I am hooked!

[Not A Scrooge]

Hello everyone. This will be my 3rd year using Light-o-Rama. I just found the forums, so am new on here.  I only have 16 channels, but will be going to 32 this year, got tired of all the extensions (my wife did) across the driveway, under the eve of the house, etc. So far, have not had any problems with the products that I have purchased, even went with the FM transmitter this last year.  Had a lot of lookers and comments on my little setup.  And now I am hooked.  My budget is not big, like most, so is a lot for me just to go after a second controller.  I have the "dripping icicles" that I have had for a few years now that I actually integrated into the controller this year, worked out great.  I also learned to add my old blowups so they are controlled by the music as well, lights only, and received a lot of good feedback on my house.  This year would like to add a Mega Tree as central focal point in front of house.  Do you have to have anything else other than a separate controller to operate the tree?  Can I use my current sequences that are the ready to go type?  Any and all help, tips, tricks advice would be appreciated.  Thank you.

 

And, I am definitely: Not A Scrooge!!

[dgrant]

MegaTrees and arches are channel eaters, but they look great too! No clue about your checkbook but wait till the spring or summer sales and pick up the controller at that time. You can save money on a kit type such as the kit that has the assembled board and enclosure, just put on a label the electric cords. I have two megatrees and 32 channels total or two controllers for them. I'm using 16 channels for spiraling one direction, clockwise and 16 channels for spiraling counterclockwise. But, for the 2nd megatree and to save on money, I fabricated 32 SPT1 extension cords with vampire plugs/sockets to run to the other megatree where I connect them in reverse of the first megatree. The result is two megatrees dancing to each other for the cost of one set of controllers. You could do this same thing using 1 controller and just 8 spirals each direction or you could do 16 straight strings. It would still look quite nice. Color is another case too...lots of people suggest a "Blue" megatree. I couldn't pick a color and all the extra controllers to do multiple colors so I went with "Multi" strings and they look nice.

[Not A Scrooge]

Nice, I will probably just do the multi strings at first.  Is the controller preset to do a Mega Tree, or is that in the sequence?

[dgrant]

Its in the sequencing. All you are doing is assigning channels and names to the channels for everything in your show, then save that as a hardware file that you can recall for the next sequence by importing the hardware file. What you do with the channels in the hardware is strictly controlled by the sequence editor.

[dgrant]

Now if you wanted to get into RGB right off, then you could have any color of tree. It would require several DC controllers, depending on the number of RGB strings/strip you ran and the tree construction would have to be different to support them, but just thinking that the cost might be just a little more than doing two AC controllers with just one color(s). If you wanted to go fancy, you could do an intelligent RGB string/strip tree that you can do anything with which includes animation on it. Again, depending on the number of strings/pixels/strips/nodes that you used, would determine the cost(s). I built a pixel tree this past year and just used it for the first time...12 strings of pixel nodes for a total cost of about $700 or so...it was the hit of the show.

[Not A Scrooge]

Nice, I really appreciate all of the help.  From what I am getting, I need to have sequences that can be modified.  So I guess I will have to purchase those sequences.  thanx again.

[dgrant]

You can sequence them yourself too...don't have to purchase them. Buying sequences is a matter of the creator/seller's ability to do a better job that we can. A good example is holidaysequences.com, those two guys are sharp and they have the creative ability that I don't have so I have purchased several of their CCR sequences, which I convert to pixels only(removing the macro channels) and put them into my sequence. They do so much of a better job than I ever will be able too. Now if its just patterns on pixels, you can use xLights or RGBStudio and obtain cool effects, export to LOR and import into your sequence. Its all a matter of pure and simple, "Talent".

[George Simmons]

I agree 110% with the suggestion to do a spiral tree rather than a straight up and down mega tree.  A spiral tree has SO much more pizazz.  I doubt anyone will ever compliment an ordinary mega tree, but you'll have people (especially your wife) saying WOW to a spiral tree.

 

I have to take issue with the recommendation of 8 channels though.  Eight channels is pretty skimpy and it's extremely hard to make it look smooth while you're spinning it.  Never mind the eight one way and eight the other direction.  My advice would be either do a 16-channel spiral tree all the same direction  (bi-directional is fine if you've got channels to burn but the WOW factor isn't even close to being worth it.) or a 12-channel spiral tree and then use those other four channels for something different, like maybe four mini trees or something.  IMO 12 channels is the fewest that will allow you to spin the spiral tree smoothly at any speed rather than just fast.

[dgrant]

I agree with 8 channel spiral being a bit on the weak side. It'll work but the wow factor won't be there. Sure you can do it and see what you get or better yet, program it in the visualizer and go from there based upon what it looks like