Mega tree advice

[aesl1982]

Question I'm building a pixel tree and a regular mega tree. On the mega tree its gonna be the 20' kit from Christmas light show. They recomenbed 64 strings I was gonna order 72 strings or three cases from HLE. one case each of red green and white. So that's 5040 lights. Question is how many channels should I run 32? Or should I add blue as well and have 96 strings on 32 channels looking at using c6's

[godman]

I run 16 channels on my 20' tree. I use 64 strings, White/Blue. Each channel is 4 Strings which gives me the effect I'm looking for.

[uncledan]

I used 3200 white and 3200 red with 32 channels this year. The tree is full and I wouldn't recommend using less than 16 channels per color. RGB?? Smart or dumb. That's the direction this is all heading.

[aesl1982]

So with 96 strings I would be at 3 strings per channel should give a good effect look. Or 16 channels at 6 strings per channel dunno what would give the best effect look for spinning and whatever else

[dgrant]

I'm only using 32 strings. 16 clockwise, spiraled and 16 counter-clockwise spiraled. All are Multi LEDs and its full...15 feet tall with 8 foot base diameter.

[Santas Helper]

I have a 35' mega tree with 192 strands of 100ct C6 bulbs. Red, white, Blue and Green. (19,200 C6 LEDs total just for those strands)

I run three strands per color per channel for 16 channels each color. This gives a fuller chase effect IMHO.

Here is what it looks like in a photo.

Edited December 27, 2014 by Santas Helper

[aesl1982]

I have a 35' mega tree with 192 strands of 100ct C6 bulbs. Red, white, Blue and Green. (19,200 C6 LEDs total just for those strands)I run three strands per color per channel for 16 channels each color. This gives a fuller chase effect IMHO.Here is what it looks like in a photo.

so if I went with the 96 strings 24 of each color I could lay my strings out in rgbw order around the tree and put 3 strings of red on a Channel, 3 green on a channel so and so forth around the tree. Then my tree could chase three strands of one color at s time around the tree and also change colors or mix colors based on the way it's sequenced. Am I on the right track thinking this way

[aesl1982]

Also looks like you use super string is that correct Santa. If I went that route I would tie 4 strands one of each color together and that would give 24 super strands. That might not too full on a 20' tree with 10' base would it

[Santas Helper]

so if I went with the 96 strings 24 of each color I could lay my strings out in rgbw order around the tree and put 3 strings of red on a Channel, 3 green on a channel so and so forth around the tree. Then my tree could chase three strands of one color at s time around the tree and also change colors or mix colors based on the way it's sequenced. Am I on the right track thinking this way

Yes, your on the right track. But, (because I'm retired military) I prefer RWBG (Red, White, Blue & Green ).

But yes, on the right track.

Tom

[aesl1982]

Awesome thanks Tom

[Santas Helper]

Also looks like you use super string is that correct Santa. If I went that route I would tie 4 strands one of each color together and that would give 24 super strands. That might not too full on a 20' tree with 10' base would it

Yes, exactly on the super string.

And no, it would not be too full on a 20' tree with a 10' base.

Think about 24 strands around a 10' base. Your string spacing will be about 2.5' a part at the bottom. That's not bad for a 20' mega tree.

I had a similar setup back in 2010. It looked very nice!!!

And I think yours will too.

[james campbell]

I do a tree for a buddy thats four colors. He uses 64 channels,30 stands each color so two strings per channel,always have extra channels left over.

[Mega Arch]

I run 16 channels on my 20' tree. I use 64 strings, White/Blue. Each channel is 4 Strings which gives me the effect I'm looking for.

I went to your website as I don't Facebook.....

Wanted to see your tree in action as I'm interested in mega trees too - I need to fix my weak link...

Your website had a football game (what I call soccer) everywhere there should have been a video of your Christmas Show..??.. Anyway, could you post a short one here?

Not trying to get you to highjack aesl1982's OP - goes with it - seeking advice...

[lightzilla]

Now you new comers to mega trees need to decide are you going up & over or up & back down on the same side. I only went 11.5 ft high with my tree because I put it on the front deck. I used 32 channels with 2 colours. 16 Red & 16 White or whatever colours I used that year.  I went up & back down on the same side. (I made the tree really rock on some songs doing it this way).   So the tree looked like it had 32 strings of Red & 32 strings of White. 11.5ft tall with an 7 ft base. If you ever put a "Marty Fan" into your display the 16 channel sequences (for one colour) works very well on a 16 channel one colour Marty Fan.

 

If you add another controller then add 8 channels for spirals going left & 8 channels for spirals going right.   Because my tree in under 20 feet the spiral effects were a bit different looking.  When I used Red for the spirals the tree looked like it was on fire (in the videos). Blue was different yet.

[Mega Arch]

Now you new comers to mega trees need to decide are you going up & over or up & back down on the same side. I only went 11.5 ft high with my tree because I put it on the front deck. I used 32 channels with 2 colours. 16 Red & 16 White or whatever colours I used that year. I went up & back down on the same side. (I made the tree really rock on some songs doing it this way). So the tree looked like it had 32 strings of Red & 32 strings of White. 11.5ft tall with an 7 ft base. If you ever put a "Marty Fan" into your display the 16 channel sequences (for one colour) works very well on a 16 channel one colour Marty Fan.

If you add another controller then add 8 channels for spirals going left & 8 channels for spirals going right. Because my tree in under 20 feet the spiral effects were a bit different looking. When I used Red for the spirals the tree looked like it was on fire (in the videos). Blue was different yet.

Love your sequences.

"Fire" can rock a tree too.

[aesl1982]

I was just gonna go too down with my strings they are 24' length and tree is 20' tall. Use the extra 4' at bottom for the "trunk"

[lightzilla]

I was just gonna go too down with my strings they are 24' length and tree is 20' tall. Use the extra 4' at bottom for the "trunk"

I use mostly .10 Freedom Timing Grid when making my sequences, sometimes .12 because I like to sub divide where the songs get fast. For me it works because it grabs the folks attention (especially children). I really had the tree going on Brian Setzer's "Jingle Bells" in the guitar areas of the song. That is why I add the strings like I do. Or down like your going to do.

Edited December 27, 2014 by lightzilla

[aesl1982]

Seems yall helped me become comfortable with my mega tree decisions. Next decision I have to make is for my other tree. Weather to do pixels or ribbons. I see that 16 strands of 50 I can use same sequences as a 16ccr tree. But the pixels are like 12 foot on length for 50 pixels where the ribbons are 16'. So with ribbons It would be taller. But pixels I keep the christmasy look. Both can do the images and words. Ribbon tree is flat looks tougher to build pixel is 180 looks similar to building a reg mega tree. These are my takes from looking at the holiday coro packages however ribbons just zip tie to pvc or whatever and pixels is a lot of drilling lol

Edited December 27, 2014 by aesl1982

[godman]

@Mega Arch Here is a test video I did earlier in the season, The mega tree comes in at about 40 seconds, I'm in the process of uploading more videos, the ones on my site are just test videos.

 

[Mega Arch]

@Mega Arch Here is a test video I did earlier in the season, The mega tree comes in at about 40 seconds, I'm in the process of uploading more videos, the ones on my site are just test videos....

Very nice and a great song to show off your display to.

Thanks for sharing.

Well done.