diff --git a/dmx-web.js b/dmx-web.js
index f7698e0..ad029e9 100755
--- a/dmx-web.js
+++ b/dmx-web.js
@@ -70,12 +70,8 @@ function DMXWeb() {
 			res.status(404).json({"error": "universe not found"})
 			return
 		}
-		var universe = dmx.universes[req.params.universe]
-		var u = {}
-		for(var i = 0; i < 256; i++) {
-			u[i] = universe.get(i)
-		}
-		res.json({"state": u})
+
+		res.json({"state": dmx.universeAsObject(req.params.universe)})
 	})
 	
 	app.post('/state/:universe', function(req, res) {
@@ -85,13 +81,7 @@ function DMXWeb() {
 		}
 
 		dmx.update(req.params.universe, req.body)
-
-		var universe = dmx.universes[req.params.universe]
-		var u = {}
-		for(var i = 0; i < 256; i++) {
-			u[i] = universe.get(i)
-		}
-		res.json({"state": u})
+		res.json({"state": dmx.universeAsObject(req.params.universe)})
 	})
 
 	app.post('/animation/:universe', function(req, res) {
@@ -99,10 +89,7 @@ function DMXWeb() {
 			var universe = dmx.universes[req.params.universe]
 
 			// preserve old states
-			var old = {}
-			for(var i = 0; i < 256; i++) {
-				old[i] = universe.get(i)
-			}
+			var old = dmx.universeAsObject(req.params.universe)
 
 			var animation = new A()
 			for(var step in req.body) {
@@ -126,11 +113,7 @@ function DMXWeb() {
 
 		socket.on('request_refresh', function() {
 			for(var universe in config.universes) {
-				var u = {}
-				for(var i = 0; i < 256; i++) {
-					u[i] = dmx.universes[universe].get(i)
-				}
-				socket.emit('update', universe, u)
+				socket.emit('update', universe, dmx.universeAsObject(req.params.universe))
 			}
 		})
 
diff --git a/dmx.js b/dmx.js
index d3258cf..e843f1f 100644
--- a/dmx.js
+++ b/dmx.js
@@ -34,8 +34,17 @@ DMX.prototype.update = function(universe, channels) {
 }
 
 DMX.prototype.updateAll = function(universe, value) {
-  this.universes[universe].updateAll(value)
-  this.emit('updateAll', universe, value)
+	this.universes[universe].updateAll(value)
+	this.emit('updateAll', universe, value)
+}
+
+DMX.prototype.universeToObject(universe) {
+	var universe = this.universes[req.params.universe]
+	var u = {}
+	for(var i = 0; i < universe.length; i++) {
+		u[i] = universe.get(i)
+	}
+	return u
 }
 
 module.exports = DMX