drivemewilder Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 I've been sequencing lights for almost 20 years and started with LOR about 8 years ago. I'm not super great at it compared to what i see others do, but i'm fairly profecient. 2 years ago i started using dumb strips around the house and a 6 CCR tree with purchased sequences. The dumb strips are a piece of cake, slightly more time than "normal" lights but not a stupid crazy amount of extra time. Last week i purchased some CCP's through the summer sale to make some arches...sounds simple and quick enough, they're just arches. Wow, unless i'm missing a shortcut somewhere i don't know how i will ever have enough time to sequence an entire house/lawn/prop if i ever wanted to replace my dumb strips with smart. It may be time to invest some off-season time into learning Superstar, you guys do recommend it for smart strips yes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1983ss454 Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I recently started using superstar, I've been using it to program my ccp arches and find it very proficient Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShellNZ Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Or you could use Xlights/Nutcracker (free), setup the controller the same as S3, then go into Nutcracker, create the model and create patterns. You then export as a clipboard choosing whatever model, then go into S3, import the clipboard and paste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Boyd Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 CCP arches are quite simple to program, since in reality, most of your effects will be some sort of a chase. That being said, if you're planning on more and more pixels in future, and want single pixel control level, then Superstar is a must, especially, when you get into the more complicated effects. I've been using Superstar since my second year and I sequence everything with it. Last year, I sequenced my non-pixel Mega tree with ease. It makes quick work of multiple chases, (morphs in Superstar language). With 4 arches made with CCPs last year, I could go through an entire song in an hour or two, and, get some pretty cool looking effects. These are my opinions only. There are others that will back me up on this, but, there are still others that will make a bid for the free softwares out there. I admit, I do use Nutcracker from time to time, but it's sparingly and it's usually for text on my matrix or for spirals on my 180° pixel tree. It's not a necessary tool, but for me, it's a must have tool. Some of the effects anyone can create with it, usually takes a few seconds to a few minutes. Without it, I would be sequencing for next years' show now instead of this years' show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box on Rails Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I have used superstar for some of my chases that I'm in a hurry to get done and feel that it does a good job. I am still learning but I find some of my best effects i have designed on my own. One of my favorite i use for Christmas is the candy cane chase. I turn the whole arch into candy cane colors (white and red, white and blue white and green etc...) then have it move through the arches or around a roof line. i have not figured out how to make this effect in Superstar. it looks way better in person but here is what it looks like. If this effect can be done in superstar I haven't figured it out yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Boyd Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Send me your email address. You can send it in a PM if you wish and I'll send you the candy cane chase I have. I have it for a pixel tree, my starburst and my arches. If you use blue, you'll need to change the colors in it but it's a simple process. Let me know if you'd like to have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drivemewilder Posted August 14, 2014 Author Share Posted August 14, 2014 sawyerbrownlive@yahoo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Boyd Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 https://www.dropbox.com/s/51fy38aojvtpzxq/Candy%20Cane%20Effect.zip I'm going to post this to the thread too. I'm sure there are others out there that may like to see it also. There are 2 different files. One is for a 12 CCR tree. The other one is for a single arch made with a single CCR (x2). There are 2 arches total. I put one effect in at a slow speed and then copied the effects and pasted after the original. I shortened the length to show how to make them different speeds. You'll have to play around with pause and nudge to get them the speed you want. All effects in these two files are the exact same thing on 2 different elements. Hope this helps Later, Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box on Rails Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 (edited) Ron those are great effects files. thanks. my question is how did you create them in Superstar? I created mine within the sequence editor with a lot of cutting and pasting. I have them now saved as clipboard files in many different colors. I am not that proficient in Superstar yet. thanks again. Edited August 15, 2014 by Box on Rails Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Boyd Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 A lot of trial and error. It's an image and I'm still not proficient at the images. A lot of times, I will copy an effect from someone's idea, or I'll ask how someone did it. I think this was one of those effects. Actually, I'm almost positive it was. If memory serves, it was someone asking about doing this on an arch and him and Brian went around a few times discussing it. Really the only thing I'm not too good with are the x and y coordinates down well. I know what they are, but making an effect move the way I want it to, is trial and error. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box on Rails Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Ron I'm in that same boat. I mostly use the Superstar program for quick effects from the "instance sequence" tool, I guess when I get some time I am going to take a closer look at the Arch file you posted and try to reverse engineer it. Thanks for all the great info. It's people like you that have helped me go from not having a clue to having just enough info to make a mess of things lolThanks again Kenny Jure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Boyd Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Thanks, I think. I hope you don't make a mess of things. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box on Rails Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 i meant that in a good way. Some of my best stuff has been the result of making a mess of things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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