LZX Industries ANDOR 1 User manual

LZX Industries ANDOR 1 Synchronous Media Player v1.01
User Manual
Contents
ABOUT THE ANDOR 1 - QUICK START GUIDE - PARTS LIST - PLAYER CONNECTIONS - THE REMOTE CONTROL
USING A USB COMPUTER KEYBOARD - PLAYBACK SYNCHRONIZATION - THE PLAYER OPTIONS MENU
THE ADVANCED OPTIONS MENU - THE PLAYLIST EDITOR - SYNCHRONIZED REMOTE CONTROL COMMANDS
THE SYSTEM OPTIONS MENU - VIDEO WALL MODE - THE MENU INFO COLUMN - THE CONFIGURATION FILE
SOFTWARE UPDATES - MIDI MENU CONTROL - COMPATIBLE ACCESSORIES - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
SUPPORTED FORMATS - TROUBLESHOOTING - WARRANTY
ABOUT THE ANDOR 1
A versale standalone media player for video art, stage producon, video walls, signage, and
other applicaons. Mulple units used together can synchronize their playback of video files
wirelessly. Andor 1 is incredibly simple to use, but packed with unique features like seamless
looping, video rotaon opons, a built-in playlist editor, sll image support, integrated test
paerns, and MIDI control. The player was developed by programmer, arst, and curator
Paul Slocum and is based on more than a decade of exhibing video and digital art at his
own And/Or Gallery and at othermuseums and galleries internaonally.
Soware and manual by Paul Slocum - Manufacturing by LZX Industries
Logo and manual design by Dave Larsen - Our modificaons to open-source
Omxplayer can be found on our websites, www.lzxindustries.net and
www.andorgallery.com
QUICK START GUIDE [basic model]
To set up the player, connect the power to the micro-USB connector, hook up
either the analog audio/video cable or HDMI video cable to your monitor, and insert
a USB sck with your media files. The player sends video to the
analog video output when there is no HDMI cable connected.
The player will automacally play the first video on the inserted USB sck. To select
a different video, open the menu and choose "select media file". It is not possible to
play media in subfolders.
The player will synchronize playback with other players that are set to the same
sync channel when sync is enabled. If the synchronized videos are of different
lengths, then the shorter videos will be padded with blank video at
the end to make them the same length as the longest video on the channel.
To enter the menus and change sengs, plug any USB keyboard into one of the
USB ports and press ESC to open the menu. Use the arrow keys to navigate and
change sengs, and press ENTER to select. Press ESC again to exit menus.
When the menu is closed, the arrow keys jump forward or back in the playback, and
ENTER pauses the video. When players are synchronized, navigaon and pause will
affect all the synchronized players.

The Playlist Editor allows the creaon of simple playlists, but it also allows keyboard keys
and MIDI notes to be assigned to playlist items. The Playlist Editor automacally assigns a
default keyboard key to each item in a playlist. Key and MIDI playlist triggers will affect all
players on the same sync channel when used with synchronizaon.
Note that all changes to player sengs are saved to a file on your USB drive rather than to
the player itself. The sengs file is called andorSengs.cfg and it is a text file that can be
edited by hand.
The recommended video format is H264/AAC using a .MP4 or .MKV container.
QUICK START GUIDE [deluxe model]
To set up the player, connect the power to the micro-USB connector, hook up either the
analog audio/video cable or HDMI video cable to your monitor, and insert a USB sck with
your media files. The player sends video to the analog video output when there is no HDMI
cable connected.
One of the 4 USB slots is occupied by the remote control transceiver, which is a ny black
USB plug. But any of the other 3 USB slots can be used for the USB sck with your media.
The player will automacally play the first video on the inserted USB sck. To select a
different video, open the menu and choose "select media file". It is not possible to play
media in subfolders.
The player will synchronize playback with other players that are set to the same sync
channel when sync is enabled. If the synchronized videos are of different lengths, then the
shorter videos will be padded with blank video at the end to
make them the same length as the longest video on the channel.
The two menu buons on the remote both open and close the menu, and the menu can be
navigated with the direconal pad and 'OK' buon to change sengs. The power buon
toggles sleep mode, and the volume controls adjust the media volume. The buon with the
mouse icon that turns on the remote's "air mouse" is not used at this me.
When the menu is not open, the direconal buons jump forward or back in the playback,
and OK pauses the video. When players are synchronized, navigaon and pause will affect
all the synchronized players.
Keys on the QWERTY keyboard on the reverse side of the remote control can be assigned
to play videos and media using the Playlist Editor. The editor will automacally assign a
default keyboard key for each item in a playlist. It is also possible to assign MIDI notes to
playlist items. Key and MIDI playlist triggers will affect all players on the same sync channel
when used with synchronizaon.
Note that all changes to player sengs are saved to a file on your USB drive rather than
being saved to the player itself. The sengs file is called andorSengs.cfg and it is a text
file that can be edited by hand.
The recommended video format is H264/AAC using a .MP4 or .MKV container.

PARTS LIST [deluxe model]
- Andor 1 media player
- Andor 1 user manual
- AC power supply
- 6 foot micro USB power cable
- 3.3  micro USB power cable
- 1  micro USB power cable
- Color coding dots
- Wireless remote control
keyboard/air mouse
- 8GB USB storage drive
- 6 foot slim HDMI cable
- 6 foot Audio/Composite Video
breakout cable
- 4x M3 wood screws for fixed
installaons
PARTS LIST [basic model]
- Andor 1 media player
- Andor 1 User manual
- AC power supply
- 6 foot micro USB power cable
- Color coding dots
PLAYER CONNECTIONS [deluxe model]
Micro USB power port - connect the power supply with any of three the included micro
USB cables. Although the Andor 1 uses the same kind of adapter and cable as mobile
phones and tablets, common power supplies and micro USB cables oen do not provide
enough power for the Andor 1. When the player is not receiving enough power, a yellow
lightning bolt will appear in the upper right of the screen.
HDMI port - connect the included HDMI cable to this port if you're using a modern high
definion TV or monitor.
1/8" audio/video port - outputs analog audio and video and it uses the included 3-way A/V
breakout cable. Video output on this port is turned off when HDMI video is being used, but
the analog audio is always on.
USB ports - the four USB ports can be used for USB disk drives, the remote control dongle,
USB keyboards, and MIDI adapters for triggering playlist events. All of the ports are
idencal in funcon.
Ethernet port - the ethernet port is currently not used.
PLAYER CONNECTIONS [basic model]
Micro USB power port - connect the power supply with the micro USB cable. Although it
uses the same kind of adapter and cable as mobile phones and tablets, common power
supplies and micro USB cables oen do not provide enough power for the Andor 1. When
the player is not receiving enough power, a yellow lightning bolt will appear in the upper
right of the screen.
HDMI port - connect an HDMI cable to this port if you're using a modern high definion TV
or monitor.
1/8" audio/video port - outputs analog audio and analog video and uses a special 3-way
breakout cable that is the compable with the Microso Zune video cable. Video output on
this port is turned off when HDMI video is being used, but the analog audio is always on.
This port also is compable with standard 1/8" stereo audio cables, but they will only have
stereo audio without video.
USB ports - the four USB ports can be used for USB thumb drives, USB keyboards or
compable devices for controlling the player, and MIDI adapters for triggering playlist
events. All of the ports are idencal in funcon.
Ethernet port - the ethernet port is currently not used.

THE REMOTE CONTROL [deluxe model]
The included remote control sends key commands to the small black USB dongle. The
remote's rechargeable baery can be charged directly from the same power supply as the
Andor 1, or you can charge it through a USB port using one of the spare micro USB cables.
The remote's micro USB charging port is at the base end.
Power buon - toggles sleep mode. Most types of HDMI monitors will enter power save
mode when the player is in sleep mode.
Volume buons - raise and lower the volume of playing media.
Direcon pad buons - skip forward or back in playback, and also are used to navigate
menus and adjust values.
OK buon - toggles pause and play during playback, and also acts as a select buon when
the menus are open.
Menu buons - the two menu buons work idencally. They open the menu when it is
closed, and act as a 'cancel' buon when the menu is open.
Mouse buon - toggles the air mouse funcon, which is currently not used for the player.
QWERTY keyboard - the keyboard on the reverse side of the remote control can be
programmed to trigger playlist items.
PLAYBACK SYNCHRONIZATION
When sync is enabled in the Player Opons menu, playback will be wirelessly synchronized
between all players that are set to the same sync channel. If the synchronized players have
videos or media of different lengths, then the shorter videos or media will be automacally
padded at the end with blank, silent video so that all of the media is the same length and
start at the same me. The range of wireless sync should be at least 100 feet but may be
shorter depending on background radio noise and physical obstrucons like walls. Players
on the same channel will typically discover each other and lock sync in 30 seconds or less.
USING A USB COMPUTER KEYBOARD
Any standard USB computer keyboard can be used to access the menus and other funcons.
ESC key - opens the menu when it is closed, and closes menus when they are open.
Arrow keys - skip forward or back in playback, and also are used to navigate menus and
adjust values.
ENTER key - toggles pause and play during playback, and also acts as a select buon when
the menus are open.

The menu contains the following controls.
Select media file buon - opens a menu to choose the current file or playlist that is being
played.
Sync enable - turn synchronized playback on or off
Sync channel - the player has 200 synchronizaon channels. The default channel is 99, but it
is recommended to choose a different channel for each installaon to reduce the potenal of
interference between media installaons.
Screen fit mode - this seng determines how videos and images are fit onto the screen. The
opons are leerbox, stretch, and natural. The natural seng does not scale the media and
shows it at its exact size pixel-for-pixel.
Loop gap - this seng determines whether any delay is inserted at the end of the media
before looping. Set this to zero for seamless looping.
Volume control - for video and audio playback. The range is 0 to 10.
Create/edit playlist buon - opens the Playlist Editor. See the Playlist Editor secon below for
more informaon.
Advanced opons buon - opens the Advanced Opons Menu, which is described in the next
secon.
THE PLAYER OPTIONS MENU
[deluxe model] The Opons Menu is the
main player menu with the most
commonly needed controls and
adjustments. It can be toggled open and
closed by pressing either of the menu keys
on the remote control. The menu
contains the following controls.
[basic model] The Opons Menu is the
main player menu with the most
commonly needed controls and
adjustments.
It can be toggled open and closed by
pressing the ESC key.
THE ADVANCED OPTIONS MENU
This menu includes addional sengs and
controls. Press the remote control menu
buon or the ESC key to return to
the Player Opons Menu.
Video wall buon - opens the video wall
configuraon window, which is described
in the Video Wall Setup secon
below.
Rotaon - allows rotaon of media
playback in 90 degree increments.
Background color - sets the background
color, which is used for leerboxing and is
shown during "delays" in playlists.

The cursor starts off on the playlist opons buon, and pressing the down buon will move
the cursor into the playlist grid. Playback starts at the top of the playlist playing media
sequenally unl it reaches the end, then it loops back to beginning.
There are 7 columns in the playlist grid. From le to right, they are: playlist item number,
playlist item name, duraon, trigger key or note, the "/\" buon to move playlist item up in the
list, the buon "\/" to move the playlist item down, and the "X" buon to delete playlist items.
Changes to the playlist are automacally saved to the file default.playlist unless the playlist is
renamed using the Playlist Opons Menu. The Playlist Opons Menu includes various tools to
help creang playlists, such as funcons that automacally create playlists from all the media
files on your USB drive. In addion to normal playlist items, playlist delays and playlist jumps
can be inserted into the playlist. A playlist delay plays silent, blank video for a variable amount
of me, and a playlist jump skips to another locaon in the playlist.
Each media item in a playlist is automacally assigned a keyboard trigger, starng with the '1'
key (on your USB keyboard or the back of the remote control) and progressing along the
keyboard ('2','3','4'...). The trigger keys can be reassigned to other keys or to MIDI notes. A
trigger causes the playlist to restart at the trigger point, and if the player happens to by
synchronized with other players, then all the synchronized players will restart their playlists at
that same point in their own playlists. Using triggers in conjuncon with playlist jumps makes
it possible to assign different media loops to keys on the keyboard. Keys that are able to be
assigned are 'A' through 'Z' and '0' through '9'.
Subtles - turn subtles on or off. To use subtles, include an SRT subtle file on your USB
disk with the same name as your video file.
Analog video - sets the analog video output mode as PAL or NTSC video standard.
Audio mode - in most cases this should be set to stereo. When using 5.1 with a digital
surround decoder over HDMI, choose the hdmi thru mode. There is also the opon to turn
audio off.
Test paerns buon - this buon opens a menu for displaying a test paern or solid black,
white, or blue video for tesng and calibraon.
System opons buon - opens the System Opons Menu which is described in the System
Opons secon below.
Reset all sengs buon - resets all sengs to defaults and reboots. It will ask for
confirmaon first.
About buon - displays an informaon page including the full version number and the device
serial number.
THE PLAYLIST EDITOR
Playlists can be created and edited with
the integrated Playlist Editor. Its simplest
funcon is to string together a
sequence of videos or media files. But the
playlist system also has the ability to set
up keyboard or MIDI note triggers
for playlist items, and it is possible to
create loops and delays within the playlist.
When the playlist editor first opens, you'll
see the media file that is currently playing
listed in the playlist. The up, down, le,
and right arrow buons move the cursor
through the playlist.

To add playlist items - posion the cursor on the second-from-le column at the vercal
posion where you want to insert, and then press OK/ENTER. To add an item at the end of
the playlist, posion the cursor in the "<empty>" slot and press OK/ENTER. A list will pop up
showing the available media files and items that can be inserted.
To delete playlist items - click the 'X' in the far right column to delete an item.
To rearrange playlist items - use the '/\' and '\/' buons to move playlist items up and down in
the list.
To change the duraon of an image or delay item - posion the cursor in the third column and
press OK/ENTER
To assign a key trigger - posion the cursor over the trigger value, and press OK/ENTER to
bring up a menu, or just press the key or MIDI note that you'd like to assign.
SYNCHRONIZED REMOTE CONTROL COMMANDS
When operang synchronized players, remote control and keyboard commands that affect
playback are retransmied to all synchronized players. These command include the pause/play
toggle (OK/ENTER), skipping forward and back (arrow buons), and playlist triggers. Note that
when playlist triggers are transmied to the other synchronized players, the actual key or
MIDI note is not transmied. Instead, it sends the playlist index of the trigger.
THE SYSTEM OPTIONS MENU
This menu is for fine tuning and troubleshoong and probably should not need to be adjusted.
Sync ming - offset for sync ming, typically used when playing synchronized video across
different kinds of monitors that have varied display lag. The default value is zero.
Sync trigger delay - this controls the delay when triggering playlist items with synchronizaon.
Because it takes an unpredictable amount of me to communicate with the other players and
load the videos, it is necessary to have some delay. The default value is 2 seconds, but it can
be set longer if your videos are not loading fast enough. It is also possible to set the delay to 1
second, but it may be less reliable. When sync is off, this value will not be used and media will
be loaded as fast as possible. [NOTE: that last part is not yet true, but "faster triggering when
sync is off" will be completed soon and acvated in an upcoming soware update.]
Vsync lock - this seng determines how vercal sync ming is adjusted. Some monitors don't
respond well to video ming adjustments and lose sync, in which case you may set this value
to off or to the gentle mode which reduces the severity of ming adjustments. With vsync lock
turned off, the sync accuracy will be plus or minus half the duraon of a frame (+/- 8.3ms at
60hz), which is sll accurate enough for many applicaons. It is rare though that this seng
will need to be changed. There is also aggressive vsync mode which synchronizes vercal sync
faster but is more likely to cause visual distoron when it is first locking.
Refresh rate - normally the player will synchronize to your monitor's default refresh rate, but
this control makes it possible to automacally change the monitor refresh rate to match the
playing video. In most cases it will probably be preferable to have this off since it will cause the
monitor to resync when new videos are loaded, but it may be useful for playing back some
kinds of videos with great accuracy at legacy framerates like 29.97fps and 24fps. [NOTE: this
feature is not yet completed but will be acvated in an upcoming soware update.]
VIDEO WALL MODE
Video wall mode makes it possible play a single video spread out across mulple screens
without having to edit the video into cropped segments for each screen. To use this feature,
put the same video on the USB sck of each player and turn on video wall mode in its menu,
which is available through a buon in the Advanced Opons Menu.

THE MENU INFO COLUMN
Whenever the menu is open, a column on the right under the preview window shows the
following player status informaon.
File name - the currently selected file or playlist
Playlist item name - when a playlist is playing, this line shows the name of the current playing
item in the playlist. It will also indicate when a delay has been added to the end of a looping
file via the loop gap seng or when the synchronizaon system pads the end of a file with a
delay to match the lengths of the other loops.
Time indicator - this shows the current me and total me of the currently playing file or
playlist.
Sync indicator - indicates the status of sync: off, seeking, or locked.
Video mode indicator - this line indicates the current resoluon, refresh rate, and mode of the
player's video output.
Sync offset indicator - this indicator only appears if the sync offset seng is set to a non-zero
value. (in System Opons)
Overscan indicator - this indicator only appears if overscan is set to a value other than the
default. (under System Opons)
Video wall indicator - this indicator only appears when the video wall mode is on. (under
Advanced Opons)
Audio mode indicator - this indicator only appears when the audio output is turned off or set
to HDMI passthrough. (in Advanced Opons)
THE CONFIGURATION FILE
All changes to sengs on the player are saved to the andorSengs.cfg configuraon file on
the USB drive. It is a human readable text file that can be edited with a text editor. No sengs
are saved to the player itself.
SOFTWARE UPDATES
Soware updates can be downloaded from www.lzxindustries.net. To install an update, copy
the update file to your USB drive, insert it into the player, and open the menu. The player
should automacally find the update and display a window confirming the installaon.
In the Video Wall Setup window, set the
width and height of the monitor grid that
you are using, and also set the grid
column and posion for each monitor
accordingly. Adjust the bezel percentage
based on how much space there is
between the actual screen edges in the
video wall. The default bezel value is 10
percent.

MIDI MENU CONTROL
MIDI notes can be assigned to playlist items as described in the secon about playlists, but it
is also possible to control the menus and simulate a limited set of keypresses using MIDI
controller messages. The MIDI controller messages are mapped as follows:
controller number: 119 value: 127 = menu buon
controller number: 118 value: 127 = le
controller number: 117 value: 127 = right
controller number: 114 value: 127 = up
controller number: 116 value: 127 = down
controller number: 115 value: 127 = OK/Enter
COMPATIBLE ACCESSORIES
USB MIDI adapters - most simple 1-in / 1-out USB MIDI interfaces should work.
USB keyboards - the player works with any common USB computer keyboard. There are also
specialty keyboards available like keyboards that only have one key, which could be used to
allow viewers to restart a looping video at the beginning.
Remote controls - many wireless USB remote controls interface to the computer as a USB
computer keyboard, and these kinds of remote controls should generally work, although some
of them use unusual key codes for the buons that may not be compable.
Analog 1/8" A/V breakout cable - the cable is a 1/8" p-ring-sleeve connector to
red/yellow/white RCA connectors, but there are a lot of cables like this with different wirings.
Look for cables for the 'Microso Zune' or 'Raspberry Pi'.
Digital audio output adapters - it is possible to extract SPDIF digital audio output or use a
different DAC by tapping the audio through the HDMI port. There are many converters
available that pass through HDMI video and extract SPDIF and/or high-quality analog audio.
The player currently does not support USB audio adapters.
5.1 decoding - it is recommended currently to use a proper A/V receiver to decode 5.1
through HDMI. We have tried some of the low cost 5.1 decoders on Amazon and so far none
have worked properly.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Dimensions: 3.75 x 2.5 x 1 inches
- Video specificaon: up to 1080p @ 60fps, up to 40Mbps
- H264 support: level 4.1 High Profile
- Video codecs: H264, MPEG4, MJPEG, VP6, VP8
- Video containers: AVI, MOV, MP4, FLV, MKV
- Recommended video format: H264 with MP4 or MKV container
- Audio formats: MP3, WAV, AIFF, FLAC
- Sll image formats: JPEG, PNG, TIFF, PSD
- A/V outputs: HDMI, composite video, analog audio
- Other ports: USB x 4, micro USB power input
- Supported file systems: FAT, NTFS, HFS+, EXT
- Supported audio: AC3, DTS, 5.1
- Subtle support: SRT filest
TROUBLESHOOTING
No video when using the HDMI output
Try removing the USB drive to see if the test paern appears (make sure it's not showing blank
video)
Try cycling power to the player
Try a different or shorter HDMI cable. Some longer HDMI cables require a lot of power to
drive.
No video when using the analog video output
- Try removing the USB drive to see if the test paern appears (make sure it's not showing
blank video)
- Make sure there is not an HDMI cable plugged into the player
- Using an HDMI monitor, make sure the PAL/NTSC seng is correct for your monitor
- Try cycling power to the player
- Try a different or shorter HDMI cable. Some longer HDMI cables require a lot of power to
drive.
When media is playing, it somemes goes black and says "[delay x seconds]"
- This can happen when you have sync turned on and you are synchronized to another video
that is much longer in duraon. If you try to synchronize videos that are of different lengths,
the player will automacally add blank video to the end of the shorter video to make them all
the same length.
- This also occurs when you set loop gap seng to a value other than zero.
Sync stays at 'seeking' and never locks
- Make sure sync is enabled on each unit and that they are all set to the same sync channel.
- Try reboong all the devices.
[deluxe version] The remote control doesn't work
- Make sure the remote control is charged. The remote can be charged from the Andor 1's
power cable.
- If the remote is charged and it sll doesn't work, try cycling power to the Andor 1

A message says that the USB drive is read-only
- This somemes will happen if a drive was not properly ejected from a computer before being
removed. Try placing the drive back in the computer, ejecng it, then remove it and plug it
back into the player. The HFS+ file system is more prone to this issue.
- If the first step doesn't work, then try reformang the USB drive.
A red thermometer appears in the corner of the screen
- The player is too hot, improve venlaon or move the player to a cooler locaon. A yellow
lightning bolt appears in the corner of the screen
- The player isn't receiving enough power. Unplug and reseat the power cable and adapter to
make sure the connecons are good.
- Although many tablets, phones, and other devices have similar power supplies, most other
power supplies and micro USB cables cannot provide enough power. Make sure you are using
the power cables and adapter that came with the Andor 1 player.
The player will not read the USB drive
- Reformat the USB drive using a computer. Somemes USB drives get parally corrupted.
Video flickers black, loses color, or monitor on screen display appears when sync is first
established
- There are a few monitors that are sensive to subtle ming changes on the video output.
These problems should go away about a minute aer sync is established, but if your monitor is
too sensive then you can turn off vsync lock in the System Opons Menu. Seng vsync lock
mode to "gentle" may also help the issue without fully disabling vsync lock.

WARRANTY
This product is covered by LZX Industries’ warranty, for one year following the date of
manufacture. This warranty covers any defect in the manufacturing of this product. This
warranty does not cover any damage or malfuncon caused by incorrect use – such as, but not
limited to, power cables connected backwards, excessive voltage levels, or exposure to
extreme temperature or moisture levels.
The warranty covers replacement or repair, as decided by LZX Industries. Please contact
customer service via our website (www.lzxindustries.net) for a return authorizaon before
sending the module. The cost of sending a module back for servicing is paid for by the
customer.