new here to the madness ;-}

[rcktpwrd]

Thanks to a friend I now have a LOR control box, so I have 16 channels to figure out and play with. I still have to buy the software license, I downloaded the trial software to get a feel for how this all works. I'm not going to do a show this year as I just recently got the hardware, and there isn't enough time, but the wife and I are planning out how to do something with what we have setup.

 

 

Does anyone do light sequences without sound? or maybe no outside speakers or fm transmitter? The house is a 150-200 feet from the street. Not sure that I want to spend the money for an fm transmitter...

 

Thanks,

Joel

[Orville]

There are a few folks that do animation only when they start out as late as you have.  But you still need a license to be able to control the lights, sequence an animation and create a show.  So you could animate your "static: lights easy enough.  

 

Animation sequences are probably the easiset type sequence to create, the musical sequences though, they are the ones that can really make or break a light display, as they are the ones that take more time and more of a challenge to get them looking good.

 

If you're going to do musical sequences, I'd say an FM transmitter is pretty much a "MUST HAVE" in this hobby, along with a sign showing what frequency to tune in to for listening to the lights.  I use both an FM transmitter and an old FM radio connected to outside speakers, se low enough as to not disturb my neighbors, but able to be heard by walkers, joggers, or bicyclists riding by that may want to sto and check out the display.

 

You can find some decent FM transmitters or a good price if you look, just don't buy the WHT {Whole House Transmitter}, more folks have had issues with that one than any I know of.

 

The czh05b can be found on amazon.com for around $80-$100 and many folks are using this one, search for "Fail Safe FM transmitter" on amazon to locate who has them and prices, as they can vary, all the way up to almost $300!

 

EDM is another brand of FM Transmitter that many folks here use and swear by, but it all boils down to what YOU can afford and what YOU want.  However, this late in the season, I believe EDM is no longer taking orders for their transmitters, but the fail safe can still be found and purchased right now.     Just do a little research and look through the forums as FM transmitters have been discussed here on numerous threads.

 

But, it's up to you if you want to get and use one, every display I've visited has always had one, some don't use outdoor speakers at all because of their location or because they would have to be turned up so loud for folks to hear the music in their car.

 

Outdoor speakers are just not feasible for folks in their vehicles, and may get you several complaints from the neighbors if so loud it disturbs them, along with possibly visits from the local law enforcement and citations, especially if too many complaints come in from your neighbors.

 

So an FM transmitter is really the best way to go for these type of displays we do.

 

Probably not what you wanted to hear, but the investment in a decent FM transmitter is definitely the way to go.  And it will last you for many years, been using the one I have for 3 years now, running 24/7/365 as I also use it in the off hours to listen to my favorite music commercial free when working out in the yard or garden.

 

And doing an animation sequence to just get the lights to look more animated would, again, not be that difficult this late in the season, so you could have your controller set up and animating your lights in a very short amount of time.

 

Welcome to the addiction, uhmm, "Hobby" called LOR Animated Lighting!

[rcktpwrd]

Thanks for the reply. I kinda figured the light show wouldn't be much without the music... I'll have to keep an eye out for a decent deal on a transmitter.

I know I have to purchase the software license in order to be able to run a show, I will probably do that in the next month or so in order to get going for next year.

 

I am not going to be doing anything for this year for sequences, just a static display that is already up and evolving... the wife loves to decorate with lights and keeps adding things. She already built one small tomato cage tree with two colors of lights. Now we need to get more cages and lights to add to the collection!   It's a good thing we have been switching over to LED, now we can run more lights than ever before and not blow fuses!