First year with LOR - in my back pocket

[sjmiller]

I decided in Nov. 2008 that I was going to use LOR to animate my 2009 Christmas display. I downloaded S2 and started sequencing thinking 8 channels would do the trick - I ended up with 72 channels of LOR and a 96 channel DIY DIO controller, and used 61 LOR channels and 24 DIO channels for the display.

Sequencing songs was taking me forever until I got some tips here on using the wizards and keyboard shortcuts. I sequenced seven songs from scratch, and downloaded the two TSO sequences LOR has available.

One of the local LOR users lent me his "old" Ramsey FM transmitter to use (Thanks Steven) and I went live Dec. 5th after 3 full weekends and every night in between working on the display.

The display has, 10 wireframe deer, 8 4 foot minitrees, 7 3 foot minitrees, one sleigh, and the usual landscape features. My best estimate is 14,000 minilights and 2,000 LEDs.

I don't have a web site yet (had to draw the line some where), but do have seven of my songs videos posted on You Tube -

It was a lot of work, a ton of fun - and I'm looking forward to the additions and changes for the 2010 Christmas show!

Steve

[Frank A.]

Good morning

great job

this life is rough but somebody has to do it

Frank A.

[Linda]

Did you use the sound from your camera or a program to add the audio? Thanks

[lightzilla]

Well this is my 1st year as a Lor user too even though I was a AL user in 2008. I had 48 channels as a AL user, but went with 192 channels as a Lor user for my 1st year.

In the display I used 160 channels in my very compact yard. I am probably the only display with two mini mega tree on the front porch. I was to do a neighbours house but they did not put up lights where I asked them too, that was to be controller number 11. I did all sequences for 176 channels.

I kept one controller (number 12) as a spare just in case of a "Malfunction At The Junction".

I use the mouse for sequencing and part of the keyboard. I reworked shared sequences and I made 5 sequences of my own......1 sequence I did was 21.38 minutes long (How The Grinch Stole Christmas). For the family. I also had 1 person make me a sequence for my wifes birthday gift which was on Dec.22nd. It was our wedding song.

This is a 15 minute long video and not necessary my best shows but it is something to view.

Please tell me what you think of the smaller arches.

http://vimeo.com/8091901

[DanCampbell]

Frank A. wrote:

...this life is rough but somebody has to do it

And it's so worth it when kids and grown kids get that look of wonder and delight from the show.

Nice work, Steve. Great job on the timing. I like that arrangement of Drummer Boy, too. That's not Jars Of Clay, is it?

[sjmiller]

Linda wrote:

Did you use the sound from your camera or a program to add the audio? Thanks

Hi Linda,

I just cranked up the outside speakers while I was shooting the video. I need to get better at taking video at night and do want to edit the sound in so it is cleaner.

Steve

[sjmiller]

Nice work, Steve. Great job on the timing. I like that arrangement of Drummer Boy, too. That's not Jars Of Clay, is it?

Thanks Dan, Good ear - yes it is Jars of Clay. As I was searching for songs to sequence - the first time I heard it I knew I had to do it.

Steve

[sjmiller]

Hey Jeff,

I had a blast putting everything together this year. My 4 LOR controllers were kits, and of course the MC DIO96 was totally DIY - the buffer boards from you, the SSROZ boards from wjohn - and components from mouser. Not that the assembly was an overwhelming amount of work - I made a few mistakes and found and corrected them myself.

It was the pure satisfaction of 1000 and one things all working correctly when I ran the first sequence in the editor controlling the lights - I had a show

[PaulXmas]

I guess now that I too have my first year in my back pocket that I am no longer a newbie.

When I told my wife I wanted the controllers she couldn't understand why.

Now that she has seen them in action, she has a million ideas for next year!

I will be needing a few more controllers.

[sawyer1206]

PaulXmas wrote:

I guess now that I too have my first year in my back pocket that I am no longer a newbie.

When I told my wife I wanted the controllers she couldn't understand why.

Now that she has seen them in action, she has a million ideas for next year!

I will be needing a few more controllers.

Thats how I started and now here I am no with 160 channels of LOR control, next year I am adding DMX control(two Double Derbys and 1 Laser) and 64 channels to my neighbors house.

Good luck with next year.

[saxonac]

Hi , I am new to this forum. I come from Malta and this is my first year . I have decided to use a 16 channel Lor.

Please follow the link and an compents are welcome.

[saxonac]

Hi , I am new to this forum. I come from Malta and this is my first year . I have decided to use a 16 channel Lor.

Please follow the link and an compents are welcome.

[Nova5]

sjmiller wrote:

Linda wrote:

Did you use the sound from your camera or a program to add the audio? Thanks

Hi Linda,

I just cranked up the outside speakers while I was shooting the video. I need to get better at taking video at night and do want to edit the sound in so it is cleaner.

Steve

Consider finding out how to connect a stereo INPUT to your video cam. Use a FM radio to do the output over a headphone cable. You will get the purest possible audio that is already presynced.

[-klb-]

Sadly, most consumer cameras, if they even have line level inputs, use those for recording audio and video from an external source. Some (fairly rare on modern consumer level cameras) do have microphone jacks, but how do you go from a stereo headphone jack to a microphone jack correctly?

[pdowns]

If your video camera only has a monaural audio input, you can't just fix this problem with a plug. You'd need to use a mixer and it wouldn't be worth the effort.

For me, record the audio over the built in camera microphone and don't be bothered by how lousy it will sound. That's because you shouldn't use it in your final product! In your video editor import the original MP3 file and use the camera recorded audio only to get the MP3 file in sync. Then "throw out" the sound track the camera recorded.

You'll like the result, it's not hard to do, and it will sound professional.

If only capturing good video was as easy ...

[LightORamaDan]

Jeff Millard wrote:

I'm really glad the DIO thing worked for you. I know it's not the greatest thing to have to sequence on/off, but there are many things those channels can be used for. I now have 192 of them set up, and I plan to cover the roof and front of the house with lights that are randomly controlled by at least 150 of those channels. I just bought a USB version of the DIO24 controller on ebay for $50. I still haven't gotten confirmation that the USB controllers work with LOR, so this will help to solve that question. MC makes 96 channel versions of the controller. It would be nice to be able to use the DIO with a laptop rather than something requiring a PCI port. When I make the breakout for the DIO32, I plan on getting the channels in the correct order...

Great job on the display. I look forward to seeing how it grows in the coming seasons.

Jeff

I have used the MC, USB DIO with LOR.

Dan