Member

jerryb721

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My first year I set lights on my living room floor plugged into the controller to watch, (just left them in the bundles out of the boxes) and I made a small mega tree using 20 light strands, a 2x4 and a piece of plywood.
Doing so I found that the real thing looked slightly different than the visualizer.

I have seem others create boards with lights attached

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cmoore60 Member

cmoore60

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Have you set up the adapter and can you "talk" to the controller with the hardware utility? Need to make sure that you can communicate with the controllers by using the hardware utility. If you have done this step and can manually controll lights via the hardware utility. THEN close the hardware utility and open the sequence editor.

Open your sequence. Under the PLAY menu make sure that control lights is checked.

Then play your sequence. The lights should be showing what you have programmed.

Chuck

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George Simmons Member

George Simmons

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You'll also need to assign the channels in your sequence to your controller. Open the sequence editor and go to TOOLS > CHANNEL PROPERTY GRID. The grid you see is a listing of your channels. For each channel do the following: in the Device Type column, select Lightorama controller. Leave the network setting alone. Set the Unit to #1. Then assign the channels #1-16. After you're finished, you might want to print that out for use in connecting the lights to the same places where you assigned them. Save your changes and save your sequence. Good luck. Welcome.

PS. As your display grows I'd suggest taking the time to do a really precise job of drawing your lights into the visualizer. Do that and you'll discover that watching the visualizer really IS as good as watching it live - at least for sequencing purposes. (Nothing matches the thrill of standing across the street and seeing it light up for the first time.)

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cwbysfan3 Member

cwbysfan3

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thanks guys. I already have the controller set, did a test and all the channels work. I just couldn't get them to work while the sequence was playing. I will try what you guys suggested!!!!!
Thanks again

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jim6918 Member

jim6918

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George Simmons wrote:


PS. As your display grows I'd suggest taking the time to do a really precise job of drawing your lights into the visualizer. Do that and you'll discover that watching the visualizer really IS as good as watching it live - at least for sequencing purposes.




George is definitely right about the visualizer. It took me about 2 hours to draw mine pixel by pixel and it is just like my display in every aspect. Even a first time viewer can look at it and tell what the actual sequence will look like. Think Lite Brite when you are drawing your visualizer.


Make your arches look like arches, trees look like trees, fence and house lines just like they are layed out and you will be very happy with the results when sequencing.
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jimswinder Member

jimswinder

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cwbysfan3 wrote:

thanks guys. I already have the controller set, did a test and all the channels work. I just couldn't get them to work while the sequence was playing. I will try what you guys suggested!!!!!
Thanks again

Under "VIEW", have you clicked on "CONTROL LIGHTS"?
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  • 2 weeks later...
cwbysfan3 Member

cwbysfan3

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well i've tried it at least 100 times and no go. When I start the hardware utility everything seems ok. I can run a test and control the lights via my laptop. The controller shows up and the right comm port is selected, ID 1 is set and in the hardware utility I can control them.
Next I exit the Hardware utility, and open up the Sequence editor, open one of my files and click the Control Lights. it is checked then I hit play and nothing. the sequence plays, i can see it in the visualizer but the lights wont turn on.
I did notice that the LOR icon in my toolbar always says Disabled. I tried to enable it but their is no on button.
Very confused!!!!!!
Also, every time I unplug or turn off the controller, I have to re-configure it.
Does it have a save function?
Thanks guys

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George Simmons Member

George Simmons

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When you open the sequence editor does the red light on the controller keep flashing or does it switch to steady on? In the sequence editor, what color is the box in the lower right corner of the screen? Have you run the LOR Verifier?

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cwbysfan3 Member

cwbysfan3

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as soon as i turn on the sequence editor it the controller starts blinking. the square on the bottom right corner is red. I did run the verifier once and it had about 6 errors. I just turned it off and started over.

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TJ Hvasta Member

TJ Hvasta

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To answer you very first question, no, you cant edit it while it's playing.. you can edit it, or play it, cant do both at the same time.

cwbysfan3 wrote:

as soon as i turn on the sequence editor it the controller starts blinking. the square on the bottom right corner is red. I did run the verifier once and it had about 6 errors. I just turned it off and started over.



The LED is supposed to be solid when the controller "sees" either the Hardware Utility or Sequence Editor. How are you connecting the controller to the computer? Are you using one of the USB adapters? Is the driver for it installed correctly? What errors did the Verifier have? Rebooting usually wont fix them.. you have to actually address those errors, change IRQ's, etc..


If all that was done right, then you evidently dont have the address set right.
If the USB driver installed correctly, open the Hardware Utility, in the upper center of the window, "Select Unit To Configure", click the Refresh button and let the Utility "find" the controller. As soon as an address is recognized, the red LED should stop blinking and remain steady.. (Stop blinking please... good, now that I have your full attention...)

I really think once you change your user name to something more like #1RdsknsFan, cwbysrllystnk or WhtWsIThnkn?! your lights will work just fine.. ;)

TJ
(grew up in DC)
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jerryb721 Member

jerryb721

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TJ Hvasta wrote:



I really think once you change your user name to something more like #1RdsknsFan, cwbysrllystnk or WhtWsIThnkn?! your lights will work just fine.. ;)

TJ
(grew up in DC)


Being a cowboy fan for 35 years myself I have to say that was funny.
But a better name would be Got5ringsWeDo!

cwbysfan3, TJ is giving you some good things to look for.
Yeah I know surprising for a skins fan :D
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cwbysfan3 Member

cwbysfan3

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Thanks again guys ( except the Skins fans!!)

I sat down and read the "duh"-rections and solved my problem. The Comm port was not set in the Sequence editor therefor I could not watch the lights. Once I changed that everything started lighting up and the show goes on!!!!! Working great now and I am very excited, I almost couldn't sleep. Halloween show will be very cool this year I will post some vids.

Thanks again......

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Guest guest

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Reading this and your other post, this just sounds like a com port and USB adapter issue...might make sense to start over...uninstall and reinstall the usb adapter driver...but also, delete any other drivers (I wrestled with some FTDI conflicts on my main machine which created issues..) that are com-port related...USB to serials, etc.

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