Letting others program??

[Phippers]

So, Last year we were averaging 300 cars a night, and we had a camera set up out side that just watch them on all night. We got Cards, and emails, and lots of feedback, and obviously the most common question "How do you do that?"

So, This year I think it would be very neat to open it up to the public, and let them program a song to MY house, and then have a special night where they can see their own personal program to our lights, and video tape it, or invite their friends for just that one night to show off their program. This is possible only because the sequencer I use just went to freeware... we do a couple behind the scenes videos that allot of people have told me they love watching, so I can get the word out there, and at our premiere.

So... Would you recommend it, or not?

[shfr26]

I don't know about that. Maybe asking for something you really don't want. Just my opinion. I would not do it.

[amcdonald307]

You said the sequencing program is freeware? So, you are suggesting they can download the software to their machine, you'll provide them a .lcc type file of your configuration along with maybe an mp3 (or have them use their own?).
Then someone with no experience with it could create a sequence?
Knowing how much this is a full time hobby for a lot of us, and the learning curve we had to come up to speed, it sounds like a daunting task for someone without the inside skill set.

As a test run, you could post how to do it it here, and maybe one or more of our insiders club would be willing to walk through it and give an opinion on how it would work out for a complete novice. Doesn't seem like it would work to me, but you never know, and there may be something to learn from the exercise...

[Guest Don Gillespie]

amcdonald307 wrote:

You said the sequencing program is freeware? So, you are suggesting they can download the software to their machine, you'll provide them a .lcc type file of your configuration along with maybe an mp3 (or have them use their own?).
Then someone with no experience with it could create a sequence?
Knowing how much this is a full time hobby for a lot of us, and the learning curve we had to come up to speed, it sounds like a daunting task for someone without the inside skill set.

As a test run, you could post how to do it it here, and maybe one or more of our insiders club would be willing to walk through it and give an opinion on how it would work out for a complete novice. Doesn't seem like it would work to me, but you never know, and there may be something to learn from the exercise...

Also after they learn how its done what would stop them from getting thier own equipment and keeping pace with you I agree with everyone else I don't know how well it will work but it is your decision

[jim6918]

Please look at this gentleman's two other posts. He is talking about D-light software.

Everybody is welcome in this forum, but shouldn't we keep things reasonably associated with LOR? Shouldnt this more correctly belong at PC or in a D-light forum?

Personally there is no way I would ever get myself into something like this, even if the OP's could use LOR and not some other freeware.

[jimswinder]

I'm all for getting John Q Public involved!!

Especially when it is a smaller, tight community!!

I say if you have the resources and abilities...GO FOR IT!! What have you got to lose?

I am hoping on having a "Special Guest" do the honors of pushing the "Button" to start the show for my Opening Night Lighting Ceremony this year.

Zachery Lystedt and here is why:

http://www.biawa.org/lystedt.htm

All donations that night would/will be going to his organization.

I was actually wanting to have him do a sequence to his favorite Christmas Song...until I found out his "computer abilities" were very limited...but I think if he were able to do it, it would have been the highlight of this years shows.

[shfr26]

jimswinder wrote:

I am hoping on having a "Special Guest" do the honors of pushing the "Button" to start the show for my Opening Night Lighting Ceremony this year.

Zachery Lystedt and here is why:

WHAT???? I'm not your "Special Guest"? Only kidding on course. My daughter was diagnosed with M.S, the progressive type and is not doing very well, so was thinking about doing something for them this year, maybe just do a donation box for them. Not looking for any sympathy, just finally needed to get it off my chest and vent, sorry.

[jimswinder]

shfr26 wrote:

Not looking for any sympathy, just finally needed to get it off my chest and vent, sorry.

Never be sorry about "venting" about your daughter...

and I always have room for another "Special Guest"!! :?

[shfr26]

From the bottom of my heart, thank you sir!

[lightzilla]

Phippers wrote:

So, Last year we were averaging 300 cars a night, and we had a camera set up out side that just watch them on all night. We got Cards, and emails, and lots of feedback, and obviously the most common question "How do you do that?"

So, This year I think it would be very neat to open it up to the public, and let them program a song to MY house, and then have a special night where they can see their own personal program to our lights, and video tape it, or invite their friends for just that one night to show off their program. This is possible only because the sequencer I use just went to freeware... we do a couple behind the scenes videos that allot of people have told me they love watching, so I can get the word out there, and at our premiere.

So... Would you recommend it, or not?

There is a crescent with six house in some town in Ontario, Canada that have a musical Light show and some how they get folks to sequence a song and the people who own the home never knows what will be next.

They do it one night out of the week. To bad my "Book Marks" were deleted during a clean up a few years ago because the link was there.

I say go for it but how are you planning to do this?

[RaceMedic]

In referring to pushing the button to start the show on the first night ... Can I ask what people do.

We are having a bunch of people over for the official light ceremony but just looking to see how people launch the show for the first time with people waiting for it to start.

Thanks,

Dave

[jimswinder]

RaceMedic wrote:

In referring to pushing the button to start the show on the first night ... Can I ask what people do.

We are having a bunch of people over for the official light ceremony but just looking to see how people launch the show for the first time with people waiting for it to start.

Thanks,

Dave

I am going to use an Interactive Button

You would need one or more of these:

http://store.lightorama.com/ctinco3in.html

and a button...like this:

http://www.skycraftsurplus.com/2inchpushbuttonlightedgameswitch-assortedcolors.aspx

[RaceMedic]

jimswinder wrote:

I am going to use an Interactive Button

You would need one or more of these:

http://store.lightorama.com/ctinco3in.html

and a button...like this:

http://www.skycraftsurplus.com/2inchpushbuttonlightedgameswitch-assortedcolors.aspx

Do you mind explaining how that works and how it would works with a 2 PC controllers ?!

Dave

[jimswinder]

RaceMedic wrote:

Do you mind explaining how that works and how it would works with a 2 PC controllers ?!

I would love to..if I knew how it worked!!! LOL

Actually have not set it up yet (just another item on my LONG to do list before Thanksgiving)

Let me find it in the LOR Manual for ya...

EDIT:

Still Looking...

did find this post though:

http://lightorama.mywowbb.com/view_topic.php?id=20580&forum_id=76&jump_to=187417#p187417

Finally found it...was the data sheet on the link I showed before:

http://www.lightorama.com/Documents/CTB16_HEADER.pdf

[jimswinder]

RaceMedic wrote:

Do you mind explaining how that works and how it would works with a 2 PC controllers ?!

How I BELIEVE it to work is like this:

You can install one CTB16 Input Connector per Board...I have 33 boards, so I could conceivably have 66 Buttons (2 per Connector..it says 3 connectors, but if you have a 16PC or 16K board, you cannot use Connection #1).

Each button could then control a separate sequence, and I THINK you use the JUKEBOX feature to store these sequences...so they each play one at a time (as opposed to starting a whole show...which I THINK you can do also.

I am sure some residents experts (Like you Mr. Millard!!) will chime in and correct me if I am wrong and even give some more detail..but like I said, I have not done this yet, but need to get on it before Thanksgiving as I plan to let kids use them between shows to turn on certain elements in my display and have some sort of sound associated with the lights as they go on/off.

[JBullard]

I believe the original poster might have been referring to Aurora software, it is now freeware and does output in the LOR format.

Nice idea, and I hope it works out, but it's not for me.

My show is 100% my own effort, I do not buy sequences nor download and use someone elses sequences. That would take the fun out of this hobby for me.

[Phippers]

JBullard wrote:

I believe the original poster might have been referring to Aurora software, it is now freeware and does output in the LOR format.

Nice idea, and I hope it works out, but it's not for me.

My show is 100% my own effort, I do not buy sequences nor download and use someone elses sequences.   That would take the fun out of this hobby for me.

 

Yes! You all have pretty much gotten the jist of it, however my concerns were the same as yours...

On one hand they will realize this this isn't easy to do the complex, clean fades of color throughout 80 some odd channels.

The other hand It does take away a little bit of the "all mine" display, but it also gets people involved.

And yes... It was Aurora... It's just what I learned on. My plans were to put up a "How-To" video, leading them to download the sequencer, and a file with my channel setup, and then giving a deadline for files to be in, and one night, maybe on a weeknight, Play them and allow them to videotape, invite friends, whatever. I know actually seeing something I completely programmed is amazing! Then it kind of gives some locals the ins on how to make a programmed show... that fact I'm not sure if I like or not. :/

And Yes, I am a D-light user, but you guys are more... well... "Into it"... the forums over there are really barren, and I love the extra accessories that LOR sells. I'm hoping to switch over to your sequencer once DMX control comes out too. :] Hope I'm welcome here.

[Phippers]

JBullard wrote:

I believe the original poster might have been referring to Aurora software, it is now freeware and does output in the LOR format.

Nice idea, and I hope it works out, but it's not for me.

My show is 100% my own effort, I do not buy sequences nor download and use someone elses sequences.   That would take the fun out of this hobby for me.

 

Yes! You all have pretty much gotten the jist of it, however my concerns were the same as yours...

On one hand they will realize this this isn't easy to do the complex, clean fades of color throughout 80 some odd channels.

The other hand It does take away a little bit of the "all mine" display, but it also gets people involved.

And yes... It was Aurora... It's just what I learned on. My plans were to put up a "How-To" video, leading them to download the sequencer, and a file with my channel setup, and then giving a deadline for files to be in, and one night, maybe on a weeknight, Play them and allow them to videotape, invite friends, whatever. I know actually seeing something I completely programmed is amazing! Then it kind of gives some locals the ins on how to make a programmed show... that fact I'm not sure if I like or not. :/

And Yes, I am a D-light user, but you guys are more... well... "Into it"... the forums over there are really barren, and I love the extra accessories that LOR sells. I'm hoping to switch over to your sequencer once DMX control comes out too. :] Hope I'm welcome here.

[Phippers]

JBullard wrote:

I believe the original poster might have been referring to Aurora software, it is now freeware and does output in the LOR format.

Nice idea, and I hope it works out, but it's not for me.

My show is 100% my own effort, I do not buy sequences nor download and use someone elses sequences.   That would take the fun out of this hobby for me.

 

Yes! You all have pretty much gotten the jist of it, however my concerns were the same as yours...

On one hand they will realize this this isn't easy to do the complex, clean fades of color throughout 80 some odd channels.

The other hand It does take away a little bit of the "all mine" display, but it also gets people involved.

And yes... It was Aurora... It's just what I learned on. My plans were to put up a "How-To" video, leading them to download the sequencer, and a file with my channel setup, and then giving a deadline for files to be in, and one night, maybe on a weeknight, Play them and allow them to videotape, invite friends, whatever. I know actually seeing something I completely programmed is amazing! Then it kind of gives some locals the ins on how to make a programmed show... that fact I'm not sure if I like or not. :/

And Yes, I am a D-light user, but you guys are more... well... "Into it"... the forums over there are really barren, and I love the extra accessories that LOR sells. I'm hoping to switch over to your sequencer once DMX control comes out too. :] Hope I'm welcome here.

[Phippers]

Just to add this on, and clear it up... All the Programs will be mine. I never buy the sequences, I think that takes the fun out of it.

If I were to do this, they would all be shown only 1 "special viewing" night sometime in the middle of the season.