Obvious Newbie awaiting my LOR Starter Packagr

[dibblejr]

Hey everyone my name is Jay.

I have just received my email and will be receiving my LOR starter package tomorrow. 

I had my Mr Christmas since the first year they can out and have always love it. While in the Army I had very little time to get over involved in the serious LOR packages but I am retired now and at 51 hope I don't fall off my home with the excitement.

So here's my question.

I have tons of Christmas lights and a huge house. This year my hopes of decorating the entire house is looking grim. I have 4 surgeries coming up on my arms.

Any recommendations on a simple solution to my problem. I have seen the rings and pixel tree videos and love how the use of 2 360 deg rings keeps my attention.

With that being said they may be out of my learning curve for this season.

Any other suguestions for a limited time, limited mobility display or am I just too late?

My home is quite large as is my road front property, looking for something easy yet eye catching.

TIA

Jay-R

[k6ccc]

Jay,  First of all, welcome to the hobby (addiction), and to the forum.  My recommendation is to plan on 2017 as your first year.  Unlike the Mr. Christmas, this is NOT plug 'n play.  Yes, you likely could throw something together, but you may not be very happy with the result.  Because of your surgeries, your time and ability to accomplish very much will be quite limited.

I hope your surgeries go well.

 

[Mr. P]

Welcome and thank you for your service. 

[dibblejr]

Thanks for both of your replies.

i know I'm pushing it, I've been that guy in my neighborhood who at least decorated and people love  bringing their children by. This surgery sort of popped up on me.

I also have 2 small boys 4 & 6 that love to see the lights and hear the music.

I purchased some singing pumpkin faces for Halloween and maybe that can be my starting point.

Ive always been addicted, just as much as Chevy Chase )Clark Grisswald) and I know I am officially doomed!

i look forward to seeing anyone who shares their Christmad displays here.

Thank you again

[ItsMeBobO]

Welcome  Jay-R !  You caught the bug.    As with anything else,  devoting time makes things better.   Are your hands going to be able to control the mouse during your recovery?  

[dibblejr]

Thank you

Two surgeries in both arms with a three week break I between and about 3-4 months to full recovery. 

My hands can't control a mouse right now so I'm hoping after surgery I have positive results though 50/50 is what I'm dealt. It'd better than what I have now.

Watching everyone's videos and reading the forums any time someone posted kept my excitement level up for about a year since joining.

I am a hands on type of person so hopefully when I get the system I can make better sense of it.

Ive seen nothing but helpful comments posted to everyone's questions and even members posting links to free music so that is s plus. I'm not going to get into recreating something that already exists.

 

[Al Saunders]

Hi Jay,

Welcome to the addiction and thank you for your service! I pray your surgeries will go well and you'll get full mobility.

Due to it getting really late in the year I wouldn't recommend trying to have a full blown over the top animated display. I would put up as many lights on your house, trees, bushes, etc. as you want and are able to but then use your starter package and have 1-3 controllers run shows that have a few strands synched to the music. If your starter package doesn't include musical sequences then buy a few from LOR. Set up your lights you will have animated based on their 4X4 decorating and whatever song you use will look good because the sequences are programmed on the 4X4 approach. This way you will have a start and your neighbors will get a taste of next year.

Later,

Al

[dibblejr]

46 minutes ago, Al Saunders said:

Hi Jay,

Welcome to the addiction and thank you for your service! I pray your surgeries will go well and you'll get full mobility.

Due to it getting really late in the year I wouldn't recommend trying to have a full blown over the top animated display. I would put up as many lights on your house, trees, bushes, etc. as you want and are able to but then use your starter package and have 1-3 controllers run shows that have a few strands synched to the music. If your starter package doesn't include musical sequences then buy a few from LOR. Set up your lights you will have animated based on their 4X4 decorating and whatever song you use will look good because the sequences are programmed on the 4X4 approach. This way you will have a start and your neighbors will get a taste of next year.

Later,

Al

Thanks AL

i purchased the Showtime Central Starter Badic with the SD Card

i am hoping by Sept 29 I can figure out what to do for this season.

I like the idea of putting something small together as a sample of better things to come.

Ive got a couple really good friends that "owe me one or more" so hopefully they can help me get something up.

Now it's a waiting game for the UPS truck tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone and all the joy that everyone here has committed to Christmas and Holiday lights.

[oilmoney]

Welcome to the addiction and thank you for your service. You mentioned that you have a big yard, If you decide you must have a display this year but you don't want to do anything too labor intensive then just set up in your yard, the more labor intensive house stuff can come next year or the year after. After a couple near misses on a ladder I decided that it wasn't worth it for me to put anything along my eaves or around my windows. I should have roughly around 60000 lights this year and the only thing that's on my house are 9 10w floods and 4 LED snowflakes and I have a small, crappy, yard....

[Old Sarge]

Congrats on your retirement. I retired from the military in 2005. I know the feeling of having to have surgeries to... been there but mine was in places other then my arms, and wrists..

Just a few questions for you to help you think of getting your show up.

Have you decided on how many different colors, mini leds, ican lights or what are you going to have. And if just 16 channels you can still do a lot. I know you have been watching videos but there are some really good looking shows with 16 and 32 channels to. 

Like was already said.. think more in groups or 4 when you do it that way think 16 channels and you can have a great show without being seen from space this year.

If you make a Visualizer File which probably everyone here would recommend things will be easier for you and it will also make it easier for the many of use who will share sequences with you to help you get it going.

 

Think of what you want to have in your display and let us know and many of us can help you out with it.

 

I have a lot of Christmas with and without singing tree faces, and also Halloween with and without singing monster faces that iI freely share with anyone who ask me for it. Go to the Sharing forum and you will find a lot of great people and great help there.

All your display items doesn't have to be big and or  hand made etc. example is mini trees..(3 ft tall store bought trees)...  example 4 trees 1 color or 2 color and can be 2 to + channels depending on what you want to do.. wire frames etc.. can be grouped etc...

 

Think of making it easy especially after your surgery etc. and dont get the CLAP to bad to start with.

Christmas Light Addiction Problem like many of us here have.

[Orville]

Jay, welcome to the hobby and for your Military Service.   Like others have said, do what you can this year, get your surgeries {and I hope they go better than the expected 50/50!}.   One thing you might want to consider is if there are any other LOR users in your area, try and have a small get together with them, most LOR folks will be glad to help someone with your issues I'm sure.    So you may not get a big display this year, don't worry about it, start small, take your time and learn the software as you can.   Also download some of the sequences others share here and modify them for your display aspects, that can help save you some time on your first display set up. 

When you're fully recovered, then take it full bore to the maximum of your ability.

Best of luck and the worst addiction ever! 

[mpageler]

With short timeframe and being out of commission, might be the year you don't decorate and concentrate on learningj/practicing with LOR software/hardware. Of you just do a very small area for the christmas spirt.

 

Will give you time to come up with a new display planb.  And a timetable for implementing it because of available time and budget.  I'm in my 3rd of a 4 year implementation plan. But of coarse, a display could/will evolve forever.

 

BTW, don't get caught up in that everything now has to be smart pixels. There's still a place in displays for static display elements and single or dumb rgb lighting.  I started with single colors lights, then added rgb in 2nd year and now added pixels in 3rd year. 

[Sctiger]

Good luck! I just got an email from UPS that my starter package was delivered today too! Now as long as my neighbors don't swipe it, I'll get to check it out when I get home. 

[dibblejr]

I just received an email from UPS and mine has been delayed a day.

Earlier I dug out my Halloween faces that I haven't had a chance to open. I am thinking they may be a great place to start. Now I just have to get the bulbs for them.

Does anyone here have experience with the 4 Punk Pumpkin faces from Jim? Tips?

Also I now realize I am going to need another 16 channel controller but not sure which one comes with the starter package, I'm pretty sure it's not the pro but there are two more showing up. I attempted to open a ticket but am

getting different error messages one of which says "account locked" not sure what that means.

I am logged on and typing with my iPhone but when I attempted to log in with my computer I got the "account locked" error message.

Strange

[Mr. P]

If you got the residential starter package then the CTB16PC controller is what comes with it.

http://store.lightorama.com/reseadct.html

[dibblejr]

3 hours ago, Mr. P said:

If you got the residential starter package then the CTB16PC controller is what comes with it.

http://store.lightorama.com/reseadct.html

Thank you Sir

[dibblejr]

10 hours ago, Orville said:

Jay, welcome to the hobby and for your Military Service.   Like others have said, do what you can this year, get your surgeries {and I hope they go better than the expected 50/50!}.   One thing you might want to consider is if there are any other LOR users in your area, try and have a small get together with them, most LOR folks will be glad to help someone with your issues I'm sure.    So you may not get a big display this year, don't worry about it, start small, take your time and learn the software as you can.   Also download some of the sequences others share here and modify them for your display aspects, that can help save you some time on your first display set up. 

When you're fully recovered, then take it full bore to the maximum of your ability.

Best of luck and the worst addiction ever! 

Thank you.

Unfortunately there is no one else in my area. This is the Bham, Al area.... 25 miles south.

You know it's bad when your neighbors flock to watch and listen to your LOR Music in a box show.

Ive always enjoyed it and it had worked flawlessly for I'm guessing about 10 years. It had been dragged all over the country through deep Fort Drum, NY snow to down here where it rains in the winter.

im guessing once I get up and running my traffic will be 10 fold or more.

 

 

[dibblejr]

I missed a couple of you in a timely matter and just want to say thank you to everyone that has replied.

Also this is one of the only forums where a newb wasn't bashed for knowing so little about the subject matter.

Now to find some lights.

[Mega Arch]

Hey Jay, I too want to welcome you aboard and say thanks a million for your service. My youngest son is stationed in Monterey right now. I never served myself,  but have learned more about what sacrifice the entire family goes through during his time of service. 

I was like you - A Mr. Christmas was used for several years before I graduated to LOR. Good luck on your light hunting. My only suggestion is to only buy LEDs. Less issues trying to figure out where you're gonna get the power you need as the show grows each year. Also, when you drop them - they bounce. 

You are correct about this forum too. Most are very eager to help out with whatever difficulty level someone is at. It is however, like everything else - occasionally someone steps on toes accidentally, or even lashes out. Next post it's usually forgotten. 

Take care,

Daniel 

[dibblejr]

Thanks everyone.

I finally received my LOR package today. Opened it all up just to take a gander.

Those enclosures both with the showtime central stuff and the controllers are huge. So now I'm thinking where to mount the boxes. I'm considering mounting the showtime central box with the fm transmitter on my garage wall that adjoins my front yard and drill a hole through the wall to run the cable to the controller. Thinking that mounting the controller on the outside and keep the run from both boxes very short. (Thoughts)

My plan is to simply remove the controller from the outside wall after the season so it's not constantly outside. I will have a temp storage place to bolt it next to the showtime box in the garage.

I did a search and most of the mounting topics are very old and or closed. Most topics on the mounting appeared to be from members whom fabricated their own enclosures and even an umbrella. 

Soent all day yesterday trying to order lights for my pumpkin faces, I used to see those short strings 10, 15, 20, 35... of incandescent lights everywhere but none of the big box stores have the. DG had some 70's so I got a start. Finally at 10:00 pm last night I googled the same thing I'd been searching for all day and suddenly found my lights.

i think Halloween will be my test. My first surgery being 29 Sept so hopefully I can get the 4 pumpkin faces up and running before then and just turn the show on 1 Oct and let it go.

Now gonna go setup the showtime central software.