Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What is an interactive lighting controller?

Lighting controllers allow lighting designers to design and program light fixtures for a multitude of environments. Aurora is an interactive lighting controller, meaning that Aurora’s lighting patterns can react and respond for a variety of inputs such as music and sound from a microphone, motion sensors, voice recognition, touch sensors and buttons, or pretty much anything that can send data.

Aurora is especially designed to convert sound-to-light. It uses advanced audio analysis to produce a light show that responds to audio inputs in real time. This makes it a unique tool for experienced lighting designers and AV personnel, but also makes lighting design accessible to users with no design or programming expertise.

How is music or sound translated into lighting effects?

We use a variety of proprietary techniques. Each Aurora pattern has a unique way of combining various features derived from the audio signal and mapping them to complex lighting design. Our team continues to innovate working in this realm, always pushing the state of the art.

Visit our blog to read more about interactive lighting technology.

What is Aurora used for?

Aurora has a vast number of applications. It’s used as a design tool for pro lighting designers and AV teams, but it’s also accessible as an out-of-the-box technology for non-technical users.

Aurora is ideal for any public or private space seeking cost-effective interactive lighting solutions. Aurora can be used indoors, outdoors, temporarily, or permanently. Applications include, but are not limited to:

Synchronized sound-to-light shows
Interactive holiday lighting
Conferences and events
Public art and revitalizing civic space
Marketing and retail displays
DJ and AV lighting
Live performances and festivals
Architectural and landscape lighting
Science centres, museums, and galleries
Visualizing data streams

Check out our portfolio to see Aurora’s applications in a variety of industries.

What separates Aurora from other lighting controllers on the market?

Unlike competing controllers, Aurora:

Designed for interactivity from the ground up
Uses sophisticated audio analysis in real-time to create light shows autonomously
Does not require custom programming
Offers a short learning curve for new users to set up and customize
Has an app that allows users to customize light shows with no programming knowledge
Stands alone, with no PC or special hardware/software required

How much does Aurora cost?

Aurora systems vary in cost depending on specific installation requirements. Most clients require consultations to determine project scale, design, and goals before receiving an accurate quote.

Contact our sales team to receive a quote for your idea.

Installation

I’m not a designer. Can you help design an Aurora installation?

Yes. Limbic Media’s team of artists, engineers, lighting & soundscape designers can help your vision come to life.

Limbic Media offers rates for on-site design consulting if required. Check out some of our past projects by segment and contact us to get started.

What external equipment does Aurora require?

Unlike Aurora Pro, Aurora SE & Aurora Industrial require NDB(s) and NDB Power supply(s) to supply power and distribute control signals to the lights.

Users require an iPhone or Android device to run the Aurora Mobile App in order to access most of Aurora’s features.

Other components and accessories, such as light fixtures, leader and extender cables, and power top-ups, are supplied by Limbic Media. Requirements vary depending on installation design and scale. Contact us for details.

What if I want a colour palette or pattern that’s not in the Aurora App library?

If you have a palette or pattern in mind for a specific event or effect, we can create customized palettes and patterns.

Contact us for consultation and pricing.

Can lights be made to custom lengths and spacings?

Yes, standard lengths are 5, 10, and 25 light stands that are available in 4″, 6″, or 12″ spacing. Contact our sales team for more information about custom lengths and spacing.

Does Aurora have a warranty?

2 years warranty for the Aurora controller and related hardware
2 years warranty for lights installed permanently
1 year warranty for lights installed temporarily”

Do you need Wi-Fi to use Aurora

No. Aurora creates its own Wi-Fi network. Custom implemetations of Aurora can use an external router if necessary (AP Mode). Contact us for more details

Can i install Aurora outside?

Yes, Aurora system operate from -20° to 50°C (-4° to 122°F) and can be contained in an IP 65, 66, or 67 rated outdoor enclosure. Enclosures allow Aurora systems to be installed permanently outside. Most Aurora light fixtures are outdoor rated at IP65.

Consult the Product Guide for outdoor accessories or contact Limbic Media for details.

Specifications

How many pixels can Aurora control?

With the use of NDB’s, Aurora Pro and Aurora SE can support up to 30,000 pixels, and Aurora Industrial can support up to 15,000 pixels. However, an infinite number of pixels can be controlled using mesh-networking with Aurora’s in master/slave mode.*

Aurora Pro natively supports up to 600 LED pixels without Power Top-Ups (75 LED pixels per port).

Aurora Pro natively supports up to 4000 LED pixels with Power Top-Ups

* master/slave mode available late 2022.

What lighting protocols does Aurora support?

DMX OUT 512
UCS 8903, SK6812, WS2813, WS2812, WS2811, WS2811 V2, GS8206, GS8208, UCS2903,TM1804, SM16703, APA104
Art-Net*

*Contact Limbic Media for details.

What are Power Top-Ups?

Power Top-Ups extend LED pixel strands beyond the native power limit per port for Aurora Pro and NDBs. They are also required after leader cables longer than 20’. A Power Top-Up includes a power block and Power-T.

Each Power Top-Up adds up to 100 LED pixels (or 80 LED pixels of Triklit-style fixtures) to Aurora Pro’s native port limit (75 LED pixels per port). Each built-in Aurora Pro port supports up to 450 LED pixels maximum using Power Top-Ups.

Each Power Top-Up adds up to 100 LED pixels (or 80 LED pixels of Triklit-style fixtures) to an NDB’s port limit (80-100 LED pixels per port). Each NDB port supports 230 (16-port mode) or 460 (8-port mode) LED pixels maximum using Power Top-Ups.

Contact Limbic Media to determine your installation’s power requirements.

What are NDBs?

Network Distribution Boxes (NDBs) increases the pixel limit of an Aurora Pro system up to 25,000 LED pixels. A single NDB supports 1000 pixels maximum with 80-100 pixels per port (depending on fixture type). This pixel limit per port can be increased with Power Top-Ups, as described above.

NDBs must be configured through their own webpage interface. Refer to Guides & Manuals for the NDB manual and video.

Contact Limbic Media to determine your installation’s requirements.

How much power does my installation require?

An installation’s power draw is based on the number of pixels. About 0.5W per LED pixel is a good estimate for all light styles except globes.