shfr26 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Was thinkikng about do a 10-14 foot tree next season and was wondering if anyone has used multi colored mini's on one? Will being stealing 12 channels from other elements, do not think I can get another controller right now, so, due to the fact that I have a bunch of multi's left over was going to try and use them. Any thoughts about using muti colored only?? Thanks. Or would a half tree up against the house look better with 12 channels, still using multi colored? Also how many strings would it take to make it look decent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickByrd Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 My mega tree uses multicolor incandescent garland lights (red, blue and green). I think it looks okay. My tree was 20 feet tall and only used 1 strand for each channel (16 channels total). I thought my tree was a bit thin and I am going to to run 2 strings on each channel next year.If you want a look, go to my webpage below. You can see pics and video there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmais68569 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I used clear & multi the first year with my mega tree. The clear looked good but was not satisfied with the multi so pulled them & replaced with red & green great results. MkeThis video about the 38 sec. mark has multi.( lg tree on left)This video has the red, green & clear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 shfr26 wrote: Or would a half tree up against the house look better with 12 channels, still using multi colored? Also how many strings would it take to make it look decent?Pete - take a look at my 2008 videos (or even the 2009 ones) - despite your brain maybe telling you otherwise, the mega tree is a flat one. I originally did it that way because of space, or rather the lack thereof, but I liked the way it looks so I haven't gotten around to changing it. I use 16 channels total - 12 chasing channels, one red, one green and two for the star.Regarding multis - remember how Jeff used to be regarding LEDs? Or how he is once he picks up the scent of trolls? That's how I feel about incandescent multis. I totally hate them. They're terrible for defining shapes, they don't stand out at all, and once they begin to fade in the first couple of weeks they really start blending in with everything else in the same line of sight. I completely understand the concept of using what you have, but there comes a time where you have to honestly answer the question "Why haven't I used these lights before now?". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickByrd Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Its great to here from someone with such know how George. Like I said earlier my tree just looked okay to me. I never could put my finger on it, but ithink you just solved it. And all this time I thought it just needed thicker lights.That post was probably the most informative post I have read in weeks. That will help with MY planning, I am sure shfr26 will agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 NickByrd wrote: Like I said earlier my tree just looked okay to me. I never could put my finger on it, but ithink you just solved it. And all this time I thought it just needed thicker lights.Nick - this is definitely one of those YMMV situations that your personal taste should be your guide. And this is probably also a good time to mention that my eyes don't always perceive pale colors correctly so some of what bugs me might not bug you.I know there's a lot of people who buy and use multis who are satisfied with the results. I even use a few myself on my spinners. (although they're LED and fading isn't an issue) My prejudice against incandescent multis comes from the fact that ever since they were invented I've been seeing people fill their yard with light sets that are half-faded - and they put them on every bush and tree and window and roofline and old rusty car they have - until it becomes a maelstrom of light. From the street you can't tell one object from another or see any real depth; visually it all runs together. Even with blinky-flashy, if your lights suck your display sucks.Multis, even non-faded ones, definitely soften the edges of whatever they're used on and maybe that's what a lot of people are looking for. As for me, I like color and I like the sharp-edge distinction between one display element and the next. Plus, I don't have a lot of depth to work with so using solid colors allows me to layer things and NOT have it all run together from the street perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shfr26 Posted February 8, 2011 Author Share Posted February 8, 2011 Well, I will have to wait till next week to see if I can do solid color. My brother-in-law from Georgia was shopping in early January and called to say the store he was at had shelves full of blue LED's, (sorry Jeff) and asked if I wanted any, told him to get a whole bunch for me. So my tree size will be determined by his idea of a whole bunch. As usual George, you are correct, I like the look of solid colors too, but I had a boatload of new multis from last year and was going to use them. So, thanks for the replies and advice, will let you know how many lights he brings me. BTW, Mike, your first video is private so I could not view it, I did like the look of the tree in the second video. Since the "Godfather of LOR", a title given to him by someone else, had me watching his videos again, I need more channels and more solid colored lights!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark kooiman Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 I did a mega tree this christmas for the first time. It was 17 feet high with 16 channels, all multi colors with 2 strings per channel. It looked really good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texascop Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 I did a 9' tree this year. Isn't really a mini or a mega. I call it a midi-tree. Anyway, the base is about 10 feet in diameter. I used 8 segments and it turned out really nice. I think any more segments would have made the segements too thin.I used white for the 8 segments each on it own channel, then I used one channel of red all the way around and one channel of green all the way around. Including the star on top, I used 11 channels total.I plan on putting up a second one just like it this year.The effects worked out really well. I can post a video link if interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shfr26 Posted February 8, 2011 Author Share Posted February 8, 2011 texascop wrote: I did a 9' tree this year. Isn't really a mini or a mega. I call it a midi-tree. Anyway, the base is about 10 feet in diameter. I used 8 segments and it turned out really nice. I think any more segments would have made the segements too thin.I used white for the 8 segments each on it own channel, then I used one channel of red all the way around and one channel of green all the way around. Including the star on top, I used 11 channels total.I plan on putting up a second one just like it this year.The effects worked out really well. I can post a video link if interested.Yes, I would like to see it please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texascop Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 www.vimeo.com/18613125www.vimeo.com/18613362I hope they work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug petschke Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 ohhh great:( I went to menards and picked up about 20 boxes of 100 light multis to re do my tree for next year and now i am wishing I would have seen George's post before planning to rebuild my tree with them. my tree was looking terrible. now i don't know what to do. :?ba hum bug ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 You could do a face instead! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug petschke Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 I thought you had the face patented? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Nah - the Halloweeners were probably at it long before I came along. I just had the idea of expanding it to the front side of the house and having it make, well, faces at people. I'm actually doing some sequencing this year for one and maybe two other clients who want faces. Perhaps I should have patented it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shfr26 Posted February 27, 2011 Author Share Posted February 27, 2011 shfr26 wrote: Well, I will have to wait till next week to see if I can do solid color. My brother-in-law from Georgia was shopping in early January and called to say the store he was at had shelves full of blue LED's, (sorry Jeff) and asked if I wanted any, told him to get a whole bunch for me. So my tree size will be determined by his idea of a whole bunch.So sad, he only got me 11 boxes of 60's. Oh well, will have to think of something else to do with the 11 boxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Herberger Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 shfr26 wrote: shfr26 wrote: Well, I will have to wait till next week to see if I can do solid color. My brother-in-law from Georgia was shopping in early January and called to say the store he was at had shelves full of blue LED's, (sorry Jeff) and asked if I wanted any, told him to get a whole bunch for me. So my tree size will be determined by his idea of a whole bunch.So sad, he only got me 11 boxes of 60's. Oh well, will have to think of something else to do with the 11 boxes.I guess the gap between what we consider to be a whole bunch of lights and normal people is wide.If I don't see cases full of lights on the shelf, I don't even give it a second look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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