rainyoregonchristmas Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Seeing it in the visualizer is just not the same as real life. I hooked up my first controller and took it through of the first 16 channels of my first song for....yes.... the FIRST time! 35 hours of programming and the feeling of finally getting to see the lights in action is like a "First kiss!" (Just don't tell the other wife) The neighbors are going to get a sneak peak of Christmas tonight! I'm gonna jury rig up my mega tree tonight and put on a brief show. I designed the mega tree to be LED only, but had some incans hooked up when I tested it in case there was an errant fade lost somewhere in the program. When I was sure it was safe I hooked up a set of LED's, wow talk about pop! There is definite difference in the look of incan vs LED. Especially with 1/10 sec timings. I can't wait for it to get dark!-RainyOregonChristmas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 If that was like a first kiss. Wait till you get your display set up and you run your first seq. in the dark on the house and yard. Well your cherry is going to be popped all over again.. And LED wood is the best cause you can play it again and again and again as much as you like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james campbell Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 congrats on a succesful test,and your right noting beats seeing them live. but wait there's more ,wait until the first person stops for an extented time,or oh first problem yikes. and the best of all the first time someone stops and tells you they liked the lights Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOR Staff Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Absolutely. If the Visualizer was as good as real life, we wouldn't be able to sell any controllers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james campbell Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 visualizer is still better than the animation screen!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Fischer Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 If that was like a first kiss. Wait till you get your display set up and you run your first seq. in the dark on the house and yard. Well your cherry is going to be popped all over again.. And LED wood is the best cause you can play it again and again and again as much as you like. This will be my 10th anniversary of LOR displays, and still every year the first time the display fires up for the season is like a "first kiss" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubado Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 (edited) This year will be my third "First Kiss". Finding ways to stretch the dollars to make/buy props and lights for the next year's show and then seeing it all come together, who needs drugs? Maybe some adult beverages now and again...I run LOR all year long with landscape lighting. I get nice comments and questions all year long, it never gets old! Edited September 15, 2012 by scubado Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainyoregonchristmas Posted September 16, 2012 Author Share Posted September 16, 2012 So I took the next step tonight by putting up my 12 foot orchard ladder as a mega tree stand in pole and strung up my first 16 channels on it. It took me 2 hours, 400 feet of extension cords, 600 Led's, 150 incans, and 5 strobes. I ran through my first partially finished song outside in the dark in full view of the neighbors. Boy it was sweet! I loved seeing it outside in the dark it's much better than spread along the garage floor. I had some family watching and had to explain several times why the tree didn't run through the entire song... "It's only the first 16 channels of 64 I'll have by Christmas." I also used it as a chance to introduce one of my neighbors to LOR. I'm giving her my Mr. Christmas to use this year as an introduction to animated lighting. She's really excited. Maybe I'll get them to make the jump next Spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubado Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Why not put the controller at the base of the tree? would save you a bunch of cord. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ Hvasta Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 ^ +1 ^ exactly what I do, 4 controllers (each color) at the base of the MT, and at each prop, saves a LOT o cords! I only need larger extensions to each controller, not to each light set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulXmas Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Ya there is nothing like the first time....The first time every year !Seeing hours and hours of work come to life!I also attach my controllers to the base of my mega tree. Close enough so I can use the short dollar extension cords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainyoregonchristmas Posted September 16, 2012 Author Share Posted September 16, 2012 I was using a wooden 40 year old 3 leg orchard ladder for my temporary pole. They are notoriously unstable. I had it guy wired to my house, but did not want to risk my controller at the top in case of a tree collapse. I placed the controller on the ground out of reach of the tree just in case it went over. I've heard the stories and didn't want to become an example of poor planning. My plan for Christmas is to actually mount the controller at the top of the tree so I can just plug the lights directly into the controller with no extension cords. I just haven't had time yet to build the real mega tree pole. Until I set up the temporary tree I hadn't even decided if I wanted it to be 12 or 14 foot tall. I'm planning on using a 14 foot long 2 1/2 inch diameter steel pole with 1/2 inch thick side walls for the main mast. At the base I'll have a 3 foot sleeve buried in concrete. Then I'll mate the two with a solid turned steel bar. I'm also planning guy wires at the top. The benefit of being a garden artist specializing in "Found Art" in a down economy is that you have lots of random bits of scrap metal lying around not being used. On the other hand the display area's not too large and I have spent the last three years buying any cords that were on sale when my display was run just by a Mr. Christmas. So if I have to run a few I'll be ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Interesting.Wonder, does anyone else mount their controller at the top of the pole? Mine will be 17' tall and I dont have a ladder that tall. Will have my 3 controller near the bottom and I have one of those boat wrenches and a bunt (SP?) That I will hook the middle of my led string to and raise it up. Then wires will radiate out from the middle to the plugs attached to a PVC ring. This will be very interesting to see when you have it all set up. BTW mine will be with 4 guy wires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Fischer Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 I've seen a few people (with HUGE trees) do them at/near the top, but the vast majority of us put them at the bottom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOR Staff Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Gravity is not just a good idea, it's the law! Just make sure they are secured all the way up there. And don't forget to allow for wind/etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 I'll be placing my two controllers for the tree at the bottom but fabricated 32 6-foot ext cords to connect each of the strings to the controllers. My base is only 8-foot diameter. Can't to try it out for real. I connected all 32 strings to it inside of the house but wasn't able to spiral them inside, as planned for the outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Boyd Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 My plan for Christmas is to actually mount the controller at the top of the tree so I can just plug the lights directly into the controller with no extension cords. Just a thought.What about , as has been posted already, mount the controllers at the foot, have the male end of the light strings at the bottom and running SPT-1 or 2 to the strings ( very short extension cords). To me that would much safer, not to mention, troubleshooting if a problem arises with the controllers, or for some untold reason, a string came unplugged. Now you have to pull out the ladder and climb up and plug it back in.IMHO, I would rather sit back and watch the lights and spend the holidays with my family, instead of in the hospital after falling off of a slick ladder rung at 9pm.Sorry, safety is one part of my job and ladders are one of my pet peeves. It was just a thought.By all means, be careful, however you decide to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 "I'm planning on using a 14 foot long 2 1/2 inch diameter steel pole with 1/2 inch thick side walls for the main mast. " Gezzzz, 1/2" thick wall pipe !!! That's got to weigh a ton . How will you ever stand that up ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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