First year success!

[dualmp4me]

I haven’t posted before but want to thank everyone on the forum for the help you didn’t know you provided. End of short story ?.

 

Long story:

My holiday craziness started this year on October 1st when I decided I wanted to bring scares and joy to the trick or treaters. I started designing my first animatronics, building walls and bridges, completely transforming the entire front yard of a friends house into a complete haunted house. In 30 days I was able to achieve what most people told me was impossible. At 7:00 pm on Halloween with the largest crowd I have ever seen in that neighborhood, I was overwhelmed by the reaction of the people I hadn’t met.  My buddy who was in shock I was able to pull it off, looked at me and asked me what insane thing I’m going to pull off next. Partially intoxicated from celebration shots of fireball I answered “Griswold”. 

I found Light-o-Rama on November 5, and ordered 2 CTB16PC kits a week later I ordered a falcon 16v3 and 160 feet of pixel strips. I spent countless hours on here, while commuting to and from work. Absorbing the wealth of people’s advice, tips, tricks and answers to problems. The knowledge shared on this forum is invaluable and has enabled me to complete my impossible task. I built a light display with 450 pixels, 8 24” home made snowflakes, and over 4000 led Christmas lights! I was able to sequence 5 songs from scratch by opening night. All of which were met with smiles, laughter and joy from a 50 person opening night party I threw. I live in a rather large city in the Puget Sound (Tacoma area) and haven’t done any advertising, just word of mouth. Since then I have had countless strangers stop and thank me for building a free family friendly activity for people to enjoy. So I want to pass that thanks on to all of the active members on the forum. With out the countless posts and answers to other newbies questions I would be sitting in the middle of a partially completed failure of poorly sequenced, vomit inducing strobe effects, and lack luster display. I have already started designing next years additions (while researching my new promise of a fully sequenced and automated firework display).

Thank you for reading and for all of your help!

[TBS99]

Sounds like you are doing everything right in this hobby. I am glad to hear everything is working out good for you. Searching these forums is the best way to find answers to 90 percent of your questions. I live on the Graham / Eatonville line near 304th and mountain highway so I am not too far from you. I will have to get out and find your display.

Merry Christmas.

Tom

 

[caniac]

21 hours ago, dualmp4me said:

I haven’t posted before but want to thank everyone on the forum for the help you didn’t know you provided. End of short story ?.

 

Long story:

My holiday craziness started this year on October 1st when I decided I wanted to bring scares and joy to the trick or treaters. I started designing my first animatronics, building walls and bridges, completely transforming the entire front yard of a friends house into a complete haunted house. In 30 days I was able to achieve what most people told me was impossible. At 7:00 pm on Halloween with the largest crowd I have ever seen in that neighborhood, I was overwhelmed by the reaction of the people I hadn’t met.  My buddy who was in shock I was able to pull it off, looked at me and asked me what insane thing I’m going to pull off next. Partially intoxicated from celebration shots of fireball I answered “Griswold”. 

I found Light-o-Rama on November 5, and ordered 2 CTB16PC kits a week later I ordered a falcon 16v3 and 160 feet of pixel strips. I spent countless hours on here, while commuting to and from work. Absorbing the wealth of people’s advice, tips, tricks and answers to problems. The knowledge shared on this forum is invaluable and has enabled me to complete my impossible task. I built a light display with 450 pixels, 8 24” home made snowflakes, and over 4000 led Christmas lights! I was able to sequence 5 songs from scratch by opening night. All of which were met with smiles, laughter and joy from a 50 person opening night party I threw. I live in a rather large city in the Puget Sound (Tacoma area) and haven’t done any advertising, just word of mouth. Since then I have had countless strangers stop and thank me for building a free family friendly activity for people to enjoy. So I want to pass that thanks on to all of the active members on the forum. With out the countless posts and answers to other newbies questions I would be sitting in the middle of a partially completed failure of poorly sequenced, vomit inducing strobe effects, and lack luster display. I have already started designing next years additions (while researching my new promise of a fully sequenced and automated firework display).

Thank you for reading and for all of your help!

would love to see pics of Halloween!!

[k6ccc]

I am impressed that you could do that much in so little time.  Photos / videos please!

 

[dualmp4me]

I definitely do not claim to have a perfect light show or even a good one compared to long time decorators ?.

It consumed most of my days and nights and I had the help of a some great friends getting lights up and snowflakes built. I have been dreaming lights and fades and Christmas music for days. Playing drums for 25 years and knowing time signatures and music theory helped with sequencing. The technical parts were a breeze since I have been in the computer field my entire career.  This forum has so much information I never had to ask a question, I’m pretty sure everything that can be asked has been answered in detail by the experienced people on here. 

I will take some pictures tonight, I’m not sure I can put videos up, I believe YouTube will remove them for copyright infringement because of the music. Unless you have tips to get around that?

[dualmp4me]

I tired posting a video on YouTube to link tonight and received a copyright violation notice because of a blink 182 song ? How do bands view the use of their music in Christmas light videos?

[Mega Arch]

1 hour ago, dualmp4me said:

I tired posting a video on YouTube to link tonight and received a copyright violation notice because of a blink 182 song ? How do bands view the use of their music in Christmas light videos?

The bands usually love it. But the owner of the music normally is greedy. Sony is the worst. 

[TBS99]

16 hours ago, dualmp4me said:

I believe YouTube will remove them for copyright infringement because of the music. Unless you have tips to get around that?

Sometimes Vimeo will allow songs that Youtube won't. I have had problems with certain Sony and RCA owned songs that wont post to either site.

Tom

[caniac]

12 hours ago, dualmp4me said:

I tired posting a video on YouTube to link tonight and received a copyright violation notice because of a blink 182 song ? How do bands view the use of their music in Christmas light videos?

I have switched to Vimeo but I also mark my videos private (only those with the link can view).  IMO marking them public is just asking for it to be removed.

[caniac]

Likewise now that photobucket charges $400 a year to host pic's I have moved my stuff to Flickr.