mryan23 Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 What is the most important thing you would tell a total newbie before its too late? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Burge Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Don't wait until the last minute to start sequencing or setting up your lights. I have done both and it is stressful if you don't start early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Amedee Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Started in Jan. the more I read and learn..and buy..Had thirty songs down cold..Bought CCR's..Started over. First off establish a budget..Place your home in the visulizer..Set your elements through out...Sequence a song and watch it...Get a second job!!!Buy more than you wanted to..Ask the wife for forgiveness!!! Start over with the new stuff...Wire up a few elements(Put them in the living room so you can see them!!)Ask the wife for forgiveness..Get more idea's from the forum..Buy more stuff...Start over...Sequenceing getting easier now...Add more stuff..Start over..Get advanced software to add the (extra controllers) and beat wizard!!! Spend every waking moment on the forum to see what you might have missed..IT NEVER ENDS!!!! WELCOME TO THE MADDNESS !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 The most important thing? Have fun. If it isn't fun, go do something else. If it ever becomes anything other than fun, go do something else.Second most important thing? Buy extension cords. Lots of 'em. And when you think you have enough, go and buy 25% more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Amedee Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Thanks George !!!Buy more extension cords!!! Got over a thousand foot from work and still need more !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Ron Amedee wrote:Thanks George !!!Buy more extension cords!!! Got over a thousand foot from work and still need more !!!Is that all? A measley thousand feet? Sharon and I wrapped and tied over 875 cords this year. About 2.2 miles total. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Amedee Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 I am a newbee!!! First year..Give me a few years and will have thousands and a still not catch up with your awsome display..But can dream !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan.a Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 save your sequence outside of your computer. nobody ever listens to that one, till it's too late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubado Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 evan.a, could you please use a different avatar? the file is too big and slowing the browser for other people. I had a similar avatar years ago that would do the same thing.My bit of advice for newbies, I think Ron said it pretty well, beg for forgiveness from the wife! Study the forum, ask questions, plan what you want to do and try not to diviate from it. Making changes later can cause chaos for you. Make your first year a practice year and don't over do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surfing4Dough Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 George Simmons wrote: Ron Amedee wrote:Thanks George !!!Buy more extension cords!!! Got over a thousand foot from work and still need more !!!Is that all? A measley thousand feet? Sharon and I wrapped and tied over 875 cords this year. About 2.2 miles total.Ron Amedee wrote: I am a newbee!!! First year..Give me a few years and will have thousands and a still not catch up with your awsome display..But can dream !!!That explains it--you haven't set up a display yet. 1000' seems like a lot at first, but I bet come November you will be out buying more cords (probably more than double) unless you have a very tiny yard. I am amazed every year how no matter how many thousands of feet of cord/wire I buy in the off-season that I still find I could use more during set-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surfing4Dough Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 My best advice I received here as a newbie was to buy PC controllers instead of Showtime controllers--allows you to buy more channels for the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 1. Agree with Scubado...lay out your display, lock it down, and be done with it."Scope creep" will kill you if you start making changes as you are setting up. I can vouch for that one first hand...definitely my number one lesson from last year.I'm going overboard this year, probably even putting the design, and overall layout and work timeline, into MS Project.2. When done, stand back and enjoy...accept the fact you'll never be completely satisfied, and all the minor flaws you see, no one will notice.3. Accept the fact that sleep is overrated come November... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Blair Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 If you have more than one or two controllers you should download a controller calculator from http://www.quartzhillchristmas.com/This will let you balance the electrical needs for each element and each controller and is a blessing during set up so that you get every thing connected correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Don Gillespie Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 I agree with what everyone else has said once you lay out your design do not change it, extension cords and lots of them, back up back up and back up all of your sequences, and always have fun because thats what it is all about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caniac Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 and in case it hasn't been said enough, extension cords and lots of them. I started out with 32 channels and thought I had enough, four more trips to Wally World and several hundreds of dollars later it was all going.Even though I took the easy way out (bought canned sequences and music from WoWLights.Com), I would look around and say "you know that item over there if i put it on the same line as the star on the mega tree, hmmm - damn it I need a 75 foot extension cord - crap Wally world doesn't have a 75 footer - oh hmm two 40footers will do the trick". I repeated that dance frequently and didn't even get into sequencing. This year is more controllers and four songs that WoW doesn't have canned sequences/music for that the better half said are "must haves" plus figuring out a Weber Tree. Good thing I started in January. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulXmas Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Plan out your yard and stick to it (changing it will cost you any changes can be made next year).Each channel needs at least one extension cord so you need lots.Plan on 40 or more hours to sequence each song.Be real nice to your spouse (my wife is getting a new kitchen this year).This should be fun!Do it for yourself!Read the forum daily sign up at Planet Christmas for even more information.Say good bye to anyother hobbies you use to have LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rstately Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Yes, everyone thats saying, make a plan and stick with it... For me, thats also the hardest rule to follow. As far as cords, yea you need a lot. As you get more controllers, you can dedicate controllers to elements in your display. That saves some cords...If you put on a show in December, and you haven't lost your wife, and half your stuff, you did good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mwhite7097 Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Put social life on hold...invest in wire and light manufacturers...win the lottery. LOLActually, listen to what everyone here has said and don't be afraid to ask questions even if you think it's a dumb one. Make sure the family is in with you because the time you spend on this hobby is enormous! Start small and build up over the years. Don't make it a burden time wise, money wise, or family wise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstorms Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Goto Youtube and Vimeo and watch as many Christmas light shows as you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Ron Amedee wrote: I am a newbee!!! First year..Give me a few years and will have thousands and a still not catch up with your awsome display..But can dream !!!Extension cords! Buy more than you need, and then triple that! My first year 2010, I bought more extension cords than I figured I'd use, WRONG! Had to go and get even more. I'll bet if I laid out my extension cords I used in my display, they'd run at least a mile, probably more! Had extension cords plugged into extension cords!:shock:Some home made, some purchased, some modified, also invest in outdoor power stakes 3 - 6 outlets per stake! You'll need them too! I used 6 of these in my display for 2010, also used some "multi-tap outdoor green extension cords, 3 outlet tap on end, to get power to the controllers and some display items that would remain on at all times, like those with multi-function controllers that I use on some items. I don't like a display that may go completely dark (blacked out) between songs, so I have some elements of my display that stay on either static or by use of an built-in multi-function (8-16 fiunctions) controller that I set to go through all the cycles randomly.If you want go free up your computer, then buy an LOR DC-MP3 Showtuime Director that can run your show from an SD card. I use one and it's powered from the CTB16PC controller. Also invest in a good quality FM Transmitter, this will appease some of your neighbors, especially if you're in an area where outdoor speakers may not be allowed. If you can use speakers, buy outdoor speakers that will hold up in the elements! I have some I use, you may also want to consider buying or locate an old FM radio you can connect the speakers too, this gives you an amp for the speakers, and a nice volume control to adjust the sound levels of your speakers just loud enough for people that may walk by your display on a sidewalk, just not loud enough your next door neighbor can hear them inside their house!Read the forums here and learn all you can about how to use the LOR Sequencer to the best of it and YOUR potential! This will be my second year and I'm still learning NEW things about sequencing, tips and tricks of the software I wasn't aware of that has helped me to sequence my display elements even better now.And ASK QUESTIONS on things you don't understand or need clarification on, my teachers always said, THERE ARE NO DUMB or STUPID QUESTIONS, but the answers just might be! And nost of all, don't let it rule you, don't let it become a job that frustrates you, take your time, learn, play around, set up lights indoors or outside and see how it all works. I sequence using some items from my Halloween and then Christmas displays so I can see just what it will look like, the visualizer is good, but it doesn't always give as good a rendition as a set of lights or lighted Blowmold plugged into a controller(s) that you can see the actual effects. Also helps to tweak yur sequences a wee bit better too!And make suire all outdoor items are plugged into a GFCI outlet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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