New LoR Christmas Setup

[kdough11]

Hi!

I am looking to take my Christmas lights to the next level this year and have mapped out what I think I will need. My intention is to have 16 channels running incandescent and LEDs on the main house, a pixie16 running four arches, four pixel trees, and four snow flakes, and lastly, a pixie8 running a pixel tree kit from Low.  Below is the breakdown I am looking at right now...am I missing anything?

 

Would like to have:

Lights on roof lines (4 channels from main)

Lights on windows (4 channels from main) 

Four arches (4 channels from pixie16)

Four Pixel trees (4 channels from pixie16)

Four snowflakes (4 channels from pixie16)

One mega tree (8 channels from pixie ?

 

Remaining channels
Main – 8 – need to decide where on the house to put these...

Pixie16 – 4

Pixie8 – 0  

 

Will need:

TSO ShowTime Central Starter Package – 559.95 

-      Will only control incandescent bulbs or led’s

• ShowTime Central with miniDirector and FM Transmitter
• ShowTime Designer Standard License
• USB Adapter and USB filtered cable
• 30 Amp ReadyToGo 16 channel light controller
• 50' Cat5 cable to connect Director and light controller
• TSO Signature Series SD Show Card

Pro level license 

Pixie16 12V 16x50 Bullet Pixel Package– 499.95

Arches – (approx. $60 for four from Boscoyo)

-      Using large arch - $6

o  3'-2" tall and 6'-2" wide

o  2" pixel spacing

o  50 pixel/RGB Nodes per completed arch (the arch segments have 51 holes total)

-      Will need:

o  ½ inch pvc pipe – 10’ – $2.20 at lowes

o  ½ EMT or metallic conduit – $6’ – 3.52 at lowes

o  2x ½ inch PVC Tees - $6.03 at lowes (5 pack)

o  2x 1.25 inch self-taping screws. 

-     use 4x 50 led strands from pixie16 kit

 

Mega Tree - $419

-      LoR Black pixel tree kit

o  Comes with pixie8, hardware, and lights

 

Large Pixel Tree ($88 for 4 on Boscoyo)

-      Each tree has 85 nodes

-      Will require 4 outputs from pixie16

-      4x 50 bulb strands

o  May require 4 additional to fully fill out tree and star

-      Large 180 Mini Tree Coro - $22 each

o  Take 50 bulbs each

-       

ChromaFlakes Prong Pack - $42 for one on Boscoyo)

-      Includes 4 snow flakes

-      48 nodes per flake

[dibblejr]

If you build the 8 channel (unit's) pixel tree, you will wish it was a 16. Sequences are easier to come by these days.

That looks a lot like the list from Lowes for my writeup here on the forums.

When you get your pixie 16 and 8 controllers feel free to message me for help setting them up. More than likely you will need help and I am free to call.

Welcome to the fun club.

Tips for your builds and sources, feel free to message me.

JR

 

[Mr. P]

Everything looks good but the only concern I would have is the Pixie16 and how you are going to use it. A Pixie16 is great if you have one very large prop such as a 16 ribbon/pixel tree, a matrix or several smaller props in close proximity. If your props are spread out across the yard then you may want to consider several smaller controllers such as two Pixie8 or four Pixie4.

Pixels don't like distance and the further the prop is from the controller the more issues you will likely encounter.

[kdough11]

8 hours ago, dibblejr said:

If you build the 8 channel (unit's) pixel tree, you will wish it was a 16. Sequences are easier to come by these days.

That looks a lot like the list from Lowes for my writeup here on the forums.

When you get your pixie 16 and 8 controllers feel free to message me for help setting them up. More than likely you will need help and I am free to call.

Welcome to the fun club.

Tips for your builds and sources, feel free to message me.

JR

 

Thanks for the feedback! I will look at building the pixel tree with a pixie16. I was looking at the kit from the LoR website and that is what it came with. But the 16 would leave some room for growth.  Once I get everything in, I will definitely reach out for some help...I am sure I will need it!

Thanks,

Kevin

[kdough11]

4 hours ago, Mr. P said:

Everything looks good but the only concern I would have is the Pixie16 and how you are going to use it. A Pixie16 is great if you have one very large prop such as a 16 ribbon/pixel tree, a matrix or several smaller props in close proximity. If your props are spread out across the yard then you may want to consider several smaller controllers such as two Pixie8 or four Pixie4.

Pixels don't like distance and the further the prop is from the controller the more issues you will likely encounter.

Thanks! I didn't think about the possible problems with distance but it may be easier then to use the pixie16 ready to go kit for the mega tree then buy a few pixie4's or pixie8's to spread across the yard. I was pairing everything in groups of 4 per the website so that change should be an easy one.  

Off the top of your head, do you know how far I can have the cables running from the pixie controller to the props before I have to worry about distance issues?

Appreciate the help!

Kevin

Edited August 25, 2018 by kdough11

[mpageler]

Agree with the idea of watching how far display elements are from the pixie controllers.   

 

For potential future display extension or maybe more flexibility right now, I'd just buy another pixie16 over an 8 since the cost isn't that ;much more. 

 

BTW, in your pixie16/8 references, yolu're using 4 outlets and not 4 channels on pixel controllers.  Believe pixe controls have max of 100 pixels per outlet or 300 channels/outlet. In contract, CTB16's are 1 channels per outlet, CMB24 have 3 channels per outlet.  Just want to make sure that other newbies that might read this post, don't get confused.

[kdough11]

Just now, mpageler said:

Agree with the idea of watching how far display elements are from the pixie controllers.   

 

For potential future display extension or maybe more flexibility right now, I'd just buy another pixie16 over an 8 since the cost isn't that ;much more. 

 

BTW, in your pixie16/8 references, yolu're using 4 outlets and not 4 channels on pixel controllers.  Believe pixe controls have max of 100 pixels per outlet or 300 channels/outlet. In contract, CTB16's are 1 channels per outlet, CMB24 have 3 channels per outlet.  Just want to make sure that other newbies that might read this post, don't get confused.

I will look at getting the two pixie16's. The complete package ones from LoR come with 16 strands so that will give me some room to grow over the next year. And you are correct, I was using the channels/outlets interchangeably, I'll edit the original post to make it less confusing.

[kdough11]

9 hours ago, kdough11 said:

Hi!

I am looking to take my Christmas lights to the next level this year and have mapped out what I think I will need. My intention is to have 16 channels running incandescent and LEDs on the main house, a pixie16 running four arches, four pixel trees, and four snow flakes, and lastly, a pixie8 running a pixel tree kit from Low.  Below is the breakdown I am looking at right now...am I missing anything?

 

 

Would like to have:

Lights on roof lines (4 channels from main)

Lights on windows (4 channels from main) 

Four arches (4 channels from pixie16)

Four Pixel trees (4 channels from pixie16)

Four snowflakes (4 channels from pixie16)

One mega tree (8 channels from pixie ?

 

Remaining channels
Main – 8 – need to decide where on the house to put these...

Pixie16 – 4

Pixie8 – 0  

 

Will need:

TSO ShowTime Central Starter Package – 559.95 

-      Will only control incandescent bulbs or led’s

• ShowTime Central with miniDirector and FM Transmitter
• ShowTime Designer Standard License
• USB Adapter and USB filtered cable
• 30 Amp ReadyToGo 16 channel light controller
• 50' Cat5 cable to connect Director and light controller
• TSO Signature Series SD Show Card

Pro level license 

Pixie16 12V 16x50 Bullet Pixel Package– 499.95

 

Arches – (approx. $60 for four from Boscoyo)

-      Using large arch - $6

o  3'-2" tall and 6'-2" wide

o  2" pixel spacing

o  50 pixel/RGB Nodes per completed arch (the arch segments have 51 holes total)

-      Will need:

o  ½ inch pvc pipe – 10’ – $2.20 at lowes

o  ½ EMT or metallic conduit – $6’ – 3.52 at lowes

o  2x ½ inch PVC Tees - $6.03 at lowes (5 pack)

o  2x 1.25 inch self-taping screws. 

-     use 4x 50 led strands from pixie16 kit

 

Mega Tree - $419

-      LoR Black pixel tree kit

o  Comes with pixie8, hardware, and lights

 

 

Large Pixel Tree ($88 for 4 on Boscoyo)

-      Each tree has 85 nodes

-      Will require 4 outputs from pixie16

-      4x 50 bulb strands

o  May require 4 additional to fully fill out tree and star

-      Large 180 Mini Tree Coro - $22 each

o  Take 50 bulbs each

-       

ChromaFlakes Prong Pack - $42 for one on Boscoyo)

-      Includes 4 snow flakes

-      48 nodes per flake

**In the original post, I put channels from the main controller and pixie16. That should read outputs from each controller vice channels. Sorry for the confusion!