Twinkling trees

[dhallman]

I have a wedding venue and accommodations.

 

I am looking to create a 'twinkling' effect in the trees around the wedding garden year round at night.

 

And I want to use this area for Halloween and Christmas 'dancing light' displays.

 

I am wondering if the 'dumb' RGB ribbon can do a twinkling light effect (think Disney World main street) as the versatility would allow for color changes for Halloween and Christmas displays by adding lit props to the display.

 

Am I on the right track?  Or is it best to bind standard white lights and the ribbon to the trees?

 

Thanks for any help....

 

[Paul R]

I would highly suggest that if you decide to use RGB in trees, you look into pixel nodes (such as LORs CCBs and CCPs, or other vendors Pixel nodes) rather than ribbons. Flexing ribbons to put them in trees would destroy them rather quickly, as ribbons are really intended for straight flat surfaces, or surfaces that are gently curved in a single dimension.

 

As to twinkling RGB nodes in various colors, yes you can, but it is slightly more involved sequencing than just choosing the twinkle tool in S3 like you do with LEDs.

 

-Paul

[dgrant]

Twinkly RGB's usually produces all colors on each node. I agree, don't use strips, unless...., you cut and solder in extension wires and attach to limbs directly. Do not hang in the smaller twig areas. I say that because the wind will push the trees around a lot and the smaller the limbs, the more the movement. You need to consider the movement in making extension wires between segments. Disney keeps their source fairly secret or so it seems. I believe their's are low voltage too and there's lots of online reading about their use, source of supply and so on. You could use pixels, lower the intensities, use a short fade/ramp with a twinkle, then twinkle/fade off. It'll take some work to create mutliple patterns then copy and paste into different areas but yes, you can do it.

[steve synek]

I think to answer the OP, with dumb lights, a twinkle effect will not work. Twinkle defined as different lights on the same string flashing on and off at different times. As the Disney effect- I picture strobes- and could be wrong here.

  All the lights will do the exact same thing at the same moment in time for the entire string/ribbon with dumb lights.  To get a true twinkle, you would have to get smart nodes. 

 

Steve

[dgrant]

I was suggesting pixels such as WS2811's, therefore they are "intelligent" types, so you can individually address each and create that effect.

[dhallman]

Thank you for all the responses!  Very helpful.  Yes, a fade in and out of individual 'bulbs' that appears random around the tree is the twinkle effect I was going for.  A quick flash would work but would be more jarring.  And blinking the entire strand is not the intention.  So avoid ribbon as they are 'inflexible' and use smart for the versatility - of everything but budget   The 100 'smart' pixel bulb for $240 would work OK for the twinkle effect, but will it produce enough coverage for a dancing display?  Otherwise I think I should hang both the smart pixel and one other old fashioned color strand to 5 or 6 trees around the garden and then both a Christmas color and a Halloween color of old fashioned strand to the remaining trees.  That would set the background and offer a number of channels to sequence with.  Then add some 'items' stars, prop trees, deer etc for foreground items sequenced to the song melody.  As a staring point anyway.  I can always grow it next year...

[LORi P]

I would recommend lawnlights.com

They will give you a random twinkling effect and are much cheaper than RGB.

[LORi P]

Lawn lights that I suggested above are LED.  For an even cheaper incandescent option, I recommend warm white 'Twinkling lights' sold in boxes of 100 at Big Lots.  Every 5th bulb on the strand twinkles.  

 

I use them inside for as mood lighting at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I think the more trees you can decorate around the wedding venue, the better.  Just my opinion....

[dhallman]

Hi again,

 

After a few weeks work a have made some progress.  A 16g3-mp3 controller has been installed (powering 2 spot lights and various strands in trees) connected to the first of 5 rgb pixel lights, connected to a residential 16 chan controller (powering 2 arches) connected to the next rgb pixel, connected to a 16 chan commercial controller (powering more tree lights with open channels for Halloween or Christmas props) connecting to the next rgb pixels.  Then another 16 chan commercial (more tree strands) and the last 2 rgb pixles complete the controller chain.

 

I manually sequenced a 'random' twinkle effect (1.5 second fade up, 1.5 second fade down) for first rgb controller.  This was a good exercise as I learned about the macros on channel 51 to 57.  Once all 100 pixles were working correctly I opened the sequence file in notepad in windows and then copied the channel layout to a template in visual basic.  I replaced the unit and channel numbers with variables and created a loop (first for channels and then for units) to have all 5 units and all 500 pixels twinkles generated randomly.  The resulting channel layout was copied back into the sequence file and loaded back into the sequencer for testing.  Once successful the show was created and loaded onto SD card and put into use: http://www.facebook.com/fallsinnandspa.  If anyone would like the VBscript file, let me know.  I found Bob's video after.  I am not sure what effect is best?

 

However, sequencing the rgb pixels in a song has been an issue.  In a chase effect moving from light strands to rgb controllers and back I find the 3 rgb pixels in the middle of the chain have a timing issue.  The first and last rgb controllers light both attached strands properly, but the 3 in the middle light one of the two strands and then the 2nd.  The timing is a full beat late in the song causing the 'chase' effect to fail as 3 trees are half lit at the wrong time.  I have tried setting the 3g-mp3 director to use 500k on the network A port in case it was a timing issue (though with the first and 5th rgb pixels working that seemed unlikely) and it did not help.  In the sequence the rgb channels were added using the add device right-click option and the event is triggered using the 'on (N key)' option.  The result is one strand lighting and turning off and then the 2nd strand turing on, then off on the same rgb controller.  I want both side to light, and turn off, together.  I have tried connecting my surface tablet to drive the show from various points in the chain to see if the result changes.  It does not.

 

If anyone can see an issue with my setup or approach to sequencing the rgb controllers please let me know.  I have considered separating rgb to the 2nd network, but I do not have the required cables on hand, and again the first rgb controller and the last controller work fine - so distance, cables and port speed do not seem like the likely issues.  I think?? Maybe a reset/readdress is needed on those 3 devices?  Firmware?

 

If anyone has seen this before it may save some time to learn from others

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

update: I found the suggestions in the FAQ about mp3 encoding to 128kbps - the file was 162kbps.  I have changed the audio with audacity and will see if it makes a difference??

Edited October 13, 2014 by dhallman

[Victor Degroot]

When i think of twinkling trees i think of only white lights so if your going for only that color try these lights  http://www.ebay.com/itm/400307400120?var=670037019259&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649         they have a twinkle setting that looks really nice, they are also ALOT cheaper.But if you have the $$$ defiantly go for Light o Rama. Here is a video of the effect but with a different brand of light (the're almost identical) 

Edited October 14, 2014 by Victor Degroot