scheduler ?
Printed From: Aurora
Category: Aurora Sequencer Software
Forum Name: Aurora 1.0
Forum Discription: This is the place to discuss (and report bugs) the 1.0 version of Aurora
URL: http://www.aurorashow.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1242
Printed Date: 19 May 2025 at 8:01am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.06 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: scheduler ?
Posted By: xxkasperxx
Subject: scheduler ?
Date Posted: 03 Nov 2011 at 4:47pm
| My light o rama controller just came in, and i was wondering how i use the scheduler with it. |
Replies:
Posted By: LightChristmas
Date Posted: 03 Nov 2011 at 5:53pm
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Same way you would with any other controller. Just make certain the com port in the "settings" drop down match what port your USB dongle is plugged into.
------------- http://www.aurorashow.com/"> 
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Posted By: xxkasperxx
Date Posted: 03 Nov 2011 at 9:36pm
| when i do that and then press start, my screen just goes black. |
Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Date Posted: 04 Nov 2011 at 7:12am
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If your screen goes black then it usually means you are using a video in your sequences and you have it set to output on the same monitor that you are running the scheduler on. The "black out" is to prevent the scheduler (or whatever else) from appearing on the projector between sequences/shows. If this is not the case then let us know... there are some things we can have you look at. ------------- http://www.aurorashow.com/"> 
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Posted By: xxkasperxx
Date Posted: 04 Nov 2011 at 1:58pm
| I have set it to the correct monitor and set the resolution on the options page as low as I can. I am not using any videos. Just the stuff from the sequencer |
Posted By: ChrisL1976
Date Posted: 04 Nov 2011 at 10:10pm
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what kind of music file? ------------- Chris www.lightsonsixth.com |
Posted By: xxkasperxx
Date Posted: 04 Nov 2011 at 11:26pm
| mp3, i just select the aurora sequence when it asks me to in the scheduler is there something else i have to do? |
Posted By: Jonathan
Date Posted: 05 Nov 2011 at 12:24am
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Because there are so many mp3 encoders (and not all are created equal), it is recommended that you use only .wav files as they are uncompressed and thus not prone to the same issues some mp3's have. Aurora can read most mp3's, but there have been issues in the past. If you need a .wav encoder, http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ - Audacity can export out .wav files and is also great for editing audio (and it's free too). I do recall a few users having the black screen even though they are not using any video files. This may have been caused by using a shared sequence that at one time had video, but some sequences created from scratch seem to trigger the full screen window. Simply press ESC and the screen will return to normal, with the black screen reduced to a floating window that can then be tucked off to the side. As you are still learning the ropes and testing what Aurora can do, you might benefit from reading the http://aurorashow.com/Forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=686 - Unofficial Beginner's Guide and tutorial videos that ChrisL and I put together. It's a tad dated now, but the information is still useful. ------------- ~Jonathan |
Posted By: xxkasperxx
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2011 at 2:00pm
| When I press esc nothing happens. I have to open task manager and exit the program that way to regain control of my computer |
Posted By: LightChristmas
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2011 at 5:12pm
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Does your computer have dual-display capability? If so, try deactivating the secondary display.
------------- http://www.aurorashow.com/">
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Posted By: xxkasperxx
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2011 at 5:59pm
| I only have one monitor, and have checked in the options of my Colo so it only displays on my one monitor |
Posted By: kalifi
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2011 at 12:03am
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I am having the same problems with Scheduler too. I am using sequences that I used last year and am getting the same problem...black screen when the scheduler starts. Last year I could do other tasks on the computer while scheduler was running...I am wondering if it is related to Windows 7. I am using a new computer this year than last year and that is the only thing that has changed that I can think of...well Win7 64 bit vs. last year on vista 32 bit so 64 vs 32 is also the other difference. Any additional thoughts? Anyone else running a show on Win7 64 without the black screen? So I can at least eliminate that? |
Posted By: kalifi
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2011 at 12:13am
| One more thing that may have changed from last year to this year is the software possibly. With the new computer I just downloaded the program and used the free license vs. the original version i had...more than likely I was using an older version of the program because last year I never updated and the year before I was unable to do a show so really last year I was running aurora from 3 years ago when it first came out. |
Posted By: kalifi
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2011 at 12:32am
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Sorry, I am having a conversation by myself but hopefully this will help others as I am literally troubleshooting this right now and talking/typing out loud. So I was able to find on an external hard drive a back up of my old computer files. I uninstalled Aurora and loaded up an old version of it and viola now the "black screen of inability to use my computer while scheduler is running" has disappeared. I loaded up a few songs into scheduler and pressed start and unlike before, the show started but my screen did not black out and in fact the show is still running right now while I am on the internet typing this. So I have to think it is something in the software that was changed that makes the screen go black during playback. When the screen goes black the show still runs and the lights outside the house are fine(that is what I ended up doing for halloween show) but I just was getting frustrated with the loss of using my computer when the show was running. So the old version that I installed said 1.0. build 32(scheduler). This is the version that works fine. The version that shows the black screen is the current version out 1.0 build 68(scheduler). |
Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2011 at 11:29am
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If you have a video card which supports multiple monitors, then assign the video output to the other monitor port. This will move the blackout to your other (unused) monitor port. For whatever reason Aurora is detecting a video in one of your sequences (possibly incorrectly) and this is causing Aurora to enable the video blackout functionality. Alternatively, you could try this unofficial version of Aurora: http://aurorashow.com/downloads/aurora_1_0_90.zip Although its focus is an unsupported hack for DMX, there are a couple video related bug fixes in the version which might improve your blackout functionality. As always, fully uninstall all versions from Add Remove Programs and reboot before installing the update. Reboot again after the installation and before starting Aurora. I highly do not recommend running any version of Aurora older than 1.0.69 in a production environment. Michael ------------- http://www.aurorashow.com/">
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Posted By: Jonathan
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2011 at 1:54pm
FYI: Michael is not kidding about the uninstall, reboot, reinstall, reboot sequence. I know the temptation exists to ignore that and "hope for the best" in order to save a couple of minutes of reboot time and avoid the inconvenience of reopening all your other applications that were already open before you upgrade, but don't do it. While unlikely (yet still possible), if anyone does experience an issue after the upgrade, the "Did you properly reboot?" question will be the first one asked, and if the answer is a sheepish "Well, no", then you will be directed to uninstall, reboot, reinstall, reboot, so you all might as well just get it out of the way now. Not that anyone here would ever do that. 
More generally, if you have ever experienced "phantom shows" where your display turns on for no reason at midnight, install this update to correct that as well.
Finally, in anticipation of the question, "What is seamless mode?", which is a newer feature not found in Borealis Scheduler v1.0.69, seamless mode allows you to have your computer preload all the show files at the very beginning of the show so that each sequence plays immediately after the previous one ends instead of loading them up one at a time like v1.0.69 does and thus having to wait a few seconds for the next sequence to begin. The time it will take to pre-load the sequences depends on the number and complexity of each sequence in your show. Last year, it took my system about 3 minutes to load it all up and begin playing, but I have fairly high event intensive sequences with several hundred channels, so your load time should be less. Even if your v1.0.69 Scheduler runs just fine, I think it's worth upgrading just for this feature alone.
Finally, as always, remember to back up your sequences first before performing ANY upgrade. ------------- ~Jonathan |
Posted By: Nightowlz1966
Date Posted: 08 Nov 2011 at 11:13am
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As I have found in dealing with any software on a MICROSOFT operating system I go one step more.
(make backups of sequences) Uninstall Software Delete the folder Then Reboot Make Restore Point Then Reinstall the software Then reboot again. ------------- Brian FlandersI thought I had More Extension Cords http://www.christmasonthecreek.com - Christmas On The Creek |