And I'm Off On the LOR Adventure

[sticks4legs]

First off let me thank all of you for posting and answering in a very extensive and informative forum, I've been lurking in the background and reading, reading reading.  Well, maybe throw in a litte video watching here and there. 

 

We decided that we are tired of just adding more lights to the house for Xmas that are only on/off.  We had originally looked at one of the out of the box all in one solutions for light sequencing, for the money and functionality we decided to go with a LOR controller.  Why spend the money on something I will want to replace. 

For our first year, and due to our late start, me might have to go with something simple and build build build over the years.  I have ordered one of the 16 channel starter kits. 

Now question time, with only 6-10 channels will I still be able to have a decent show or is it going to look like the tacky guy down the road with blinker bulbs on random strings.  I know sequencing is going to be a big factor here!!! I will look to do some custom design.  If I can run Adobe AE I'm hoping I should be able to program a light sequence.  From the start it will probably be a purchased sequence.

 

Second, I live in a cul-de-sac with pie shaped yard.  Love the HUGE backyard but front yard is tiny.  Picture attached.  Will I be trying to cram to much into a small space?

 

Right now I have a red set and white site of LED lights installed on the lower level eaves and around the garage, each can be contorlled seperately.  Garland on the railings and the column wrapped.  Any ideas to add would be appreciated.

 

I'm thinking spiral design on the railing spindles or window wraps, a couple floods.  1 Arch if I have the time.  Don't want to get too far ahead.

 

Again, thanks again to the forum members for breaking the threshold not seem tooooo scary.

 

 

 

[Orville]

If any of my sequences will help, you can download them here:

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=7d6d47dfa1c635ae&id=7D6D47DFA1C635AE%211240#cid=7D6D47DFA1C635AE&id=7D6D47DFA1C635AE%212594

 

They are 80 channel, but you can copy and paste any areas that you might be able to use that may match something in your display.

 

BTW: I crammed a lot of stuff into a very small elongated rectangular area when I lived in an apartment complex for about a year.  The area was about 80' long and about 4' wide!  

 

You can check out the videos on Vimeo here {they also show some of the sequences for download in action}:

https://vimeo.com/groups/109696

[skyjumpr]

I also am joining the adventure this year. Been adding lights for the past few years but have been wanting to take the plunge into making a show instead of just a bunch of lights. I planned to get  started this past January, but as life would have it , it didn't happen. So here I am thrashing at the last month or so to get something going. Plan is actually to get something simple this year, (perhaps not even with music, just lights doing random things). 

I purchased the 16 channel kit to have the challenge of assembling everything myself. Which worked out perfectly, by the way. Thanks to great instructions and quality parts. As I was soldering tiny little things on the green board I was thinking of how it was all gonna work. Like how I was gonna divide 16 channels up with all my lights. Which are mostly old school lights, very few led's. That's when I discovered I needed at least 32 channels. Too many lights to only use one controller. "Not enough power Scotty". Would overload the circuit. So with this wealth of information on this forum found the way to do the extension cords as well.. 1000 feet of SPT2 wire and 50 each of vampire plugs are on their way.  I also have another kit on it's way to assemble in my late night quiet time. 

I have one item that seems to really get a lot of comments in my scene, but can see for huge improvements in the future. I have a rope hanging from a tree with a pulley system that I pull 3000 lights on 10 strings up 40 feet with a star on top. I guess you could say it's my mega tree. Only problem is, it's only clear lights. I will make due this year, with using 11 channels on it, but next year I would hope to have more colors which would use more channels up very quickly. 

 

I know it's a busy time of year for everyone here, but if anyone has any ideas or information that I should consider, please let me know.

 

 

 

Anyway I just wanted to say thank you for all the helpful information I have already found on this forum, and the great products from LOR.

[dgrant]

For the OP, you are certainly limited in space there but I can easily forsee whole driveway arches, fire sticks on the vertical house lines, individual roof/eve lines, windows framed in lights. Some fake trees in the rocks, each having their own controller. Now all the garage door surface, you could do something there as well allowing for wiring to be able to still be able to open and close the door. You could even attach a white surface to the garage door sections and project video on it, which would be sync'd to and within LOR.

[dgrant]

For skyjumpr, Don't worry about what you "will do or could do" later on. Use what you have and look forward to changing things next year. Once you get the sequencing done and running, you'll come up with lots of ideas for next year and you'll have more time available to plan, acquire and sequence. Another person here in my small town has been doing LOR for many years and just last year, switched out to all LED's, plus he owns a mansion on a hilltop. All of the lights on his house are all white. It looks ok. He's got a lot more of course including a '50 megatree...yes, 50 feet! Its all one color too or it was last year. I'm going to visit him this weekend and see how he's doing with the setup. His house is on YouTube, search for "Hodo Christmas Van Buren, AR" and you'll find it.

   Since I had a large static display of lights before doing LOR last year for the time, I have lots of colors. Use what you have and you'll come up with new ideas as you go.

[bobschm]

I want to encourage newbies planning small channel count displays to forge ahead. You will learn an enormous amount without being overwhelmed. Every 747 pilot began in a small single engine trainer with a few gauges and controls. And the flight was just as exhilarating.

You'll be surprised how nice a few channels in time with the music can look.

[sticks4legs]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm well on my way getting a lesson in planning and especially in cord management.  This leads me to another question....

 

Can you run extenstion cords through the gutters? Tape any connection or just loop it up

With Canadian snow and ice I wasn't sure if they would hold up, but I leave them laying on my lawn for months and they still work.

 

Last thing I need to do is keep me and the wife from watching youtube video's.... ohh look at that...oohhh that is neat.

Time permitting she wants me to attempt a mini swirl tree with rope lights.

[dgrant]

Electrically speaking, I wouldn't run cords through the gutter. You are simply asking for trouble. Now you could use gutter clips to run them along the gutter...

[bobschm]

Cord management?! I rely on cover of darkness.

[PaulXmas]

sticks4legs Welcome to the madness!

I live near WEM.

Start small and learn.

If I were you I would do animation only display this year.

PM me your address and I will swing by and take a look.

[sticks4legs]

Well, controller arrived lots of fun testing gong on...been a busy ten days. Was very happy to see that all my LED lights dim,sparkle and go through intensity levels. I had myself convinced that they wouldn't after they had all gone up waiting for controller. 4 mini trees built. 2 -42" with 400 lights (white). 2-36" with 200 lights.(red)

Last, thanks to generosity of others' I've been able to find some sequences online to get off and running which brings me to my next question,.......?..

When assigning channels from others sequences for my mini trees should I use channel 1-4 or should I use channel 3-6. Assuming they have 8 channels assigned. I've also found that I can use people's arch sequences for a good effect as well but the same question. Which channels to pick

[dgrant]

Its all in how you wish to see your channels respond to someone else's sequence. Lots and lots of trial and error till you are happy with "your channels" appearing outside.