Looking to Buy!

[crowninb]

First off wanted to say hello to everyone and hope to become a dedicated and also helpful member later once i figure this all out. I really have always been interested in doing a light show at my house for Halloween and Christmas. I look forward to figuring out the scripting software and be able to make my own in the future. I have been doing scripting for fireworks for about 7 years now and understand the complexities of timing and precision.

Please bare with me, i have no idea of what i will need to start this childhood dream of having a interactive light display. Time permitting i am looking to start very small but would like to grow into something bigger in the coming years once i have learned and become experienced with the terminology, software and hardware.

This year or next i would like to do a single pumpkin with moving lips singing a song in my front lawn. if not to complex maybe multiple pumpkins singing or monsters. Christmas either a mega tree with 12 ribbons and star. if not to complex 12 ribbons horizontal with words mimicking the music.

Here are my questions.

is the above possible for a beginner?

What or where can i buy the templates for the pumpkins etc? or do you guys make your own?

What software should i buy?

What hardware should i buy/Need? for the above idea?

Can you buy already done scripts? yes sounds lazy but first year time permitting i want to be able to possibly buy, get, check it out, set it up, plug it in and make it work

How are your shows set up? do you have cable running from computer to outside? is there wireless options?

Are there step by step videos/tutorials on how to set something up like the above scenario?

As much as i would love a parts list for everything i need to be able to do the single or multiple pumpkins and tree i am sure you are sick and tired of answering this from every new person that comes in. I do however appreciate any help and any answers to the above. I will be reading over the forums to start figuring things out but would love a jump start from the already experience members on the site. thank you for your time and charity to a newbie!

Ps if anyone is from washington state please feel free to chime in always good to get some local help!

Brice

[Ron Boyd]

is the above possible for a beginner? Yes, it is possible

What or where can i buy the templates for the pumpkins etc? or do you guys make your own? http://www.holidayco...roduct-p/18.htm

What software should i buy?

What hardware should i buy/Need? for the above idea? http://store.lightor...se16chstpa.html

Can you buy already done scripts? yes sounds lazy but first year time permitting i want to be able to possibly buy, get, check it out, set it up, plug it in and make it work http://www.store.cre...es-Only_c25.htm

How are your shows set up? do you have cable running from computer to outside? http://www.lightoram...icalSetups.html

is there wireless options? http://store.lightor...com/ealili.html

Are there step by step videos/tutorials on how to set something up like the above scenario? http://www.lightoram...orialLinks.html

Try these links.

Hope it helps and welcome,

Ron

[crowninb]

Try these links.

Hope it helps and welcome,

Ron

thanks for the reply ron, i have come across the site with the pumpkin template and like it as well.

So i assume that template is just that correct? does it tell you what kind of lights to buy to go on it? pixels, bulbs ribons?

so i buy the controller the software and the template... i then buy lights and put them onto the template and then add the bought script and i am good?

does the script program the colors being illuminated on the pumpkin as well, for example the orange and then green stem is constant, is that in the script or do you have to do that?

can you loop multiple songs/scripts so it just goes continuous to the talking pumpkin?

thanks again for all the help i hope to gain the basic understanding soon so i can buy, leaning towards two 16 channel systems maybe wireless but not necessary yet since i will have a laptop to run it all. pumpkin and ghost templates and a few scripts

brice

[Jerry]

Welcome to the fun ! Sounds like you will need to read up on this to have a better understanding of what does what. You can try the software for free in demo mode. I built my faces using rope lights on a wire frame, no pattern needed, just be creative. Don't forget, you'll need LOTS of extension cords.

Jerry

[crowninb]

ok i have been doing some reading and believe i am starting to understand this a little better.

i will prob buy two 16 channel units

software

templates- 3 monsters one pumpkin using 8 channels a piece resulting in 32 channels

2 questions-

1. how are additional units connected, is it by cat 5 cable? i see in the visual its a dotted green line

2. can someone link me to the benefits of incandescent vs led vs rgb, prices/brightness/power consumption etc

[Ron Boyd]

2 questions-

1. how are additional units connected, is it by cat 5 cable? i see in the visual its a dotted green line. Yes, Cat 5. There are 2 jacks inside the controllers. Connect one from your computer and the USB to RS485 Adapter, and then the other out to the second controller and so on. don't forget to assign a controller number to the second one as both will have a unit number of 1. It's in the manual you will get with the controllers on how to do this.

2. can someone link me to the benefits of incandescent vs led vs rgb, prices/brightness/power consumption etc. Incan and LED are mostly a personal preference. LEDs pull about a tenth of the power the incans do. LEDs are brighter in my opinion and LEDs will help with not having to upgrade your electrical box in your house as your show grows. If your budget can handle it, my personal recommendation would be to go with LEDs. Last year I ran 2 controllers and needed 2 seperate circiuts, I was about 40% LED. This year is 7 controllers and 4 sets of Cosmic Color Pixels and a string of Rainbow Pixels and it will all be on 1 circuit, 100% LED or RGB.

RGB is something new to me, although I'm understanding it more and more each day, but I think it's an amazing new light option. Smart RGB (Pixel nodes, Strips, modules, whatever your choice) is really cool because you can control each individual bulb (LED) as opposed to a string of LED or Incans per channel. "Dumb RGB Is easier to sequence because you have a red, green and blue channel to control the color of the entire strip, string or module string.

Now IMHO, Since you are getting a late start, I would suggest to wait until next year on the RGB stuff. This way, you can get a better understanding on how they work and are incorporated into the sequencing. One more suggestion, upgrade your software license if you are planning to expand. It's less expensive if you upgrade at the time of purchase.

Good luck, there's no turning back now. The first smile on a child's face and/or an adults face, makes it all worth while.

Ron

Edited August 15, 2012 by Ron Boyd

[columbus27]

It's all about how much coin you would like to spend. I started off with 1 controller and two ell and 3000 lights. Since I was pulling so little amperage I spit my channels with my neighbor. My best advice I could give you is to download a free sequence ( I can give you a sequence), read all 200+ pages of the manual, and watch all the tutorials.

I've built bikes and the kids Christmas presents w/o reading instructions. And I tried for years with out reading, then finally I read the book and wow. Good luck!!!

[TJ Hvasta]

Free sequences.. Look thru the -early- part of the Software/Sequencing topic.. there are a bunch of users that posted their sequences to share.. additionally, do a google search for "free (or shared) LOR sequences", you'll find a LOT of websites with them.

While you're there, read thru the Sequence topic threads.. all of them.. several of our most seasoned users have sequences on their own websites, it takes some reading, but hey, this is a DIY thing =)

Edited August 15, 2012 by TJ Hvasta

[crowninb]

Now IMHO, Since you are getting a late start, I would suggest to wait until next year on the RGB stuff. This way, you can get a better understanding on how they work and are incorporated into the sequencing. One more suggestion, upgrade your software license if you are planning to expand. It's less expensive if you upgrade at the time of purchase.

Good luck, there's no turning back now. The first smile on a child's face and/or an adults face, makes it all worth while.

Ron

thanks for the information, i am really looking to just do a talking pumpkin and maybe 2-3 monsters for a chorus. apparently this will take up all of my 32 channels. i am going to buy the sequences for $2-$5 bucks on holidaycoro and loop 4 to 5 songs together for a 20 minute segment.

as many of you have said its pretty late in the season so i will tackle the actually scripting and adding of static lights later.

1. Where do you guys buy your LED lights from?

2. do you buy in strands of 50 100?

3. do you guys keep it simple with coloring to save money. for example pumkin stem is 30 or so green lights, orange around outside and then in videos they use different colors for the 4 variations of the mouth. do i just do it all one color?

thanks again for all your help

also i am sure most you have vendors for cabling but i have bought a ton of cabling from Monoprice.com for my firing systems and they are cheap and great to work with

Edited August 16, 2012 by crowninb

[crowninb]

sorry for the double post but as i stated im looking to buy some led lights, and what sites you guys shop

ive started to look at lights and see that there are many variants of led lights, which ones do you guys buy and use, especially if i am primarily going to use them for animated pumpkins ghost etc?

m5 mini

c7

c9

[columbus27]

I buy mine on Dec 24 and 26 at Lowe's and Home Depot. Also on Thanksgiving Lowe's has a $2 a box sale on 100 bulb incandescent. I think I read a post before, and it said don't but the Martha Stewart lights due to dimming issues.