Pre-Show Workshop: Light-O-Rama Immersion 2-Day

Hardware

This class will teach you about the technologies and controllers available for your display, how to use and troubleshoot those controllers, and how to test items in your display using both hardware and software. Items to be discussed include display layout, hardware selection, power requirements, security, and potential issues from both residential and commercial points of view. We will include troubleshooting tips for displays for issues which happen during installation and/or run time. We will cover setting up both hardware and software configurations for AC channels, dumb and smart RGB channels, and data networks (both serial and ethernet-based). Other points of interest include how the LOR Hardware Utility works and how it all comes together in LOR Network Preferences.

Topics discussed to include: Introduction

• Advantages of LOR products
• Technology overview
• Hardware
• Software
• Hardware versus software control
• LED, DMX, pixels, E1.31, etc.

Hardware

• LOR ShowTime Directors
• Light controllers (different families)
• Other hardware (DC, DMX, SPI, Servo, etc.)
• Product usage
• Matching controller to display elements
• Physical layout and connectivity
• Failure points
• Service kit
• Electrical considerations
• Audio
• DMX
• Troubleshooting
• Discussion – a sample setup

LOR Hardware Utility

• Finding controllers
• Testing controllers
• Addressing controllers
• Updating firmware

LOR Network Setup and Configuration

• Different network types
• Which networks controls different types of lights
• Protocols (LOR vs E1.31 vs ArtNet)
• Physical connectivity

Show Design and Building

While the bulk of the time spent of creating animated displays is spent in programming and creating sequences a good amount of thought and effort should be spent determining if there is a display theme, the message or story being told using the display, the display location, the types of lights to use, where the lights or other display elements will be placed within the display, and the media used with the display. Taking these and other ideas into account will help take your display to the next level. Example ideas include the grouping of elements, when to use and when not to use certain types of lights and pixels, how those and other items can add to or take away from displays. We will also learn about the process of creating shows from sequences which have already been programmed, running shows on different platforms/hardware, and the advantages/disadvantages of each.

Topics discussed to include:

Show Design

• Use of various types of lighting and light sources
• To pixel or not to pixel
• Telling a story or conveying a message
• Interactive elements
• Mechanical elements
• Utilizing existing pre-programmed sequences

Building Shows

• What will run the show?
• Setting a show up to run on a computer
• LOR Show Editor
• Parts of a show
• Show options
• LOR Schedule Editor
• Simple Show Builder (SSB)
• SSB vs. Show Editor/Schedule Editor
• Putting a show on a LOR ShowDirector
• LOR Verifier

Software I

The bulk of the time spent of creating animated displays is spent in programming and creating sequences. This class will start by reviewing the various pieces of software in the LOR software suite and how and when each piece of software should be used. We will then move to the fundamentals of setting up a display in software and learning how to control individual items or groups of items in your display. We will quickly learn how to use various functions in different pieces of software, including the various editors available (S4 or S5)*. After a review of networks/universes we will complete the tool chain by matching up the various display items on those networks with props in the software. We will also learn about the importance of preview setup and prop grouping.

Topics discussed to include:

Software

• Downloading and installation
• Licensing
• Help system
• Applications in the suite
• Control panel
• Sequence Editor
• Show Editor
• Pixel Editor
• Schedule Editor
• Visualizer
• Verifier
• Hardware Utility
• ServoDog Utility
• S5 Editor

Editors

• Sequence Editor/Pixel Editor*
• S5 Editor*
• Preferences
• Animation and musical (media-based) sequences
• Creating sequences
• Previews (S4 Pixel Editor or S5 Editor)*
• The grid
• Channels
• Lighting effects
• Cut, copy, paste, undo, and re-do
• Animation window (S4 only)*
• Visualizer (S4 only)*

* Attendees will vote prior to class to determine if we cover either the S4 or S5 versions of the LOR software suite

Software II, includes programming design and techniques

This class will teach you how to program media-synchronized sequences as well as sharing tips for how to program faster and more efficiently. We will also cover how to use timings and various effects so the display sends a message or tells a story with the performance. Also includes learning how, when, and why to use other software such as Audacity and MP3 gain for audio editing.

Topics discussed to include:

Sequences

• Animation and musical (media-based) sequences
• Tracks and timing grids
• Sequencing time savers
• Wizards
• Skewing
• RGB display elements
• Previews (S4 Pixel Editor or S5 Editor)*
• Prop groupings
• Effects available
• Groups
• Keyboard shortcuts
• Saving and loading sequences (file management)
• The programming/sequencing cycle
• How Pixel Editor fits into the grid (S4-only)*

* Attendees will vote prior to class to determine if we cover either the S4 or S5 versions of the LOR software suite