Help with lighting, audio, and cues on iPhone and iPad running iOS or iPadOS 17.6 or later. Documentation for the TOPS 1.0 (22) candidate prepared in App Store Connect. Public availability is not announced here.
For technical help, contact developer@unquinto.es. Start with the quick-start walkthrough. The historical LightPad manual covers earlier versions; available features depend on the installed build.
Before changing your setup
Check the version and build, export a copy with Settings → EXPORT .lightpad, and keep your original audio files. Test in a rehearsal project with outputs disabled or levels set safely. Open Settings → Review Demo → confirm to load the demo: it replaces the current project and keeps network outputs disabled.
Why is DMX not reaching the equipment?
- Check TOPS local-network permission in system settings, your Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection, and that the device and receiver are on the intended network. Review IP address, subnet mask, destination, and router restrictions.
- Match Art-Net or sACN, universe, and delivery mode on sender and receiver. In unicast, the destination is the receiver IP address. Free sends one universe in unicast; broadcast and multicast require Full.
- Compare fixture address, DMX mode, and channel footprint with the physical equipment. Check patch overlaps and the node output configuration.
- In sACN, priority is not the universe number. Check other senders and how the receiver selects or merges sources. Coordinate with the operator before changing another system’s priority.
- Verify reception at the node and final equipment. A send reported by TOPS or a value in Live/RAW does not confirm physical reception.
Art-Net/sACN need a compatible node or receiver to produce physical DMX. A USB-C adapter does not turn a serial USB DMX interface into a network receiver. Local control does not need Internet access; purchases, restoration, and this website use separate services.
Why is audio silent or coming from another channel?
Check that Audio Play has an available file, an audible level, a valid start offset, and the intended looping and fades. Review mute, master, and destination. Audition can produce sound immediately; use it only when appropriate. In the cue stack, GO runs the prepared cue.
Channel availability, order, and latency depend on the interface and the route exposed by iOS/iPadOS. Free provides stereo. In Full, check Audio Patch, physical channels, and the speaker map at safe levels. A position on screen does not establish which physical speaker receives the signal.
Audio Move needs an Audio Play source with a spatial map. Check that source’s playback first, then its path. Recheck outputs after changing the interface or route. A .lightpad file does not contain audio: keep the originals and relink them when necessary.
Does selecting or editing a cue run it?
The cue being edited, the cue playing, and the cue prepared for the next GO are separate states. LOAD prepares a cue; GO runs it. In the main cue stack, BACK arms the previous cue and requires GO to run it. Check the next GO before pressing it.
STOP cancels cue progression and the current fade and stops audio; it is not blackout. Blackout acts on lighting intensity and is not a general stop for every device. Rehearse PAUSE/RESUME and WAIT/FOLLOW links too.
How do I connect a MIDI controller?
In Settings → MIDI, select the source, connect, and inspect the messages. Use MIDI Learn to assign Note or Control Change to transport controls, masters, or Pads. Connect does not enable ARM. Check the mapping while disarmed and arm only when it is safe.
Masters use 7-bit absolute CC with pickup. There is no LED or motor feedback, MIDI Clock, HUI, or Mackie Control. DISARM prevents new commands but does not stop playback. Backgrounding or losing the source disconnects and disarms MIDI: reconnect and arm explicitly. Mappings are local device preferences and are not exported with the project.
OSC, PJLink, and Ableton Link
Check IP address, port, and command format for each OSC destination. For projectors, check PJLink TCP and credentials; the projector workspace requires Full. Link synchronizes tempo and phase, does not transmit audio, and does not remotely start or stop the performance by itself. Test each integration with real equipment.
Free, Full, restoration, and codes
Free allows creation of 16 fixtures, 25 total cues, 8 Audio Play cues, and one Sequence, with one unicast universe and stereo audio. Full is a permanent, non-consumable purchase with no subscription. It preserves the identity of the LightPad purchase; Apple shows the price before confirmation.
Open Settings → TOPS Full → Restore Purchases using the relevant Apple Account and access to Apple services. For an offer code, use Redeem Code to open Apple’s flow. If you redeem while TOPS is closed or in the background, reopen the app to update access. If access does not appear, try restoration and keep the exact message. No TOPS account or server activates Full manually.
Requesting help
Include version/build, device model, system version, steps, expected result, and exact error. For hardware issues, add model, firmware, connection, and relevant settings. Share only a minimal project or screenshot you can provide. Do not send Apple passwords, QLab passcodes, PJLink credentials, or payment information.
Keep TOPS open and active for continuous network control. Rehearse the setup and recovery before the performance; TOPS must not be the sole control for safety-critical systems. Read the privacy policy before sharing diagnostics.
UNQUINTO · Updated · developer@unquinto.es