This topic describes how to prepare the configuration PC.

Overview

To set up the system, you will need a PC with a network interface card (NIC). The PC must be installed with Lawo's ON-AIR Designer software and a suitable web browser.

The Lawo software installs two applications:

  • ON-AIR Designer is used to edit and upload a configuration to Power Core (to define the functionality of the system).
  • SoP Explorer is used to check and update the firmware (for all hardware components).

It is strongly recommended that the software versions used are from the same release package. You can find information about the software versions and installers here.

The web browser is used to open the Web UIs for crystal and Power Core. These are used to edit the network settings (to add the devices to an existing network) and "Control Interface" settings (to configure their method of communication). The crystal Web UI is also used to setup the surface module.

Host PC Requirements

To install and run the ON-AIR Designer, your PC must meet the following requirements:
  • Windows 10 or 11 operating system*
  • Core-I5 (or higher) CPU
  • 2GB RAM, minimum

*For the operating system, we recommend Windows 10 or Windows 11, although the ON-AIR Designer software will also run on Windows 7, 8 and 8.1.

If you are planning to install a VisTool application on the same machine, then please also refer to the VisTool MK2 requirements (in the VisTool documentation).

Installing the Software

The latest version of the onair-designer.exe installer is available from the Lawo Download-Center (after login).

1.    Copy the installer onto your PC and double-click on its icon to start the software setup wizard.

2.    Follow the on-screen instructions, accepting the default options provided.

3.    When you reach the 'Summary' window, check the options and click Install - the software is installed onto your computer; this may take a few minutes.

By default, files are installed in the location: 'C:\Program Files\OnAirDesigner'.

4.    When the installation is complete, the following window appears.

5.    It is recommended to leave the default "Run" options selected and click on Finish.

This launches the ON-AIR Designer and SoP Explorer applications. In both cases, the next step is to configure a valid network connection to the Lawo system.

Getting Connected

To establish a network connection to the Lawo system, you will need to configure the network settings for your PC's LAN port.

The IP Address must be unique and set within the same range as that of the port you are connecting to (i.e. the first three fields must match).

You can check the current network settings for Power Core on its front panel display, and those for crystal or diamond from the surface displays during boot-up.

The default IP addresses are:

  • Power Core = 192.168.101.240
  • crystal/diamond = 192.168.101.241

The Subnet Mask should be identical to that of the port you are connecting to.

The default subnet mask = 255.255.255.0

A Default Gateway setting is required if data packets are to be redirected. For example, if the computer is connected via a network switch with Layer 3 routing capability.

If redirection is not required, then the Default Gateway can be left blank.

To test the connection, open a web browser application and enter the system’s IP address into the URL field. e.g. 192.168.101.240 - if the connection is successful, the Web UI "Login" screen appears.