G'Day from WA

ElSalZi

ElSalZi

Full time elf
Joined
Dec 24, 2017
Messages
175
Location
Hedland WA
Merry Christmas all,
it may have been said before but we are so happy to have found this forum and that you guys are doing what the rest of the world seems to have been doing for a while!

We are tired of the Kmart 'special' lights and being limited by what is on offer in far north WA.

We want more! Much more ... :D

There will be two of us, reading, reading, and reading again but we have ambitious plans that we don't know yet how to bring about. Thank you for your patience and guidance as we try to limit our infant repetitive questions to a minimum. We don't even know what questions to ask yet...

Looking forward to working with you.

Cheers
El & Sal
 
Welcome to the madness ... start with the 101 manual ... hop into chat ... try out the sequencers ... xLights is most common but there are also Vixen users about. If you go the xLights route check out their Official Support Group on facebook and videos.xlights.org.
 
From a born again xmas light fanatic.... Print out and read the 101 manual, again and again. It is your bible.
And welcome aboard the crazy train.
 
Welcome to ACL!
There's nothing wrong with starting out on Kmart lights (although I'm somewhat biased working at head office!) But that's how many displays start out, using static sets then cutting them up for a little moor control then diving into pixels to control each individual light.
Don't be shy and ask away, it's a steep learning curve for many but we're all here to help!
Cheers, Graham
 
No disrespect meant towards KMart! It’s the only store in our regional town that has anything useful if you’re into Christmas decorations... but it’s rather limiting...
And, unfortunately their lights don’t last very long, especially in our hot environment.

My wife is into the decorating, I’m more interested in the technology. She’s very very creative (I am the Minion o_O) but we can do this together because I’m (finally) excited to do something with these electronics!

So now she’s happy that I’m ‘onboard’ and I’m happy that I can buy more techy stuff :thumbsup:.

101 has been downloaded... plans are forming... ideas are popping up everywhere... I feel alive with electricity... (not literally- you get what I mean).
 
Non taken :)
The old saying they don't make them the way they used to certainly applies to lights. Now that everyone's sets only have 2 wires not 3 (to save 1/3 copper costs) even more so, thus making it a little hard for us to use in controlled displays (but certainly not impossible, and does give that more traditional look)
Great to hear the better half is on board too, it can certainly be a challenge if they oppose most decisions!
 
djgra79 said:
Non taken :)
Click to expand...
Nice!

djgra79 said:
Great to hear the better half is on board too, it can certainly be a challenge if they oppose most decisions!
Click to expand...
I'm afraid I was the opposition to the lights show/decorations ... pulling out, untwisting/unwinding 100s if not 1000s of tiny little fragile lights ... testing if they still work ... 26 million cable ties later have them on the fence line ... then every (and I MEAN E V E R Y) night go outside and pressing the buttons until the desired lighting effect has been reached - only, some of the buttons are cactus so the number chosen isn't always correct ... arguing about not doing it right "Oh just go inside and leave me alone"

I have not been supportive, I confess.
 
ElSalZi said:
then every (and I MEAN E V E R Y) night go outside and pressing the buttons until the desired lighting effect has been reached -
Click to expand...

You can use a DMX controller to do the same, if they're the typical 2 wire versions, AAH has a board just for that already - http://www.hansonelectronics.com.au/product/dmx2-18/ ( you can also get other various types for different types of store purchased lights with multi function controllers)

I still like the fairy lights, they have a look & glow that pixels cant do
 
Well, it's been Kmart all the way for us, so far... Mainly my Wife's design and effort ... but now, older and wiser :)laugh:), I am fully behind her!
Here is what she has done 2017:
Christmas 2017.jpg

aaaaand here is what we are competing with - also mostly KMart...

Competition 25 Minderoo 2017.png

We were very impressed, but that was last year!

This year we want to BLOW them away! :D:p;)
 
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