james campbell Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 I don't mean to scare the newbies, but we are heading into the second half of this seasons prep. Hopefully you have your layout ready and are not going to change it. I always set my new layout early and have in mind what new stuff I need by a month ago. I will start building props now while its warm. One more tip I learned my first year, set some stuff up in your yard and go ahead and make your extension cords for that area. I did my arches and mini trees the first year, save a ton of time during setup. I also got to see the light in the yard blink to my sequence( big newbie step). So as I stated, for me it will be 6 more months before I start my setup. Fellow old crusty vets fell free to add some advice you have found that may help the newbies out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cdanna77 Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 I agree with all the above and have already planned to do something along those lines. Great advice. Can't wait for this season, super excited. Even my wife has come on board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 (edited) ... for me it will be 6 more months before I start my setup. 6 months??? Wow - sure wish I could be one of those last-minute guys. When Halloween gets here (or whenever the ground freezes - whichever comes first) I need to be 90% done with setup. My advice for any newbie working with more than 16 channels is to do your best to figure how long things will take to setup and test. Do a few dry runs like Jim advises so you know what you're getting into. I know you've got your own list of things to do, so take a close look at each item. Then look in the mirror and adjust your time estimates according to the reality you see, rather than how quickly you THINK you'll get a list of things done, or how quickly you USED to do those sorts of things. When you've got all that totaled up, double that number. That's our starting point. That takes care of most of the things you already know about. From there, double that number again. This takes into account most of the things you DON'T know about yet. If you think you already DO know everything, you better add some extra time for when that reality comes crashing down. If your weather tends to be inclement during setup time, add extra for that. Are you clumsy? If yes, add extra for that. Are you a procrastinator? If yes, add extra for that. Do you allow yourself to get sucked into reading long posts like this one? If yes, add extra time for that... Bottom line is that it takes longer than you think. From the crustiness of the been there, done that department, I can say you'll definitely be happier having a few days to fiddle with things before first light rather than the panic of not being ready. So start earlier than you think you need to. Now go out there and have some fun! Edited May 9, 2014 by George Simmons 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave S Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 Thanks guys...I,m still in turmoil .This will be the first year that I even thought about Christmas lights past January 1 or before October so the learning curve is steep...Your advise will be heeded...I will be headed to a Christmas seminar next week and fiquire the big push will come after that for me...But my real objective is to have 95% of my display completed by September... Dave Stoler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 Same here. I'm currently fabricating a pixel tree, two firesticks and will be adding dumb rgb strips to the window frames. I've already acquired the additional hardware items so its just a matter of putting it all together, testing, then spend the rest of the setup season in sequencing the added items. Sequencing will take the most time to accomplish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstorms Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 Been putting in about 10 hours per week for last 2 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75redman Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 3rd year for me and programming RGB pixels is no joke! Like everyone else said, you should of started last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crackchecker Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 And above all else..... as each day passes we, the old crusty vets, will have less and less time to brouse through these forums to help YOU the NEWBIE! So.... if you post questions and don't get answers right away, be patient! We're going to be busy ourselves... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanZ Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 Test new gear when you get it. Prep now, test fit and mark everything all to make things easier when setup time arrives. Don't wait until last minute. Granted, it's only mid-May now but it will be mid-November before you know it. This would be easy if you only focused on this hobby. However, I don't know about the rest of you but I rather enjoy vacations and other hobbies as well. And boating season is starting now. What is this time of which you speak? Still have song prep to do, props, more gear to order. BTW, did we mention to include have fun? LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1983ss454 Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 I'm more of the type that early in the year when I'm motivated I try to build as much as possible before summer hits and the antique car comes out. Finished up my CCP arches this morning just 2 window frames to build, 1 singing tree and a board to solder before thanksgiving. Now the sequencing is a whole other story. Always seems like I'm finishing the last song the week before I light. Just can't get motivated to sequence as much as building the props, which is the fun part for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shfr26 Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 Don't forget to have a kill a watt handy. Better to check amp draw than blow a fuse or worse. And have a couple extra fuses on standby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiplorenzo Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 First year I did on the fly.... 1 controller, and sat in the truck sequencing with a remote wifi laptop.2nd year: Started ordering lights on Jan 15. Still ordering lights...with a major Channel Jump! From 16 to 160. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 People here are already thinking I'm crazy for fabricating props now. As 1983ss454 said...before it gets too hot! I can sequence inside of the house during the summer heat but building things outside in the heat, no way. So for all newbies (includes me), if you aren't building whatever you wish or need right now, you need to hurry up! Time is slipping by very fast. That being said, whatever items you require, controllers, enclosures, cables, wire, vampire plugs/sockets....need to get those ordered now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1983ss454 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Ccp arches done and tested Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drac Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Been playing with the software here and there for the last couple months. Wll be picking up my controllers in the June sale. From there is will be a matter of figuring out where to go from there. Hoping to have a Halloween and Christmas display. On Halloween I got a couple pumkins from a gent. Planning to make a singing set here shortly. Also have my carved pumkins. Want to setup a grave yard in the corner with fog. On Christmas I'm going to low keyed for my first try. Just basic zoning along the house, sidewalk and bushes. Have plans for a couple mini trees. I would love to add a display in the corner for the Soilder's Night Before Christmas but not sure how to approach that. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paralegalnc Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 thankfully we aren't adding alot of prop this year. reusing and just modifying some... went to home depot to get some stuff... they all know what we do so they dont think we are crazy.. but it is June and we are getting ready to pull out lights to get reorganized and checked. I got extra hands this year to do that. It's very time consuming.. but this mental block thing on the sequencing is driving me nuts... but I've started.... no life between now and January.. This will be year 3 for us.. my biggest advise is to make sure you have a plan. Have it all laid out.like a blue print... it made it soooo much easier last year - my first year was nuts cuz we did lots of changes...then had to change each sequence and move stuff around. lots of time and mistakes.... planning is everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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