Light@Night

Comfortable PC-Light Control for analog and digital Model Railways!

logo_lightatnight.jpg The PC-Light Control Light@Night is the perfect solution for the control of Layout- and Ambient Room-light effects of your analog or digital model railway. The PC-Light Control has been developed as a modular system. This allows an optimal matching to any layout size and any individual requirement at low cost. Besides the Layout- and Ambient Room-light control offers Light@Night the possibility to release spontaneous various effects at the layout via 64 push buttons. Additionally is a weather simulation including a 3D-sound possible.

The PC-Light control Light@Night contains of 5 components:

1.Layout Light-Control

The Hardware for the Layout Light-Control with up to 280 light control outputs will be connected to the PC either via the Network (LAN) or the Parallel (LPT) interface. The hardware of the layout-light-control contains beside the Light-Interfaces LI-LAN or LI-LPT, the Light-Display- (with 40 outputs of 0,5A each) and the Light-Power-Modules (with 24 outputs of 2,5A each).

2. Remote Control of Layout Lights:

The Hardware for the Remote Control of the layout lights with up to 64 release inputs will be connected to the PC via a RS232-interface or via an USB-Adapter. This hardware contain a High Speed Interface HSI-88 and up to 4 Feedback Modules RM-88-N /RM-DEC-88. It is possible to connect up to 64 push buttons or switches for the Remote Control of the Layout Lights. Up to 8 push buttons or switches for releasing light effects can be directly connected to the Light-Interface LI-LAN.

3. Ambient-Room-Light-Control:

The Hardware for the Ambient-Room-Light-Control will be connected to the PC via the RS232- or USB-interface. This hardware contains a Remote-Controlled-Dimmer and Switch of the standards X10 or DMX of the home installation systems. The Light-Interface LI-LAN provides one DMX-Interface for up to 127 channels.

4. 3D-Sound:

For the weather simulation as for rain, thunderstorm and additionally for firework.

5. PC plus PC-Software:

The Light@Night PC-Software offers the possibility to establish and link comfortable all functions for the control of the layout lights and the room ambient lights. The software generates all common light effects for the layout light control (e.g. neon lights, gas street lamps, flashing blue lights, light chains, traffic lights and many others). Each effect can be individually assigned to any of the max. 280 outputs of the layout light control hardware (as described under 1.). Additionally offers the software a 3D-sound for the support of the weather simulation such as rain, thunderstorm and firework. The PC-Software for the light control Light@Night will be supplied together with Manual (in German language) by Company Railware.

Hardware description of the Layout Light Control:

  • The Light@Night hardware for the layout light control consists of one Light-Interface LI-LAN or LI-LPT for the network (LAN)- or parallel-interface of a PC and as a minimum of one Light-Display-Module or one Light-Power-Module which will be connected to the Light-Interface.
  • Light-Display-Modules contain 40 outputs which can cover a maximum load of up to 0,5 Ampere each. Therefore are the Light-Display-Modules especially suitable for the control of single incandescent model lamps or light emitting diodes.

The Light-Interface LI-LPT (right) for the parallel-interface and at least one Light-Display-Module (left) for 40 light outputs or one Light-Power-Module (picture below) can be the basic for the layout light control of the PC-Light-Control Light@Night. The Light Interface LI-LPT can be used in connection with the PC-Software Light@Night up to the full version 3.X with all Windows 32-Bit operation systems.

The Light-Interface LI-LAN (right) for the Network (LAN)-Interface and at least one Light-Display-Module (left) for 40 light outputs or one Light-Power-Module (picture below) can be the basic for the layout light control of the PC-Light-Control Light@Night. The Light Interface LI-LAN can be used in connection with the PC-Software Light@Night on every Windows operation system (32- and 64-Bit).

  • Light-Power-Modules which contain 24 outputs with a maximum load of 2,5 Ampere each should be preferred whenever many incandescent model lamps shall be switched together at the same time (e.g. complete street- or train station illumination).

The Light-Power-Module (left) contains 24 outputs for up to 2,5 Ampere each for the model railway illumination.

  • Up to 7 Light-Modules (Light-Display or Light-Power) can be connected to the Light-Interface and combined as required. Therefore are between 168 and 280 light outputs for the layout light control available.
  • Via the Light@Night PC-software is it possible to assign the light effects by a mouse click to any output. All common effects will be supported: neon lights, gas street lamps, flashing lights, light chains, flashing blue lights, traffic lights, rail crossing lights, building sites, dimming lights, headlights, fire, TV- sets, railway control posts and many others.

light-at-night_04.jpg

If you visit us on a model fair we can demonstrate many light effects for the layout lights controlled by the PC-Light Control Light@Night.

  • If you do not want to connect the Light Modules of the PC-Light Control Light@Night directly to each other but intend to assemble those at a larger distance, you can use the cable Kabel L@N 0,5m with a total length of 0,5 meters, the cable Kabel L@N 1m with a total length of 1 meters or the cable Kabel L@N 2m with a total length of 2 meters. For the Light-Display from Version 1.7 and for the Light-Power from Version 1.2 is it possible to use the Patch-Cable as extension cable. This Patch–Cable is available within our program under the order code Kabel-Patch with length of 0,5m, 1m, 2m and 3m.
  • The Light@Night PC-Software can also be used together with any model railway control software on your PC. Which model railway software (e.g. Railware, TrainController, WinDigipet or WinDigital) will be used is not important because the PC-Light Control Light@Night executes the light control in the background independently from the railway software.
  • The Light-Interface will be supplied together with the connection cable (1,8m length) for the parallel-interface and with a demonstration version 1.2 of the Light@Night PC-Softwarefor the immediate start of the system.

  • The Light-Interface LI-LAN will be supplied together with a connection cable (length 2m) to be used for he connection to the Network-Port and as well the Demo Version 3.0 of the Light@Night PC-Software for the immediate installation.
  • The demonstration version of the PC Software Light@Night supplied together with the Light-Interfaces LI-LPT and LI-LAN is limited against the full version with the following reduction: for light effects at the single outputs is only „Glühbirne“ (incandescent lamp) and „Blinklicht“ (flash light) available. The remote control of the layout light, the ambient room light control and the weather simulation including the 3D-sound is not possible. For implementing those and further light functions (e.g. neon lamps, gas lamps, emergency flashing lights, running lights, traffic lights and many others) is the full software version required which you can receive including the manual by company Railware (in German language).
  • The finished module in a case comes with 24 month warranty.
  • Each Light-Interface, Light-Display and Light-Power will be supplied with a detailed operating-/respectively assembly-instruction. Those instructions can be found within the next section.
  • You can purchase the hardware components for the PC-Light Control Light@Night as a kit (-B) or as tested finished module (-F).

Downloads

Instructions regarding this article can be found here: Downloads Interfaces for Light@Night and Downloads Light-Module.
Instructions for all LDT-Components can be found here: Overview Downloads.

Sample-Connections

Sample-connections regarding this article can be found here: Sample-Connections Light@Night.
Sample-connections for all LDT-Components can be found here: Overview Sample-Connections.

Add to Wish List / Prices

Attention: Products can only be added to the Wish List, if you are registered as customer at the LDT WebShop or if you are initially registered by interest of our products.


Add to Wish List: LI-LPT-B (Part-No.: 050601): Light-Interface for the Parallel-Port (LPT) as a kit including PC-connection cable and Light-at-Night PC-Software (demonstration version 1.2 for immediate start-up) (34,90 €*).
Add to Wish List: LI-LPT-F (Part-No.: 050602): Light-Interface for the Parallel-Port (LPT) as a finished module including PC-connection cable and Light-at-Night PC-Software (demonstration version 1.2 for immediate start-up) (49,90 €*).

Add to Wish List: LI-LAN-F (Part-No.: 050702): Light-Interface for the Network-Port (LAN)
as a finished module including PC-connection cable and Light-at-Night PC-Software (demonstration version 3.0 for immediate start-up) (94,90 €*).

Add to Wish List: Light-Display-B (Part-No.: 050031): Light-Display-Module for the Light-Interfaces
LI-LPT and LI-LAN
as a kit (59,90 €*).
Add to Wish List: Light-Display-F (Part-No.: 050032): Light-Display-Module for the Light-Interfaces
LI-LPT and LI-LAN
as a finished module (79,90 €*).

Add to Wish List: Light-Power-F (Part-No.: 050062): Light-Power-Module for the Light-Interfaces
LI-LPT and LI-LAN
as a finished module (84,90 €*).

* All prices incl. VAT, plus Shipping.

Hardware description of the Remote Control of the Layout Lights:

Within the full version of the Light@Night PC Software is it possible to switch single light points and vector groups via layout- contacts, push buttons or switches on or off. The release contacts will be connected to one of the 16 inputs of a Feedback Module RM-88-N / RM-DEC-88. A maximum of 4 Feedback Modules RM-DEC-88 with up to 64 release contacts can be connected via the High Speed Interface HSI-88 to the PC. Connection either directly via a serial COM-Interface or via an “USB to serial” Adapter.

Hardware for Ambient-Room Light Control:

The Hardware for the Ambient Room Light Control consists of Remote-Dimmer and switches of the Standards X10 and DMX of the home installation systems. Which hardware can be especially implemented and where to be purchased will be described within the Supplement Manual, which you can receive together with the full version from the conpany Railware (in German language).

3D-Stereoscopic Sound:

If your PC is equipped with loudspeakers or better with a sound-board and external loudspeakers you will become enthusiastic about the sound for the weather simulation and the firework.

PC-System requirements:

The Light@Night PC-Software works up to version 3.X on almost any PC with a Windows operating system.

Operating system Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, 2000, XP, Vista, Win 7, Win 8 / 8.1, Win 10
CPU Intel or AMD from 300MHz clock frequency
Working memory 64 MByte RAM
Interface to the Light@Night hardware Printer (LPT [*] )-or network connection (LAN)

If you use Light@Night PC-Software together with a model railway control software (e.g. Railware, WinDigipet, TrainController or iTrain) you have to attend to some strict specific requirements because the control software as well as Light@Night PC-Software requires some system resources. In this case please find out the system requirements of your model railway control software and attend to the specific instruction.

In a doubtful case it could be considerable to use a second probably older PC exclusive for Light@Night.

In case of a common operation of Light@Night PC-Software and a control-software for the model railway the following PC-system requirements are necessary:

Operating system Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Win 7, Win 8 / 8.1, Win 10
CPU Intel or AMD from 800MHz clock frequency
Working memory 256 MByte RAM
Interface to the Light@Night hardware Printer(LPT[*])-or network connection (LAN)

The Light@Night PC-Software from version 4 works on almost any PC with a Windows operating system.

Operating system Windows Vista, Win 7, Win 8 / 8.1, Win 10
CPU Intel or AMD with 2 CPU cores and better
Working memory 1 GByte RAM
Interface to the Light@Night hardware Network connection (LAN)

[*] The connection via an USB-adapter is technically not possible. On some few Laptops is it possible that the parallel interface does not comply to the actual valid standards. Instead of the interface LI-LPT is it now possible to use the interface LI-LAN.

Subject to technical changes and errors.
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