| Glossary of Useful Terms and Concepts: |
Animation - Graphical view of the light outputs configured in the sequence. Can be viewed by clicking Animation on the view drop down menu. Click here to see an animation. Can also be a sequence without music.
Antenna - Used by a FM transmitter to broadcast audio to car or handheld radios on a specified radio station. Better quality antennas generally broadcast farther with less noise.
Audio File - An MP3 or WAV file that is used as the music for the show. Each sequence uses its own audio file.
CAT 5 - Used to connect the computer to the first controller and between additional controllers. See Connectivity.
Channel Configuration - Tells the sequence where your lights are plugged in to the controllers. Can be exported from one sequence and imported into another.
Computer - Used to edit sequences and play shows.
Connectivity - The computer outputs signals through the RS-485 adapter, which is plugged in to the serial or USB port. It then travels to each controller on a CAT 5 cable with the controllers ran one after another in series. You can connect over 100 controllers with a maximum distance from the computer to the last controller of xxx feet.
Control Panel - Program that runs in the Windows System Tray that allows you to enable and disable shows and quickly launch Light-O-Rama programs.
Controller - Used to turn the individual light outputs on and off to the timing received from your computer. Normally controllers have 16 outputs and can switch a total of 30 or 40 amps (xx mini lights, xx C9 lights). Controllers include a water tight enclosure, so they can be placed either indoors or outdoors. Each controller is set to a different unit number.
Extension Cords - Used to run power to the controllers and from the controller output plugs to your lights. Unless your controller is directly next to your lights you will need an extension cord to plug each output into the lights that are configured for that output in the channel configuration.
Fade - A timing event in sequences that makes the lights fade from one intensity to another. For example, you could fade down from 100% to 0%, or fade up from 30% to 80%, etc.
FM Transmitter - Used to transmit the music output from the computer running the show to handheld or car radios. For example you could broadcast your music to passing cars on 90.5 FM. See Antenna.
Hardware Utility - Used to configure and test your controllers.
Intensity - The measurement by percentage of how bright the sequence tells the lights to turn on. For example, 100% is all on, 50% is half brightness, and 0% is all off. You can specify a value from 0 to 100 percent, but it is difficult to see anything 0 to 10% and from 90 to 100%.
Layout - The layout of where you can setup lights on your house and yard. Based on your layout you create the channel configuration which tells the sequence where your lights are plugged in to the controllers.
MP3 Director - Plays the music for your sequences so you can run a show to music without using a computer to run the show.
Output - Most controllers have 16 independently controlled outputs. Each of these outputs are connected to different lights in your yard or on your house and are turned on and off to the timing of your sequence.
RS-485 - Transmission protocol used to send the timing signals from the computer to the controllers.
Schedule - Tells the computer when shows should begin and end. The schedule can be changed in the Schedule Editor.
Sequence - Used to setup timing for each song to tell the controllers when to turn on and off each output. Lights can be set to turn on, turn off, fade up, fade down, shimmer or twinkle. The sequence can be created and modified in the Sequence Editor.
Shimmer - A timing event in sequences that makes the lights pulse / strobe.
Show - Tells the computer what sequences to play and what order to play them in. The show can be created and modified in the Show Editor.
Sound - Musical sequences are normally timed to music, which is played on speakers or FM transmitted to those watching the show.
Stand Alone - Controllers can operate in stand alone mode, which allows you to queue a sequence with a button or other external trigger. The sequence plays with music with the optional MP3 director card.
Tapper Wizard - Allows you to "tap" the keyboard or mouse to insert short timing events into a sequence while listing to your music. Helps determine when to insert other timing events.
Timer - Timers should be used to turn on and off the main power to the controllers when the show is not running. These should be scheduled to turn on and off 5-10 minutes before and after the show is scheduled.
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