Hi, we are considering getting a LOR package. Originally we were going to go with Xlights but it became stressful quickly. I love Christmas and the lights so I’m not interested in trying to do something that is stressful. The cost of buying a LOR display is a bit off putting especially as we have already wasted money on some props and controllers attempting to do Xlights. I also have some questions, the package I’m looking at is the mission illumination Christmas package but it doesn’t come with singing trees, can the trees be added to the director or does it need its own controller ? I might as well include the trees to the order instead of two separate orders. Also, is there any advice you think we should know before we decide to go with LOR ?
Looking for advice please
- Thread starter Jo-Matt
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There are other available package shows out there that are based upon xLights. You can check Magical Light Show as an example. It's not something I need as I already assembled my show.
What exactly did you find stressful about trying to put together a show?
Dean
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What exactly did you find stressful about trying to put together a show?
Dean
Did you make an xLights layout yet? If you did, maybe we can take a quick look and give you pointers. IMO LoR is not that much easier, the tricky bit with xLights is ignoring all the complicated advice and taking the simplest paths.
BigRedNole
Apprentice elf
Obviously, you are not doing anything this year unless you are spending a ton at this point. Therefore, my recommendation is to sit back, educate yourself, test Xlights without spending a penny. There is so much help out here, you won't go wrong either way. However, with LOR you are stuck with them.
thewanderingpine
Senior elf
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I'm sure there are technically some LOR users in Australia. (And despite the name of the forum - this is probably the wrong place to ask about it.) But I don't believe there are very many -- most of the Australian community is running xlights. You are likely going to get much better local support with xlights. (I'll make the offer -- I'm up in CBR for work every couple of months -- happy to swing by after work one evening and help you hook some things up. Will probably be some time next year though - trying not to travel this side of christmas)
Many xLights users don't do their own sequences. They use the free shared sequences or the bought versions.
It is nice that LOR put together a complete package and with a few sequence downloads, you could get the show up and running in short order. One thing I notice about their included controllers is that they are very "low end" controllers. They can't run very many pixels on each port (170 max) and that each LOR network has limited total pixels. So, it would seem to me that the network side of LOR might be more complicated than needed with figuring out the limits on each network and having to add more LOR 485 ports to control the show.
Most controllers in the "DIY" space are ethernet connected and usually can control up to 600+ pixels per port depending on frames per second.
It looks to me that singing faces would need another controller but I don't know the exact layout for the package. It appears to me that they sized the controllers for what they are providing in the package. Four trees need an 8 port LOR controller (and probably another rs486 port).
Other than getting a bunch of stuff sent to you in one package, I do not see the LOR package being any better than buying a ready to run controller and some pixels and some coro props. The good side is that it is packaged together and if you buy their package and sequences, the sequences would probably work out of the box without much tinkering.
One other note is that it appears their package comes with LOR dangles (pigtails). If you could get them and the pixels and extensions with xConnect instead, you'd set yourself up for an easier transition when you decide to come back to DIY.
You could use the LOR dangles but xConnect is the defacto standard these days for most "DIY" displays and is probably where you would want to be.
It is nice that LOR put together a complete package and with a few sequence downloads, you could get the show up and running in short order. One thing I notice about their included controllers is that they are very "low end" controllers. They can't run very many pixels on each port (170 max) and that each LOR network has limited total pixels. So, it would seem to me that the network side of LOR might be more complicated than needed with figuring out the limits on each network and having to add more LOR 485 ports to control the show.
Most controllers in the "DIY" space are ethernet connected and usually can control up to 600+ pixels per port depending on frames per second.
It looks to me that singing faces would need another controller but I don't know the exact layout for the package. It appears to me that they sized the controllers for what they are providing in the package. Four trees need an 8 port LOR controller (and probably another rs486 port).
Other than getting a bunch of stuff sent to you in one package, I do not see the LOR package being any better than buying a ready to run controller and some pixels and some coro props. The good side is that it is packaged together and if you buy their package and sequences, the sequences would probably work out of the box without much tinkering.
One other note is that it appears their package comes with LOR dangles (pigtails). If you could get them and the pixels and extensions with xConnect instead, you'd set yourself up for an easier transition when you decide to come back to DIY.
You could use the LOR dangles but xConnect is the defacto standard these days for most "DIY" displays and is probably where you would want to be.
I formerly used LOR and for a long time I was a big exponent of LOR. Since pixels came about LOR has fallen massively off the pace. The LOR software is very clunky compared to xlights and the LOR controllers are very expensive in comparison to others. There's very few LOR users around these days and Xlights users are the far more common option. For controllers there's quite a few options. I like and sell the Baldrick controllers. I also make and sell some Falcon Player based controllers. There's also the Falcon 16 and Kulp controllers among others which are all far more budget friendly than the LOR ones.
I have sent a number of ready to run Baldrick controllers to ACT recently and I have seen that at least 1 is up and running with a nice looking display judging by his posts on the Baldrick FB page.
I have sent a number of ready to run Baldrick controllers to ACT recently and I have seen that at least 1 is up and running with a nice looking display judging by his posts on the Baldrick FB page.
- Joined
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Let's break this down a bit more.
1. Props (Things that light) - These are 90% coroflute with holes that you push pixels into. You will need to do this unless you get pre-pushed props but anyone can push a pixel into a hole. It just takes time and effort.
2. Controllers - You were not specific here but I am think the assembly of the controller. You can buy pre-made controllers in just about any configuration from LOR, to Kulp, to Falcon, etc. This saves you time and cuts out the learning curve for electronics at this time. Once more, they cost more over DIY but resolves a large headache if you have never done electronics.
3. Connecting Props to a Controller - You will need to do this regardless of the system. It's a physical connection on the controller and then telling the software which physical connection it is on.
4. Connecting props to props to chain them. This allows more than one prop per port/connector and will need to be regardless.
5. Sequences - I've not made on sequence and either run free sequences or buy them. I view this as an annual cost of running the show to slowly expand my sequence collection. I'm part of two different clubs that provide 90% of my sequences. I do buy others from various vendors for things I like. You will need to handle this regardless. There are a LOT of sequences our there for xLights, not sure of the ratio between xLights and others.
6. Setup - You will need to do this regardless of the selected platform. This includes hanging / putting out the props, connecting them, planning controller locations, setting up the device to runt he show etc.
7. Community - I honestly cannot speak for LOR, but xLights has a HUGE community built up around here that can give a lot of assistance outside of vendors. Most things can translate but sometimes there is very specific situations based upon controllers and software that will be unique to your chosen platform. There is a general community zoom room for xlights with a lot of people who are there just to help others because they like lighting.
8. Software - xLights is an open source project that has many different programmers that copntribute and try to constantly make it better, this might make some features worse from time to time though.
LOR to my knowledge is a closed source and relies on a few programmers to maintain and update it. To my understanding xLIghts is the easier and more changing and current platform for others would know for sure. 9. Cost - You will pay for everything. The question is how much are you willing to pay and what are you paying for. At first you might buy ready to run controllers and then learn and have experience and might decide to start building your own. If the platform expandable at a reasonable cost or will you keep incurring higher locked in pricing due to the platform. Will you get more benefit from one system over another.
Only you can decide which was is easier for you, but there are a lot of similarities between the systems. They both ultimately synchronize lights to music to play a show.