Basic setup for indoor Christmas tree lights

[petertirrell]

Newb here, and I realize it's near the end of the season.  But I was wondering what would be the minimum setup I would need to have animated lights on a standard indoor Christmas tree that would be animated to music.  I'd like to dip my toes into the LoR waters and figure an indoor tree decorating setup would be a good start before attempting some sort of outdoor display.

 

So I guess I'm looking for what are the basic components that I would need to decorate my tree with lights and then animate them to MP3s.  At this point a solid color doing some sort of equalizer effect would be fine.  Is there a simple starter package for such a basic setup or something?  Playback over the radio would be great, too, but I could see integrating that later, too.  

[Santas Helper]

Look at the LOR web site in their online store. They have a starter package you can get. It explains all you need and how to set it up.

[Psjoe]

I started with the starter package few years back. WARNING it gets addictive

 

Not to late if you have the time. Bit of a learning curve and need time to sequence songs.

Still easily doable for this year.

[petertirrell]

Thanks!  Just a couple of follow up questions then....

 

I did see the starter package, and it looks like that basically hooks up to my PC then to a controller with 16 channels, which in that case looks like essentially 16 plugs that I would connect lights into each?  I.e., I have existing strings of lights, so I would plug a string into one of the channels, right?  And if they lights supported dimming and whatnot that would be supported, too.

 

Now my existing strings of lights are just dumb standard Christmas lights, so I assume in this scenario the channel would get some sort of "on" signal and the whole string would light up, right? So under the basic setup my capabilities would mostly be coordinating turning on entire strings at once.  Which still sounds like fun or at least something to start with.  

 

Or maybe my question is, with the basic controller in the starter package, what kinds of strings of lights can I use and what can I do with them?

 

Then looking forward if I wanted strings of lights that I could individually control lights, I would need one of the other controllers for a "dumb" string? Then that would let me control individual lights ("pixels") on a given string on a given channel?

 

Thanks for helping me learn!

[Psjoe]

Just need basic strings of lights with no features. LED is better as they use less power so you can add more strings. Graph on website that explains how much power each box can handle. I have never popped a fuse yet

I had boxes of regular lights and change a bunch over to LED's each year due to the cost. So mostly LED's and minis now.

 

The lights are all controlled in the Sequence Editor, on your comp. You lay out your channels, in your case 16, then for each beat, or section of beats, in the song you tell each of the 16 channels what to do. sound complicated but once you get the hang of it, it's not so bad. Go easy at first then you start chopping up the song more to add more effects.

Example: in one beat of the song you want your arch to flash along all the sections as arches like to so. Usually 5 channels for one arch. So you divide that section of the song and on/off all 5 channels in order. That's when you start wanting more boxes! 3 arches is pretty much one box....

 

Loading in a song is easy. just load it in from your comp and use the beat wizard. I use that one and think it is the best one.

Lots of information in the help files and tutorials. Just go slow at the start and follow the steps.

Lots of help on the forums.

 

You can start simple then move up as you learn it. ON/Off shimmer, twinkle, fade up/down etc. Each channel can have multiple strings of lights on it as long as you don't exceed the amps.

And each channel can only do one thing at a time, though you can change it as often as you want.

 

You also need to set up the show editor which is pretty easy. This tells your comp when to start / stop the show each day. As long as your comp is on the show will play automatically.

 

You will need a speaker jack or something also to have your music play. Unless of course the display is right beside your comp speakers

I used speakers first couple years now have the wireless transmitter.

 

Glad to be able to help as I'm usually the one asking questions

[sax]

Yes, you are correct. The controller has 16 plugs and when commanded whatever is plugged in comes on.

If you want to create an equalizer look you would have to place your light strings in a way that will make that effect for you. Depending on how tall a tree and how many equalizer levels you want this is quiet possible. 16 eq levels would be too much imho for say a 6' tree.

But, wrap a string on the bottom, plug in to output 1 of the 16 channel controller. Wrap the next one and plug into 2 etc. if you want no effect command all strings on. Eq up you start at bottom and go up....eq down start at top etc. very doable.

In my yard I have a similar element. It is called a firestick. It is a 6' prop with five 1 foot sections. In those 1 foot sections I wrapped 100' of lights. So I have 5 channels used to give my eq effect. Now, I doubled the channel count by having 2 colors. So I can do the effect with either white or red, or any combination.

You can do that as well on your tree indoors. Depending on how many sections you can use multiple colors.

Now, for individual control of the bulbs, that is indeed called pixels. Pixels are rgb. They require a different controller. LOR now sells a few items to do what you want.

You could buy cosmic color pixels from LOR that includes the lights and controller. Cosmic color bulbs are similar but the bulbs are bigger. These have everything you need...controller and power supply. Just plug into the wall and hang...program and good to go.

LOR also sells a controller but then you would have to buy lights and a power supply separately.

Cost is the limit here. Programming or sequencing takes more time as you need to program each light.

You can purchase pixel components including lights, controllers and power supplies from many sources including some of LOR's partners. But the ccb and ccp is the easiest solution.

Hope this helps and Good luck,

Sax

[kiplorenzo]

think of the LOR controller to be equal to the older Theater DMX Packs... Cept Lor does more.

[petertirrell]

Thanks everyone for all the help and advice!  I think I've got a good idea of some things to begin with.  Thanks!