Skip to content
P0k3sm0t edited this page May 17, 2026 · 14 revisions

Ray5 Pilot Wiki

Welcome to the Ray5 Pilot Wiki.

This wiki contains setup guides, feature notes, troubleshooting help, and workflow instructions for using Ray5 Pilot with a Longer Ray5 laser engraver.

Ray5 Pilot is a local web controller for the Longer Ray5 using the ESP3D-style HTTP/WebSocket interface. It includes dashboard controls, camera overlay tools, timelapse support, SD file management, machine settings, update tools, and workflow helpers for compatible laser software.


Available Guides

Setup and Usage Guide

Start here if you are setting up Ray5 Pilot for the first time.

This guide covers:

  • Installing requirements
  • Starting Ray5 Pilot
  • First-time Settings configuration
  • Ray5 network setup
  • Camera setup
  • Dashboard overview
  • Manual Controls
  • Imported Jobs
  • SD Card Files
  • Timelapse
  • Camera Overlay
  • Machine Settings
  • Live Console
  • Basic troubleshooting

Open the Setup and Usage Guide


Settings Page Guide

Use this guide to understand every card and setting on the Settings / Setup page.

This guide covers:

  • Ray5 Network
  • Web UI
  • Camera
  • Camera Processing / Deskew
  • Camera Overlay Alignment
  • Imported Jobs
  • Framing
  • Manual Controls
  • SD Files
  • Timelapse
  • Upload
  • Job Control
  • Status / Live Status
  • Live Console
  • Safety
  • GitHub / Support

Open the Settings Page Guide


Status Card Guide

Use this guide to understand the Dashboard Status card and System Check section.

This guide covers:

  • Ray5 state
  • PAGEID
  • X/Y position
  • WCO
  • Feed and laser values
  • Alarm and job state
  • Connection status
  • Status source and coordinate source
  • Ray5 Pilot version display
  • Startup update status display
  • System Check items
  • Status troubleshooting

Open the Status Card Guide


Manual Controls Guide

Use this guide to understand the Dashboard Manual Controls card.

This guide covers:

  • Jog step and feedrate
  • X/Y jog movement
  • Diagonal moves
  • Center button
  • Home button
  • Go To Preset
  • Unlock / Clear Alarm
  • Air On / Air Off
  • Pause / Resume / Stop Job
  • Test Fire safety
  • Manual movement troubleshooting

Open the Manual Controls Guide


Imported Jobs and Watched Folder Guide

Use this guide to understand the Imported Jobs workflow and watched-folder auto-import.

This guide covers:

  • What Imported Jobs are
  • Manual import workflow
  • Watched folder auto-import workflow
  • Saving directly from laser software to the watched folder
  • Frame, Upload, and Upload + Run
  • Filename length notes for the Ray5 screen
  • Rejected file behavior
  • Best practices for job staging and cleanup

Open the Imported Jobs and Watched Folder Guide


SD Card Files Guide

Use this guide to manage files stored on the Ray5 SD card from the Dashboard.

This guide covers:

  • Refreshing the SD file list
  • Uploading files to SD
  • Starting files from SD
  • Deleting SD files
  • SD Files settings
  • Filename length notes
  • Timelapse behavior with SD Start
  • Troubleshooting SD file list, upload, start, and delete problems

Open the SD Card Files Guide


Upload and Filename Compatibility Guide

Use this guide to understand upload behavior and Ray5 filename compatibility.

This guide covers:

  • Imported Jobs upload
  • Upload + Run
  • Direct SD upload
  • Supported file extensions
  • Preserving original file content
  • Sanitizing uploaded filenames
  • Ray5 screen filename length limits
  • Auto-shortening long filenames
  • Optional upload rewrite settings
  • G-code safety scanner behavior

Open the Upload and Filename Compatibility Guide


Camera Overlay Configuration and Setup Guide

Use this guide to set up and adjust the Ray5 Pilot camera overlay system.

This guide covers:

  • Setting up a camera feed
  • Taking overlay snapshots
  • Understanding raw vs processed overlay images
  • Calibrating the overlay
  • Adjusting X and Y source offsets
  • Using scale to fine-tune the overlay view
  • Testing alignment with a grid
  • Using the processed overlay image as a reference in laser software

Open the Camera Overlay Configuration and Setup Guide


Timelapse Card Guide

Use this guide to understand the Dashboard Timelapse card and timelapse capture behavior.

This guide covers:

  • Manual timelapse start/stop
  • Job-based timelapse behavior
  • Timelapse file list usage
  • Playing saved timelapses
  • Deleting timelapse files
  • Timelapse output/session folders
  • MP4 creation with ffmpeg
  • Troubleshooting timelapse capture and playback

Open the Timelapse Card Guide


Machine Settings Usage Guide

Use this guide before reading, backing up, or changing Ray5/GRBL controller settings.

This guide covers:

  • Opening the Machine Settings page
  • Reading settings with $$
  • Downloading a backup
  • Understanding the settings table
  • Editing one setting at a time
  • Saving changed settings
  • Restoring a previous value
  • Common GRBL settings
  • Machine Settings safety warnings

Open the Machine Settings Usage Guide


Live Console Guide

Use this guide to understand what can and cannot be sent from the Dashboard Live Console.

This guide covers:

  • Safe diagnostic commands
  • Motion commands
  • Laser-off commands
  • Alarm and reset commands
  • Laser-on command warnings
  • Commands to avoid
  • Safer UI alternatives
  • Troubleshooting console responses
  • Good console habits

Open the Live Console Guide


Safety and Test Fire Guide

Use this guide before using Test Fire or changing safety-related settings.

This guide covers:

  • General laser safety notes
  • Enable Test Fire
  • Test Fire S-value
  • Test Fire duration
  • What Test Fire sends
  • Stop Job safety
  • Unlock / Clear Alarm safety
  • G-code safety scanner
  • Live Console safety
  • Machine Settings safety
  • Emergency behavior

Open the Safety and Test Fire Guide


Update Guide

Use this guide to update Ray5 Pilot using either the built-in update workflow or manual source ZIP workflow.

This guide covers:

  • Check for Updates
  • Download Latest Source
  • Update Ray5 Pilot
  • Built-in updater flow
  • Preserved files and folders
  • Allowlisted update files
  • Update backups and logs
  • Manual update workflow
  • Testing update detection
  • Troubleshooting update failures

Open the Update Guide


Using Ray5 Pilot With Different Laser Software Workflows

Use this guide to understand how Ray5 Pilot fits with different laser design and G-code workflows.

This guide covers:

  • General laser software workflow
  • Exporting compatible G-code
  • Work area and origin considerations
  • Using LightBurn or similar laser software
  • Using LaserGRBL-style workflows
  • SVG/DXF design software plus G-code export
  • Using Ray5 Pilot camera overlay images in other laser software
  • Framing jobs before running
  • Timelapse workflow with laser software jobs

Open the Laser Software Workflows Guide


Troubleshooting Guide

Use this guide when something does not connect, load, move, upload, update, or behave as expected.

This guide covers:

  • Ray5 connection issues
  • WebSocket / PAGEID problems
  • SD Card Files problems
  • Imported Jobs problems
  • File rejection
  • Camera feed issues
  • Camera overlay alignment
  • Timelapse troubleshooting
  • Machine Settings troubleshooting
  • Manual Controls troubleshooting
  • Update troubleshooting
  • Config and browser cache problems
  • Safe recovery steps

Open the Troubleshooting Guide


FAQ

Use this page for quick answers to common Ray5 Pilot questions.

This page covers:

  • General Ray5 Pilot questions
  • Setup questions
  • Dashboard questions
  • Imported Jobs questions
  • SD Card Files questions
  • Upload and filename questions
  • Camera and overlay questions
  • Timelapse questions
  • Manual Controls questions
  • Machine Settings questions
  • Live Console questions
  • Update questions
  • Safety questions

Open the FAQ


Recommended Reading Order

If you are new to Ray5 Pilot, start here:

  1. Setup and Usage Guide
  2. Settings Page Guide
  3. Status Card Guide
  4. Manual Controls Guide
  5. Imported Jobs and Watched Folder Guide
  6. SD Card Files Guide
  7. Upload and Filename Compatibility Guide
  8. Camera Overlay Configuration and Setup Guide
  9. Timelapse Card Guide
  10. Machine Settings Usage Guide
  11. Live Console Guide
  12. Safety and Test Fire Guide
  13. Update Guide
  14. Using Ray5 Pilot With Different Laser Software Workflows
  15. Troubleshooting Guide
  16. FAQ

Project Links


Safety Notice

Ray5 Pilot controls a laser engraver. Always supervise laser operation, use proper eye protection, keep fire safety equipment nearby, and verify all settings and files before running a job.

Changing machine settings can affect motion limits, homing, acceleration, travel, and laser behavior. Back up your settings first and change only values you understand.

Do not expose Ray5 Pilot to the internet. The default local address is intended for local use.

Clone this wiki locally