Computer vs SD card to run show

[Steven]

4 hours ago, dgander said:

The routine turns off my coach lights, turns off the landscape lights and turns on 4 kasa outlets that power the controllers

I do something similar for my porch security light and landscape lights, but in reverse. When the show starts, a windows command in the "show start" sequence turns on a relay in a USB controlled power strip, which is connected to an Insteon I/O Linc, which sends the signal to the ISY-994i, which controls the porch light with an Insteon wall switch and an Insteon wall outlet. This setup has been working since 2007 (before Alexa was created), although the first two parts were added later - originally it used an X10 module, which was compatible with Light-O-Rama S1 through S3.

If I had to start over today, I would use modern devices, but these were the state of the art when I bought them, and they are reliable enough to just keep using them.

[jollypollys]

So I don’t need to run a Ethernet cord to each controller box from the computer, I can go from box to box? I was under the assumption I had to run a cat 5 cable from the computer to each box. I want to start with a mega tree next year then add on each year after that to include arches, singing faces, trees, etc. 

If I go with the 32x50 mega tree 16’ tall, is it simple to change the available sequences to render to 16x100 or would I have to re-write the sequences myself for all of that to work? 

[Don]

25 minutes ago, jollypollys said:

So I don’t need to run a Ethernet cord to each controller box from the computer

Assuming you are using the LOR Pixie controllers, yes, you run them in a daisy chain. 
https://store.lightorama.com/blogs/news/typical-setups

[Jimehc]

Computer/Director to Controller to Controller to controller (Daisy Chained) Network -- Although each Network has a Channel Count Limit... Once that limit is reached you will need to add another Network for the controllers.

If using motion effects on the Tree - the Motion Effects will scale themselves to the Tree size..

If using SuperStar effect on the Tree - the effects will need to Re-Scaled in SuperStar....

Edited December 18, 2023 by Jimehc

[rmturner54]

I started with a laptop in the garage running XP. Did that for years. Used my office computer to do the programming. Transfered sequences with a thumb drive. Had the xmitter/radio in a weather proof box right outside the garage door.  When later versions started coming out and it got to where my laptop would not run the newer versions of LOR, I had to make a decision.  Stay with the last version that my laptop could use or during the off season upgrade LOR and either go with a new mini computer or the director. So the director it was, no cables running out of the garage, no setting up the old show laptop in the garage every year. I have done pretty good for the last 2 years with just the director. Yes its limitted. When I make a show SD card, I make 2, 1 for backup purposes and making changes. That way the show the swap is easy. I dont have a complex setup. I am all AC/DC channels, 64 to be exact. I do have capabilities to run the show from my office in emergencies. Like when the director was acting stupid this year and I needed the show to run. When in the end the stupid was me, sort of....LOL nor LOR. I am setup better now in my office to actually run a permanet cat 5 outside.

Like everyone has said, each person's situation dictates their decision. Now I will say this. From a show creation, and flexibility, the computer is better. From a director point of view there are a lot of little details that one has to pay attention too when creating a show. 

[k6ccc]

As I stated earlier, I am using E1.31 so I don't have a choice, I have to play from a computer.  I also run MIIP which also requires running on a computer.  With a computer, i can remote into the computer from anywhere that has Internet and either see what's going on, or make changes.  I run a year round landscape lighting show (one for evening and one for overnight), and at the start of each show I get an E-Mail to my phone, so I know that the show has started.  Same thing with the Christmas show, MIIP sends me start and end E-Mails so I know it's running.

And with S6, you now can a lot of the show monitoring and control from the phone app - which works quite well.