Hello from New Zealand

[Notenoughlights]

Hello from New Zealand.

I have been doing the whole Christmas light thing since I was about 12-13 (2008-9) years old, back when we had incandescent lamps with large bulky (and heavy) transformers.
Ever since about 2012-2013 I had started getting into the controlled side of the lighting which started off with a few basic SSR's and a microcontroller, I quickly found out about Vixen and ended up with an Ardunio running around 32 channels of RGB leds and SSR's combined. Following all that, I also quickly found out about RGB Pixels and have created large displays using them since. As of 2019 I had 130,000 lights up on the house (Rough estimate) and as of 2020 I will have somewhere around 250,000+ althought sadly they won't all be pixels and am hoping to make some wearable elements that use ESPixel sticks so I can take part in my light show as well.

Here's a video of one of the songs I sequenced in 2019

 

[Mark_M]

Welcome @Notenoughlights !
Another Kiwi helping to dominate the Aussies on this site.

Like you, I started when I was young, about 8 years old in 2011.
2018 I tried Arduino, transistors and Vixen.
Found out quickly problems with USB for communication, probably down to my old laptops terrible USB bus not coping. And it doesn't help using USB hubs with an audio card plugged in as well.

Last year I moved to pixels and I love them. I spent the big money (for a teenager) on a controller and I don't regret my contribution to blinky .

Great work on your display, more lights than I have ever had!

 

[Notenoughlights]

Welcome @Notenoughlights !
Another Kiwi helping to dominate the Aussies on this site.

Like you, I started when I was young, about 8 years old in 2011.
2018 I tried Arduino, transistors and Vixen.
Found out quickly problems with USB for communication, probably down to my old laptops terrible USB bus not coping. And it doesn't help using USB hubs with an audio card plugged in as well.

Last year I moved to pixels and I love them. I spent the big money (for a teenager) on a controller and I don't regret my contribution to blinky .

Great work on your display, more lights than I have ever had!

Thanks for the welcome!

This year I plan to add a 64 string 6 meter tall MegaTree in the front yard, because they seem to be all the rage right now. I have manged to get my hands on some 200A 12V power supplies to help power this.

 

[uncledan]

I'd say welcome to ACL.. but you've been here since 2016. Took a while for your first post lol. Display from 2019 looks great, cant wait to see what you come up with for 2020. 6 meter mega tree and 12v is a step in the right direction. Welcome to ACL!

 

[Mark_M]

Server power supplies?
Trademe seconds?

I'm needing to re-make my mega tree, one that's much sturdier and pixelated!
And It'll be a 12v one! Mo volts is Mo better!

mega_tree

• Mark_M
• Dec 11, 2019
• 2019

Whole house - Side angle

• Mark_M
• Jan 16, 2020
• 2019 f48 ray wu

 

[Notenoughlights]

That is looking very very nice.

The power supplies are C7000's and I managed to get ahold of 6 of them for about $20 each. Added a decent sized flex and 3 pin plug and they are more than grunty enough (and quiet at low load) to run lots of pixels, the only down side is they're almost a meter long.

Made the firework a few years ago after seeing something similar on a fairground ride. The roof this year was by far the hardest part to put together. 60,000 lights all of those unwanted 2 wire AC ones from Bunnings. Hanson Electronics thankfully had plenty of low voltage ac controllers.

 

[kevr]

Hi from Kaiapoi

I've been out to see your show and it looked fantastic in real life the photos don't do it justice.

Welcome from one of the small band of Kiwis

 

[AAH]

The username seemed to remind me of an email of a customer in NZ that I have sent a bunch of stuff to.
I still love the look of fairy lights so it's good to see someone else using a fair few of them too.

 

[Notenoughlights]

The username seemed to remind me of an email of a customer in NZ that I have sent a bunch of stuff to.
I still love the look of fairy lights so it's good to see someone else using a fair few of them too.

Yes, that would be me. The AC low voltage controllers did wonders to make the roof look amazing. I'll be back this year for more of the ws2811 type.

Hi from Kaiapoi

I've been out to see your show and it looked fantastic in real life the photos don't do it justice.

Welcome from one of the small band of Kiwis

Awesome, glad you liked it! Thanks for the welcome!