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Posted

So I've been running a show (for the first time!) since the day after Thanksgiving.

Someone phoned the local community paper. There's a knock at the door, and it's the editor, asking me if I can turn all the lights on at once for some pictures. So, via the hardware app I obliged, and he asks me a few questions. I don't think he got the fact the lights were going to music so I had to show him. I was like a lightbulb went off for him.

I can not stress the need for a good sign. I learned that a little late his season.

I'll post the link to the paper as soon as it's out next week!

Posted

I Agree. Good point. And LIGHT UP the sign so it can be seen at night. I use one of those cheap $5 Home Depot water resistant outdoor spots that are on a ground stake. They use a small 20 watt landscaping type bulb that is plenty bright enough to light the sign.

I don't leave the sign light on all the time because it distracts from the show. I have mine on a separate channel. I keep it dim (about 25%) through the show so people can still read the sign, but between the songs when my son makes the song announcements, I blink it a 3 times to get attention and leave it at full brightness while other lights are a soft dim. It has a nice effect. to dim the lights softly while announcements occur.

But you know, even after doing that, some people are simply so dense and non observant that a nuclear explosion could go off and they won't notice it unless it set their butt on fire. Last year I had two people knock on the door to ask me what was the FM frequency that they read about in the newspaper and forgot! I promptly showed them the notice above the door bell AND the sign right in front of their car that mentioned the frequency. You should have seen how embarrased they looked. Yet it turned out well because they left a very big charity check (probably because they felt so stupid for asking the obvious question). These people were exceptions. Their elevator didn't go all the way to the top floor!

Posted

People didn't seem to "get it" for us the first couple years either, even with two signs and the frequency being mentioned on my LED sign.

The next year I added a HUGE sign out of snap-n-glows that said "Lights Dance to Music on FM 103.3". I didn't really calculate how big it would be, and I was almost embarassed with it. I broke it trying to clear snow off of it a couple years ago and haven't used it sense (even got rid of the snap-n-glows a few weeks ago). But now people seem to "get it", even with 'just' my two original signs and the LED message sign (which is now in full color, since my old red one died). Man it's cool being able to display a message in any color I want...

-Tim

Posted

Tim Fischer wrote:

Man it's cool being able to display a message in any color I want...

-Tim


Uh... Tim,

You seem to be way ahead of the game here. Can I find out about your cool programmable sign?
Posted

Richard Hamilton wrote:

Tim Fischer wrote:
Man it's cool being able to display a message in any color I want...

-Tim


Uh... Tim,

You seem to be way ahead of the game here. Can I find out about your cool programmable sign?

I picked it up at Sams club last year. It's a BetaBrite Prism (http://www.betabrite.com/)

Best of all, Sam's had it mispriced when we got it. Should have been $200, they gave it to us for the mismarked price of $69...

-Tim
Guest wbottomley
Posted

Tim Fischer wrote:

I picked it up at Sams club last year. It's a BetaBrite Prism (http://www.betabrite.com/)

Best of all, Sam's had it mispriced when we got it. Should have been $200, they gave it to us for the mismarked price of $69...

-Tim

I remember and what a lucky dog you are!:P
Posted

i think thats whats wrong with my display i dont think people understand the display till i get a sign out

what do u think!!!!!!

Posted

Tim Fischer wrote:

People didn't seem to "get it" for us the first couple years either, even with two signs and the frequency being mentioned on my LED sign.

The next year I added a HUGE sign out of snap-n-glows that said "Lights Dance to Music on FM 103.3". I didn't really calculate how big it would be, and I was almost embarassed with it. I broke it trying to clear snow off of it a couple years ago and haven't used it sense (even got rid of the snap-n-glows a few weeks ago). But now people seem to "get it", even with 'just' my two original signs and the LED message sign (which is now in full color, since my old red one died). Man it's cool being able to display a message in any color I want...

-Tim

Wow, I was desparately trying to find Snap-n-glows anywhere a week ago, it would have defiinitely usurped my show, since my yard is fairly small. Maybe I'll get "lucky" at Costco as well.....
Posted

Richard Hamilton wrote:

I don't leave the sign light on all the time because it distracts from the show. I have mine on a separate channel. I keep it dim (about 25%) through the show so people can still read the sign, but between the songs when my son makes the song announcements, I blink it a 3 times to get attention and leave it at full brightness while other lights are a soft dim. It has a nice effect. to dim the lights softly while announcements occur.


Are you using an actual channel or X-10? I'm thinking this may be my reason to buy a little X-10 Technology and explore that too. Just having too much fun!
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