How to setup a gidt set

[Drac]

Hello all,

 

My in-laws have had the set of 3 Christmas trees that flash to TSO songs for about 5 years and now they are starting to go.  My wife and I discussed it and thought about getting them a controller and some props to replace them.

 

They are a drop and go sort of people as they are in their late 60's.  I was thinking 1  controller, a bouncing arch, a couple mini trees and a few songs.  Something they can setup quickly and with little fuss.  Pretty sure they aren't interested in lights that require a ladder to install.

 

Any recommondations?

 

Thanks,

Jim

[Max-Paul]

I cant remember just which controllers you want. But some of the controllers have a small built in memory. Thus you can download directly into the controller some small simple sequences. Again I dont remember just how big or complicated these sequences can be. But in short it makes the controller a stand alone unit. But here is the catch. As far as I remember reading on this subject is that you will not have any music. Just add a timer and the show will start and shutdown with the timer. Now I suppose you could still get a transmitter and some kind of source of MP3 player. But needless to say the music and lights will not be sequenced together.

 

Lets see if someone smarter than me can come up with a better solution.

[grump010]

Lightorama has a showtime central setup that appears to be fairly plug and play:

http://www1.lightorama.com/showtime-central/

and then add your controller(s) to complete the package.

 

There are companies that do the complete packaged props and controllers such as wowlights.com.

I think that the initial setup would be time consuming but the show could be configured as a plug and play type display after the first setup.

Mister Christmas is probably the easiest and least work that I know of.

 

Just my .02

Cheers

Daryl B.

[Orville]

Jim, if you're going to get the equipment and set the music, I'd suggest the G3-MP3 Director and 1 controller, then all they would have to do is insert the SD Card into the MP3 director to run the show.  If you set it up to come on at a specific time and shut down, the MP3 director is your best bet with a controller {or a controller with it built in}, as long as it contains a real time clock, just build the sequences, create the show and set the time for the show to start/end, insert SD Card with show{s} and then they wouldn't have to worry about anything except setting up the props, lights they're going to use.

 

It would be the simplest and easiest solution for them {aside from the Mr. Christmas with the "canned" music}, providing you or someone is providing the sequencing and MP3 music for their display.

 

Just how I'd do it if I were going to do something like this for an elderly relative that couldn't climb ladders, sequence, etc.

 

Good Luck.

[Drac]

Thanks guys.  I had forgotten about the director.  That would make it easier still on them and me.  I can send a new chip each year and they are ready to go.

 

Jim