bostonchris81 Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 yeah i need to find a way to prevent tripping the GFCI's , I don't want to have any problems , i think i heard of someone putting wire loo m on the bottoms of the mini trees , maybe that would help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 I think someone in here mentioned putting them on a wood base, might help. Also insuring that extension cord connections are also off the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonchris81 Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 this is true , I think I heard something about a pvc type stand that a user made for the mini trees also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonchris81 Posted September 23, 2015 Author Share Posted September 23, 2015 Does anyone know the " Christmas is starting now " song ? By big bad voodoo daddy ? Does anyone have the sequence ? Great Xmas tune !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deweyii Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 Sorry I didn't reply sooner but had some family time to take care of. Yes 3 windows 2 colors = 6 channels. I'm in the same boat been planning for Halloween. Haven't done much for Christmas. Plus just found out will be out of town for Halloween, so I have to teach the wife how to run it. I guess I'll start putting it up this weekend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonchris81 Posted September 23, 2015 Author Share Posted September 23, 2015 lol I have no room to even start with christmas ! I have halloween stuff all over my kitchen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sax Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 This is a year long hobby. As I put my Christmas stuff out early December I am planning next year's Halloween show.Put my thoughts on paper and then as Christmas show is going I plan next year's Christmas show. January as I take my show down....I test any theories that I might need to test.....such as will this length of RGB strip work or will I need to add power here.....point is, while the controllers are all up it makes a good time to test. If the weather allows it. For me I am fighting the rain.....Then all of January I am trying to get my visualization and master channel files setup for my written plans. Of course I have hit the clearance shelves and have new elements....but this is where I put that stuff in. Then it's sequence time. I personally use superstar for all my sequencing. So I have to spend a small amount of time setting this up....import visualization file and get my lay out good.I then sequence halloween until spring....then I start Christmas. Summer is build elements. Repair whatever needs it. Tweek my sequences for whatever summer sale item I bought.Then the mad rush to get everything ready for the Halloween display.Luckily, my yard is RGB. I am slowly making it all pixels. But most of my lights are Halloween and Christmas. So once setup is done at Halloween, minimal change is needed.While the Halloween show is going final tweeks to the Christmas show is made...based on how the Halloween show is performing. Then pack up halloween, put the Christmas elements out and then back to planning for next year.Year round. And even with planning....I always run out of time. . The worst part is when I am driving down the road a song comes on the radio. I start sequencing it in my head. No longer can I just enjoy the music.Welcome to the hobby. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrock_at_rons Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 I work along the same lines as sax, however, I'm only in my second year and have much less. I had my plan for 2015 additions more-or-less set by New Years so I could get in on the pre-sales for all the items/lights I'd need. Knowing the new props, I was sequencing from January though about August (updating old songs with new props, adding new songs). I started with the low-hanging fruit type builds in the early summer (pvc frame for spiral tree, add c9 sockets to window frames) so that when the pre-sale and summer sale lights came in I'd be ready to go. My first year into RGB and even with all the prep and minimal procrastination, I've still got 2 RGb snowflakes to build and I haven't even touched the spiral tree lights. I think I'll be ok, but its going to be a crunch to finish the build, setup and test. Its even tougher with 3 kids and all their soccer games, girl scouts, etc (although they love helping). Just this past weekend I started to brainstorm about elements I want to add for 2016. That being said, you'll get through it. Just keep at it little by little. I was on the fence after all the effort I put in last year... then I lit it up for the first time... I was hooked. Its almost like a drug. While doing my final testing late last November, I turned around after tinkering with the software in the garage and no less than 10 neighbors had stopped by to see what I was doing. We all stood on the driveway in the cold watching my first show. It was awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonchris81 Posted September 24, 2015 Author Share Posted September 24, 2015 oh man you guys must have huge displays ?!?! I need to figure out a dedicated place that I can set my stuff up and work on it , right now I have everything laid out in my kitchen lol , I don't have a garage so maybe I need to clear a corner in my basement so I have the room I need to spread out .I would love to spend more time on this stuff to make sure it is perfect ! and I'm sure I will once I find a corner to tinker in . I am already eyeing the RGB stuff and I haven't even done my first show yet ! I see how this stuff can get addicting ! I need to get moving on xmas since I havent even started on it yet ! I got into this hobby late in the season for this year !! I think I may hang my PVC window frames this weekend for halloween and start on my mini trees ,just picked up a few tomato cages to play with ,just need to figure out the best way to wrap the tree with the 3 colors . I still need to get my sequences loaded onto my SD card,I thought I was already done with this part until I played the show to make sure it was good ,and half of the lights stopped working on certain tracks ..........lots of fun and aggravation in this lol once I master the software all will be good !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sax Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 I use the 3 foot trees you can get at Walmart or Home Depot....whoever is cheaper rather than cages. I like it to look good in the light. I put tinsel and ornaments on them. But I bought that stuff at clearance.....50 cents for the stuff.Plus, I have heard you can get gfci breakers to pop with cages....at least easier to. But I never tried cages. I already had the trees so it was easy to incorporate. And, decorating is just like the indoor tree.My display is smallish. Bigger than year one but I live on a small lot. I try not to overdo it.... Singing faces was my initial focus. Still is I guess. AND for Halloween I have a witch that stirs the cauldron....controlled by LOR of course.Christmas is still secondary in my yard. It is getting better but I really love Halloween.I have a bonus room in the second floor of my house. The window in my avatar to be exact. That is my test area. A mess. I need a workshop too!!!This hobby is addictive and expensive. If there is one piece of advice I could give someone new who is really excited...it is look at pixels now. Skip dumb rgb. You will eventually anyway.And with pixels, you will have to control it with a pc. So plan for that now. You gotta get network cables...that is plural...out to your yard. Plan now and you will be glad you did. At least plan after this holiday season.Spend your money wisely because you are gonna need more, more more.Oh, and earlier you were asking what you should buy next. A tune to sign. Something to tell your audience what to tune their radio to.You gotta have that.Good luck,Sax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonchris81 Posted October 3, 2015 Author Share Posted October 3, 2015 haven't been here in a few days ,pixels seems to be the next step I will definatley have to start working on that right after christmas ! I was thinking about doing singing xmas trees this year but I don't think I have enough channels for that this year , if I did them I would want to make all 4 of them and that is like 20 channels out of my 32 channels so I may have to wait till next year for singing trees unfortunately. I have heard of the gfci problems that may occur , I am still trying to figure that part out , at the end of this season I will hit up all of my local department stores for the clearance items lol! I'm just starting to work on my xmas stuff now ,i'm starting pretty late and don't know where to begin,chistmas is a totally different animal then halloween . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sax Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Luckily all the stores have put their Xmas decorations out....so you can get an idea what to do.I have pixels that I need for Halloween that hasn't arrived. Grrrrr.But it is an addition. I will be able to get all my stuff out and up even if they don't show up. But I really want them....This year I am not setting up as early. I will probably go live 10/20. Years past it was 10/10. Way too early...because the grass had spots and was super high by Halloween. Maybe this year will be better.....or I will find out it is too late...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristmasLightsCincinnati Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 Im ordering my first lom kit this week. Hope i can figure it out by Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomsusie Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 haven't been here in a few days ,pixels seems to be the next step I will definatley have to start working on that right after christmas ! I was thinking about doing singing xmas trees this year but I don't think I have enough channels for that this year , if I did them I would want to make all 4 of them and that is like 20 channels out of my 32 channels so I may have to wait till next year for singing trees unfortunately. I have heard of the gfci problems that may occur , I am still trying to figure that part out , at the end of this season I will hit up all of my local department stores for the clearance items lol! I'm just starting to work on my xmas stuff now ,i'm starting pretty late and don't know where to begin,chistmas is a totally different animal then halloween . Time to concentrate on this year's display and figure out next year after this year is up & running. time is getting very short! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonchris81 Posted November 12, 2015 Author Share Posted November 12, 2015 Ain't that the truth ! Haven't even scratched the first layer yet ! Lots to do not enough time to do it !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terpsmurf Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 You can't go wrong with an EDM transmitter. I started last year as well and ended up with 4 CTB16PC controllers, 3CMB24D, and a San Device e682. I would recommend getting Coro for your faces instead of peg board. I designed my own last year as well, 5 for Halloween and 4 for Christmas. The 1st year will consume you, but it is a great hobby. Rely on those on the forums to help. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now