Newbie Checking in

[Butch67]

Hi All,

 I have been playing with my software while i have been waiting on my shippent to come in. Well it got here and this is what i'm playing with.

One show time director

and two 16 Channel LOR controllers

and Advasnced level software

most all my lights are led

 

I need help with basic how to use softwre to sequence i have read many of the topic and most quickly diverge into advance or over my head level programing

can some direct me to some good general viedeos or better yet is there some in the pheonix area that would be will to meet up for some one on one training.

 

Thanks in advance for your help

 

Butch

 

[sticks4legs]

Your best friend will be the Light o Rama tutorials section. Lots of good videos

Also search YouTube for tutorials. Lots of contributing members here have made videos

[godman]

Hi Butch, Welcome,

 

As stated above use the video Tutorial section on the top of this page, it also helps to get a couple free sequences from those willing to share to see how everything kind of comes together. PM me if you need a sequence to pay with

[jrock_at_rons]

I would first watch the light o rama video tutorials and then watch the John Storms sequencing tutorials on youtube (4 parts).  They were the most helpful to me in terms of learning how to break a song down and sequence it. 

 

Like others said before, I would also check out the sequencing forum.  There are a lot of people out there sharing their sequences  Its a good way to see how a finished and working sequence looks (and you can use it too). 

 

Good luck.  

[75redman]

Welcome to the MADNESS!!  Google search is your friend.

[Butch67]

Thanks for the quick replies. I have been watching those videos recomended and learning more. So thanks again for the help, as far as sequences go when you get them you still have to input where you want your channels to come on and off at in the song? It is just the song with the beat allready set correct?

[Butch67]

One other quik question it say to run a cable with only pin 4 and 5 to the next controler where do you buy these or how do you modify a regular one to fit this need.

[k6ccc]

One other quik question it say to run a cable with only pin 4 and 5 to the next controler where do you buy these or how do you modify a regular one to fit this need.

 

Where are you finding that?  Normally a full 8 pin Cat-5 cable is used (although not all the wires are used).

Edited August 29, 2014 by k6ccc

[Butch67]

It is on the web site with the show time director page it refers to stray power to the other controllers i will look at the link and post it here when i find it again.

[james campbell]

when you do your program,you will set up a channel configuration. in your case 32 channels over two unit ids. this will tay the same for every sequence you do. for example arches unit 1 channels 1 though 7, next arch unit 1 channels 8 though 14.aand so on. then if you have say a mega tree it can start with unit one channels 15 and 16 then go into unit 2 for the rest.alsothe beat wizard will input beat lines and is very helpful.  good luck and welcome

[k6ccc]

It is on the web site with the show time director page it refers to stray power to the other controllers i will look at the link and post it here when i find it again.

OK, I have never used any of the director products, and for "normal" controllers it does not make any difference.

[dgrant]

Thanks for the quick replies. I have been watching those videos recomended and learning more. So thanks again for the help, as far as sequences go when you get them you still have to input where you want your channels to come on and off at in the song? It is just the song with the beat allready set correct?

Welcome to the madness! You're creating a hardware configuration where you assign what channels control which strings of lights. In the sequencer editor, you'll save that configuration using the Edit pulldown, Export/Import Channel Configuration. Once you save it there, for the next sequence you work on, you can import the previous or original hard configuration so that you don't have to do it again. When you save the sequence, it saves all of the information in the sequence including the hardware.

 

It sort of sounds like you are buying sequences instead of creating them yourself. Purchased sequences, you'll have to look at what the creator did then decide how to apply it to your layout in your yard, then a lot of copying and pasting or just reassigning the channels to yours. The creator's channels will be different than yours. Its not a plug and play hobby. You will have to turn the channels on/off, fades, twinkles, shimmers and so on, where you wish, when you wish, all sync'd to the music of your choice. I strongly suggest you use the visualizer as its a fantastic tool. It'll allow you to prorgam the sequence and see what happens, there on your screen, without ever connectiing a single light outside.

[Butch67]

Thanks for the direction to the videos i have now started making sequences. i'm still confused over the cable deal i'm sure there is a good answer out there here is the referance from LOR website.

 

.  ShowTime Central is powered from the nearest Light-O-Rama controller.  Put that controller on an external timer if you want your shows to start/stop at a fixed time.  When the timer turns on it will power the light controller and that will then power the ShowTime Central.  If you have multiple controllers (6 and 7 in the above diagram) then a special data cable is needed between the first and second controller.  This special cable only passes the data and not the power from other controllers.  For the DIY: the special cable only uses the center wire pair (pins 4-5).

 

The last sentenace is what i'm refering to.

Also what is the differance in S.2 And S.3 software and how do you tell what you have. Is there a referance page for all the acornyms on this forum.

 

Thanks again for your help guys