Total Noob Question

[BillHam]

Hi,

First off want to say alot of information here. I am thinking about hopping in on this awesome hobby that you guys enjoy. I an wondering if it is possible to do a good starter display with just 16 channels? I have a habit of just jumping into something and going over board so i really want to ease into this hobby, as i can see where it could get very expensive very quickly. Just looking for some input and is it even worth doing 16 channels would be the first guy in the neighborhood doing this not that i'm competitive but I would love to crush my neighbors light just saying.

 

TYIA for any insight and I'll keep reading for more information.

 

Oh are any of you guys in Rhode Island would love to check out your displays.

Thanx

-Bill

[seriouslylosingit]

Definitely can make a cool show with a 16 channel display. I am sure I am not alone in saying we all started somewhere, and most likely with a 16 channel system.

Starting slow also allows you to get a handle on the software.

I cannot remember who suggested this to me on these forums, but you can always split your channels at the controller. Then you could light 2 fixtures with one channel. They would be doing the same thing, so best to do with similar fixtures..

Hope this helps.. I am new too. So much to learn. Good luck

[Mega Arch]

Absolutely can start with 16.

Welcome aboard.

Might look at a starter kit like the below, so you're not paying separate freight charges as you realize you missed something. Sign up now for emails from Lightorama and Wowlights. Then you will be notified when their sales are going on.

Good luck.

http://www.wowlights.com/ProductDetail.asp?Category=20&Product=117

[dgrant]

I have a new person just a couple of blocks from me who started a 16 channel display this year. It doesn't look bad at all! I think he needs more based upon the music selections. I'm sitting at 144 AC channels, plus DC and pixels. The majority of my display though is on 32 channels. The rest is megatrees, arches, pixels.

[crewdog89]

This is my second year with 16 channels.  You can actually put quite a bit together with just one controller, and still make it look good.  Just remember to plan ahead--I was too busy with classes the last part of this year, which limited my setup and sequencing time.

[Gork68]

Hey Bill! Welcome to the madness! you are going to love it tho This is my first year and I have the great fortune to have a spouse that not only doesn't complain about this hobby but pushes me to do more... Starting out slow is probably a good idea that I didn't do. I thought that I would just get a few controllers and automate my existing display... well I have been decorating a static display for a dozen years and add to it every year. so I figured 4 controllers - 64 channels would be a good jumping off point with all I have. I got all that done and thought hmmm I sure do like RGB's... so then I built 4 RGB arches and incorporated that into my shows. then we started putting lights up in October and the wife was having trouble with the net lets on the bushes. she didn't want to fool around with them any more and wanted to replace them. I said hey why replace them with more stupid net lights... lets do RGB!!! so then I covered the bushes with 1100 pixels  then I got all that done and incorporated into the show and the wife says, "you know I really love my ferris wheel and wish you would get that working again..." so I cut off all the lights from it and get more RGB's  I figured since I was going to get another controller for the RGB's on the ferris wheel I would have a few more outputs that I could do something with... so I built pixel trees. I barely got that finished and incorporated into the show before thanksgiving. Then once the show started I had time on my hands and a few extra RGB pixels so I thought, hmmm it would be nice to replace my boring static star over the stable in the nativity scene. so I built a 5 foot RGB pixel star. so yeah word of caution... this hobby is addictive and time consuming so be careful!

 

Oh also, you will use lots Lots LOTS of extension cords... one of the best pieces of advice I got from these forums is to buy SPT wire and vampire plugs and make my own. I have 4000 feet of cord

[Al Saunders]

Welcome to the addiction!

 

My first 2 years was with just one 16 channel controller. I was in total darkness except for the lights of the show. You could always have some static lights on a regular timer to come on just before your show starts and stay on during if you wanted to. Also as suggested by seriouslylosingit you can split up a channel especially if it's LED lights or just a few incans. Instead of having each bush be a different channel make all the bushes be a channel until you get more controllers to divide up the bushes, trees, windows, etc. Starting out if you stick with LOR's recommendation of the 4X4 principle the show will look pretty good. Also if you buy any of the sequences done by LOR it will flow very well. My 2012 show had two mini trees that had a 3-way splitter in between the two trees for each color of red, green and blue. Last year after getting another ocntroller I was able to add the color white and have each tree have 4 channels going to it.

 

Have fun!!

Al

 

www.saunderschristmaslights.com

[Premier]

You absolutely can do a great 16 channel show. would first sit down with a picture of the area you want to control lights ( your house ) and start drawing, maybe 1 channel for icicle/eaves, another channel for windows/doors, channels for bushes, shrubs, trees, blow molds, wire frames,  etc...the sky is the limit. But PRE-PLANNING is essential. Once you have it down then you can draw it up in Visualizer and start some basic programming, run it and see if it has the effects you are looking for. If not, then you can change it easily and early on so when it comes time to set up for next year you have everything together and your friends, family and neighbors will love it.

 

Word of caution though, this hobby/obsession can be a very deep rabbit hole, once you start on this path there may be no going back. 

[veedubbman]

So far everybody is right on the money.  I'm in my 4th year and still only have 16 channels.  LOL.  Not by choice mind you, but like you said....things can get crazy in your wallet.  I have had a great Halloween show every year and this year I added a pretty simple Christmas show.  People still enjoy it all the same, you know.  Family and friends alike.  This is a great forum and i have always found my answers or solutions on here.  Always.

[AJDEJR]

Welcome to insanity!  I just finished my first year and jumped in the deep end to start with 80 channels and 25,000 lights!
I am already planning things out for the 2015 season and will probably adding another 10-15,000 lights and another 129+/- channels!