Features

SyncLights includes many powerful features. These features are appropriate for a wide variety of applications. For clarity, many of them are presented in the context of controlling holiday lighting displays. Other applications are also possible though.

Supported Operations

The software currently supports the following operations:

  • Plan and virtually depict a holiday lighting setup.
  • Create timed sequences to control individual lights synchronously with music.
  • Simulate specified sequences within the software to validate the actual visual effects against specified music.
  • Play sequences to control actual hardware.
  • Define and schedule play lists to loop through sequences and their associated songs automatically during certain hours of the day.
  • Remotely control individual channels and/or start sequences.

Software Capabilities

The software is organized as follows with the following capabilities:

  • Control Channels
    • Up to 32,768 separate control channels can be defined. Practical limitations may dictate far fewer actual channels due to the complexity required in managing such a large number of channels for simulation purposes.
    • Individual hardware interfaces methods may further restrict the number of hardware channels that can be controlled at a given time. Additional channels can be defined, but may not necessarily be accessible in hardware due to potential hardware limitations.
    • Control channels can be visually depicted as text or other common holiday elements such as trees, snowmen, candy canes, arches, nets, basic shapes, etc.
  • Sequences
    • Sequences can define individual channel states at either 5 or 10 different equally spaced states per second. Support for other switching rates may be added at a later date.
    • A waveform editor and TimeStamper tool allow the user to specify sequences precisely and easily.
    • Each sequence is stored in a separate file and can be associated with an MP3 or other multimedia file that can be played during execution of the sequence.
  • Playlists
    • Multiple sequences can be loaded and automatically stepped through
    • A scheduler can be used to turn on and off the system automatically at fixed times.
      • Remote Control
      • Companion software for handheld devices can communicate with the primary SyncLights server software if configured with a wireless network to kick off sequences or individually test channels.

Additional features and enhancements are also possible. This software has already grown to meet the needs of its user community. Additional requests can be merely suggested or formally requested (fees may apply) by contacting the developer.