How Do People Do Effects Like These (W Videos)

[Rapajez]

How do people do effects like the swirl around the the mega tree, starting around 0.10?

How about the color changing mini-trees, off to the right in Kevin's setup? Are those custom RGB lights, or something more simple?

How about the tubes of white light that slide up and down, near the trees? I'd love to use a couple of these to create a giant equalizer.

As for the animated faces, I heard they use 7-channels each. Could you pull off something less sophisticated, say with with 3-channels per mouth--one closed, one 0 shape and 1 wider shape? Does anyone sell these ready made?

[WilliamS]

The sprial tree is mostly known as a Weber tree here, a quick search will bring you many how to's and videos of them. http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?app=core&module=search&do=search&fromMainBar=1 <--- Click there for the search results.

Kevin's color changing spiral trees were made of RBG strips off of a DC voltage controller. Kevin has a store and sells everything you need to get those going. As well the faces, you can buy them from a few vendors here premade from metal, Coroplast, I think someone has them from plastic as well. As for sequencing, you can do as few channels as you want. You can purchase sequences with them already done, as well some members here offer services for sequencing. http://www.creativelightingdisplays.com/ <--- Kevins store.

There are a few ways to do the RGB strips, LOR has a DC board that connects to your regular network, then there is the DMX way to do it with small controllers. These both work nearly the same, the DMX will require the Advanced license, and a little DIY on your part. Kevin has most of these solutions for you as well.

[jimswinder]

How do people do effects like the swirl around the the mega tree, starting around 0.10?

**He looks like he is just uses a circle of light string. Others use what we call a "Weber Tree" (different effect)

How about the color changing mini-trees, off to the right in Kevin's setup? Are those custom RGB lights, or something more simple?

**They could be RGB or something simpler like what I do...4 separate strings of each color...Red, Green, Blue and White..so 4 channels on EACH tree.

How about the tubes of white light that slide up and down, near the trees? I'd love to use a couple of these to create a giant equalizer.

**Basically a straight "arch"...like 7 separate sections off 100ct lights wrapped around a piece of PVC....so probably 7 separate channels PER pole**

As for the animated faces, I heard they use 7-channels each. Could you pull off something less sophisticated, say with with 3-channels per mouth--one closed, one 0 shape and 1 wider shape?

**you could...but then you also need a channel for the face itself.**

Does anyone sell these ready made?

**Yes..Holiday Coro**

http://www.holidaycoro.com/Halloween-Animated-Singing-s/1849.htm

Edited July 13, 2012 by jimswinder

[jimswinder]

hmmm...would not let me edit my reply...

wanted to add:

How do people do effects like the swirl around the the mega tree, starting around 0.10?

**He looks like he just uses two strings of light to make the full circle..and then just lights up one string to make the half circle. Then depending on the effect (like spiraling) turns on certain strings in succession. Others use what we call a "Weber Tree" (different effect)

I LIKE the circle effect..thanks for pointing it out!!!!

Edited July 13, 2012 by jimswinder

[Rapajez]

Thanks all! Pretty much answered all my questions. I'll check out the sites mentioned.

I guess to be more specific, what makes the shooting-star-like effect on the spiral of that "weber tree". Is it the same as the same idea as the archs/poles? Just sections of 100ct lights on separate channels?

I didn't realize how simple the archs/poles were. Probably don't have the budget for that many channels though. I was only looking at a total of 32 channels this year, so a 5-"bar" equalizer might have to wait. (link below to 16-channel show from last year.)

http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/21230-my-first-display-a-little-late-w-videos-lessons-learned-and-questions-and-free-donuts/

Thanks again for the help!

[WilliamS]

The shooting star effect, I assume you mean where the solid rings begin to chase in section around the tree up and down? If so then your assumption of the "firestick" design is correct. Those rings are multiple strings on multiple channels. That tree alone looks to be 64 or more channels.

The arches can be small channel counts and add a huge effect to a show, as well the firesticks. Remember you can run multple strings from 1 channel. Im sure you know that but you can setup many arches or firesticks from the same channels. That way the repeat around the display. You can have 10 8 channel arches end to end so they look like 1 large fluid movement and have only used 8 channels. Of course take in account for amperage draw!

Have fun with it all, looks like you can sequence from your videos, the rest is imagination and building.

[TJ Hvasta]

Ok, who's house it that in the first vid? I like those loops for the guitar chords idea Is it actually chasing around the tree, or is it just appear that way? I cant tell if its just diff sized loops at the various levels. I like the effect..

Firestik design wrapped around the tree?

Edited July 13, 2012 by TJ Hvasta

[Guest wbottomley]

Light Show Pro was used for the guitar effect as best as I can remember.

[WilliamS]

From the close usp TJ it looks like the rings around the tree are a bit larger than the tree made up of channels like the arches getting smaller up the tree. It is chasing around the tree in a few parts. Very cool effect. As well the user name for the upload is a member here but no logins since 2008. Wonder if its one our down under mates. Under his name he has a few lighting videos, all of which Ive seen on here. Always posted by other people admiring the show not claiming ownership.

*Edit, looks like WIlliam may have found the source.

Edited July 13, 2012 by GoofyGuy

[TJ Hvasta]

ok, got a good look at it throughout the video.. the spirals look like "sleeves" on a rope, spun around the tree, ala Weber. How many channels? I think I can see 32-64 ch for that. And I saw the guitar strings, just ropelight, with strings in a circle for the four "note points". Wife wants one..

[Shubb]

That is Ric's house. He is using LOR, not LSP.

I'm pretty sure he used 4 channels for each ring, and 4 rings total.

Scott

[spomalley]

Really? Its just LSP has the capabilties to use the wii system and S3 dosen't. Did he create a batch file to do it? If he shared it that would be great?

[Shubb]

I don't want to give away his secrets, but he didn't use LSP or a batch file.

I will ask him if he minds me telling how he did it. He doesn't repeat the same show twice so my guess is he won't mind, but it ain't my cat to let out of the bag.

Scott

[Ron Boyd]

Really? Its just LSP has the capabilties to use the wii system and S3 dosen't. Did he create a batch file to do it? If he shared it that would be great?

I don't want to give away his secrets, but he didn't use LSP or a batch file.

I will ask him if he minds me telling how he did it. He doesn't repeat the same show twice so my guess is he won't mind, but it ain't my cat to let out of the bag.

Scott

The wii Guitar effect looks like just rings of light and a chase to me. Starts at the top and chases down, and just random on which of the 3 lines the chase happens. 12 channels and then the outlines. Simple to do, IMO, but such a cool effect.

I saw this video awhile back and thought it was really cool. Now that someone asked about it, that may be something I'd like to do, since I call my show "Boyd Family Rock-n-Roll Christmas in Lights". probably would be neat to incorperate a guitar effect into the show.

Edited July 13, 2012 by Ron Boyd

[WilliamS]

Im guessing the guitar has no actual input on the show if hes using LOR? Or the Wii controller could command which song to play next with the buttons, but have no effect during the show.

[CLD Kevin]

The sprial tree is mostly known as a Weber tree here, a quick search will bring you many how to's and videos of them. http://forums.lighto...h&fromMainBar=1 <--- Click there for the search results.

Kevin's color changing spiral trees were made of RBG strips off of a DC voltage controller. Kevin has a store and sells everything you need to get those going. As well the faces, you can buy them from a few vendors here premade from metal, Coroplast, I think someone has them from plastic as well. As for sequencing, you can do as few channels as you want. You can purchase sequences with them already done, as well some members here offer services for sequencing. http://www.creativel...ngdisplays.com/ <--- Kevins store.

There are a few ways to do the RGB strips, LOR has a DC board that connects to your regular network, then there is the DMX way to do it with small controllers. These both work nearly the same, the DMX will require the Advanced license, and a little DIY on your part. Kevin has most of these solutions for you as well.

The spiral trees are Basic RGB strips and all controlled via my special DMX 54 channel or 18 RGB group controller. Actually nothing special, but I keep telling myself it is. Its a single 12x12 enclosure with both the controller and power supply inside. It cant be far from the lights strips becasue I used cat5 cable which seem the only option if I wanted to fit 18 seperate RGB cables into one enclosure plus the other items I stuffed inside. Worked out nice.

As for the spiral trees...just those cheap plastic spiral trees you get from HD or Lowes. I trashed all the incan lights and tie-wrap the strips to them. The length is not exact, but pretty close for the 4ft. 6ft spiral I had to add about additional half strip or about 24ft long. Each 4ft tree had its own run and the 6ft has two. Please dont try to run a 24ft strip with a single cat5 unless you want fire and smoke as part of your display

Oh yeah....I also trashed the incan lights inside the little plastic star that goes on top of each tree and added 6 basic RGB nodes in its place. One at each point and one in the middle. Those I did connect to the strip by adding a small snap connector between for easy add/remove when done.

Kevin

[Rapajez]

The spiral trees are Basic RGB strips and all controlled via my special DMX 54 channel or 18 RGB group controller. Actually nothing special, but I keep telling myself it is. Its a single 12x12 enclosure with both the controller and power supply inside. It cant be far from the lights strips becasue I used cat5 cable which seem the only option if I wanted to fit 18 seperate RGB cables into one enclosure plus the other items I stuffed inside. Worked out nice.

As for the spiral trees...just those cheap plastic spiral trees you get from HD or Lowes. I trashed all the incan lights and tie-wrap the strips to them. The length is not exact, but pretty close for the 4ft. 6ft spiral I had to add about additional half strip or about 24ft long. Each 4ft tree had its own run and the 6ft has two. Please dont try to run a 24ft strip with a single cat5 unless you want fire and smoke as part of your display

Oh yeah....I also trashed the incan lights inside the little plastic star that goes on top of each tree and added 6 basic RGB nodes in its place. One at each point and one in the middle. Those I did connect to the strip by adding a small snap connector between for easy add/remove when done.

Kevin

Hi Kevin! Thanks for your response! I checked out your RGB Lighting section, and it seems pretty great. This may be a stupid question, but how does one go about connecting these strips to a Light-o-Rama 16-channel controller? I'm assuming each strip is 3 channels (1 for R,G,and ? I'm not sure I want to incorporate RGB lights yet (This will be my 2nd year with L-O-R. I did 16-channels last year, and planning on 32-channels this year.)

I know a tiny bit about DMX. I actually did concert lighting for a few years, intelligent lights, moving heads, the works, but I was never around for the DMX/Hardware setup, just the programming, and running the actual show. Definitely a lot of fun though. I wish I could make a career of that. That's one of the reasons I thought I'd be able to tackle LOR.

2nd mostly unrelated question. How do people make those LED displays in their forum signatures?

3rd question, what exactly are these 3-LED modules? Is there an example where they're used in your display? Thanks again!

[spomalley]

1. To connect RGB Lights (Dumb) into an LOR network you must connect them to a CMB-16 (DC board). To connect them to a DC board you plug the RGB channels into channels 1,2,3 and plug the fourth wire into a HOT output on the board. To use DMX you need an open DMX dongle (LOR USB485 in DMX) then a DMX controller (like HolidayCoro's RGB Controller for $7 which will control 1 RGB Channel) to see how you wire DMX Click Here (NOTE: Open DMX requires the S3 advanced licence).

2. http://planetchristmas.com/signatures

3. Three LED modules are a type of RGB light as are nodes and strip. They usually come in strings of twenty. If they are Dumb you can control them the same way as 1. if they utilise IC's (making each module individually controllable) you will either require a pixel protocol convertor to connect into your DMX network or an E1.31 device. Just in terms of appearance they are similar in width to the strip and not very long, the three LEDs are Red, Green and Blue.

Edited July 19, 2012 by spomalley

[Rapajez]

First off, thank you everyone for your super-helpful responses. Probably one of the nicest forums I've ever seen.

1. To connect RGB Lights (Dumb) into an LOR network you must connect them to a CMB-16 (DC board). To connect them to a DC board you plug the RGB channels into channels 1,2,3 and plug the fourth wire into a HOT output on the board. To use DMX you need an open DMX dongle (LOR USB485 in DMX) then a DMX controller (like HolidayCoro's RGB Controller for $7 which will control 1 RGB Channel) to see how you wire DMX Click Here (NOTE: Open DMX requires the S3 advanced licence).

If I understand, you'd need 1 CMB-16 for 5 seperate RGB channels (3x5=15), plus you'd have an extra bonus channel. Does the CMB-16 connect directly to the LOR network, via Cat-5 cables?

The DMX route sounds a lot cheaper, depending on the setup. Plus it would be nice to add other DMX devices. I can't access the how-to you linked yet, so maybe I should just wait until I can...but which USB485 LoR device are you refering too? Do you need a dongle and controller for each RGB channel?

From a software or sequencing standpoint, does S3 just treat the DMX addressed-devices as traditional Channels? You just assign a DMX Universe/Address to a traditional LOR channel? (or 3 channels for RGB?) Does anyone have a screenshot of what this looks like in the S3 software? A snapshot of a sequence using a mix of DMX and simple LoR Devices?

Is this thing a better option, assuming you have a large number of DMX devices: http://store.lightorama.com/smdmxin.html ? That would effectively get you 255 DMX addresses, correct?

I like how the LoR diagram shows moving heads in the example. That seems like it would be quite an undertaking, unless there's another S3 plug-in I do'nt know about . Can you image a Christmas Light display with inteligent lights? Neighbors would probably get annoyed...

3. Three LED modules are a type of RGB light as are nodes and strip. They usually come in strings of twenty. If they are Dumb you can control them the same way as 1. if they utilise IC's (making each module individually controllable) you will either require a pixel protocol convertor to connect into your DMX network or an E1.31 device. Just in terms of appearance they are similar in width to the strip and not very long, the three LEDs are Red, Green and Blue.

Not sure if we're talking about the same device, at Kevin's store. These look like small boxes with only 3 RGB lights. Just wondering what they looked like in action.

[spomalley]

You need one dongle per DMX Universe (512 Channels), the CMB16 does connect directly to the rest of your LOR network using CAT5. The DMX Wiring link works for me? The LORUSB-485 is the regular network dongle. Yes, S3 treats DMX channels as regular channels and S3 provides an option to convert groups of three channels into 1 RGB channel and provides a colour fade tool to choose the colour.