Good day, from across the pond. America

[Shane Scaife]

I’m just starting and this site was recommended.
I have big plans and “0” knowledge beyond throwing up some normal everyday Christmas lights. And half of them are usually out and I can’t get working.
The project;
This year we plan to open a small garden center in our garage (pictures to follow). There will be over an acre of walk through gardens. I’d like to light the entire thing up all year with special shows on holidays. I’m looking for elegant not godey(no blowup or plastic Santa’s). I would like sequenced lights and speakers throughout. Around my driveway I have 8 trellises (picture to follow) I’d like to hang matrixes on each for animation (talking starts flying by) and advertising. As well as possible matrixes throughout the gardens directing people, describing plants, as well as Christian displays. I’m also looking at possibilities to have the pixel generated characters have real-time interaction with people either by an individual behind the seens or possibly some sort of AI. I’d like to have this all done in a month or two…..
In reality this will be a few year project. As the gardens grow the show will grow with them as well as my knowledge.
I know we are looking at tens of thousands of dollars (US). I have $5000 for initial startup, just for lighting.
I’m concerned with my lack of knowledge I’m going to buy a bunch of useless or unnecessary stuff that will not integrate into the show in the future.
I need to get everything from a dedicated computer to controllers, power runs, power boxes, smart pixels, matrix netting, and a million other things I don’t even know about yet. Eventually everything through the gardens are all going to have to be sequenced together over a minimum of an acre and eventually as much as 10 acres.
I’d like help walking through this project. Ideas for props, setups, and maybe even some new stuff like how to lighting up waterfalls and water features.
I’ll be starting on the trellises, garage, and fence in pictures. Any suggestions on;
1) Best dedicated computer system
Computer will also control water features.
2) Controllers I can continue to expand with.
3) how to outline the trellises and garden boxes in pictures
4) building 8 4ft by 6ft matrixes (lists of parts)
5) outlining fence ideas
6) I’m already reading the 101 guide and watching YouTube videos, but any suggestions on who to talk to and what to watch will be helpful.

by the way I plan on using all 12 volt (unless otherwise directed).

 

[Shane Scaife]

Sorry, don’t know why it turned the picture sideways.

 

[Indigogyre]

Hello and welcome!

There are a lot of us from the USA on here so it's rather international. the first things to do is to read the 101 manual that is available. That gives an understanding of the basics. Once the basics are understood then it is easier to plan.

AusChristmasLighting 101

This article is just a summary of the information available in the downloadable PDF version of the AusChristmasLighting 101 manual, a guide for getting started (or stepping up a level) in Christmas lighting.

auschristmaslighting.com

here is a link to get an idea of what each panel might cost. Mind you this is only for the electronics and doesn't include a case or frame but it helps.

Build a Custom Panel Matrix

Use our configuration tool to build out a custom panel matrix to your specifications.

www.wiredwatts.com

This is at least some places to start.

 

[Shane Scaife]

Thank you. I’ll look more into that. I was thinking more along the lines of netting rather than board. Like 1 or 2 inch.

 

[CargoLights]

Hello and welcome!

A matrix made with mesh like you posted is great for a Christmas display, especially when viewed from a distance. I'm assuming Indigogyre posted a link to P5 or P10 panels because you mentioned advertising. You'll be very limited for images and even text on a pixel matrix. The text will have to be large, and if people are too close they won't be able to read it. Don't get me wrong, I run 2" spacing on my matrices and I love them, but I've seen people very disappointed with the results when they build a matrix.

On that note, what part of the US are you in? The best thing you could do would probably be to go talk to someone who has a pixel display and see what they have and how it looks. If you do it now, they should have it all set up, and most of us are happy to show someone around.

 

[Shane Scaife]

Thank you. I see your point. I do in fact want a little more imagining but I don’t want a tv screen. I actually need some thin vining plants to grow through. They are light and will be cleaned out yearly. They will obviously obscure some of the nods but not terribly bad. Maybe I’ll go with a one inch for the first see how it works and if need be go to panels.
the panels really jack up the price. Anyone do DIY panels?

 

[merryoncherry]

I agree with the thought that the 2" (or even 1") matrix will be disappointing for text. I have 8'x4' 50x24 matrix, it holds about two words, 6 tops... not enough to describe a plant.

I suggest getting xlights for free and trying it. The preview renders will be a lot better than speculation. You'll want to know how to use this kind of software anyway.

You have such a sprawling ambition, which means a lot of A/C power. If want to leave it up year round, don't want ground faults tripping, etc., once you are done playing around with placement, you will want to protect the cabling from weather and mowing with conduit or burial or both. You might use wireless, but any wires for control and audio would benefit from similar protection. If this is a business, electrical codes may apply to you. The stuff I get away with in a yard with no foot traffic for 30 days in December will not hold up. Proper install is gonna take time, money, or both.

So... time... a big newbie mistake is to underestimate the time commitment. Do you have a lot of it?

Finally, I would say that your budget is low and pixels tend to look unnatural in a garden setting, so start off using them quite sparingly. Understand that I don't see your vision, but if I had to do a garden center, I would get some DMX flood lights for mood, maybe a couple snowflakes and spiral trees, some AC light strings on a commercial Light-o-Rama... maybe a few trim lines of pixels... just about any computer would do in that case.

 

[Shane Scaife]

Thank you Marroncherry. Yes, everything will be laid out on a landscape plan into garden rooms (section, plots, islands) each room will have its own power supply buried and in conduit. I can run data line through the same conduit if need be but wireless would be better if possible. This will all be run by a licensed contractor. I will do the displays in each room. Off season lighting will be scaled back to much like you described other than a couple things . Trellises will be operating all year. Big shows on holidays. The budget is just to get things started. A computer, a controller or two, power supplies, so on, but just for a few lights on the garage, fence, and whatever I decide with the trellises, electrical work (running power lines) is budgeted elsewhere so that’s not including . The $5000 is just learning money. Over the next couple years I’m looking to invest $20,000-$40,000. In show prep

 

[merryoncherry]

You could start with pretty much any fair-sized controller for learning and it could have a home in the garage for years, so it wouldn't be a waste. Start with whatever computer you have handy, it's not demanding at first, don't get anything new until you know more about what you need. If you're running cables, you could just have a receiver at each trellis, if wireless I guess you'd need a little controller at each, but that's not what I'd suggest. As mentioned by someone else above, a tour of someone else's display would probably help you a good bit.

 

[djgra79]

Welcome to ACL Shane! We have many US members who can help with local knowledge and it looks like you're on your way already.