Jump to content
Light-O-Rama Forums

Backup Plan - Have One?


Guest Guest

Recommended Posts

I'm setting up a hypothetical situation in case disaster strikes your light show. What would you do if the following occurred...

FM transmitter quit working have a backup although very low power, good enough for backup

Controller(s) fried now converting to rgb have several controllers for backup

Power Supply died also a backup (redudancy is the key)

Pixel Bridge burned out unfortunatuely not covered here (got me thinking though)

DMX adapter quit have backup

LOR adapter quit have backup here

Show PC crashed can use the computer I sequence on however would require either running a cable upstairs or moving computer to basement

Lost all sequence files all files are backed up daily to server also usb drive and enternal hard drive

Director Card hosed Don't use LOR director

Fuses continue blowing House breakers? call my brother he is a licensed electrician LOR Fuses? have several packs on standby maybe swap out controller if problem can not be corrected

And the list goes on but I feel these are the most important. I agree here, I will say this post got me thinking though!!!!!

This gives something to think about in a worst case scenario.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And make sure you have your tools handy.

(screwdriver, voltmeter, crimper and the list goes on)

Thomas

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Foremost a flashlight.

You can turn it off and on to the music to suppliment a lost controller or other components. Just make sure it's an LED flashlight or people will notice. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tom-

Last year I saw a beer christmas tree, had a few light, but thousands of empty beer cans. If I remember I'll take a pic of it this year for ya.

Arnold, I just have to say that you are way too kind. But if it's not any trouble.... I mean...I don't want to impose or anything. :P

I hate to ask, but was you a part of building that tree? ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tom-

LOL nope, for once I can say I had no part in that.. When I saw it last year, I was amazed that anyone would do anything like that.. It was a mixture of Budweiser and bud-light cans.. with c9 white bulbs, it actually looked pretty darn cool.. I guess I need to drink more beer!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

FM transmitter quit working: got a spare, a pos but that is why it is a backup!

Controller(s) fried: Got one spare, and got a few close by friends that have LOR if needed..

Power Supply died: Got a spare

Pixel Bridge burned out: as jeff said, wont happen, got the good kind

DMX adapter quit: see above

LOR adapter quit: have spares

Show PC crashed: got 2 spare laptops laying around.

Lost all sequence files: BAD DAY if I loose 4 computers in one day! in that case they win!

Director Card hosed: NA

Fuses continue blowing: problem solve, have spares

IF all this happens in one day, I can say Ill just plug in lights as a static display, and start drinking heavily.

Also, if for some reason I loose my pixels, I have my shows saved as "normal" where all the elements will fill in the spots where the Pixels took over.. So a quick switch over to the old version til' I can fix pixel issue(s) in daylight. I also did this as idmx (had the layout on the visualizer done, too lazy to do it again with the dmx, so I copy and paste) but if my Ethernet goes out, I can switch to the IDMX for the same show..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thats all tiny stuff, think bigger. I had a storm hit and take out trees all over the place. No power for 3 days. In such a short season, that wasn't going to deter me. I ran the generator. The display never looked brighter when the rest of the neighborhood is blacked out!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thats all tiny stuff, think bigger. I had a storm hit and take out trees all over the place. No power for 3 days. In such a short season, that wasn't going to deter me. I ran the generator. The display never looked brighter when the rest of the neighborhood is blacked out!

You have a point on the generator. But if my power is out, I'll use my generator to keep the fridge cold. :)

And as for the tiny stuff? That's what will get you. More practicle of happening too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I'm not going to spend hundreds (or thousands) of backup equipment just in case of worst-case scenarios. If an LOR contorller goes out, I have backups due to display reconfiguration (this wasn't always the case, and it made me nervous). I have spare channels around the setup too which would be quick to switch out if one died (although not quick enough, thanks to having to go through each and every sequence and re-import the channel layout, something I've been bitching about since LOR 1.0 lol)) Power supplies I can buy locally in a pinch, and I can probably find a local FM transmitter solution too if I were pressed for it. If something major like a pixel controller dies - well that sucks, and I'd be annoyed and saddened, but I'm just a little ol' family display, so you get what you get :)

By all means though, back up your sequencing. That's the one thing you can't replace - at any price (assuming you do your own sequencing)

If you have other decorators in your area - it might be worth coming up with a community backup plan - maybe purchase a spare controller (pixel or standard), FM transmitter, etc as a group, and promise that nobody uses it unless there's an emergency. Then you just hope TWO people don't have the same failure at the same time!

Edited by Tim Fischer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

FM transmitter quit working - I have a spare

Controller(s) fried - I have enough empty channels on boards to re-config

Power Supply died - Dig another out of large goodie box

Pixel Bridge burned out - Panic, disappointed guest for a few days till I "borrow" another

DMX adapter quit - have spare universes on 1.31 bridge

LOR adapter quit - I have a spare dongle I don't use

Show PC crashed - Pull one Cat 5 wire from PC and use my main office computer( which is all ready configured and ready)

Lost all sequence files - Shouldn't happen, have backups online and in my safe

Director Card hosed - N/A

Fuses continue blowing Borrow neighbor's outlet

6 years running now, KNOCK ON WOOD, no major problems other than tripped GFIC's on rainy nights.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Backup plan is to have a set of 100 minis ready to go around the window in case something fails. Hang the minis, turn them on and call it a season.

You know Brian, all it would take is one channel from an LOR controller to keep that baby animated. Not all would be lost. :D

of course a light switch could work but wouldn't be the same. ;)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

....or the the little blinky light that comes in the box that we all throw away. Might still have a few hundred of those flashers somewhere. Although there are a few people (neighbors) I could put at the light switch that would do a very nice job. lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Take the 2 white floodlights out of your motion detecting security light fixture and replace with 1 green and 1 red flood. Motion activated animated white trash Christmas!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...