Light Stream Player Settings
Light Stream Player is a device that plays back finished animations on the object on its own — without a computer and without the program running. For the program to know where to send the project settings and which converters belong to which player, the player is added to the project as a device — in the Fixtures window.
This article describes the player's settings in the program itself. How to load animations onto the player and what the data transfer window does is covered in the article Importing Cue Files into Player.
The Player in the Project Structure
The Fixtures window is organized in levels: player → converters → ports → fixtures. The player is the top level — everything else sits inside it. A new project already has one player — Light Stream Player V2 — there's no need to add it separately.
The player's settings determine:
- where the program sends the settings — universes, devices, playlists and calendar events are sent to the address and with the access credentials specified in its settings;
- how cue files are laid out — compositions are calculated for the player's universes, and if there are several players in the project, on export the files are laid out into subfolders named after the players;
- how many universes are occupied — the universes of all of the player's converters count toward the program's license, including the built-in one if it is enabled.
Adding, Renaming and Deleting
- In the Fixtures window, click the Add Device button — it's the first button on the window's bottom panel.
- In the menu that opens, choose Light Stream, then in its submenu — Player or Player V2, depending on which device is installed on the object.
The player will appear in the list already expanded and selected, and its settings will show in the Properties window. The program assigns a name to the new player itself — Light Stream Player or Light Stream Player V2; if a player with that name already exists, a number is appended to the name to keep names unique.
Player and Player V2 have the same set of settings. Only the built-in converter differs: Player V2 has four ports set by default, Player has one. Neither built-in converter supports more than four ports.
You can rename a player in two ways: right-click on it → Rename, or the Name field in the Properties window. A player is deleted by right-click → Delete — its converters leave the project along with it, and the fixtures from their ports return to the lower list of unpatched fixtures. An accidental deletion can be undone with Ctrl+Z.
Where to Find the Settings
Click the player in the Fixtures window — the Properties window will show three sections: General, Authorization and Internal Converter. Values are applied immediately; there's no OK button in the window.
General
| Parameter | What it sets |
|---|---|
| Name | The player's name in the project. It's visible in the Fixtures window and in the list of players in the data transfer window; if there are several players, on export it becomes the name of the subfolder with the cue files. Player names must be unique |
| IP Address | The player's network address. Default is 192.168.0.205. The program uses this address to communicate with the player when exchanging settings; the address itself is set on the player, the program doesn't change it. The address is also visible in the player's row in the Fixtures window, to the right of the name |
| Enable HTTPS | Communicate with the player over a secure protocol. At the same time, the program switches from the HTTP Port to the HTTPS Port |
| HTTP Port | The port the program uses to communicate with the player while HTTPS is off. Default is 80 |
| HTTPS Port | The port the program uses to communicate with the player when HTTPS is on. Default is 443 |
You rarely need to touch the ports: they're changed only if the player has deliberately been switched to a non-standard port, or access to it goes through port forwarding on a router.
Authorization
| Parameter | What it sets |
|---|---|
| Username | The login for signing in to the player. Factory value — administrator |
| Password | The password for signing in to the player. Factory value — administrator. The button to the right of the field shows and hides the entered characters again |
| Import / Export Settings | The button opens the Data Transfer to LS Player window — through it the project settings are sent to the player, and the settings of an already running player are pulled into the project |
The access credentials are stored in the project together with the address and ports, so in the Data Transfer to LS Player window they are already filled in. These are the same values: if you change the login, password, address or port right in the data transfer window, the change will also apply to the player's settings.
Internal Converter
The player has its own outputs for fixtures, and in the project they are shown as a separate converter named Internal Converter inside the player.
| Parameter | What it sets |
|---|---|
| Use Internal Converter | Enables the player's built-in outputs. While the checkbox is checked, the Internal Converter is visible in the Fixtures window, fixtures can be patched into its ports, and its universes are counted on par with the rest — both when checking for duplicate universe numbers and in the universe count for the program's license. If the built-in outputs aren't used, uncheck the box: the converter will disappear from the list and stop occupying universes |
A few features of the built-in converter:
- it cannot be deleted — only hidden with the Use Internal Converter checkbox;
- it doesn't have its own IP address: it always matches the player's address and changes together with it;
- the remaining settings are configured in the Properties window: select the converter and set Name, Start Universe and Number of Ports. There can't be more than four ports — that's how many built-in outputs the player has;
- each port of the built-in converter carries exactly one universe. The Universes per Port parameter that a regular converter has doesn't exist for the built-in one.
The Player's Row in the "Fixtures" Window
The player's row shows the essentials without opening the properties:
- the arrow on the left collapses and expands the player's contents;
- next — the icon and the player's name in bold;
- on the right — the IP address;
- an orange warning icon may appear between the name and the address.
Orange Icon: Settings Have Changed
The program keeps track of everything that affects the player on its own. As soon as you add or delete a converter, rename it, change its network settings, start universe, number of ports, or number of universes per port, an orange icon lights up next to the player's name with the tooltip "Attention! Click to see more". It means one thing: the settings in the project have diverged from what's currently on the player.
Clicking the icon opens the Attention! window with the question "Some settings have been changed. Do you want to open the player's properties to send them?" and three buttons:
- Yes — the program selects the player and opens its settings, from where the Import / Export Settings button sends the settings to the player;
- No — the window closes, the icon stays lit;
- Clear — the icon is removed. The settings aren't sent to the player, so use this button only if you're not going to send them.
The icon is a reminder, not an error: it doesn't affect the program's operation or the mapping.
Converters Inside the Player
Every converter in the project belongs to some player, and that determines which player its settings will be sent to.
- A new converter is added to whichever player is currently selected; if nothing is selected — to the first player in the list.
- You can move a converter to another player with the mouse: drag it onto the row of the desired player.
- Universe numbers within the same player must not repeat — matching universes are flagged as an error. Different players can have matching universes: they are physically separate devices.
The converters' own network settings are described in the article Light Stream Converter Parameters, and configuring the physical device — in the article Настройка Light Stream Converter.
Multiple Players in a Project
A project can have as many players as are installed on the object. In that case:
- watch the names: they determine how the cue file subfolders are laid out, and they're also how players are distinguished in the data transfer window;
- give each player its own IP address and access credentials;
- distribute the converters among the players the same way they're connected on the object;
- send the settings and animations to each player separately.
If Something Goes Wrong
The program couldn't reach the player. Check the IP Address in the settings and that the computer and the player are on the same subnet. The easiest way to check the connection is to open the player's address in a browser: if the web interface doesn't open, the problem is in the network, not the settings.
"Login failed" appears in the data transfer window. The Username, Password, address or port didn't match. Check the Authorization section, and also the Enable HTTPS checkbox — with it on, the program uses a different port.
Fixtures don't light up even though the animation is loaded. The universe and device settings haven't been sent to the player, or have changed after being sent — this is usually what the orange icon indicates. Send the settings again with the Import / Export Settings button.
There are more universes than the player's license allows. A message like "The number of universes in the project (…) exceeds the number of universes in the player's license (…)" appears when sending universes and devices to the player. It counts the universes of this player's regular converters; the built-in converter isn't included in this check, so unchecking Use Internal Converter won't help here. Remove the excess converters or universes, or expand the player's license.
A message about exceeding the program's license appears on the mapping. This is a different check: it counts the universes of all of the player's converters, including the built-in one if the Use Internal Converter checkbox is on. If the player's built-in outputs aren't used, uncheck the box — the number of occupied universes will decrease.
A converter has a duplicate universe. The match is searched for within a single player, and the built-in converter also takes part in the check. Check the Start Universe of all converters on this player, including the Internal Converter.