converting LMS to 2 different universes

[rickswa]

Hello,

I'm working on converting my LOR sequences to xlights this year.  I have 240 "standard" LOR channels (including blank unused channels) and 2 CCR's.  They are all listed in LOR as the Standard Network.  When I did the conversion test with verbose channel map, everything came over perfect but obviously after 512, the channels gave the error that they were not mapped.  I tried to create a new e.131 universe in setup and have universe 1 as 240 channels and universe 2 as 512 hoping this would put my standard LOR items in universe 1 and then the CCR's in 2.  What happened was that everything after 240 was unmapped.  Can someone please help me with how to make it so that the CCR's would be imported into universe 2 and the rest to universe 1?  I may be creating the issue by the fact that I don't have anything modeled yet in the layout section.  I just wanted to try to get the convert process to come across with no errors but maybe this lack of definition in the layout section is causing the issue?

[Ebuechner]

To start with do you plan on running your Lor stuff in DMX mode?
I went through the same process as you are I originally tried running things with the Lor Network but I found it simplified things if I just did everything in DMX.
In the end I set up Xlights to run everything in DMX, then I went back to the lor file in sequence editor and setup the channels to match xlights and saved that file named xlights match then I applied it to everything that I was going to bring over as a data layer

[rickswa]

I plan on going DMX running it from the falcon f16 output.

When I did the convert test, all the numbers seemed good but I just can't split it into two universes. I wanted to import it as import effects so I can edit the sequence in XL if I wanted to later. Were you able to do a work around to get the shimmer/twinkle effects back when using XL and DMX?

Also, if I do multicast, am I correct in thinking that the LOR units don't have to be daisy chained in order of unit number?

[Ebuechner]

You're going to have to go into xlights and get all of your universe information setup
Then go back into Lor and set up two universes and apply them to the sequence taking out any of the Lor Network.
I found out the hard way that the channel data needs to match exactly for a good import in a data layer. I just started a new sequence in sequence editor and defined my dmx channels to match then applied that channel lineup to the sequences that I wanted to import. And your Lor controllers can be daisy-chained in any order of unit number. But I'm not sure why you think multicast has anything to do with that.
Do yourself a favor make a new sequence with a couple of universes and a few channels to do a small scale test importing to see what I'm talking about. There's also some good videos

[JonB256]

P.s. - LOR controllers have never needed to be connected in device number order. Neither does dmx.

[rickswa]

Ahhhh. Thanks for the great info. I didn't realize I should go to the DMX tab in light o Rama and define the universes in there before importing them.

My thought with the boxes in order was I thought I read that if you used unicast then the boxes had to be in order but it must have been something else and I got the info crossed. I've been reading so much trying to understand the whole xlights and conversion that I tend to confuse certain things I've reads with others.

But just to verify, you use the LOR CCR controllers just in DMX mode no problems?

Thanks again

[rickswa]

Ugh. Ok I guess I am actually still confused. I really don't want to data layer import since I may want to edit my sequences in XL. Because of this, I plan on using the import effects option. I have all my unit IDs set in LOR and no missing channels. My AC units are on track 1 in LOR and 2 CCRs are on track 2. I found the LOR advanced network settings for DMX but that doesn't seem to change the way the channels are imported. I really hope I don't have to go to every LOR channel I have and change the network type in S4. Right now in LOR it's setup as LOR standard network for all channels. The convert test imports all the numbers perfect but I just want it to import the CCRs to universe 2 that I defined in XL setup tab. Anytime I adjust the number of channels in universe 1 in XL, every LOR channel after that is listed as unmapped. I just can't seem to get my head around this simple thing, well something that's seems it should be simple.....

How do I import all my AC unit channels to universe 1 in XL and CCRs to universe 2 using IMPORT EFFECTS option and can I do with without having to change the LOR standard network definition I have now in LOR?  My AC units are defined as unit 1 thru 15 and CCRs are 16 and 17 in LOR.

I should also add that I am creating the universes in e.131 since I want to use the DMX output from the falcon f16. Am I correct with that by setting them up as e.131 and not DMX?

[Ebuechner]

I'm converting some of my Lor stuff right now.
First off you have to start off with all of your LOR sequences using the exact same channel lineup everything has to be arranged the same and named the same. Then you need to set everything up in  Xights to run your show making sure you set up all your prop names and Define all the channels ( if you change things afterwards you will have to rebuild your mapping file). Now you are ready to use import effects, you can select your Lor sequence then start building a mapping file ( make sure you save often) once you've built your mapping file and have it saved you can use it on all the other sequences you want to import as effects. If you're using sequence editor go in and make a channel configuration and save it with a name like xlights match. So you can import it into all the other Lor sequences to make sure they're all identical. Also do a search for the videos, they may explain this better than I am.

[Ebuechner]

I thought I would add that I think you should bring everything in is a data layer for now. If you have everything set up to successfully bring it in as a data layer then you have everything in place to build a mapping file. You can always do the mapping later on after you're more familiar with Xlights.