<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation:  The Light-O-Rama Software Package > Control Panel > Controller Setup > Hardware Utility

 

The Hardware Utility is accessed by clicking the large "Hardware Utility" button in the Controller Setup section of the Control Panel. While in the Hardware Utility, all other items on the main menu (left side) will be disabled. Click the "Back" button in the Hardware Utility title to exit the utility; the items in the main menu will then be re-enabled. You cannot enter the Hardware Utility while the Show Player or Cue List Player is actively playing.

 

Scheduled shows will not start while the Hardware Utility is active. Any pending show will start once you exit the utility.

 

 

What Can It Do?

 

The Hardware Utility is used to manage the Light-O-Rama hardware that you use to control your lights. You can use it to:

 

•Change the unit id assigned to a controller

•Update the controller's firmware

•Change the controller's configuration

•Test lights

•Test triggers

•Load and manage a standalone sequence

 

Not all controllers support every action. The product matrix at the bottom of this page lists which actions are supported by which controllers.

 

 

How Do I Use It?

 

When using the Hardware Utility, you usually follow these steps:

 

1.Make selections in the Ports to Scan and Scan For boxes

2.Click the "Scan" button

3.Wait for results to appear at the bottom of the page

4.Click the "Configure" button next to the device you want to configure. This will open a page specific to your device that will allow you to make changes and perform basic tests.

5.Click the "Back" button to return to the scan results. Now you can configure another controller, scan again, or click the "Back" button again to return to the main menu. While in the Hardware Utility, clicking "Controller Setup" on the main menu performs the same action as clicking the "Back" button".

 

 

Selecting What To Scan

 

 

There are 2 parts to the selection:

 

1.On the left, select 1 or more ports to scan.

2.On the right, select the type of devices to scan for.

 

The entire selection panel can be collapsed or expanded as desired. You might want it collapsed/hidden to allow more room to display scan results.  Click anywhere on the selection bar at the top (except on the check box) to toggle display of the selection panel. The screen shot above shows where to click.

 

You can automatically collapse the selection panel every time you start a scan by checking the "Automatically expand results" box. Checking the box won't do anything until you click the Scan button.

 

Ports To Scan

 

The "Ports To Scan" box will list all of the built-in comm ports and attached Light-O-Rama USB adapters that were present on your system when the Control Panel was started. To update the list, click the Refresh button (circle with an arrow) in the upper right corner of the box. You will want to do this if you plugged in or removed a USB adapter after the program started

 

Check the boxes next to the ports you want to scan. You can check as many as you like; selecting multiple ports will not increase the scan time much. Click the "Check All" button (next to the Refresh button) to select all ports. If all ports are already checked, clicking the "Check All" button will uncheck all boxes.

 

Ports that are already assigned to a network (e.g. Regular, Aux A, etc) in the Networks section will include the assigned network in the port's description. If a port has not been assigned to a network, you can do so from here by clicking the "+" button to the right of the port description.

 

 

Scan For

 

In the "Scan For" box, you select the type of device you want to configure or test:

•Unit ID range: if you are searching for light controllers (e.g. AC, DC, Pixie, CCB, CCR, 50W floods), or specialized controllers like the iDMX-1000, Input Pup, or ServoDog, then this is the option you should pick. You can set the beginning and end of the scan range by moving the circles on the track bar. If you are scanning for the first time and are unsure of your controller's id, then set a wide range (01 to F0 is the widest range). If you already know the unit ids of your controllers, then you can narrow the range so the scan takes less time.

•ELL Radios: this option will only report ELL (light linker) radios found on the selected port(s).

•Directors: this option will only report Directors (mini or MP3) found on the selected port(s). Before scanning for Directors, check that:

oOnly 1 unit is attached to the USB adapter, and the cable from the adapter is plugged into Network 1 of the Director.

oThere is no SD card in the slot

oThe Director has power:

▪If you are using a Light-O-Rama USB485B (adapter with booster), it will supply power to the Director.

▪Otherwise, connect an external 12V DC power supply to the unit's barrel jack.

•PixieLink: this option will only report PixieLink devices found on the selected port(s). When scanning for a PixieLink, only 1 device should be attached to the USB adapter, and the cable from the adapter should be plugged into port 1 of the PixieLink. See the PixieLink manual for more information.

•Advanced: use this option to scan for a single unit with an unknown id, or a unit with corrupted firmware. When using this option, only 1 unit should be attached to the USB adapter.

 

Starting A Scan

 

 

After making selections in the Ports to Scan and Scan For boxes, you are ready to click the Scan button. Once the scan is started, a progress bar will appear to the right of the Scan button, and controllers that are found will be listed below the "Scan Results" title. The scan can take anywhere from a few seconds to more than 90 seconds depending on the range selected in the Scan For box.

 

The "X" button can be used to stop the scan. This can be useful if you are looking to configure a specific controller that has already been found -- no need to wait for the rest of the scan it that case.

 

 

Once the scan has completed (or stopped), a Configure button will be enabled in the right-most column of the results. Click the Configure button next to a controller in order to:

 

•Change the unit id assigned to a controller

•Update the controller's firmware

•Change the controller's configuration

•Test lights

•Configure and test triggers

•Load and manage a standalone sequence

 

Not all controllers support every action. The product matrix at the bottom of this page lists which actions are supported by which controllers.

 

You can sort the results by clicking the heading of any column. This is particularly help if you scanned multiple ports - the results are not sorted by port, but after the scan has finished, you can click on the Port column heading to arrange them that way.

 

When you are done, click the Back button (top left) to access the rest of the Control Panel.

 

Troubleshooting

 

If the results are not what you expected, then click the "Troubleshooting Tips" in the upper right corner for assistance, or check the list here:

 

•Check that you selected the correct port

•Check the physical connection on the USB adapter

•Check that the controller's power is on

•Ensure all units attached to the adapter are wired together in a daisy chain using Cat5, Cat5e, or Cat6 cables

•Ensure all Cat 5/6 cables used in the daisy chain are in good working order

ocheck that the cables are fully plugged into the controller

otry replacing the each cable one at a time to see if it is defective

•Ensure that switches or jumpers on the controller are correct

•Ensure that no units have the same unit id (attach controllers to the USB adapter one at a time to check)

•Retry the scan.

 

If you are still having trouble, try connecting 1 controller to the Light-O-Rama adapter at a time.

 

If the correct adapter is not showing up in the list of ports, please check that you have the correct USB drivers installed (available on the Light-O-Rama web site at the bottom of the Firmware page).

 

 

Product Matrix

 

AC and DC Controllers

 

*  set the Unit ID of these boards using the onboard switches. You cannot set the Unit ID from the Hardware Utility

**  you can also set the Unit ID from the front panel

 

Pixel Controllers & Devices

 

•Pixie 2/4/8/16: you can set the starting Unit ID of these boards using the onboard switches. If all switches are set to OFF, then the Unit ID can be set with the Hardware Utility. Light-O-Rama recommends using the onboard switches.

•PixieLink: firmware updates are done via the Hardware Utility. Configuration is done through the web interface.

•Aurora Core: use the web interface to change configuration. See the manual for more information.

•PixCon16: use the PixCon16 utility

 

Other Controllers

 

•50W flood: you can set the Unit ID using the DIP switches inside the housing. If all switches are set to OFF (which is the configuration when shipped from the factory), then the Unit ID can be set with the Hardware Utility. Light-O-Rama recommends leaving the housing closed and using the Hardware Utility.

•ServoDog: use the ServoDog utility to set servo parameters.