Hello/questions

[CameronO]

Hello,

I am new to light shows but am very interested in learning. I am looking at buying the starter package with one controller until i get the hang of it. I there anything else that i need to purchase other than the lights of course. I am looking for any advice that i can get on the best way to get started. It would be awsome if i could get a simple show by christmas but i understand there will be some learning cure with the software as well as having to build the displays. I think for my fist show i will just buy simple lights and try to come up with a sequence.

Thank in advance for any advice.

[Max-Paul]

Ok, best way to get started. DO NOT think that this is plug and play. Best advice is to not think about doing this, this year. Take your time to learn how to do this right. There are several ways to skin this cat. Some ways are better than others. And what works for me, might not work as well as the way that someone else does it. Right now you can download the demo software and get to know how the software works. Learn all of the short cuts that save you time. But do not try to do this in the next 4 or 5 weeks. All your going to do it pull your hair out. Although you might become discussed with it and offer up a controller at a discounted price. This might not be a bad thing for me and others.

[columbus27]

If I were you I would either purchase the sequences or get some free sequence, and learn how to edit. Watch these videos http://www.youtube.com/user/LightORamaVideos And do a forum search on transmitters

[scubado]

You could just have your lights in animation mode, no music, this is very easy to do. This helps get you acquainted with the software and hardware without the pressure of sequencing to music. For animation, slow transitions are best. Download the software ASAP and start putting together your setup in the visualizer. Start looking at different types and styles of lights and buy lots of the style you like sticking with same style and vendor. colors and brightness can vary between vendors. Decide wether you want cool white or warm white. Warm white leds are close to white mini incads. Also while you are playing with the software before buying, this gives you some time to think about how many channels you are going to jump to next year. Getting the Advanced license with starter package is cheaper than doing it later.

Welcome to the CLAP support forum!

[CameronO]

Thanks for the responses and i agree i will probably just try to do something simple for my first holiday. Do all of you use LED or do yall like the incads, or is it just personall opinion? I though about using the LED since they use less power. I have a circut on the front of my house that was installed just for lights on the front porch. Will this be enough for 1 controller? I figured since there will be relitivley low if any that all the lights will be on at once that 20 amps will be enough.

[columbus27]

I use mostly incandescent. I like the old school look of them. I also walked my neighborhood and looked at LED's so I could find the ones I like.

[KStatefan]

Thanks for the responses and i agree i will probably just try to do something simple for my first holiday. Do all of you use LED or do yall like the incads, or is it just personall opinion? I though about using the LED since they use less power. I have a circut on the front of my house that was installed just for lights on the front porch. Will this be enough for 1 controller? I figured since there will be relitivley low if any that all the lights will be on at once that 20 amps will be enough.

I use 99% LEDs. This year I will be using 4 controllers on one outlet.

[djg64]

I use 100% LED this is my first year with LOR controllers ECOSMART C6 LED's look really good I got mine from HomeDepot I have 700 on the roofline of the house (Multicolored) I have a 11ft mega tree with 1600 mini led lights 100 count strands folded in half.

[CameronO]

I use 100% LED this is my first year with LOR controllers ECOSMART C6 LED's look really good I got mine from HomeDepot I have 700 on the roofline of the house (Multicolored) I have a 11ft mega tree with 1600 mini led lights 100 count strands folded in half.

I only have on controller so im going to try and just do something simple by christmas. That tree sounds awsome mabey for next year. Do you have a single controller for the tree?

[djg64]

I only have on controller so im going to try and just do something simple by christmas. That tree sounds awsome mabey for next year. Do you have a single controller for the tree?

Yes there is one controller for the tree the other controller has 10 mini trees 2 channels for the house (roofline and windows) three channels for a lighted santa face and one channel for the star on top of the tree going to add 1 or to boxes for nextt year

Edited October 29, 2012 by djg64

[james campbell]

I only have on controller so im going to try and just do something simple by christmas. That tree sounds awsome mabey for next year. Do you have a single controller for the tree?

just wait until you gert mor involved with this hobby,and the nyou will realize some folks have 3 ,4 5, controllers per tree and more i'm sure Edited October 29, 2012 by james campbell

[CameronO]

just wait until you gert mor involved with this hobby,and the nyou will realize some folks have 3 ,4 5, controllers per tree and more i'm sure

Yea i have been whatching alot of videos lately, and have been tryin to figure out how they do it. It seems like alot of people have one controller for accents(windows, roofline etc.). Then they have a controller for one main attraction i guess you would call it. I am hoping to just start slow and buy it over time, dont wont to break the bank.

[columbus27]

I use to put a splitter on my 16 ch and let my neighbor throw some extension cords over my garage. And instantly there were two houses. My neighbor was all LED. And we were way under 80% of a 20 amp outlet.

[CameronO]

I use to put a splitter on my 16 ch and let my neighbor throw some extension cords over my garage. And instantly there were two houses. My neighbor was all LED. And we were way under 80% of a 20 amp outlet.

Thats pretty cool i just didnt know about how much power the lights pulled. I have a decicated circuit for christmas light on my front porch so i was hoping that would be enough for a 16 channel controller but wasnt sure. I was in columbus a couple weeks ago and it was super cold. It just got cold in alabama but for some reason i was freezing in columbus.

[columbus27]

This will calculate your load. http://www.supercircuits.com/resources/tools/Volts-Watts-Amps-Converter I think my first few years I had about 2000 lights. If you use the el cheap o lights from Lowes then that about 5 amps.

[Klayfish]

This is my first year also. As others said, I think you'll run into a real time crunch at this point. I agree with the initial post from columbus27. Get the starter package and use free sequences. Don't worry to much about making changes, you probably won't have enough time. But download the demo software and start editing some of the free sequences for practice. I started working on sequencing a few months back, and just finished my first song yesterday (thanks to the stuck-in-the-house time afforded by Hurricane Sandy). It's probably very crude by most standards, but I'm happy with it. I plan to start working towards 2013 in February. I'll spend a lot more time learning sequencing.

Definitely follow the KISS rule and you should be able to get something very basic up this year.

[CameronO]

This is my first year also. As others said, I think you'll run into a real time crunch at this point. I agree with the initial post from columbus27. Get the starter package and use free sequences. Don't worry to much about making changes, you probably won't have enough time. But download the demo software and start editing some of the free sequences for practice. I started working on sequencing a few months back, and just finished my first song yesterday (thanks to the stuck-in-the-house time afforded by Hurricane Sandy). It's probably very crude by most standards, but I'm happy with it. I plan to start working towards 2013 in February. I'll spend a lot more time learning sequencing.

Definitely follow the KISS rule and you should be able to get something very basic up this year.

Yea i almost got all my lights up hopfully my software and controller will come in this week. I am hoping i can pick up on the programing pretty easy. I am going to purchase some sequences so that i will have something to show family and friends.