Need suggestions

[mattpatt]

Now that I'm the proud owner of 32 channels of LOR greatness I was wondering what would you guys do for your first Christmas display? I'm strictly LED as I bought up a bunch during the after Christmas sales mostly cool white. I'm thinking about 8 mini trees but other than that I don't have a clue. I would love to have a guitar playingsinging snowman or something like that. Maybe a small mega tree? Looking for some inspiration on what you guys did for your first display. I want to keep it simple for right now.


Thanks,
Matt

[jimswinder]

You can do a lot with arches...

[Steven]

In December the year before my first show, I went shopping at the "After Christmas" sales, mostly at arts & craft and drug stores. My wonderful find that I've been using for 5 years is a batch of white candlesticks with C-7 sockets.

They came in strings of 10, spaced about 18" apart, but I use them as 4-channel chasing lights. This meant I had to cut and splice every one, to add sections of SPT-1 cord.

Now I have 60 candlesticks that line my walk and the front sidewalk. I also use them at Halloween. Last year, I started using a "candle flicker" sequence, so they look like real flames. I have been gradually replacing the bulbs with retrofit LED bulbs, evenly spaced, which gives a nice variety.

[amcdonald307]

I started with 32 channels myself, all those years ago...
Here's how I ended up distributing the channels:
1C01-03: 3 channel Bethlehem Star on roof
1C04-05: 2 different sets of lights on eve of house, red and white
1C06: FM sign
1C07-08: left and right bushes
1C09-16: 8 North Poles
2C01-12: 12-channel single color (red) mega tree slices
2C13-15: 3-channel star on top of mega tree
2C16: ornaments in mega tree

I've grown into 7 controllers and 4 CCRs to date, but I still use controller 1 to cover the big real estate of trimming out the house (my tree now uses 3 controllers).
My advise, use some channels to cover large areas of your house (eves, windows, bushes). And think about how to chase them, both up-and-down and well as left-and-right, similar to how you plan to chase the mini trees.
Use your channels in groups to provide movement or color change, and don't get fixated on building single channel props. Build your props (and use your channels) 2, 3 or 4 at a time. A single channel prop just blinks on and off, but put 4 of those in a line and you can make a theatrical presentation!

[columbus27]

I have 32 channels also.
8 on house (4 red 4 green)
8 on tree (4 red 4 green)
1 Static white
8 mini trees
2 Talking faces (2 channels a face)
3 ch star

[Gary Blair]

Go to LOR's site and watch videos of 32 channel shows. You can get a lot of good ideas there.
http://www.lightorama.com/ShowtimeShowcase2010.html