First Year

[drizzt1701]

Hi all, this is my first year doing LOR lights. Just received my final controller (total of 2 - 32 channels) and couldn't wait till I could take all materials (computer, controllers, lights and sequences) out to the garage and get started. Set everything up and plugged a single 100 count strand of minis into each channel. Followed all the instructions and WOW! everything worked on the hardware utility setup/test. Started one of my sequences and another WOW! everything worked perfectly. Next I built a simple show to make sure the show scheduler would start on time and shut down, you guessed it, another success. The next test is to schedule my entire show and make sure it starts, runs the 45 min show, lights on steady for 15 min then repeat the show over the four hour period ending with the lights on for the remaining 2 hours of the evening. I will do this tomorrow evening. This stuff is so addicting and I am loving it. Sorry for being so wordy but once I get started discussing it I can't seem to stop. :shock: Later all

Kevin

[JR V]

Welcome to the world of LOR Kevin. I can still remember that feeling I had the first time I made lights flash with my first controller. If you want to know what the twinkle in your eye looked like your first time, just wait till you put on your first show this year and you go out and see all the little boys and girls sitting in front of your home in awww.

[George Simmons]

Hey Kevin,

Welcome from another newbie. I know how you feel. I got my first two controllers in the spring and I'm waiting on the rest from the summer sale any day now. I've been creating things and then pluggin' 'em in for the last couple months and its a blast! If the spectators at Christmas have half as much fun watching as I do, it's gonna be a rip-snorting good time around here this winter.

George

[grump010]

Welcome newby, Just wait until you run your first full display and get your first "whooaa that's kool" from a spectator, still makes the hair on arms stand up. As you get closer to December the stress will kick in, have a plan and stick to it. I ran a very simple 16 channel show for Halloween prior to the first season and that helped immensely in calming my stress, just remember it's a hobby so have fun.

[Scrubs63]

Hi Kevin,
Welcome to the MADNESS!lol I am a Newbie too. This is my first year with LOR 32 channels. I started working on my sequences with the LOR Demo Version in Jan. I bought my 32 Channel Starter Package during the LOR July sale, and like you, I was like a little kid when all the lights started blinking to the music the first time I set it up. Again Welcome.
Scrubs aka Wes

[RI_Pilot]

Hi Kevin,

I am also a newbie. I bought a couple of kit PC controllers early in the year, it was fun to get out the soldering iron after many years of dis-use and build something. The two controllers work great. Then, during the recent sale I bought another one, this time pre-soldered so all I have to do is assemble it. Of course this also means an FM transmitter (I just ordered an EDM through the group buy), outdoor speakers, lights (I bought a bunch of LED strings from CDI on the Planet Christmas group buy), SPT wire, plugs, sockets, extension cords, stobes, and so on... (and I thought owning an airplane was expensive!)

I am going to try a simple Halloween display first and do a little more for christmas.

Good luck with yours!

Howard

[drizzt1701]

Hi again, I love hearing from everyone. Well I did the show schedule test last night, 45 minutes of music animation followed by 15 minutes of non-musical animation to make up the total hour, then repeated this for 4 hours and all went very well, all worked. I also tested my belkin fm transmitter that I had modified for a little greater distance, got almost 1/4 mile of distance so that is all set to go also. Looks like the end of October for start of light install since we are going to Disney World 11/8-11/15 so that will put a little time restraint on my light install schedule. Really having a ball though:}.



Kevin

[Mkymouse99]

last year was my first year with LOR and it was a blast. Thank goodness for not to many glitches. We also went to disney for a week during thanksgiving. I started the weekend after halloween with my 16 channels and was lucky to have it all ready the weekend after thanksgiving. You may want to start even earlier. All depending on the number of lights you put up. I had about 30,000 and I did everything all by my lonesome.

[Papa-LF]

JR V wrote:

Welcome to the world of LOR Kevin. I can still remember that feeling I had the first time I made lights flash with my first controller. If you want to know what the twinkle in your eye looked like your first time, just wait till you put on your first show this year and you go out and see all the little boys and girls sitting in front of your home in awe.

Kevin - Welcome !

I just wanted to add to JR's comments - it was fun watching that twinkle in HIS eyes - and through the eyes of his two little boys - my grandsons - and now the whole family is hooked, including yours truly. In fact I am the one assembling the controllers this year - 4 down - 8 to go.

Have fun, and be sure to look to the kind folks on the different forum boards for advice on how to make things work. And keep an eye out for our new mega tree - 21 feet of 25,500 lights! That 6000 watts of lights will light it up ... well .. kind of like a CHRISTMAS TREE! LOL ...

Have fun!

[basis21b]

I would like to remind you that you have only seen the sequence(s) with a sample of lights.

Wait till you get the display in the yard and do your walk-through of the show...

I cannot speak for how you might react but on the night before Thanksgiving of 2006, there was a 50 year-old kid dancing in the street in front of my house.

When I watch my display it brings a smile to my face and puts a twinkle in my eyes. As I sit here remembering, I find myself grinning.

Tom B (The other one).

EDIT - add signature

[Harbs]

Just curoius! How did you modify the Belkin to get 1/4 mile broadcast.

I did the standard Belkin mod but got nowhere close to a 1/4 mile.

Thanks,

Harbs

[Jeff140]

Hi - I'm also a newbie and I'm exited to set my first outdoor scene! There are lots of kids in my neighborhood that will be exited when I turn on the lights! Have fun and be safe!

[rikerz]

I guess I will add to the list of Newbies showing up, just ordered my 1st 32 output starter package and cant wait to try it out. I guess my 1st test with it will be for Halloween....

[wichard623]

I also bought my first 16 channel controller this year. I have not done a thing besides work and play with the software since it has arrived. My wife thinks I am crazy. I used a lights and sounds controller the last 2 years and my neighbors thought that was cool. I really cant wait to see the LOR in action.