Light O Rama DC-MP3 User manual

DC-MP3
Show Director with MP3 Player
User Manual
September 27, 2007
V1.05
Copyright © Light O Rama, Inc. 2006, 2007

Table of Contents
Introduction.............................................................. 4
What’s in the Box..................................................... 5
DC-MP3 Firmware Versions.................................... 6
Hardware Utility Version .......................................... 7
Important Considerations ........................................ 7
Component Locations.............................................. 9
Power Input.......................................................... 9
Audio Output ...................................................... 10
Jumper............................................................... 10
Reset Button ...................................................... 10
SD Card Slot...................................................... 10
Status LEDs ....................................................... 11
Selector Switch .................................................. 12
Interactive Inputs................................................ 13
RJ45 Network Connections................................ 14
Setting the DC-MP3’s Clock .................................. 15
Clock Set with Hardware Utility .......................... 15
Clock Set via SD Card ....................................... 16
Clock Set Manually ............................................ 18
Show Programming Overview ............................... 20
Show Programming (SimpleShowBuilder) ......... 20
Show Programming (Hardware Utility >1.6.4).... 21
Plays Anytime Show....................................... 24
Scheduled Show ............................................ 24
Triggered Show .............................................. 26
Adding Sequences to the Show ..................... 64H28
26HShow Programming (Hardware Utility <1.6.4).... 65H32
27HShow Programming (DC-MP3 firmware 1.0)...... 66H40
28HInteractive Trigger Connections............................. 67H45
29HUpdating the DC-MP3 Firmware............................ 68H46
30HTroubleshooting..................................................... 69H50
31HRun-time error ‘68’: ............................................ 70H50
32HCan’t Use COMnn Port ...................................... 71H50
33HSpecifications ........................................................ 72H51
DC-MP3
Page 4
Introduction
The Light-O-Rama Director Card with MP3 Player
(LOR DC-MP3) is a compact, powerful show director
designed to take the place of your PC. It directs a
network of LOR controllers while simultaneously
playing MP3 files. The on-board real time clock with
power-fail backup can be used to schedule your
shows. Six trigger inputs allow shows to be started
by external events.
The Windows Showtime software is used to design
and build Sequences (light controller commands that
may be choreographed to music.) These user
created sequences and/or pre-programmed musical
sequences available from LOR are then arranged
into Shows. These Shows are transferred to an SD
card, along with the scheduling and trigger
information. The SD card is inserted into the DC-
MP3, which then directs the LOR controllers in your
display and plays any associated music.
Note
To obtain the full functionality of the DC-MP3 you
must have firmware version 3.00 and Light O Rama
Hardware Utility version 1.6.4 or later. See the
sections DC-MP3 Firmware Versions and Hardware
Utility Version for more information.

DC-MP3
Page 5
What’s in the Box
Your DC-MP3 includes a USB SD card reader/writer,
a 128 MB (or larger) SD card and a user’s manual.
This manual is also available at www.lightorama.com
►Support ►DC-MP3 User’s Manual.
If you purchased an LOR1602MP3, which is a 16
channel lighting controller with an internal DC-MP3.
The DC-MP3 is mounted on a plate inside the
controller. Remove the bottom two screws from the
front cover and lift off the cover to expose the DC-
MP3. See the following picture:
DC-MP3
Page 6
DC-MP3 Firmware Versions
Firmware
Version
Determining
Version
Scheduling
Supported
Interactive
Supported
1.0
E, R & C LEDs do
not chase when
the DC-MP3 is
powered up, the
LEDs just flash
No No
2.0
E, R & C LEDs
chase three times
when the DC-MP3
is powered up
Yes No
3.0
E, R & C LEDs
chase four times
when the DC-MP3
is powered up
Yes Yes
If the firmware version in your DC-MP3 does not
support show scheduling, you will have to check the
Old Firmware box on the LOR MP3 tab when using
the Hardware Utility to build your shows. You will not
be able to use the DC-MP3’s real time clock to
schedule shows. If you want to use the scheduling
features, you must update the firmware in your DC-
MP3 to at least 2.0. See the Updating DC-MP3
Firmware section for instructions.
If the firmware version in your DC-MP3 does not
support trigger inputs, and you want to use the
interactive features, you must update the firmware in
your DC-MP3 to 3.0. See the section Updating DC-
MP3 Firmware for instructions.
I

DC-MP3
Page 7
Hardware Utility Version
If your Hardware Utility has an LOR MP3 tab on the
upper left of the LOR Control window (initial window)
you will be able to put a show on an SD card for
your DC-MP3. If you want to use the show
scheduling features, you must have Hardware Utility
version 1.5.8 or later. If you want to use interactive
trigger inputs in your show, you must have Hardware
Utility version 1.6.4 or later. The version of the
Hardware Utility appears in the title bar to the right of
“Light-O-Rama Hardware.” If the version you have
does not support the features you want to use or
there is no version number at all, then you need a
new Hardware Utility.
The latest version is available for download at
www.lightorama.com ►Support ►Software
Downloads. Click the Download button to the left of
the Hardware Utility and run the installer.
Important Considerations
The DC-MP3 is normally powered by the nearest
Light O Rama controller or a USB485B PC adapter.
Use a 50’ or less CAT5e LAN cable to connect the
DC-MP3 to either of these devices. Longer cables
may have an unacceptable voltage drop that may
cause erratic operation of the DC-MP3.
SD cards must be formatted FAT16 (or just FAT)
SD cards supplied by LOR will already be formatted
FAT16 and ready for use.
Not all brands of SD cards will work with the DC-
MP3. Lexar Media and SimpleTech are known to
work.
DC-MP3
Page 8
Individual MP3 songs are limited to 10 minutes. After
10 minutes the song will continue to play, but control
of the lights will not continue. This does not mean
that the DC-MP3 can only control a 10 minute show,
only that no song(MP3 file) in your show can be
longer than 10 minutes.
A 128 MB SD card can hold approximately one hour
of MP3 audio and controller commands.
Songs (audio files) for use with the DC-MP3 must be
encoded as MP3 files. Constant Bit Rate (CBR) at
128K bits/second is best. See www.lightorama.com
►Support ►“How to and considerations: Ripping
CDs to MP3s”
The backup power for the DC-MP3’s real time clock
will keep the clock going for at least three days. The
DC-MP3 must be powered for 15 minutes to fully
charge the backup capacitor. The real time clock is
needed only for scheduled shows. In this case, the
DC-MP3 is always powered, so the backup power
capacitor is only needed to survive power failures.

DC-MP3
Page 9
Component Locations
Power Input
Normally, power is supplied by the attached
controller via the RJ45 jack(s.) This barrel connector
can be used to supply power if
•the DC-MP3 is more than 50’ from the
nearest controller or the controller is an older
model that cannot supply enough power
•the DC-MP3 is to be connected to a PC
without using a USB485B powered adapter or
an attached lighting controller (I.e. using a
USB485 or SC485 adapter)
•the DC-MP3 is to be put on a timer or switch
to control it (See the Jumper section below in
this case)
Use a 12 VDC power brick to supply external power
to DC-MP3 if needed.
DC-MP3
Page 10
Audio Output
This is a standard 1/8” stereo mini-jack. It supplies
line-level output. You can directly plug headphones
or FM transmitter into this jack. Use an amplifier to
drive speakers.
Jumper
This jumper is put in place for two reasons
1. The DC-MP3 is connected to a PC via an
SC485 adapter and therefore needs to supply
power to SC485
2. The DC-MP3 is to be powered by the nearest
controller, the normal case
This jumper is removed when the DC-MP3 is to be
controlled by an external timer or switch and is
therefore powered through the power barrel.
Reset Button
Press the Reset button to reset the DC-MP3 or
whenever you change the Selector Switch to have
the change take effect.
SD Card Slot
The SD card is inserted into the SD card slot with
the gold connectors facing down. Press the card into
the slot until it “clicks” into place. To remove the
card, press the card into the slot and it will spring
eject.