Hi I'm new to lighting Christmas lights
- Thread starter Pix
- Start date
Light bulbs. Lots of them, maybe a couple hundred.
Seriously, do you have an idea of what you want your display to look like (maybe an example of someone else's), a budget, how much free time do you have, are you planning on building it over the years, etc.? What kind of tecnacil credentials do you have, or should it be hard stuff or easy stuff?
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- Jun 26, 2021
- Messages
- 518
Hello and welcome,
If you are just starting out and unsure of stuff please read the 101 manual. While some of the data maybe be older it still gives a great foundation to learn and start with.
auschristmaslighting.com
If you are just starting out and unsure of stuff please read the 101 manual. While some of the data maybe be older it still gives a great foundation to learn and start with.
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
- Thread starter
- #4
I
Im willing to to pay up to around 5000$
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- #5
W
Whatbi ment was what kind of hardware software the stuff thats not lightsHello and welcome,
If you are just starting out and unsure of stuff please read the 101 manual. While some of the data maybe be older it still gives a great foundation to learn and start with.
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.
What Indi meant I think is there is more than one broad approach, the manual goes into that a bit. First, are you thinking this will be set to music, or not? Then, do you imagine using a lot of AC strings (which people still do) or is this to be all pixels? Based on that, we might suggest something like xLights (free) w/ controllers (vendor varies depending on skill level, budget, needs), something like Light-o-Rama for AC which is completely different software/hardware... there are also DC strings, animatronics, P5/P10 outdoor sign panels, projectors, moving heads, RF DMX, fog, interactive elements, etc... some people have an old laptop to be the player, others get a Pi, these things are all valid choices but it depends what you are trying to do.
Another resource I suggest (if you are thinking about a pixel show) is https://auschristmaslighting.com/threads/2023-journey-first-display-for-johnnyboy.15380/
Also I always mention that it is free to download xLights and play with it, to see if pixel shows are for you, and what you'd need for an animated show. (There are other free ways to play around with other techniques, I'm just not an expert on those.)
$5000 is a fair budget for a modest show.
There are also people in the chat most of the time if you want to bounce ideas around. (The bad news is I'm often one of them during US daylight hours.)
Another resource I suggest (if you are thinking about a pixel show) is https://auschristmaslighting.com/threads/2023-journey-first-display-for-johnnyboy.15380/
Also I always mention that it is free to download xLights and play with it, to see if pixel shows are for you, and what you'd need for an animated show. (There are other free ways to play around with other techniques, I'm just not an expert on those.)
$5000 is a fair budget for a modest show.
There are also people in the chat most of the time if you want to bounce ideas around. (The bad news is I'm often one of them during US daylight hours.)
- Thread starter
- #7
Ok
thx ill check it out
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- #8
P
https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Christmas...j0gfgoXeIo2zYTqy0fxezOxAmcj-YmiIaAlC9EALw_wcB this is what i currently have
Probably with music and singing lights just depends on how you do it im not very technical and this last Christmas i bought a premade thing that did what i wanted but id like to add more songs to the list i didn’t know if it was possible to make one like this
https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Christmas...j0gfgoXeIo2zYTqy0fxezOxAmcj-YmiIaAlC9EALw_wcB this is what i currently have
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2021
- Messages
- 518
If you just want to setup a show some of these pre-built might be an option.
magicallightshows.com
Plug & Play Light Show Christmas Package (FREE SHIPPING)
Transform your holiday decor with the Plug & Play Light Show Christmas Package from Gilbert Engineering USA, featuring easy setup and stunning RGB pixels. Free shipping.
gilbertengineeringusa.com
All-In-One Packages
These packages are the easiest way to bring a spectacular light show to your home or business. There are two versions - the Legacy Series and the Magical Series. The Legacy Series is a great value but only allows for the house outline and coro tree expansion. The Magical Series uses different...
magicallightshows.com
I loved my Mr. Christmas (circa 2010), then the display got too big in the mid-late 2010s and I took it out. Wanting the music back is how I ended up with the pixel mayhem I have now.
Anyway, if we're listing easy vendor solutions and you want to keep your existing AC lights from the Mr. Christmas (and maybe add some pixels too) then:
The MLS and Gilbert kits are interesting. (The obvious limitation of these kits is that they don't have house outlines, don't do whole house effects, etc., and the sequence selection is very limited / high price for what you get.) The good news on those kits is that most of what is in there is reusable if you get more sophisticated later... you can plug the props into a lot of other controllers, get xLights sequences, etc., and probably keep the controllers in the show too, as they look pretty standard.
If you want a bit more flexibility right away and don't want to put the time in, you can also look at EZRGB but their show designer seems to have taken a turn for the worse this month, hard to say if it'll be ready for mass market in a few months or not at all this year.
If you're not in a big hurry maybe check what the vendors are offering again in July, as Expo is when they really have their stuff really ready to sell (vs. preorder). (And except the stuff they rushed to market, skip whatever those things are and see about them next year.)
Anyway, if we're listing easy vendor solutions and you want to keep your existing AC lights from the Mr. Christmas (and maybe add some pixels too) then:
Traditional + Pixel Lights - Director + SD Card Run Show
Start a show with TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AND PIXEL LIGHTS using a SHOWTIME DIRECTOR AND SD CARD as the brains of the operation telling the controllers/lights when to play your sequences! TSO vs Standard Showtime Central: Which one do you pick? Both packages give you all of the...
store.lightorama.com
The MLS and Gilbert kits are interesting. (The obvious limitation of these kits is that they don't have house outlines, don't do whole house effects, etc., and the sequence selection is very limited / high price for what you get.) The good news on those kits is that most of what is in there is reusable if you get more sophisticated later... you can plug the props into a lot of other controllers, get xLights sequences, etc., and probably keep the controllers in the show too, as they look pretty standard.
If you want a bit more flexibility right away and don't want to put the time in, you can also look at EZRGB but their show designer seems to have taken a turn for the worse this month, hard to say if it'll be ready for mass market in a few months or not at all this year.
If you're not in a big hurry maybe check what the vendors are offering again in July, as Expo is when they really have their stuff really ready to sell (vs. preorder). (And except the stuff they rushed to market, skip whatever those things are and see about them next year.)
- Thread starter
- #11
O
Ok when i said 5000$ i ment maximum but its fine but also when i said prebuilt i just thought it would be cheaper like i have the lights already bought but can i buy the parts to build one and would that be cheaperIf you just want to setup a show some of these pre-built might be an option.
Plug & Play Light Show Christmas Package (FREE SHIPPING)
Transform your holiday decor with the Plug & Play Light Show Christmas Package from Gilbert Engineering USA, featuring easy setup and stunning RGB pixels. Free shipping.gilbertengineeringusa.com
All-In-One Packages
These packages are the easiest way to bring a spectacular light show to your home or business. There are two versions - the Legacy Series and the Magical Series. The Legacy Series is a great value but only allows for the house outline and coro tree expansion. The Magical Series uses different...
It's a matter of whether you think you can figure it all out, how much free time you have, and how much your time is worth to you (and which part of this you like doing yourself vs. hate doing).
Most of the time, preassembled lights and controllers cost more than doing it yourself, because they're hand-assembled by skilled local workers in your local region. This may gradually change, companies like Mattos are starting to sell pre-made seed pixel props which are cheaper than preassembled coros (but not as cheap as DIY seed pixels, which are just the fiddliest things to work with).
Most of the time, preassembled lights and controllers cost more than doing it yourself, because they're hand-assembled by skilled local workers in your local region. This may gradually change, companies like Mattos are starting to sell pre-made seed pixel props which are cheaper than preassembled coros (but not as cheap as DIY seed pixels, which are just the fiddliest things to work with).