LowVoltStudio Help Center
v1.0.0 · October 2026
Getting Started — Welcome! LowVoltStudio is a fully offline Windows desktop tool for low-voltage system integrators and contractors. Design surveillance, access control, alarm, network, and audio/video systems with ease.
Getting Started
Installation
Download the zip file, extract to any folder on your computer, and run the .exe file. No installation required, no admin rights needed.
First Launch
On first launch, the splash screen appears with a progress bar. The app initializes the database, loads language files, and applies your theme. All data is stored locally on your computer.
Free Trial Limitations
- Max 3 projects
- Max 10 cameras per project
- Max 10 quotation items
- Exports include watermark
Project Management
What it does: Create and organize all your low-voltage design projects. Every other module works within the context of a selected project.
How to use:
- Click "New Project" to create a new project
- Enter project name, customer, engineer, and description
- Click "Set as Current" to switch to a project
- All data in other modules is automatically linked to the current project
Tip: Always select a project before working in other modules. Otherwise, data will not be saved.
Cabling Design
What it does: Design end-to-end structured-cabling links — map every information outlet through the patch panel and patch cord to the switch port, so you always know where each outlet terminates.
Link elements: each link records the outlet ID, outlet location, link type (Data / Voice), patch panel and patch port, switch and switch port, room/floor, and remark.
How to use:
- Add a link: enter the outlet ID and its full termination path, then save
- Select a link in the table to update or delete it
- Summary shows total links, number of patch panels, and number of switches
- Export the link table to CSV (opens directly in Excel)
Tip: The free edition allows up to 200 links per project. The Data/Voice link type keeps data and telephone outlets on separate records.
Camera Sizing
What it does: Design surveillance camera systems — calculate lens focal length, storage capacity, and PoE power requirements.
How it works:
- Enter camera resolution, frame rate, recording days, and compression format
- The app calculates total storage capacity (HDD/NVR size)
- Enter monitoring distance and sensor size to calculate required lens focal length
- Enter number of cameras to calculate total PoE power budget
Formulas used:
Lens focal length = Sensor width × Distance / Object width
Field of view (FOV): given the lens focal length, sensor width/height, and monitoring distance, the app calculates the width and height actually covered on site.
Coverage height = Sensor height × Distance / Focal length
Access Control
What it does: Design access control systems — record controllers, card readers, electric locks, and exit buttons.
Features:
- Record all access control devices: name, model, location
- Data is automatically saved to the project database
- Import directly into quotation with one click
Alarm System
What it does: Design intrusion alarm systems — record control panels, motion detectors, door contacts, and sirens.
Features:
- Record all alarm devices: name, model, location, zone
- Data is automatically saved to the project database
- Import directly into quotation with one click
Network Devices
What it does: Design network infrastructure — record switches, routers, firewalls, access points, and servers.
Device types: Switch, Router, Firewall, Access Point, Server, UPS
Features:
- Record all network devices: name, model, location
- Data is automatically saved to the project database
- Import directly into quotation with one click
Bandwidth & WiFi estimate:
- Estimate network bandwidth from concurrent users: concurrent users = total users × concurrency ratio; downlink = concurrent users × per-user bandwidth; uplink = downlink × uplink ratio
- Estimate the number of WiFi access points: coverage area per AP = π × radius² × 2/3, then APs needed = ceiling(area ÷ coverage per AP)
Uplink = Downlink × 0.1
APs = ceil(Area m² ÷ (π × Radius² × 2/3))
UPS & Power Distribution
What it does: Right-size the equipment-room UPS and room power supply — size the UPS for your load and backup time, then size the room power circuits.
UPS sizing:
- Required capacity S = Load P ÷ (power factor cosφ × utilization), rounded up to the next standard kVA rating (1/2/3/5/6/10/15/20/30 kVA and up)
- Estimated battery capacity = Load P × (backup minutes ÷ 60) ÷ 0.9
Room power supply:
- Room load = equipment kW + air-conditioning kW + lighting kW
- With reserve = room load × 1.2 (20% spare margin for switchgear and breaker sizing)
Battery (kWh) = P × (Runtime min / 60) / 0.9
Room load (kW) = Equipment + AC + Lighting · With reserve = load × 1.2
Broadcast System
What it does: Design public address / background music systems — record amplifiers, speakers, microphones, and mixing consoles.
Device types: Amplifier, Ceiling Speaker, Microphone, Mixing Console
Sound pressure level (SPL) & zone power:
- Estimate on-site SPL from a speaker’s 1 W sensitivity and its drive power
- Sum the speakers in a zone for the zone load, then choose an amplifier rated at least load ÷ efficiency
Zone load (W) = Speakers × Watts each · Amplifier ≥ Load ÷ 0.8
Parking System
What it does: Design parking management systems — record barrier gates, license plate recognition cameras, and parking meters.
Features:
- Record all parking system devices
- Data is automatically saved to the project database
- Import directly into quotation with one click
Conference System
What it does: Design conference room AV systems — record projectors, displays, wireless microphones, and conference control systems.
Device types: Projector, Display, Wireless Mic, Conference System
Intercom System
What it does: Design video / audio intercom systems — record indoor monitors, door stations, and master stations.
Device types: Indoor Monitor, Door Station, Master Station
Cable Schedule
What it does: Generate a complete list of all cables with lengths, types, and spare capacity.
Features:
- Enter each cable: start point, end point, type, model, distance
- Automatically adds 10% spare length for installation slack
- Summary view: total length by cable type
- Export to Excel
Common cable types: Cat5e UTP, Cat6 UTP, Cat6a UTP, Fiber Optic, RG59 Coax, 2-core Speaker Wire
Project Quotation
What it does: Create professional quotations with material costs, labor costs, markup, and tax.
Features:
- Material Library: Pre-loaded with common low-voltage materials
- Quote Items: Add items from the material library or enter manually
- Import from Device Log: Automatically import all devices from your device log into the quotation
- Pricing Parameters: Material markup %, labor cost, management fee %, tax %
- Auto-calculation: Total cost is automatically recalculated as you add items
- Export: Export to Excel
Tip: Use "Import from Device Log" to save time — enter all your equipment once (cameras, access control, alarms, etc.), then import them all into the quotation with one click.
Device Log
What it does: Track all low-voltage devices and equipment in your projects.
Features:
- Unified device database — all devices from all subsystems in one place
- Filter by device type: camera, access control, alarm, network, broadcast, parking, conference, intercom
- Record device name, model, location, notes
- Import directly into quotation with one click
Drawing Markup
What it does: Import PDF drawings, convert to images, and mark up device locations and cable routes.
How to use:
- Export your PDF drawing to PNG using any PDF viewer
- Import the PNG into Drawing Markup
- Click on the canvas to add device markers
- Right-click a marker to delete it
- Export the BOM list to Excel
Point Layout & SVG Export
What it does: Tally every point across the subsystems by location, lay them out as a point floor plan, and export it as an SVG drawing — together with CSV point statistics and an HTML engineering report.
Point statistics: counts cameras one by one, groups subsystem devices (access control, alarm, network, broadcast, parking, conference, intercom) by type, and also lists cable count and quote total.
How to use:
- Open a project: the overview shows camera count, device count by subsystem, cable count, and quote total
- Export point statistics to CSV (opens directly in Excel)
- Export an HTML engineering report (point table, camera detail, quote detail, engineering data) — print it from the browser to PDF
- Export the point layout as SVG: each location becomes a block listing its points per subsystem, color-coded by type
Tip: The SVG point plan groups points by the “location” entered on each camera/device, so keep location names consistent across subsystems.
Low Voltage Calculations
What it does: Specialized low-voltage calculation tools.
Includes:
- Storage capacity calculation (for NVR / recording servers)
- PoE power budget calculation
- Lens focal length calculator
- Network cable length verification
Backup & Restore
What it does: Backup all project data to a single file and restore when needed.
How to use:
- Click "Backup" to save all data to a .bak file
- Click "Restore" to load data from a previous backup
- Click "Open Backup Folder" to see your backup files
Tip: Backup regularly! Your data is stored locally on your computer. We recommend monthly backups.
Settings
What it does: Configure application language, theme, and other preferences.
Languages: English, Chinese, Traditional Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Dutch
Themes: Modern (light), Dark, High Contrast
How to use: Select your preferred language and theme, then click "Save Settings & Restart" to apply changes.
License & About
What it does: View your machine code, activate a license key, and see version information.
How to activate:
- Copy your machine code from this page
- Purchase a license from our website
- Receive your license key by email
- Paste the key here and click "Activate"
Disclaimer: This software is a planning aid, not a substitute for professional engineering review. All low-voltage solutions must be reviewed by a licensed low-voltage engineer. The author assumes no liability for any engineering safety issues.