Soooo.... my neighbor was so intrigued by my display....

[Donl1150]

he wants to get a bunch of neighbors all hooked up to one system next year.  Told him it seems like a great idea but it would be a huge project.  Have to get everyone on board to help out.  Equipment, design, layout, not to mention the programming time.  He knows nothing of automated lights but is a tech type guy and a handyman so that is a start.

I haven't seen much here about people doing entire neighborhoods and I am wondering if anyone has experience doing so?  I can only just start to imagine the amount of effort involved!!  Anyone have any thoughts that will help us decide whether or not we should even go down this road?

Don

 

 

[k6ccc]

Yes, there are several people that have run neighborhoods.  It is a HUGE undertaking.  I am not one of them.  Administration and politics are are much of an issue as the technical.  Hopefully a few of those people will chime in.

You may want to start small with the one neighbor and expand IF that goes OK.  You've got this one neighbor that knows virtually nothing about it, and is trying to get you to put forth a huge amount of time and effort, and possibly expense.  Jump carefully.

 

[Orville]

11 hours ago, Donl1150 said:

he wants to get a bunch of neighbors all hooked up to one system next year.  Told him it seems like a great idea but it would be a huge project.  Have to get everyone on board to help out.  Equipment, design, layout, not to mention the programming time.  He knows nothing of automated lights but is a tech type guy and a handyman so that is a start.

I haven't seen much here about people doing entire neighborhoods and I am wondering if anyone has experience doing so?  I can only just start to imagine the amount of effort involved!!  Anyone have any thoughts that will help us decide whether or not we should even go down this road?

Don

 

 

Check out Jeeter Lights in Poinciana, FL, I think the name of the street is Jeeter Street.  The entire street on both sides is one huge synchronized light display.  It was featured on our local news channel due to some of the neighbors on other streets were trying to get it shut down, bunch of Grinches, but an online petition and local law enforcement stepping up to volunteer for traffic control and they were back on in less than 24 hours!   This neighborhood was also featured on the "The Great Christmas Light Fight" a year or so ago.

I'm sure those folks in that neighborhood could tell you a thing or two about doing this.

Fair word of warning, I had a few neighbors a couple years ago asking me about including their homes like that, but when I told them where to look for the items they'd need to purchase to do this, they backed out real fast and wanted me to foot the expense of getting the controllers, RGB lights and other miscellaneous items that would be required to do multiple homes.  

So you neighbor may be intrigued, but once they see what they're going to need to spend on everything, they'll either back out entirely due to cost or they'll want you to supply lights, controllers ansd anything else they'll need to link up with your display.   Yes, they may be willing to put everything up, but they may want you to foot the bill to get stuff needed and required to do it.    Been there, heard it, and said sorry, but you'll need to buy what you need for your home for your preferences and use, as well as store.  Yea, they wanted me to store everything too!

So like someone else said, beware and be careful, you might be getting, or setting yourself up for something you really don't want to deal with!

 

[tlogan]

I think the other to think about when this comes up is that you will not likely to be able to sync up the really cool smart RGB lights. As of now anyway, the light linker only transmits data for the 16 channel AC controllers. I think I've read rumors of a Linker to be able to work with the RGB lights is in the works. This not to say that you can't do really cool stuff with a creative use of AC lights, it takes a LOT of controllers (meaning a LOT more $$$) to do it. And I can tell you I just saw a local show last week that has me rethinking a TON of uses for my AC lights.

I've had a couple of neighbors mention it, but like Orville said above, once I mention the entry fee is going to about $500 (and that's one AC 16 controller and a Linker) plus however many lights they want to use, they quiet right down. Not that I wouldn't want to put in the work, but "It's YOUR house, YOUR lights". 

[TheDucks]

10 minutes ago, tlogan said:

I think the other to think about when this comes up is that you will not likely to be able to sync up the really cool smart RGB lights. As of now anyway, the light linker only transmits data for the 16 channel AC controllers. I think I've read rumors of a Linker to be able to work with the RGB lights is in the works. This not to say that you can't do really cool stuff with a creative use of AC lights, it takes a LOT of controllers (meaning a LOT more $$$) to do it. And I can tell you I just saw a local show last week that has me rethinking a TON of uses for my AC lights.

I've had a couple of neighbors mention it, but like Orville said above, once I mention the entry fee is going to about $500 (and that's one AC 16 controller and a Linker) plus however many lights they want to use, they quiet right down. Not that I wouldn't want to put in the work, but "It's YOUR house, YOUR lights". 

The linker should also be able to do DUMB RGB (CMB24).

Also the new G4 director can cascade the sync (I would guess, since I do not use) that the show segment is stored ON each director and the  ELL just keeps everyone in step

[PhilMassey]

18 minutes ago, tlogan said:

I think I've read rumors of a Linker to be able to work with the RGB lights is in the works

What I think you are referring to is the up coming Pixel link. It is NOT an ELL replacement, but a bridge from LOR protocol to E1.31.

[tlogan]

Thanks Orviile - I hadn't thought about dumb RGB I guess because I don't use them, ALTHOUGH...after seeing that local show, I just might.

Thanks, for setting me straight,  Phil!

[k6ccc]

Note that getting Ethernet across the street is trivial.  That lets you link with E1.31. if you want or need to used Pixie controllers on the other end, that is what the PixieLink is for (once LOR releases it).