bostonchris81 Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 Hey guys I still consider myself new and I wasn't very happy with last years display . I was wondering if anyone had any tips or ideas for me for Christmas or Halloween layouts for my lights . Right now I have 3- 16 channel controllers that I run led mini lights with . Any help would be great ! I attached a few pics of my dumpy house . thanks , Chris https://imgur.com/a/GdpZe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. P Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 (edited) I wouldn't call it dumpy, how about cute? With three controllers you could definitely do the eaves and windows in three colors and the tree in the front corner next to the driveway with three colors. You could definitely put something on the roof like 5-6 snowflakes. If you did a little landscaping, say a row of bushes under the two windows to the left of the front door, in 2-3 years there would be a nice row of bushes to decorate. Me personally, I would take out the purple leaf tree in the very center of the front yard and do an 8'-10' mega tree there, nothing too big so it doesn't over power the yard. Also use your fence to the left of the house, maybe a sign or something or a Santa face on it lit up with a spotlight. Since it is a smaller property you could outline the driveway and yard as well. Just a few suggestions Edited August 5, 2016 by Mr. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericm Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 I guess my first question is how many colors do you run? All I am going to recommend is based off 1 color. Windows frames and doors, waves, the big tree on the left you could make it bounce up and down to the music. I agree the tree in center of yard should go with a spiral or mega tree in its places.... And maybe some mini trees in the yard. Wrap the tree by the drive way and if anything left over try and use the chimney. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonchris81 Posted August 5, 2016 Author Share Posted August 5, 2016 good suggestions guys I appreciate it , I think the house outline may be a good idea! Yeah red tree in center has to go ! I have been telling my wife this for the past 2 years ! It blocks everything ! A typical mega tree uses what 12 channels ? I may pick up a 4th controller before christmas . once I get a hold of this stuff and learn more I would like to add RGB but I need more experience with what I have . I do have 5 mini trees that use 2 channels each ,multi color and white made from tomato cages but I wasn't really happy with the end result,I don't know if it was the overall design or not enough lights on them . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonchris81 Posted August 5, 2016 Author Share Posted August 5, 2016 (edited) Here are some still photos of last years mess ! It was my first year with LOR so be gentle lol ! https://imgur.com/a/tnmas i was not organized at all and need to plan things out way better then I did. Edited August 5, 2016 by bostonchris81 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericm Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 3 hours ago, bostonchris81 said: i was not organized at all and need to plan things out way better then I did. That's the key there, lots of planning even with your size show. You mini trees look like they are different sizes? Or even different types? i would wrap more lights on them to fill them in, I also wrap my lights around the cage not up and down like it looks like you did, if you do wrap them around your gonna want to put a second tomato cage inside the other to give the lights a more rounded look. also instead of randomly placing them in the yard put them in a straight line.. You can spread them out to fill more yard. You do have a large yard so you will need to space them out a bit so parts of the yard don't seem empty. The door on the right side of the house, I would get the same icicle lights you have on the front of the house or just make the porch dark. I noticed that you wrapped a couple large trees with a couple strings of lights, I would take all those lights and put them on the closest tree to the street. One tree with a bunch of lights looks better then several with barely any. Are those lighted deers yours? If so they are way off to the side, again with a smaller show your going to want to pull your elements closer to the center of your yard to give the feel of more lights. The candy canes you just need to get the straight and not crooked an leaning and they will make a big difference too. The biggest thing I see, said it prior, but you got this big yard and everything is pushed way to the back and to the far side. People that come can't take it all in at once. Just my few observations, just telling you what I would do if it were my house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericm Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 Mega tree can range from 8-16 channels depending on your preference, mine is 16 channels of each color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. P Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 The biggest thing I notice is you have to take the show upwards. You have a smaller, one story house with a big open, squared off roof. Definitely put lights on the roof as it will take the show upwards and make the house look bigger. Everything looks so crammed down to the ground, there's no height. Go up man, go up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonchris81 Posted August 5, 2016 Author Share Posted August 5, 2016 Now with the roof line how do people mount then to the roof ? Wood strips with lights on them then mounted to house some how ? And I would want to use a bigger bulb then the typical 5mm mini lights right ? All of this advise is great , I really want to step it up this year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrock_at_rons Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 I agree with the statements to 'go up'. The pitch on your rook isn't insane so it shouldn't be a death wish to trim the entire front roof. I don't have lights on my roof (as it would be the fore-mentioned 'death-wish'), but for my gutter line I've mounted C9s to painted 1x2s in 8' sections with s-clips. The 1x2s then hang from my gutters with some pieces of j-channel. The lights are all perfectly straight and they go up easily as i only need 5 sections to go across my roof. I'm using the same concept around the garage door (they are bolted into threaded inserts I keep in the trim boards). Now that I think about it, that doesn't exactly address the roof... sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomsusie Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 There are lots of ways to fasten lights to your roof. For my regular LEDs I use shingle clips which work pretty good. Mounting them on something (like a pipe or board) will keep them straighter and easier to have them all pointing in the same direction. I have a 10 row CCR matrix on my roof that I first affixed the ribbons to PVC pipe. Then I got 2 sections of wood lattice (lightweight but made for outdoor use) to which I screwed in plastic connectors that the pvc pipe simply snaps into. The two lattices were placed on the roof, lined up together and then we used strong climbing rope and wove it from the end of one lattice over the roof ridge to a long 2x4 on the back side of the roof, back over the ridge to the lattice, back over the ridge -- continued until we reached the other end of the 2nd lattice and tied it off. I actually have 2- 2x4x5' on the back side that the rope wraps around. ON top of the two boards I placed a 50# bag of pebbles on each to keep it from moving. They've been up almost a year now and it has worked great. No holes in the roof, no movement of the matrix. Thought about using sand bags but concerned the squirrels would puncture them with their claws and I'd have sand filled gutters. SO far the squirrels have stayed away from these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince4xmas Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 I am using Coro PixNode strips and strain relief tabs to mount pixels around entire perimeter of house and garage roof as well as 5 windows and front door. Pixels are spaced at 4". The strain relief tabs allow you to "pull" the PixNode strips tight in both directions such that the strip lays flat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1983ss454 Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 I am using Coro PixNode strips and strain relief tabs to mount pixels around entire perimeter of house and garage roof as well as 5 windows and front door. Pixels are spaced at 4". The strain relief tabs allow you to "pull" the PixNode strips tight in both directions such that the strip lays flat. Are you talking about the pixel strips that James on DIYC sells? If so do you have a picture or anything of your setup. I'm getting ready in the next few weeks to work on mounting pixabulbs all over the house. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Arch Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 Mount those candy canes into a spinner and definitely add some arches. Or even a Mega Arch. ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Santas Helper Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 Daniel (Mega Arch) here shows some great ideas that would work out in your situation. Great job on sharing the ideas Daniel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cdanna77 Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 (edited) Agree with the above. And some fire sticks and stars will add height also. Here's some of my RGB arches, mini trees, and fire sticks. SORRY this video was taken before I could fix a controller issue throwing off my colors and sequence https://youtu.be/iY17ihrZv18 Edited August 5, 2016 by Cdanna77 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1983ss454 Posted August 6, 2016 Share Posted August 6, 2016 Bring your stuff out from the house into the yard some, more lights on the mini trees, as said before add some height. I also use stuff that is on all the time, I have my motorized characters. I don't like it going completely dark Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1983ss454 Posted August 6, 2016 Share Posted August 6, 2016 Oh and I meant to show you the video saying Rgb floods would look nice on the house Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Arch Posted August 6, 2016 Share Posted August 6, 2016 2 hours ago, Santas Helper said: Daniel (Mega Arch) here shows some great ideas that would work out in your situation. Great job on sharing the ideas Daniel. Thanks Tom. Speaking of a Mega Arch - you could show Chris a few pics of your house. One of the best Mega Arch examples I can think of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Santas Helper Posted August 6, 2016 Share Posted August 6, 2016 Thank you Daniel. You're too kind. I suppose a couple pics wouldn't hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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