LOR 2012 48 channel project planning

[ydeardorff]

OK, Light-O-Rama has sold me.
My current setup is a Mr. Christmas lights and sounds 6 channel controller with over 2000 lights.
Its OK for a first year of doing this, and has helped me to start thinking bigger for next year.

I have a neighbor whom has one of the LOR setups. He is using only one 16 channel box, of the two he has, and about five thousand lights.

As per his directions thus far, I know I will need:

- An FM transmitter
- 1 30 amp breaker with a dual plug receptacle per 16 channel box
- 1 hell of a lot of LED lights to conserve electricity, and to increase the total amount of light output for the display.
- even more extension cords.
- significant planning (Like starting now for next year)
and a good ear for music, to use the sequence programmer
- Get a ton of good quality holiday MP3's

Now someone mentioned a visualizer where do I get that?

When and where are the best places to get the controllers? I'm not afraid of soldering, its just been awhile. And not to mention Id like to keep the costs down as much as I can.

Will this system run on Linux? Since I would hate to have a "winblows pista" hang up in mid display.

Are their any tricks to making these displays really pop? Perhaps, including strands that have features like sparkle, or chase built in to minimize channel usage.

To give an example, The wife loves the arches, however, I have a hard time chewing up 8 to 16 channels on just them. When I would have a whole house, garage, and yard to deal with.

Rope lights: there are RGB rope lights out there with their own controllers. I had a thought of ditching the controller, and finding a way to use the RGB rope light as a multi-colored string to minimize the amount of shear bulk lights I have to hang.

I know some simple tricks like pig tail tagging would help immensely with setup. Are their any other ideas out there?

Any good site links for decent song sequences?

I guess thats all for now.

Thanks in advance

Yaughn

Here is a link to my piddly setup for this year. So far its the best in my town though. LOL

[travis p]

the quickest way to find out about all you refereed to is to read this forum from end to end and ask your neighbor for the rest of the story most of what you are looking for is in the software that runs the lor control boxes even the visualizer as far as sequences go there are lots online for downloading but thay wont match your set up unless you build to match the sequence folks on this fourm are glad to answer your questions ask any time welcome to the frayalso add your location to your profile sometimes it helps

[Don]

Hi,

Welcome to the madness.

Just some quick answers to some of your questions.

Now someone mentioned a visualizer where do I get that?

The visualizer is part of the S3 software suite. (http://www.lightorama.com/ShowtimeSoftwareSuite.html)

When and where are the best places to get the controllers?

The best place to get controllers is from Light-O-Rama, or one of the Partners who may be selling them. I do not sell the soldering kits, so you couldn't get those from me. (Though, in my opinion, getting the kits that need soldering directly from LOR is the best option.)

Will this system run on Linux?

No, the software is Windows based. Currently the minimum requirements for the S3 software is XP Service Pack 3 (and higher.)

Are their any tricks to making these displays really pop? Perhaps, including strands that have features like sparkle, or chase built in to minimize channel usage.

LOR was going to be coming out with a Cosmic Color Bulb string this year. However, there seems to have been some serious manufacturing issues outside of LOR's control that has delayed them. These CCB's would allow you to individually control each bulb on the string. Cost .. well .. we're not talking the $2.00 strand at local discount store.

Welcome to the dilema everyone here faces. Limited budget, unlimited imagination. You'll find many things that you want to do, but realize that the number of channels needed to do so can go very high, very quick.

[TJ Hvasta]

YDeardorff, first, welcome to the madness and insanity that is LOR! Like cousin Eddie said in Christmas Vacation "it's the gift that gives the whole year through"..

One question I have for you to pose to your LOR friend, ask him how long they've been doing this, what pitfalls he's run into.. That may help you avoid some of the problems new users have.. Also, Purser is right.. really, take some time, read thru each of the posts in the Newbies (this one) sub-forum.. There is probably not a question or problem that hasnt been asked here. There is a tremendous amount of Tribal Knowledge passed down by the Elders here.. stuff not really in writing anywhere else, so... read!!

As to eating up channels with arches.. you can plug several arches into the same 5-9 channels so they mirror each other.. thats a great way to start with a lotta WOW factor! My first set of 4 arches ran into the same 8 channels.. still looked good for a first time.

S2 and S3 software will run on WinXP minimum realiably.. quite a few people here have their shows runnning on really old laptops with it. And you can find (if you dont already have it) XP for cheap on eBay or Craigslist even.. If you want to work with LOR, it's time to embrace the horror.. Resistance is useless, you will be assimulated.. (jus' kidding). You can always install XP with at least the service packs, then leave it OFFLINE and you'll be fine.

Read, ask (both your friend and here), then do.. In LOR terms, it's See One, Do One, Teach One..

[KStatefan]

If you are going with LEDs you will not need that much power. 30 amps would be 750 strings of the LEDs I have.

[ydeardorff]

My thought on using LED's are to maximize the display. I found a Mr. Christmas lights and sound controller at value village for 15 bucks, and that is what has started this whole mess. LOL
The first thing I noticed is, using incandescent bulbs has to be out! My display despite the controller running over 2000 lights, is wimpy and not worthy of this boards viewing. Had I run LED's it would have at least been better looking. I get a lot of grins, and helpful ideas but it too close to Christmas to be blowing my budget outside, when there still stuff that need to go under the tree.
Thanks for the info, Ill ask the guy next time I catch him. Right now Im facing the trial version of the S3 software, and not a clue where to begin. I don't suppose anyone here would have a freebie, routine I could download and tinker with to help get me used to the software?
Im hoping to have at least 48 channels, a bunch of mini trees in front, a mega tree, light arches, and run everything in four colors, red, white, green, and blue.
Ive heard that the controllers run on sale in the summer, so i may have to wait till then. The CCR's are gorgeous, but at 250 ea, they are out even for next year.
The nice thing about the Mr. Christmas lights and display, is it was a nice stepping stone, on going this route. It showed me it not that hard to plan out the display. And with a little proper planning, I can get this done by next year.
Does anyone recommend anywhere to get cheap LED lights in the off season? And, when are the controller sales at their best?

Anyway here is my 1st year wimpy Mr. Christmas display this year only 2000+ bulbs. Hopefully Ill be running LOR next year.

[Salts]

ydeardorff wrote:

My thought on using LED's are to maximize the display. I found a Mr. Christmas lights and sound controller at value village for 15 bucks, and that is what has started this whole mess. LOL
The first thing I noticed is, using incandescent bulbs has to be out! My display despite the controller running over 2000 lights, is wimpy and not worthy of this boards viewing. Had I run LED's it would have at least been better looking. I get a lot of grins, and helpful ideas but it too close to Christmas to be blowing my budget outside, when there still stuff that need to go under the tree.
Thanks for the info, Ill ask the guy next time I catch him. Right now Im facing the trial version of the S3 software, and not a clue where to begin. I don't suppose anyone here would have a freebie, routine I could download and tinker with to help get me used to the software?
Im hoping to have at least 48 channels, a bunch of mini trees in front, a mega tree, light arches, and run everything in four colors, red, white, green, and blue.
Ive heard that the controllers run on sale in the summer, so i may have to wait till then. The CCR's are gorgeous, but at 250 ea, they are out even for next year.
The nice thing about the Mr. Christmas lights and display, is it was a nice stepping stone, on going this route. It showed me it not that hard to plan out the display. And with a little proper planning, I can get this done by next year.
Does anyone recommend anywhere to get cheap LED lights in the off season? And, when are the controller sales at their best?

Anyway here is my 1st year wimpy Mr. Christmas display this year only 2000+ bulbs. Hopefully Ill be running LOR next year.

As far as getting started with the software.... go here http://www.lightorama.com/Documentation.html and go to the bottom of the page there are downloads that will show you how to get started. I read and used those the first year I did this and like you I was sequencing the music long before I took the plunge for a controller. Mainly to assure that I could be successful before spending the money.

Lee

[Guest guest]

ydeardorff wrote:

Right now Im facing the trial version of the S3 software, and not a clue where to begin. I don't suppose anyone here would have a freebie, routine I could download and tinker with to help get me used to the software?

You can download my 2011 S3 Christmas and Halloween Sequences if you want to play around with them (they're 80 channel, but don't use all 80 channels and are in tracks).

But you're welcome to play with them, download from this url:

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=7d6d47dfa1c635ae&Bsrc=EMSHGM&Bpub=SN.Notifications&id=7D6D47DFA1C635AE%211240#cid=7D6D47DFA1C635AE&id=7D6D47DFA1C635AE%211959

Just select Halloween or Christmas for whichever you need or want.

Hope they may be able to help. I've got some additional ones and some I've made some changes to to re-upload in the Christmas section, but these should give you some idea. S3 sequences are pretty much the same as previous versions with a few additional changes.

[ydeardorff]

Thanks for the files.

My install of the S3 software doesnt work at all. So Im going to try to install the S2 version and see if that will work.

[Guest guest]

ydeardorff wrote:

Thanks for the files.

My install of the S3 software doesnt work at all. So Im going to try to install the S2 version and see if that will work.

What do you mean by doesn't work?

Does it load the sequence?

Or you're just not getting the S3 to install at all?

Also you stated the S3 would be the DEMO version?

If it is and you're trying to control lights via a controller, it won't work, you need an S3 license to be able to even connect and set up a controller in the Sequence Editor. The S3 demo will show you in the animation window (NOT the visualizer) what the sequence will look like to a point, but to actually be able to control the lights, the DEMO versions don't and won't do that.

[ydeardorff]

I reinstalled the program, and now I only get a com service error (win vista 64bit), but the sequencer and visualizer works. Its going to be a steep learning curve. But hey, I have a year to get good at it. LOL
Yes its the unregistered demo version downloaded from there site. Im not trying to run lights, just play with the program using my house as a back drop on the visualizer. Just to get a feel for it.

Im gonna have to search out some info on channel configurations, cause what Im looking at as I understand how the channels work it well over 80 channels worth of display.
As far as I know, its on or off per cord/channel/set of lights attached to that channel.