LOR Singing Christmas Trees ~ Question

[Orville]

I've been thinking of buying at least one of the LOR Singing Christmas Trees and I know they recommend using "motion packs" for them, but that is only available in S5.  what I'd like to know is does LOR sell any sequences that don't require or need a motion pack sequenced specifically for these Singing Christmas Trees for those of us still staying with the S4 software, or will we have to sequence this?

I'd prefer to possibly buy at least one sequence that was set up specifically for the Singing Trees to give me a better understanding of how one would be sequenced correctly without the use of a motion pack, then I could take it from there on my own sequences.

Thanks for any input and advice on this. 

And please don't recommend me to go to S5, that is not happening at this time for me.   It may later on down the road, but for now I'm staying strictly with S4.4.4 as that is what I prefer and want to use to create my own sequences for a LOR Singing Christmas Tree.   But it'd help if I had a pre-made sequence to show how it's accomplished.

Thanks again.

 

Edited March 24, 2020 by Orville
Correct typo's and punctuation errors

[Orville]

Few more questions to you folks that have purchased the LOR Singing Christmas Trees, what did you mount them on?  Or what do you recommend for mounting them on, and how did you mount them, using what to hold them in place?

Trying to figure everything I might need to set these up in my display.

My wife wants me to get Zuzu and Ralphie.      So if things work out, I'll be possibly doing that for this years show in 2020.

But I need some specifics on the best way to mount them, and what techniques or what to use to do it with.   I want to make them very easy to put up and take down.   My home has vinyl siding on it, so if I mount them to the siding, what would be the best way of doing it?

Thanks for any suggestions, tips or how to's on accomplishing this.

 

 

[dibblejr]

3 minutes ago, Orville said:

Few more questions to you folks that have purchased the LOR Singing Christmas Trees, what did you mount them on?  Or what do you recommend for mounting them on, and how did you mount them, using what to hold them in place?

Trying to figure everything I might need to set these up in my display.

My wife wants me to get Zuzu and Ralphie.      So if things work out, I'll be possibly doing that for this years show in 2020.

But I need some specifics on the best way to mount them, and what techniques or what to use to do it with.   I want to make them very easy to put up and take down.   My home has vinyl siding on it, so if I mount them to the siding, what would be the best way of doing it?

Thanks for any suggestions, tips or how to's on accomplishing this.

 

 

My friend, you can use any LED sequence, convert to RGB and play on the RGB trees. In S5 you must build the preview, but S4 is much easier. 

The motion pak allows you to do some color effects easy/ easier for the LOR faces.

The dif between the LOR and BS faces are they have 4 lip movements vs the traditional 5.

If you need help shoot me a PM.

As far as mounting all 36 of my singing props are mounted to wood frames. Now that I am converting every face to RGB I will be using pvc pipe and rebar to hold in place.

JR

[Orville]

1 hour ago, dibblejr said:

My friend, you can use any LED sequence, convert to RGB and play on the RGB trees. In S5 you must build the preview, but S4 is much easier. 

The motion pak allows you to do some color effects easy/ easier for the LOR faces.

The dif between the LOR and BS faces are they have 4 lip movements vs the traditional 5.

If you need help shoot me a PM.

As far as mounting all 36 of my singing props are mounted to wood frames. Now that I am converting every face to RGB I will be using pvc pipe and rebar to hold in place.

JR

Aren't the motion packs specific to S5?   You can't use those in S4 can you?   At least I didn't see anywhere you would be able to incorporate them.   Since the LOR Singing Trees are already assembled, will have to see how I'm going to be able to mount them, as I'm not sure how they are assembled.   I wish the photo's of them had front, side and back details so you could see how they are assembled.   I think that'd help a little.

[dibblejr]

14 hours ago, Orville said:

Aren't the motion packs specific to S5?   You can't use those in S4 can you?   At least I didn't see anywhere you would be able to incorporate them.   Since the LOR Singing Trees are already assembled, will have to see how I'm going to be able to mount them, as I'm not sure how they are assembled.   I wish the photo's of them had front, side and back details so you could see how they are assembled.   I think that'd help a little.

The motion packs let LOR use multiple pixels as one pixel row/ line/ string.

You can do that without S5 in sequencing with either the controller like I sent you, a pixie if you want to use 8 ports from a pixie 8 or the pixcon16 setup on a network.

I will reach out to someone I know that has one and see if he has a picture of the back of it.

Actually they appear from the store picture to be a wire frame. You can get by with rebar and zipties .

I would use 3 - 3' sections of rebar, center and each side. They wont go anywhere.

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

 

JR

Edited March 25, 2020 by dibblejr

[Orville]

3 hours ago, dibblejr said:

The motion packs let LOR use multiple pixels as one pixel row/ line/ string.

You can do that without S5 in sequencing with either the controller like I sent you, a pixie if you want to use 8 ports from a pixie 8 or the pixcon16 setup on a network.

I will reach out to someone I know that has one and see if he has a picture of the back of it.

Actually they appear from the store picture to be a wire frame. You can get by with rebar and zipties .

I would use 3 - 3' sections of rebar, center and each side. They wont go anywhere.

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

 

JR

How do you use a motion pack in S4?   I couldn't find anything that told me I could use them.  All I found always referred to the S5 software for using motion packs.  Is there a way to import a motion pack into S4?  And how do you do it, if this is possible?   Load it just like a sequence or another method?

I don't think they are a wire frame because of this description in their description area:

This is NOT A KIT... Pixels are inserted into the plastic and the tree is ready to be mounted to your choice of support.

 

Edited March 26, 2020 by Orville

[Orville]

Okay, I went and looked at the motion packs and figured out how it works.  I thought these might be something you could add to a sequence you created yourself, but looks more to being an item that needs to be purchased separately with a LOR Sequence that can be used in conjunction with it.   Also figured out how they are installed in S4.4.2 or above, you have to do it in the LOR HUB.   Since I don't use the hub for anything at this time, I forgot that was an option in S4.4.4.

So if I buy the LOR Singing Christmas Trees, looks like I'll have to figure out their sequencing on my own.   Was hoping LOR had at least some type of free sample motion pack that would come with the Singing Trees that would at least show how to sequence them using existing RGB hardware/controllers you have.  Just a simple animation motion pack to at least get you started in knowing how to make the mouth and eye movements.  {hint, hint LOR}.

 

Edited March 26, 2020 by Orville

[dibblejr]

On 3/25/2020 at 7:00 PM, Orville said:

How do you use a motion pack in S4?   I couldn't find anything that told me I could use them.  All I found always referred to the S5 software for using motion packs.  Is there a way to import a motion pack into S4?  And how do you do it, if this is possible?   Load it just like a sequence or another method?

I don't think they are a wire frame because of this description in their description area:

This is NOT A KIT... Pixels are inserted into the plastic and the tree is ready to be mounted to your choice of support.

 

I will ask someone that knows what they are made of.

You may not need the motion packs but I am not sure. That would be a question for the Help Desk. Its off season and most are stuck in their homes so you may get a quicker than usual reply.

JR

Edited March 27, 2020 by dibblejr

[dibblejr]

11 hours ago, Orville said:

Okay, I went and looked at the motion packs and figured out how it works.  I thought these might be something you could add to a sequence you created yourself, but looks more to being an item that needs to be purchased separately with a LOR Sequence that can be used in conjunction with it.   Also figured out how they are installed in S4.4.2 or above, you have to do it in the LOR HUB.   Since I don't use the hub for anything at this time, I forgot that was an option in S4.4.4.

So if I buy the LOR Singing Christmas Trees, looks like I'll have to figure out their sequencing on my own.   Was hoping LOR had at least some type of free sample motion pack that would come with the Singing Trees that would at least show how to sequence them using existing RGB hardware/controllers you have.  Just a simple animation motion pack to at least get you started in knowing how to make the mouth and eye movements.  {hint, hint LOR}.

 

The trees are made of plastic sheeting 42" H x 39" W  with holes, sounds similar to the matrix panels. They are rolled up and shipped.

Recommended 2X4's to frame them. The good is they are small enough that you can roll them back up between seasons for storage. Unlike the matrix's mine is mounted to an al frame and I added wheels so I can roll it around. Takes up a lot of space in the garage.

JR

[Orville]

15 hours ago, dibblejr said:

The trees are made of plastic sheeting 42" H x 39" W  with holes, sounds similar to the matrix panels. They are rolled up and shipped.

Recommended 2X4's to frame them. The good is they are small enough that you can roll them back up between seasons for storage. Unlike the matrix's mine is mounted to an al frame and I added wheels so I can roll it around. Takes up a lot of space in the garage.

JR

Wow, then why the heck is the shipping so expensive for them?   I placed 2 in my cart to see what they'll cost, but the shipping fee is $108 and some change.   Seems awfully expensive for something that would be rolled up in a tube?  

I'd have thought these would be sent out in a sommwhat flat package box with peanuts or bubble wrap to protect them from damage.  

I'd think them being rolled up to be shipped wouldn't be a very good idea.  I'd also think the plastic would or could get creased like that.  Anything I've ever ordered like Coro items or plastic always came in a box big enough to hold it and was always laid as flat as it could be.  So that must be really flimsy plastic if it can be rolled up like that with the lights pre-installed, especially since they say they do come with the RGB Lights already installed and the controller.  And I know you can't "roll" a controller, is the controller sent separately?

Now this has me rethinking if I really want to buy these now?   I just don't like the idea of them being shipped rolled up, especially when they are supposed to be preset with the lights installed and ready to go for use.  Might have to reconsider these and buy something else I'd like to have instead.

[dibblejr]

12 hours ago, Orville said:

Wow, then why the heck is the shipping so expensive for them?   I placed 2 in my cart to see what they'll cost, but the shipping fee is $108 and some change.   Seems awfully expensive for something that would be rolled up in a tube?  

I'd have thought these would be sent out in a sommwhat flat package box with peanuts or bubble wrap to protect them from damage.  

I'd think them being rolled up to be shipped wouldn't be a very good idea.  I'd also think the plastic would or could get creased like that.  Anything I've ever ordered like Coro items or plastic always came in a box big enough to hold it and was always laid as flat as it could be.  So that must be really flimsy plastic if it can be rolled up like that with the lights pre-installed, especially since they say they do come with the RGB Lights already installed and the controller.  And I know you can't "roll" a controller, is the controller sent separately?

Now this has me rethinking if I really want to buy these now?   I just don't like the idea of them being shipped rolled up, especially when they are supposed to be preset with the lights installed and ready to go for use.  Might have to reconsider these and buy something else I'd like to have instead.

These are fine rolled up. All of the matrix material of the same design and mini trees are all rolled up. Not sure what to tell you about S/H unless you selected a faster shipping mode by mistake. These wont crease. You are probably thinking tight rolled like in a tube. All of the matrix I order come rolled but in a triangular or square shaped box and is not tight rolled. Two for the S/H is probably about what should be expected based on they will have a little weight to each box. 

Since the pixels are installed I imagine it is not very tightly rolled which would mean the box is larger. On the plus side, when done for the season roll them back up and out in the box. Convenient. I have helped people that purchased these and they have never said they had a problem with them. I imagine you may be over thinking this a little.

The controllers are the same or similar to the ones I gave you. Probably fit right inside the prop once its rolled. Remember I haven't ordered these so I can only guess as to how it may be shipped.

Think matrix panel which is 4' x 8' rolled up in a box that is 6"x6" and once taken out it will lie almost flat and stays flat once it is mounted to a frame. Its not coroplast, its plastic sheeting , atm I cant remember what its called but it is strong and durable. We roll up pixels all the time here where its hot. Think the pixel mesh, rolls up like carpet.

You've got a few pretty good displays down your way that have pixels that may be able to show you how they get rolled. I think a couple guys have the mesh. 

Almost 1:30 and I just stopped sequencing. LOL

JR

[Orville]

56 minutes ago, dibblejr said:

These are fine rolled up. All of the matrix material of the same design and mini trees are all rolled up. Not sure what to tell you about S/H unless you selected a faster shipping mode by mistake. These wont crease. You are probably thinking tight rolled like in a tube. All of the matrix I order come rolled but in a triangular or square shaped box and is not tight rolled. Two for the S/H is probably about what should be expected based on they will have a little weight to each box. 

Since the pixels are installed I imagine it is not very tightly rolled which would mean the box is larger. On the plus side, when done for the season roll them back up and out in the box. Convenient. I have helped people that purchased these and they have never said they had a problem with them. I imagine you may be over thinking this a little.

The controllers are the same or similar to the ones I gave you. Probably fit right inside the prop once its rolled. Remember I haven't ordered these so I can only guess as to how it may be shipped.

Think matrix panel which is 4' x 8' rolled up in a box that is 6"x6" and once taken out it will lie almost flat and stays flat once it is mounted to a frame. Its not coroplast, its plastic sheeting , atm I cant remember what its called but it is strong and durable. We roll up pixels all the time here where its hot. Think the pixel mesh, rolls up like carpet.

You've got a few pretty good displays down your way that have pixels that may be able to show you how they get rolled. I think a couple guys have the mesh. 

Almost 1:30 and I just stopped sequencing. LOL

JR

Nope, UPS Ground is what is selected.  Still think that's a bit much for shipping.  Only hard plastic I ever encountered was plexiglass, and I know that can't be rolled.  Once I mount them, they'll be mounted permanently so they'd have to stay like that from now on.   Providing I do purchase them.  But the thin plastic is what got me to rethink I may not want them.   

I've never had much luck with thin veiled plastic of any kind.   With me, it always seems to crack, split or break.  Since I'm not familiar with this type plastic, I have no idea what it is, how durable it really is, or how strong it may be.    Do they sell this type of plastic in places like Home Depot where I can actually see and feel what this stuff is?

Well it's 3:22am by the computer clock, just finished watching a couple of movies, then check in here and head for bed.  And I'll probably be back up at 8am-8:30am at the latest.   Par for the course for me. LOL  Actually been up since 7am this morning {er, yesterday morning I should say!}

I need to wok on some sequences, but so far I just haven't felt motivated to do much with it for the time being.  I know I have a lot to do, but I just can't get into it for some reason.  And when I do I'm driving  my wife crazy with the music sections over and over.   I try to use headphones, but she always wants to 'interrupt me" and complains when I use the headphones, then complains about the repetition when I' not.   What can you do? ROFL

Well I'm off to lala land for now.   later.

 

Edited March 28, 2020 by Orville

[dibblejr]

7 hours ago, Orville said:

Nope, UPS Ground is what is selected.  Still think that's a bit much for shipping.  Only hard plastic I ever encountered was plexiglass, and I know that can't be rolled.  Once I mount them, they'll be mounted permanently so they'd have to stay like that from now on.   Providing I do purchase them.  But the thin plastic is what got me to rethink I may not want them.   

I've never had much luck with thin veiled plastic of any kind.   With me, it always seems to crack, split or break.  Since I'm not familiar with this type plastic, I have no idea what it is, how durable it really is, or how strong it may be.    Do they sell this type of plastic in places like Home Depot where I can actually see and feel what this stuff is?

Well it's 3:22am by the computer clock, just finished watching a couple of movies, then check in here and head for bed.  And I'll probably be back up at 8am-8:30am at the latest.   Par for the course for me. LOL  Actually been up since 7am this morning {er, yesterday morning I should say!}

I need to wok on some sequences, but so far I just haven't felt motivated to do much with it for the time being.  I know I have a lot to do, but I just can't get into it for some reason.  And when I do I'm driving  my wife crazy with the music sections over and over.   I try to use headphones, but she always wants to 'interrupt me" and complains when I use the headphones, then complains about the repetition when I' not.   What can you do? ROFL

Well I'm off to lala land for now.   later.

 

Orville - if you go to Holidaysequences . com  and click on RGB products and the last item in Matrix Board you can see the pictures. There are like 10 pictures there from various angles.

This is ABS plastic and probably what LOR uses since that is the standard type of matrix panel. It is very sturdy and durable. This is not hard plastic nor this plastic. I am guessing 1/8" thick. I still have your phone number if the same and can snap a picture of mine. Even my new pixel mini trees are made of this instead of coroplast.

Feel free to message me about the phone number. Better yet I will upload to photobucket and post here in a few minutes. 

My boys wake me up at about 6-6:30 every mourning so I know that sleep is highly over rated.

JR

Edited March 28, 2020 by dibblejr

[Orville]

1 hour ago, dibblejr said:

Orville - if you go to Holidaysequences . com  and click on RGB products and the last item in Matrix Board you can see the pictures. There are like 10 pictures there from various angles.

This is ABS plastic and probably what LOR uses since that is the standard type of matrix panel. It is very sturdy and durable. This is not hard plastic nor this plastic. I am guessing 1/8" thick. I still have your phone number if the same and can snap a picture of mine. Even my new pixel mini trees are made of this instead of coroplast.

Feel free to message me about the phone number. Better yet I will upload to photobucket and post here in a few minutes. 

My boys wake me up at about 6-6:30 every mourning so I know that sleep is highly over rated.

JR

Looks pretty decent.  Thanks.

 Now about that matrix board on the link, does it hold 1200 pixels {LOR bullets ~ 24 strands of 50?}   I might want to look into getting one of these as well at some point.  But I'll bet setting up graphics in it would be a pain to sequence without Superstar, which I'd have to invest in at some point to use that I guess. 

I just wish SS wasn't so expensive.  I've played with the demo, but never could get the SS demo to do much, just to see how it worked.    To me, the SS Demo just doesn't give you enough of the program to check out the software to see how it really functions.  

I wish more DEMO software was like LOR's, you can actually get a feel of the software, see what it does to a point, even though it won't control lights{don't remember now, been a long while back since I used LOR's DEMO version, if LOR would allow you to save your sequences in the DEMO version}, but, even if you couldn't, you could still use about 80%-85% of the Sequencing Suite in the LOR DEMO version to see  how it works.

 

EDIT: BTW: the phone number you have should still be the one I gave you if it was my wife's cell #.  But I'll send it in a PM, just in case.  She changed phones, so I lost yours in the change-over.  Her old phone didn't transfer all the numbers, and some that did, were sent and jumbled up.  She's been working on fixing the bad numbers that got messed up in the transfer.

 

Edited March 28, 2020 by Orville

[dibblejr]

1 minute ago, Orville said:

Looks pretty decent.  Thanks.

 Now about that matrix board on the link, does it hold 1200 pixels {LOR bullets ~ 24 strands of 50?}   I might want to look into getting one of these as well at some point.  But I'll bet setting up graphics in it would be a pain to sequence without Superstar, which I'd have to invest in at some point to use that I guess. 

I just wish SS wasn't so expensive.  I've played with the demo, but never could get the SS demo to do much, just to see how it worked.    To me, the SS Demo just doesn't give you enough of the program to check out the software to see how it really functions.  

I wish more DEMO software was like LOR's, you can actually get a feel of the software, see what it does to a point, even though it won't control lights{don't remember now, been a long while back since I used LOR's DEMO version, if LOR would allow you to save your sequences in the DEMO version}, but, even if you couldn't, you could still use about 80%-85% of the Sequencing Suite in the LOR DEMO version to see  how it works.

It will work however you want to put the 1200 pixels in it but 24 rows of 50 or 12 rows of 100 works well. 

Unless something changed in SS the demo should function fully but with your free 2 ccr's you can not export mre than those.

Waiting for pictures to upload to pb.

JR

[Orville]

Last time I opened it SS, couldn't export anything, and couldn't do much with the CCR's.  Was very limited.  Couldn't really do much with it.  So I haven't fooled with it much.  I checked it out when I upgraded my license for LOR to PRO and the version 4.4.4 I'm using.  Seems I couldn't export, save or do anything with it.  Just open it and run the test demo that's in it.   Other than that, I haven't been able to do anything with SS.

Edited March 28, 2020 by Orville

[TheDucks]

Shipping has gotten more expensive for those that don't ship large quantities (and have a volume contract).

Almost all the carriers have switched to Dimensional Weight for everything. That is the higher charge  actual weight vs dimensions under 2'x2'x2' goes for the 30Lb rate unless you use one of their boxes /envelope.  Space costs these carriers capacity so they charge what they say a 2x2x2x typically weighs, 30lb. More than 30, you pay weight for that box.  This used to be only for Air freight. No More. Computer processing make it easy for all places to charge dimensional.  Also note that those 'mailbox' places tack on a service fee as well as charge 'List' (even if they may be getting a volume discount). Then there are those businesses that have S&H fees, which is the real profit center. Low prices. High S&H

 

[Orville]

Thanks for the explanation TheDucks.  Ought to be laws against such things, sounds a little too close to price gouging for my liking.  But seems the shipping companies are getting away with it and not much we can do about it.  

I always hate finding something that's relatively inexpensive, say like $4.99, then you see the shipping charge is $45.99 for that item that could probably fit in a standard #10 envelope!  That's insane. 

Of course I don't buy things like that with those kind of shipping charges.  

I know darn good and well that an item that weighs less than a pound or two would not cost $45.99 to ship.  I call those rip-offs!

 

[TheDucks]

The first pound is the most expensive to process (it is the address processing. That does not change for additional pounds ). It also includes shipping materials (box, padding...) costs.

A smart shipping clerk can save money (usually for the company) on how they pack and ship. Other (100% Legal) tricks can save Customs at the destination (keep it under n$ per shipment, not worth the effort to process).

Air from outside the US IS expensive. Filling of Customs forms is time consuming (and not directly billable).  I can't remember the last time I was offered 'Surface' (ship) rates on a small order. Decades ago.

[Orville]

6 hours ago, TheDucks said:

The first pound is the most expensive to process (it is the address processing. That does not change for additional pounds ). It also includes shipping materials (box, padding...) costs.

A smart shipping clerk can save money (usually for the company) on how they pack and ship. Other (100% Legal) tricks can save Customs at the destination (keep it under n$ per shipment, not worth the effort to process).

Air from outside the US IS expensive. Filling of Customs forms is time consuming (and not directly billable).  I can't remember the last time I was offered 'Surface' (ship) rates on a small order. Decades ago.

Things have sure changed for the worse then.  I know I've worked as a shipping and receiving clerk, right down to making and filling out forms for Customs.   Sure wasn't that big of an expense back in the very late 2000's.  I worked as a shipping/receiving clerk and had to do all kinds of forms when it was being sent overseas.  I had forms for where the item{s} originally originated.

I seem to recall when I did orders that left the USA, I had around 15-20 different forms that had to be filled out to follow the shipment.  Those were always so much fun to fill out, usually spent anywhere from 1 to 2 days just gathering the data on items that were international shipments.  And that alongside all the regular customer orders shipped within the US.  Even Hawaii and Puerto Rico had to have special forms before a product could be sent there. 

The real  kicker was when the country of origin {COO} form was filled in with the same country that had shipped it here in the first place.  There were specialized forms for those cases too.   

You really had to know what you were doing and shipping with all those forms, one misstep and it'd be right back on your doorstep to be corrected and done all over again.  Don't know how many times I had to reprint and fill in new forms to correct forms from some of the others that filled these in and had used the wrong form or put info in the wrong place on the form.  That was always fun, no, not really.