Test Bench Idea

[columbus27]

I have an idea but I don't know the cost effective way to do this. I would like to draw my 32 ch on corro then put lights on the board. So I can due a true test of my sequences w/o putting all my lights on the house.

I have never cut a strain of lights before. I have a bunch of the cheap $2 Lowes disposable lights. From what I can see is that they are not ran in parallel, or a 100% in series. This is the extent of my knowledge.

[WilliamS]

Ive seen them make them out of standard light bulb sockets, C7 sockets, and so on. 1 C7 bulb on the string for the circuit.

[caniac]

columbus27 wrote:

I have an idea but I don't know the cost effective way to do this. I would like to draw my 32 ch on corro then put lights on the board. So I can due a true test of my sequences w/o putting all my lights on the house.

I have never cut a strain of lights before. I have a bunch of the cheap $2 Lowes disposable lights. From what I can see is that they are not ran in parallel, or a 100% in series. This is the extent of my knowledge.

tried doing that last year and it just got too time consuming for me, worked on a miniature mega tree, mini's and such.

[columbus27]

I remember seeing a how to video some time ago, of a person that used individual led lights pegboard and copper tape. But I can't find the video.

[caniac]

columbus27 wrote:

I remember seeing a how to video some time ago, of a person that used individual led lights pegboard and copper tape. But I can't find the video.

my only thought is that you will spend time on that when it could be used building your props for this year and sequencing new music.

[WilliamS]

[wmilkie]

GoofyGuy wrote:

Ive seen them make them out of standard light bulb sockets, C7 sockets, and so on. 1 C7 bulb on the string for the circuit.

I do this: use one c7 incan bulb per channel: 64 channels, 64 bulbs. since the bulbs are 120v, 4 watts each, sort of simulates a 15 foot led string

use a piece of coro foam, in an array or whatever ; say 4 rows of 16 channels(for 64 channels), or group them into groups, trees, porch, windows, etc

along with the visualizer, I can now see what everything is going to look like lighting wise; simple light box

[caniac]

wmilkie wrote:

GoofyGuy wrote:

Ive seen them make them out of standard light bulb sockets, C7 sockets, and so on. 1 C7 bulb on the string for the circuit.

I do this: use one c7 incan bulb per channel: 64 channels, 64 bulbs. since the bulbs are 120v, 4 watts each, sort of simulates a 15 foot led string

use a piece of coro foam, in an array or whatever ; say 4 rows of 16 channels(for 64 channels), or group them into groups, trees, porch, windows, etc

along with the visualizer, I can now see what everything is going to look like lighting wise; simple light box

do you build this with spt-2 and vampire plugs?

[Steven]

Back in 2004, before Light-O-Rama and the animation display, a Christmas light buddy built a simulator out of LEDs and fiber optic cables:

This was in the days of DIO (digital IO) boards and SSR (Solid State Relays). There was no fading: A light was on or off, and there was a separate wire for each channel.

[columbus27]

Wow never thought of using candles. That what I am talking about something I can build in a few hours. Now where can I get some on the cheap? The search begins.

I am sequencing a song a month. On this pace I should have 6-7 by June. Then start building my display.

[Bucket]

I am just getting started with light o rama, but I did see a post from a while back where someone used night lights to visually test sequences. Although I have not been able to do a test run yet, I did find a seller on ebay with enexpensive lots of 12 by searching "night light lot". And was actually able to work out a more reasonable price on a total of 144. She had several, so that may work for you as well.

[wmilkie]

caniac wrote:

wmilkie wrote:

GoofyGuy wrote:

Ive seen them make them out of standard light bulb sockets, C7 sockets, and so on. 1 C7 bulb on the string for the circuit.

I do this: use one c7 incan bulb per channel: 64 channels, 64 bulbs. since the bulbs are 120v, 4 watts each, sort of simulates a 15 foot led string

use a piece of coro foam, in an array or whatever ; say 4 rows of 16 channels(for 64 channels), or group them into groups, trees, porch, windows, etc

along with the visualizer, I can now see what everything is going to look like lighting wise; simple light box

do you build this with spt-2 and vampire plugs?

Yes,

2 years ago started with spt2 c7 sockets, 2 rows of 8(made 3 for 48 channels), mounted to some black foam board, then mounted each one in front of a controller: each cord about 1 foot long with the vampire plug on the end;

Last year I used a coro board/foam board (20x30inches), layed out like my yard/house display; Each channel had 1 c7 socket plus ac socket, then used small ext cords to connect to controller;

this year, I'm going simpler using the coro/foam board with the array of c7 sockets.
Hopefully 128 channels, 8 rows of 16 channels, or some combination for groups/functions


For me, it helps to actually see real live lights blinking along with the visualizer.