Please stop the sales!

[Papa6058]

OK, not really, but with two LOR sales a year and the great prices of controllers especially since I build my controllers from kits. The cost of controllers is so much lower than that of lights. If we could get 16 strings of lights (LED) for less than $200 we would all have our whole neighborhoods wrapped in lights!

 

Does anyone else have this fever to just keep buying controllers, but the expense of lights is very very prohibitive.  Then even using SPT1 cable and vampire plugs there is an added cost to plug everything in. I can't wait to see the prices on the SPT1 and vampire plugs tomorrow.

 

Maybe a sale where the controllers come with a C6 - 50, 70 or 100 ct LED string of lights for every channel you purchase!

 

Well keeping my eyes on great prices on lights my SPRING sale controller purchases still have no lights! lol

 

OK, ending my rambling I have been sorting and resorting lights for a few months trying find a way to use all the channels I can.

 

Papa

[mpageler]

Depending on the lights use, there is a wide range of costs.  But if you average it out, lights IMO, are not substantially highter than LOR controllers...maybe similiar.

LOR  still isn';t giving away controllers so don't think many are stockpiling controller just because of the price.  They buy them as they expand their display.

Too manyt choices/flexibilty in light type choice.  So don't think  controller/light packages would have much demand.  On top of that, if you are buying LOR controllers, your choice of lights from LOR for package deals are very limited.

[LOR Staff]

Others will disagree, however it has been our experience:

 

A typical user will spend as much on infrastructure as they do on controllers.  That means for every $100 you spend on controllers, expect to spend $100 on extension cords, triple taps, wire, etc.  That does not include lights.

 

As for lights, the change is accelerating.  LED prices are coming down, and when life span is factored in they are now close to what a cheap incan string runs.  However I think the real break even point (for you extreme decorators) will be the low-cost RGB 3 channel string.

 

Right now, many of you are used to decorating things 4 times:  once each with Red, Green, Blue and Clear/White strings.  Which means 4 times the cost to decorate a single prop.  When simple RGB strings come into the market, you'll only need to decorate that prop with 1 string.  Yes, you will loose the ability to turn on 'blue and white' at the same time (for a multi-color effect), but you will gain the ability to make your prop purple or yellow, or whatever other color you want.  (You'll also be able to decorate in 25% of the time since you only need to string ONCE! )

 

I expect these simple RGB strings to be more expensive than a string of LEDs from Walmart, but to be less expensive than 4 strings of LEDs from wally-land.

[Papa6058]

Depending on the lights use, there is a wide range of costs.  But if you average it out, lights IMO, are not substantially highter than LOR controllers...maybe similiar.

LOR  still isn';t giving away controllers so don't think many are stockpiling controller just because of the price.  They buy them as they expand their display.

Too manyt choices/flexibilty in light type choice.  So don't think  controller/light packages would have much demand.  On top of that, if you are buying LOR controllers, your choice of lights from LOR for package deals are very limited.

 

OK, the lights coming with controllers was a joke. And as far as stockpiling controllers I never meant that although many many of us have a backup controller or two in case something fails during our show. 

 

When it comes to light cost though  I pay $150 for a 16 channel controller and I can not get 16 GOOD QUALITY LED strands for $150, but MOST importantly most channels of lights have multiple strands of lights.

 

For example during the spring sale I bought 2 controllers kits $300. For what I want to do with those new channels would be about $1600 in lights. Yes I could find strands of lights at wally's or the dollar store for much less, but that is not what I use. 

 

Again none of this was meant to be serious just part of my mental process as to what I would like to do during this coming season and helping talk myself out of doing more than I can right now. 

 

Papa

[Papa6058]

Others will disagree, however it has been our experience:

 

A typical user will spend as much on infrastructure as they do on controllers.  That means for every $100 you spend on controllers, expect to spend $100 on extension cords, triple taps, wire, etc.  That does not include lights.

 

As for lights, the change is accelerating.  LED prices are coming down, and when life span is factored in they are now close to what a cheap incan string runs.  However I think the real break even point (for you extreme decorators) will be the low-cost RGB 3 channel string.

 

Right now, many of you are used to decorating things 4 times:  once each with Red, Green, Blue and Clear/White strings.  Which means 4 times the cost to decorate a single prop.  When simple RGB strings come into the market, you'll only need to decorate that prop with 1 string.  Yes, you will loose the ability to turn on 'blue and white' at the same time (for a multi-color effect), but you will gain the ability to make your prop purple or yellow, or whatever other color you want.  (You'll also be able to decorate in 25% of the time since you only need to string ONCE! )

 

I expect these simple RGB strings to be more expensive than a string of LEDs from Walmart, but to be less expensive than 4 strings of LEDs from wally-land.

 

You are so talking to me. I use all four of those colors on every display component I have, and I use one strand of each color. It was a BIG hit when I went from incan to LED since I swapped out everything all at once, I don't know if I could do that again, but future components if the lights looked the same would be OK other than the look of 'blue and white', Red and white' and red and green' multi color effects as you mentioned.

 

I do however make mega strands of all four colors so that I spend the time once making the strands and about the same time decorating. I also find that mega strands are much less likely to tangle and if stored correctly last forever and are very handy.

 

Papa

Edited August 7, 2015 by Papa6058

[B.Y.R.G.]

Others will disagree, however it has been our experience:

 

A typical user will spend as much on infrastructure as they do on controllers.  That means for every $100 you spend on controllers, expect to spend $100 on extension cords, triple taps, wire, etc.  That does not include lights.

 

As for lights, the change is accelerating.  LED prices are coming down, and when life span is factored in they are now close to what a cheap incan string runs.  However I think the real break even point (for you extreme decorators) will be the low-cost RGB 3 channel string.

 

Right now, many of you are used to decorating things 4 times:  once each with Red, Green, Blue and Clear/White strings.  Which means 4 times the cost to decorate a single prop.  When simple RGB strings come into the market, you'll only need to decorate that prop with 1 string.  Yes, you will loose the ability to turn on 'blue and white' at the same time (for a multi-color effect), but you will gain the ability to make your prop purple or yellow, or whatever other color you want.  (You'll also be able to decorate in 25% of the time since you only need to string ONCE! )

 

I expect these simple RGB strings to be more expensive than a string of LEDs from Walmart, but to be less expensive than 4 strings of LEDs from wally-land.

 

This is exactly why I'm going the RGB route after buying just one 16CH controller last year and purchasing 4 strings for each channel.  Sure the sequencing is a little more involved (not harder) but the time savings alone not having to zip tie strings together is HUGE!  Plus the cost is pretty much the same if not cheaper depending on the source.

[Vince4xmas]

I am in the process of changing over ALL my single color LED's to RGB. I have major stands of red/white/blue/green were as a single dumb RGB strand or strip will do more for less cost (plus all the time spent mounting multiple strands on top of each other......and tons of zip ties). The issue is trying to get some cash for 2 year old LED's.

[Dcroc]

No such thing as a cheap hobby.  That being said, this is not the most expensive hobby I have been into......BUT...it's still far from cheap.

[Papa6058]

No such thing as a cheap hobby.  That being said, this is not the most expensive hobby I have been into......BUT...it's still far from cheap.

 

You are correct sir, I use to collect Hot Wheels yes mostly $1 a pop and I had more invested in that hobby than I do this one and I get to share this one with so many more people which makes it much more rewarding!

 

Papa

[BMurray]

You are correct sir, I use to collect Hot Wheels yes mostly $1 a pop and I had more invested in that hobby than I do this one and I get to share this one with so many more people which makes it much more rewarding!

Papa

Me too with the Hot Wheels. I've got boxes and boxes. All locked up in the dark where no one can see them, only me on ocassion. Lighs are sooooo much better to enjoy with others. Yet the lights get thrown out when they aren't usable anymore. The Hot Wheels gain value. ..which I can sell to buy more lights! !!!!!

[MikeERWNC]

When you sign up for the platinum membership the savings is substantial!

 

Pm DevMike for details. Don't clutter up the forum asking him membership questions. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry Mike

Don't ban me!

Edited August 7, 2015 by MikeERWNC

[LOR Staff]

I think we are back to normal when it comes to that fake membership stuff.  It's funny again - until we get bombed with people demanding it, then I'll have to stomp my feet again.

[George Simmons]

I guess we'll just have to wait for the annual influx of newbies and see if any of those people are interested in a membership. Don't worry - I'm certain you'll get to stomp your feet plenty of times.

[MikeERWNC]

I already feel tremors... And not just from Newbies. 

[PhilMassey]

I've got a left handed screwdriver for sale, if anybody wants to buy one

[Dennis Laff]

Phillips ?

[PhilMassey]

No, Philips.......

[George Simmons]

I've got both left-handed and right-handed in my toolbox. I know I get them confused sometimes. Can anyone explain a quick way to tell them apart?

[kingfish]

the right handed one has a slight twist to the right and   the left  is just the reverse. very simple that is what I tell a new laborer  I have to train 

[PhilMassey]

The right one is for screwing in and the left is for screwing out.