New LOR user

[mmaness]

I've done it. I've come over to 'the dark side'.

I'm currently running brand 'AL' hardware/software, but I've been considering going to LOR for a couple of years.

A few months ago, I downloaded the demo of LORs sequencing software and was very impressed with it's features, ease of use, etc. So yesterday, I made the decision and purchased the latest LOR software, and then loaded the GAMMA version of S2. I'm very impressed. Once S2 is fully functional, it'll be totally awesome (to use a California surfer dude phrase).

I'm a computer analyst/programmer, so hardware that performs more or less the same doesn't get my blood running. Software, specifially development tools and editors, are what floats my boat. And LORs software is light years ahead of anything I've seen.

I'll still keep my AL software and hardware. It will have it's uses, probably for a halloween display or maybe stand alone animations during the Christmas show. I have 96 AL channels, so I guarantee that I'll find plenty of uses. But the main Christmas display will be LOR run.

While I said that hardware doesn't get my blood running, price does. And since I can get a PC controller kit that costs less than 1/2 what I was paying for the AL stuff - well, I'm sold.

So I'll be lurking on here, trying to get over the learning curve and getting ready (never to early to start) for my 2008 show.

Mike Maness

[Guest wbottomley]

Congratulations! I did the same thing three years ago. Don't regret it at all. Customer service is top notch here.

I sold my AL junk on Planet Christmas. And I agree, one AL controller equals two LOR controllers. LOR products are reasonable priced for what you get.


EDIT: spelling.

[TexasBullrider4]

Welcome to the one an only Light O Rama u will never be the same agan:P well your wallet wont like it that much but u will:D:D:P

[rdlshadow]

I too am a convert. I went with AL for their HHIAB (Haunted House in a Box) loved the concept didn't guite understand it was a predesigned show could not create my own. Blah Blah Blah I will take credit didn't do enough research. Well talk to them about upgrading it. They were like oh yeah send it back no problem we have parts in stock can upgrade and send it right back out for $400.00 well after never hearing anything back after a couple of week I tried to start contacting them. No response, No response, No response you get the picture. Finally got them to respond a month and half later the person say oh yeah its sitting right here in my office I'll take it over to them today. Another week and I finally got it back. Charged $597.00 Yeah its going back for full refund. I'm done. I have done the math for what I spent with them I can very easy go at least 48 channels compared to their 16.

So now time to research LOR completely and get it right this time. Me and the wife do both Halloween and Xmas. Probably a bigger Halloween light show than Xmas but with LOR already planning Xmas 2008. Will do at least 32 channels.

Already bought a bunch of LED light local at after xmas sales. Nothing like 50 count LED's for $2.00 a box. Yeah cleaned out a few stores.
I'm a big DIY person and always looking for kewl cheap ideas. So Your see me asking questions. Glad to be aboard. Still washing the bad taste of AL out of my mouth.

[LightORamaDan]

rdlshadow wrote:

I too am a convert. I went with AL for their HHIAB (Haunted House in a Box) loved the concept didn't guite understand it was a predesigned show could not create my own. Blah Blah Blah I will take credit didn't do enough research. Well talk to them about upgrading it. They were like oh yeah send it back no problem we have parts in stock can upgrade and send it right back out for $400.00 well after never hearing anything back after a couple of week I tried to start contacting them. No response, No response, No response you get the picture. Finally got them to respond a month and half later the person say oh yeah its sitting right here in my office I'll take it over to them today. Another week and I finally got it back. Charged $597.00 Yeah its going back for full refund. I'm done. I have done the math for what I spent with them I can very easy go at least 48 channels compared to their 16.

So now time to research LOR completely and get it right this time. Me and the wife do both Halloween and Xmas. Probably a bigger Halloween light show than Xmas but with LOR already planning Xmas 2008. Will do at least 32 channels.

Already bought a bunch of LED light local at after xmas sales. Nothing like 50 count LED's for $2.00 a box. Yeah cleaned out a few stores.
I'm a big DIY person and always looking for kewl cheap ideas. So Your see me asking questions. Glad to be aboard. Still washing the bad taste of AL out of my mouth.

Welcome to LOR!

[rdlshadow]

An update to my Animated Lighting Night Mare. Finally a month and hal later after email after email gone ignored by Animated Lighting's Owner It finally took getting Better Business Beureu involved and it appears the company was even ignoring the BBB. Well I finally got my refund except minus a restocking fee that was never mentioned and is no where on their page. What a pitiful company. So LOR here i am.

[Travis]

Hi Guys.

I will admit, before getting into this animation hobby, at first I was looking at AL.

So I watched all the AL user's display videos and loved what they had created.

But when doing research on AL and watching all their Learning/Teaching video, I was flat out lost right at the begining.

I called AL and asked them if they had a Demo version of their software.

Guess what kind of respounce I got ?

I was told "No we don't have a demo version of our software, BUT ! our competition does !"

So after that phone call the the respounce I got, I came over here and downloaded the Demo version of LOR1 and I liked what I seen and have not looked back.

I was able to understand the LOR Sequence Editor software a lot better than the AL software.

And the bonus of LOR for me was that I could learn the LOR software with hands on learning experience.

During last saturdays secret LOR sale I purchased my first two PC controllers and I'm here to stay.



I can't say enough about Dan and the LOR Team's awsome support, and quick to answer your questions, and never leave a customer hanging.

BTW ! my first two PC controllers are on their way to me now as I type this.



Travis

[Denny]

Welcome Travis, everyone here will agree that you made the right decision in going with LOR. With LOR II (S2) now out, I think the competition is beat by a mile. There will be another update coming out later this year with even more features. Dan has also promised new boards with added capabilities later in the year. I have only been using LOR for about two years now, and it is an addictive hobby. Once again welcome.

[mmaness]

I second what Denny said. I'm a 4 year AL customer (96 channels!), but switched after Christmas to LOR. My main reason is that AL seems to be somewhat static in their hobbiest offerings. They have some really cool stuff if you're a commercial customer, but for the hobbiest, what they currently offer is the same stuff they had 4 years ago. LOR seems to be going places, while AL is standing still.

Plus, I've gotta admit, getting a 16 channel, 30 amp kit controller for less than $200 is vastly better than spending $350 plus for AL's controller. All in all, you've come to the right place.

All that being said, I enjoyed using AL's Animation Director. After getting past the kinda steep learning curve, I got to where I could do what I wanted to do without thinking about it. But I always wished for more features - and guess what? LOR I has those features. LOR II is light-years ahead of anything AL currently offers. Plus, giving a fully-featured demo copy is unique.

All in all, LOR is the better value as well as better overall. You'll never regret chosing LOR.

Mike M.

[evan.a]

mmaness wrote:

So I'll be lurking on here, trying to get over the learning curve and getting ready (never to early to start) for my 2008 show.

Mike Maness

early? 265 days left. better start cracking and tapping.

welcome mike,rdl, and travis to lor forum.

[Travis]

Thank you guys for the warm welcome.

I haven't said much about LOR due to the fact I don't have that much experience with it yet.

But what I have read about the upcoming upgrades and it seems LOR is always on top of the technology in this particular hobby, I can see this company is going places FAST.

When I made that phone call to AL a while back, I got the feeling that they look at the hobbiest customer as the underdog, at least that was the impression I got.

But you know, how many companies do you know that actually have a tech support person that answers your questions on the weekends. DAN IS THE MAN.

From all the threads I have read about Dan and LOR, I truely feel they go way beyond the call of duty and stand by their product and customers 100%.

That is the #1 thing that sold me the most on LOR, and their more affordable prices were a good second runner up for me choosing LOR.

And when it all really gets down to the nitty gritty when you are having problems, the LOR forum is here, you all are here to help each other, like a family per say.

I could not ask for more.

[JimCanfield]

wow that is surprizing.

[Travis]

Jeff Millard wrote:

Travis wrote:

Guess what kind of respounce I got ?

I was told "No we don't have a demo version of our software, BUT ! our competition does !"

That is the coolest thing I've heard yet...

Jeff

Jeff

Yeah I was quite shocked by that comment.

It was almost like they did not have time for me and pointed me towards LOR.

When they said "We don't have a demo version of our software, but our competition has a demo version of their software that you can download."

That there was enough for me to throw the idea of using AL in the trash can and look for something else.

That was not exactly what I would call "Good Customer Support" :shock:

But you know, thats ok, that just means more people to come over to the LOR side.



Oh Well, I'm happy I came to LOR.

I wonder how many LOR vs. AL users there are.

I would like to see those Stats.

From what I have seen on PC in all the member's sig. with LOR or AL channel counts, I see a lot more of LOR users that I do AL.

[Tom_K]

Travis wrote:

I wonder how many LOR vs. AL users there are.

I would like to see those Stats.

From what I have seen on PC in all the member's sig. with LOR or AL channel counts, I see a lot more of LOR users that I do AL.

I think almost all of AL sales are to commercial settings like towns, parks, etc...

[LightORamaDan]

Travis wrote:

[snip]
I wonder how many LOR vs. AL users there are.

I would like to see those Stats.

Neither AL nor LOR give any stats. My guess (for with it is worth) it that AL has a much smaller number of people that actually make their own sequences. On PC you will see over 6 times as many posts in the LOR forum vs the AL forum. However AL does have the "In the Box" products and I believe that there are a large number of those folks. So as far as the kind of people that build their own shows, I think LOR is hands down the leader.

AL and LOR have been in the business for about the same time. The LOR Internet address was created about 4 months before the AL Internet address.

We at LOR make mistakes. I received an email the other day that said because we did not respond to their previous email that they had selected our competition. It turns out that our email was messed up and we missed a number of emails that day including that email. Goes to show you how important a good email system is. We have to get new email ours is just a mess!

I really wish I could share some of the phone calls and emails we have received from AL customers :shock:

[Travis]

LightORamaDan wrote:

Travis wrote:

[snip]
I wonder how many LOR vs. AL users there are.

I would like to see those Stats.

Neither AL nor LOR give any stats. My guess (for with it is worth) it that AL has a much smaller number of people that actually make their own sequences. On PC you will see over 6 times as many posts in the LOR forum vs the AL forum. However AL does have the "In the Box" products and I believe that there are a large number of those folks. So as far as the kind of people that build their own shows, I think LOR is hands down the leader.

AL and LOR have been in the business for about the same time. The LOR Internet address was created about 4 months before the AL Internet address.

We at LOR make mistakes. I received an email the other day that said because we did not respond to their previous email that they had selected our competition. It turns out that our email was messed up and we missed a number of emails that day including that email. Goes to show you how important a good email system is. We have to get new email ours is just a mess!

I really wish I could share some of the phone calls and emails we have received from AL customers :shock:

Dan

I'm sure your ear is tired from some of the ^Un-said^ phone calls.

I guess it just goes to show the number of LOR customers that stand behind your product and understand that even the company makes mistakes, no one is perfect, we all mess up every now and then, it happens.

And to each their own which ever direction they choose to go.

I love the fact that you always keep us customers and LOR users up to date on new developements and how you keep on top of todays technology and push the envelope for bettering your products.

We all look forward to the new products and all the updates.



Travis

[jeffandnicole]

Travis wrote:

That was not exactly what I would call "Good Customer Support" :shock:

Actually, I would call that GREAT customer support...in LOR's view. The other company can keep mentioning their competitors' free demos all they want!!!

LightORamaDan wrote:

I really wish I could share some of the phone calls and emails we have received from AL customers :shock:

Oh, we'll lend an ear. We won't mind. Really we won't.