hi all new guy here

[plasmadrive]

Actually I have a 3 phase system here that I use power from for part of my display. The LOR controllers have no issue with using separate phases as long as the neutral is there and connected correctly and you don't use a "stinger leg" or "high leg". That "high leg" is only present in 240v 3ph delta systems like mine. I just use the two phases that are standard 120VAC. Most of you will be using standard single phase house power and it won't be an issue.

As for using separate phases from standard house power, as long as the neutral is in tact and correct, you are ok. Phase A on one input and Phase B on the other.. WITH THE NEUTRAL TIED TO THE PROPER NEUTRAL INPUT. If your electrician wired your plugs and didn't get the neutral on the proper side of the plug, you may will have issues. If he got it right, which most will do, you will be fine.

[Redbirdruss]

I find the Ready-Shoot-Aim methodology works best for me. Here are my suggestions for 1st year displays:
1. Buy a single 16 channel CTB16PC and the basic Software Starter Pack - Cheapest and most full functioning solution
2. Use a dedicated PC/Laptop - You can pick one up for less than $400 easily.
3. Start with 1 color - This will be easier to sequence and will help you learn the art
4. Use Mini-trees - They have a lot of bang for the buck and are fantastic for sequencing chases
5. LED's last longer than Incan and are a better investment - I found myself throwing away 70-80% of my incan's every year. This year I had only 2 LED strings fail.
6. Get used to the eye rolling...
Welcome to the madness

[veedubbman]

hey redbirdruss...loved your 1st year suggestions cause it's my first year and your list made lots of sense. can i pry into your business and ask how you test your seq'n. do you have everything hooked up and test? is there a trick to testing without running the outdoor setup? i thought about buying some super cheap night lights with colored bulbs to use. just to get an idea of timing and effects while hammering out the seq. i know the night lights would only be a small help but still. i'm just curious about how everybody gets started.

[dgrant]

New question related: I'm wanting to do a spiral mega tree my first year out. I plan on using 16 channels on it. I've seen a few videos where people would make an effective show out of the tree itself but sequencing is the part that makes it happen. Not looking for free sequences rather advice on how to make it look nice...alternate sides, color changes, overlapping and etc...my first 32 channels will arrive late Monday and I'll be ordering 32 more shortly.

[Guest guest]

veedubbman wrote:

hey redbirdruss...loved your 1st year suggestions cause it's my first year and your list made lots of sense. can i pry into your business and ask how you test your seq'n. do you have everything hooked up and test? is there a trick to testing without running the outdoor setup? i thought about buying some super cheap night lights with colored bulbs to use. just to get an idea of timing and effects while hammering out the seq. i know the night lights would only be a small help but still. i'm just curious about how everybody gets started.

I dont have everything inside, but I will bring in and set up a few blowmolds and single strands of LED or Incandescent lights to test with. It really helps if you have some, if not most of what you're going to use in your display to see how it all lights.

The reason I do it is many LED strands (currently all from Big Box stores, not this year!) act and react differently to the same fade effect, the same intensity on one stand may not be the same on another of the same exact color usually if from a different manufacturer, but sometimes even a same mfr. has these issues as one years construction may be completey different from another.

So it gives me a better feel seeing what each element is doing, many times I have just about everything in my display connected up in my work room, just to make sure the entire sequence can be checked and verified it's the proper intensity, fades where I expect them and so forth.

This is just the way I do it, others sometime have a set up in their backyard for testing purposes, and others have other ways of doing it. '

There is no right or wrong way, just what, and how you prefer to run and check your sequences against your decor.

[Guest guest]

Redbirdruss wrote:

I find the Ready-Shoot-Aim methodology works best for me. Here are my suggestions for 1st year displays:
1. Buy a single 16 channel CTB16PC and the basic Software Starter Pack - Cheapest and most full functioning solution
2. Use a dedicated PC/Laptop - You can pick one up for less than $400 easily.
3. Start with 1 color - This will be easier to sequence and will help you learn the art
4. Use Mini-trees - They have a lot of bang for the buck and are fantastic for sequencing chases
5. LED's last longer than Incan and are a better investment - I found myself throwing away 70-80% of my incan's every year. This year I had only 2 LED strings fail.
6. Get used to the eye rolling...
Welcome to the madness

I have to disagree with your #1 at the software part. The basic software IS NOT fully functonal, anyone going into this should really consider and buy the ADVANCED License as IT DOES open up all aspects of the LOR Software and has unlimited controllers, whereas Basic only allows (I think if I recall 2 controllers, Basic+ up to 4 controllers). Advanced License is definitely well worth the investment as some items in the software won't work with anything less than the Advanced License.

If you can afford it, definitely go with Advanced, you'll be much happier you did in the long run. After I got my controllers and the BASIC+, I ended up upgrading to Advanced within several days because I would not have been able to use all 5 controllers, nor would I have access to some of the Advanced features of the software.

But it's up to the end purchaser what they decide on, but you'll find most here will recommend you go with the Advanced License.

[Brian Mitchell]

Also you don't need a $400 computer to run your show. It's good to have a decent computer to sequence on but to run the show all you really need is a $20 yardsale special. I'm using an old recycled Compaq and it runs flawlessly year after year. As long as it has Windows XP and doesn't crash, it should work fine.

[Redbirdruss]

veedubbman wrote:

hey redbirdruss...loved your 1st year suggestions cause it's my first year and your list made lots of sense. can i pry into your business and ask how you test your seq'n. do you have everything hooked up and test? is there a trick to testing without running the outdoor setup? i thought about buying some super cheap night lights with colored bulbs to use. just to get an idea of timing and effects while hammering out the seq. i know the night lights would only be a small help but still. i'm just curious about how everybody gets started.

I never set-up an "Test Environment" or used the visualizer. Instead I just visualized the effect in my head and then video recorded my show after ir was in place. This relates to my "Ready-Shoot-Aim" approach to the whole process.

True, you don't need to spend $400 on a new computer but I bought a Toshiba Laptop last year for about $300 and plan to use it until it dies. Since I ONLY use it for LOR it should last a very long time. Plus I do not add any other applications so I am sure to avoid any possible application/hardware conflicts and it is running Windows 7.

As far as the software goes, if you are buying one or two controllers I am not sure what real advantage having anything more than basic gives you plus you can always upgrade later.

These are only my opinions and as with all free advice... You get what you pay for

[Redbirdruss]

dgrant wrote:

New question related: I'm wanting to do a spiral mega tree my first year out. I plan on using 16 channels on it. I've seen a few videos where people would make an effective show out of the tree itself but sequencing is the part that makes it happen. Not looking for free sequences rather advice on how to make it look nice...alternate sides, color changes, overlapping and etc...my first 32 channels will arrive late Monday and I'll be ordering 32 more shortly.

I think that Megatrees are fantastic effects and can be a great centerpiece or even the whole show. Did I understand that you are going to have a total of 16 channels for the megatree? I think you would be limited to 1 color for the entire tree in that case. My guess is that 16 strands is the minimum for a mega tree. If you wanted 4 colors, you are looking at 64 Channels plus 4-8 channels for a Star and why not throw in a channel or 2 for some strobes! 80 Channels would just about do the trick!
Blinking lights are great but color transitions and reference to the music makes for the best sequences. Most music is in 4/4 time that means every 16 beats, there is a bridge or change over. Spend some time counting beats to music you listen to so that you can pick out the changes (usually led by a drum embellishment). Think about the mood the song is setting and try to match the colors to the mood.
But the most important part of sequencing is... Pick a song you won't mind listening to over and over again because a 5 minute song could take 40 hours to sequence.

[dgrant]

Redbirdruss wrote:

dgrant wrote:

New question related: I'm wanting to do a spiral mega tree my first year out. I plan on using 16 channels on it. I've seen a few videos where people would make an effective show out of the tree itself but sequencing is the part that makes it happen. Not looking for free sequences rather advice on how to make it look nice...alternate sides, color changes, overlapping and etc...my first 32 channels will arrive late Monday and I'll be ordering 32 more shortly.

I think that Megatrees are fantastic effects and can be a great centerpiece or even the whole show. Did I understand that you are going to have a total of 16 channels for the megatree? I think you would be limited to 1 color for the entire tree in that case. My guess is that 16 strands is the minimum for a mega tree. If you wanted 4 colors, you are looking at 64 Channels plus 4-8 channels for a Star and why not throw in a channel or 2 for some strobes! 80 Channels would just about do the trick!
Blinking lights are great but color transitions and reference to the music makes for the best sequences. Most music is in 4/4 time that means every 16 beats, there is a bridge or change over. Spend some time counting beats to music you listen to so that you can pick out the changes (usually led by a drum embellishment). Think about the mood the song is setting and try to match the colors to the mood.
But the most important part of sequencing is... Pick a song you won't mind listening to over and over again because a 5 minute song could take 40 hours to sequence.

For this next Christmas which will be my first LOR display, I'll probably just use multi lights for the Mega tree therefore just the 16 channels. I've got a multi ball light for it on top therefore a single extra channel for it. Now some videos show a sparkling effect but like they are mini-strobes, in the tree. I'm curious about that.

Back on the power things to feed the controllers, I'm going to add a surface mount 50Amp/220v C/B box wired to the main panel, then a feed out of it to a 50 Amp 220v plug box. From there, via 10ga wire to an outside box that will break things down into 8 pairs of 15amp sockets which will be protected from the weather. I've decided to seperate the sides of the 220 therefore there can't be any possible issues with the controllers across the two sides. Anyway, it'll be weather proof.

[Daryl]

LORi,

The "constant on" lights I refered to are the ones that said "Constant On" right on the outside of the box. Last year, KMart had them. I guess it is possible the one string I tested might just have been a bad string, but I was curious how the lights would work and if they would last if they were dimmed up and down and had the shimmer and twinkle effects applied to them. That is when something popped and it never worked again even after changing the fuses in the light string. It's just a word of caution using constant on lights with the controllers and applying special effects to them. Others may use them without any problems at all, mine didn't make it past the testing stage.

[lightzilla]

welder_man12 wrote:

I think my wife is wondering what the heck I'm doing also. We watched a light show here in town run by the same system and she loved it, thought it was pretty cool. Probably because it wasn't our money that payed for it. Looking forward to my first display in 2012 should be a lot of fun. I have a pretty good grasp of the software already so we will see how it goes. Read Read Read ( I hate reading too) oh well.

Don will be flattered to hear that. I take it you talked to him in person.

You said you have a "pretty good grasp of the software"...... it is also good to know that a newbie is using the demo software to practice sequencing. All you newbies ought to practice now while you are waiting for your controllers. Get you Lcc file figured out now & stick to it.

There is a newbie up this way in Edmonton starting off with 128 channels & him
& I have been talking things over. Nice to see more Canadians getting on board & great to see a fellow Albertan.

[lightzilla]

Paul Roberson wrote:

dgrant wrote:

Blew out "Constant On" in 5 minutes? I just bought some of those yeseterday. Not very many compared to the total LED I have. What should I avoid doing with them?

Next question is power related: Each controller comes with two power source plugs for 15Amps each. Are you all plugging them into the same socket such as a 15 or 20Amp source socket or using a different source for each? My thoughts were to create a BOB(breakout box) for the power, feeding it from a 240V/40Amp/1P outlet, breaking it down into the two 120's and enclosing the one BOB inside of a weather-proof container. This would allow me to get power out of the garage to the outside with enough current capability and yet on the same phasing, hopefully preventing any issues for the triacs.

I'm going to have issues trying to dim LED's, so yes, I don't expect that's going to work very well and so far, I've found no dimmable types at all.

Using one 15 amp outlet or two 15 amp outlets to power your controller by depends on what draw the lights plugged into the controller will have.

I have all LEDs (only 1-100 count string on each channel) and have converted all my controllers over to using just one power input cord. (Instructions are in the manual) My mega tree has 8 controllers and all of them are plugged into the same GFCI receptacle.

Most of my controllers were converted to just 1 power cord too because I use LEDs. I have 6 controllers plugged into 1 GFCI receptacle, 7 into another GFCI receptacle, and 2 in another GFCI receptacle.

[dgrant]

Interesting. I have mostly LED's and some incandescents. I was planning on building a 50Amp feed from 240v, breaking down into two 110v paths feeding 8 outlets, all GFI for the power. Yes, its overkill as such but wanted to plan for the future. Now I'm re-thinking this need to just plugging directly into my normal outside outlets. There's only three of them on the house.

[David Rise]

I was in the same boat last year. READ...READ....READ.

If you don't already have a plan....what are you waiting for? I watched other displays. Made mental notes of what I liked and didn't like.
Went back to the house, stood out front and just visualized what I wanted to do. I did this everyday for a week.
Counted the number of channels that I was going to need.

Purchased the software and started sequencing.

My only problem was that I didn't buy my lights until summer time. So I missed all the great prices during the presales.

Make a plan, and get started sequencing NOW.

[welder_man12]

Ya i went and had a tour of his display and system shortly after christmas. Very nice people I really appreciate him inviting over to look at it. I have my display drawn out on paper with a channel list done up us well. Just completed my channel configuration and saved that for future sequences. more sequence practicing until my stuff gets here then it's for real. Can't wait.

[welder_man12]

Now if I could only find an easier way to sequence rather than listening to the song a thousand times and set everything by watching the wave form. There must be an easier way.

[Denis Chaput]

There is no other way unless you use the Beat Wizard or Tapper to help you find your marks.

Then there is always you can purchase custom sequencing to fit your display some people on this forum can do it for you (George S.) they are always looking for ways to improve their cashflow to buy more lights and controllers.

[Guest Don Gillespie]

welder_man12 wrote:

Now if I could only find an easier way to sequence rather than listening to the song a thousand times and set everything by watching the wave form. There must be an easier way.

Hey Kevin when you find this out let us know LOL

[james campbell]

Don Gillespie wrote:

welder_man12 wrote:

Now if I could only find an easier way to sequence rather than listening to the song a thousand times and set everything by watching the wave form. There must be an easier way.

Hey Kevin when you find this out let us know LOL

I will say that I know every beat and tempo of the songs I did this year