Wow This Is Harder Than It Looks

[BryanZ]

One thing I like to do is assign different channels to different instruments or vocals. For example, I may use mini-trees as guitars or keyboards. The lights on the roof may be the bass guitar. Other channels for vocals or different effects during a song.

 

Visualizer is great in seeing how it all comes together. You may decide you have too much in one area or you really need to ramp things up.

 

Most importantly, have fun with it as it is a labor of love.

[cpj2008]

Thanks everybody for sparing some of your valuable time and knowledge on a newbie well i've gone into microsoft paint and drawn out my house and added the items which i have already would like to know some of your feed back or ideas very much appreciated. ive included the file for reference.

 

1. i want to do a four color super string around house including four color icicle light.{Red, green, blue, white} should i leave them all as one channel each color or seperate them?
2. also four  color super string around windows and door
3. the reindeer i have on the roof move up and down should i light them seperately?
4. four color spiral tree 64 channel {im gonna try and practice to sequence this during the summer}
5. four color mini trees
6. light up mail box
7. virtual santa in window
8. 2 color wreath on door
9. star in middle of wreath
10. multicolor swag lights on gutter and under plant boxes
11. 5 wire light up balls in between swag lights on gutter{ should i light these seperately or together?}
12. candy canes in bushes
13. two multi color stars in windows
14. 3 light up santa heads 1 large 1 small
15. light fixtures on either side of door are also each on a channel
16. merry christmas sign
17. tree on roof
18. presents under tree
19. radio sign
20. gemmy lamp post
21. icicles on arches on gate
22. singing face
23. 3 rings on either side of face each light up seperately
24. light up bear
25. light up tree netting under bear
26. bushes light up behind spiral tree
27. stairs and hand rails light up
28. also the whole fence lights up

wow as i type this i am starting to get overwhelmed but i want to give it my best shot. so any input would be greatly appreciated if you think something is not right or could be done differently please dont hesitate to tell me.

 

Now on a totally different note im starting to see some side effects of this hobby

1. my wife and kids are always singing xmas songs now
2. as we are looking to buy a home now my kids are looking for homes that would look great with lights
3. and now my wife wants to buy more lights i might have created a monster lol

[eurbani]

When I received my first controller, I set it up on the family room floor and plugged lights in to each channel.  I then hooked it up to the computer and began sequencing.  It wasn't until that moment, that I realized how it all worked together.

[zman]

Welcome to the addiction, I think we all like the wife's position on this. A quick scan of the post, I did not see anyone mention managing your controllers now and as you grow. One document that is golden for me is the controller spreadsheet done by Rick Williams of Quartz Hill Christmas. I have used this religiously for 10 years now. It is the first thing updated so that I can manage my power grid. I modified his version to allocate for extension, power, and comms cords. I even use it to keep track of all my static items, DMX and E1.31 devices as well. An older version can be seen in the How-To "Behind the Scenes" section on my website.

http://www.quartzhillchristmas.com/12.html

Rick fixed my bastardized version so many times, he finally published his 50 controller spreadsheet.

Some advise, crawl-walk-run. This can consume you if you attempt too much. Take your time, enjoy the ride, it is much better that way.

Good luck, post pictures.

Edited April 27, 2014 by zman

[zeighty]

Wow! That is a lot of channels to start with. I have to admit that I did not read all of the replies but did some and skimmed all. 

One reply mentioned keeping lights in groups of 4 - SO IMPORTANT.  See the LOR suggested layout for an example. 

Use the Visualizer... 

Be sure you are familiar with their channel layout. I used theirs my first year and it critical to my set up. 

8 controllers will require 16 outlets... suggest you check out your load center and make sure you got the amps available and, of course, the outlets. Each of my controller's power inputs are separate circuits.This required adding a sub-panel and a 60 AMP breaker. 

[dgrant]

My system was 7 controllers last year and I only used one outlet, however, I'm probably %90 LED. This coming season, I'm adding RGB both smart and dumb pixels/strips plus possibly the two more conrollers that I have acquired so I'll have to consume another power circuit.

Edited May 1, 2014 by dgrant

[PaulXmas]

Wow! That is a lot of channels to start with. I have to admit that I did not read all of the replies but did some and skimmed all. 

One reply mentioned keeping lights in groups of 4 - SO IMPORTANT.  See the LOR suggested layout for an example. 

Use the Visualizer... 

Be sure you are familiar with their channel layout. I used theirs my first year and it critical to my set up. 

8 controllers will require 16 outlets... suggest you check out your load center and make sure you got the amps available and, of course, the outlets. Each of my controller's power inputs are separate circuits.This required adding a sub-panel and a 60 AMP breaker. 

Maybe true for you. I use LEDs and very little power I use my 2 outside plugs (and a whole lot of spliters) plus one more running out of the basement and I have a few more than eight controllers.

[George Simmons]

I've got receptacles all around the property - 12 20A circuits plus 3 more in the garage - from back in the static/incandescent days. We've switched over to 95% (or more) LEDs. Now it's simply a matter of which receptacle is closest to the controller. I haven't even used my Kill-A-Watt in last two decorating seasons.

[zeighty]

I went back and read 99% of the replies to this post. Most everyone,  if not all, have way more experience than I do. So, listen to them. I do agree with all that said "go LED".  

As for power requirements, I was making some guestimates based on the number of icans he has. 20,000 icans are going to draw some serious power. Again,  assuming that he uses all 8 controllers and all 20K lights. 

I reviewed my post after just reading (a little late) PaulXmas' reply.  I have not taken into account the actual load, just the potential load.  So I retract my calculations of having 16 separate circuits as it was on the high side; assuming only a percentage of lights lit at a given moment in time. 

 

Here's a suggestion, which hopefully isn't already available and I couldn't find it, for LOR to add to S3 or S4 - total number of channels set to some level of on at any given time. 

 

Enough of this diatribe... go make lights dance, have fun, reset breakers as necessary... 

[tomsocal2000]

The title of this thread is exactly what I am experiencing.  I "thought" that I would buy my two units so I had 32 channels, use some free sequences for 32 channels, and everything would be good.  Then next year, I could spend more time on customizing the sequences for my display.  Then, I find that I have to have my hip replaced on 11/10th so all my lights need to be up by then and plugged in.

 

Crap now what am I going to do.  With my sons help, I can get all the lights up by next weekend, but then I have to work on the shows.  Pain meds and shows do not seem to mix very well...or maybe they will.  I guess I will find out.

 

My point being is that just finding a sequence that says 32 channels is not always true nor does it work well with my light display.  Everything needs tweaking to some degree from what I can see.  Am I mistaken?

[dgrant]

You are correct. No two displays are the same therefore channel usage is never the same. When obtaining other's sequences, you always have to customize to your display, wishes and expectations. Its not a plug and play hobby but on the positive side of things, you get to create your ideas, in lights to music. Simply put, we all become artists in one form or another.

 

Sorry to hear about the hip replacement coming fast, but it will allow you time to work on the sequences to make them your own...between pain meds. Now I've never had a replacement done so I don't have a clue if you can sit at a computer for long periods of time or not. Hope you'll be able too and best wishes for a fast recovery.

[tomsocal2000]

You are correct. No two displays are the same therefore channel usage is never the same. When obtaining other's sequences, you always have to customize to your display, wishes and expectations. Its not a plug and play hobby but on the positive side of things, you get to create your ideas, in lights to music. Simply put, we all become artists in one form or another.

 

Sorry to hear about the hip replacement coming fast, but it will allow you time to work on the sequences to make them your own...between pain meds. Now I've never had a replacement done so I don't have a clue if you can sit at a computer for long periods of time or not. Hope you'll be able too and best wishes for a fast recovery.

This is my second hip replacement (did my right and now my left), and I am doing earlier than later since the pain I endured last time was incredible.  If all goes well, I can sit and work on this.  Thanks for confirmation of what I thought.

[m1ke05]

I've used a few sequences created by others. I usually load up visualizer on one monitor, load the sequence on the other monitor ( having two monitors is a godsend), and my channel config and watch the entire thing. Sometimes things just "work out" and what doesn't look good gets copy and pasted to other channels, or completely changed.

[CovertRain]

I can't imagine starting with 8 controllers.  I just started with this sickness for Halloween on my first controller and I was a bit overwhelmed by the software choices, what it all means and creating vs. modifying sequences.  I am just barely debating on adding an RGB element which I am awaiting sound advice from this awesome community.  8?  Wow.  All the more power to you.  Baby steps for me.

[jrock_at_rons]

I can't imagine starting with 8 controllers.  I just started with this sickness for Halloween on my first controller and I was a bit overwhelmed by the software choices, what it all means and creating vs. modifying sequences.  I am just barely debating on adding an RGB element which I am awaiting sound advice from this awesome community.  8?  Wow.  All the more power to you.  Baby steps for me.

 

I'm with you.  This is my first year (starting with 2 controllers) and i'm going to be right up against it to get everything done and set up in time for December.  I originally had dreams of doubling my controllers next year, but I'm now thinking I'll only add one more. 

[Vince4xmas]

Two monitors does help mucho!