Massive display, 17,000 channels, 40 E681 pixel controllers+more
- Thread starter jstjohnz
- Start date
BradsXmasLights
WiFi Interactive
Far out...and I thought it was some lame video editing overlay at the start too with those xmas trees 
Timon
Apprentice elf
That by far is the best light show I've seen yet! It takes your breath away.
I'd so much love to see the whole show.
And how did the do the video trees? It sure didn't look like RGB pixel strings with it being that clear.
Do they have a web site?
I'd so much love to see the whole show.
And how did the do the video trees? It sure didn't look like RGB pixel strings with it being that clear.
Do they have a web site?
kane
Dedicated elf
There are a few comments on the video - looks like the trees are projected on to fabric.. Certainly look pretty cool.Timon said:
I'd imagine it looks sensational in person!
Bird
LOR user
jstjohnz
Apprentice elf
- Thread starter
- #6
The beginning of the video does look almost artificial, but I've seen daylight photos of this display in prior years and it's all for real. The star atop the house is a huge steel structure that's something like 25 feet across. 6 controllers are used just for the star.
The web site is eclecticprecision.com. There are videos on their site of the display at this residence done in prior years.
If I can get some daylight shots and permission to post, I'll put them here.
The web site is eclecticprecision.com. There are videos on their site of the display at this residence done in prior years.
If I can get some daylight shots and permission to post, I'll put them here.
Since the questions will be asked, here's the details:
Per the community rules, daylight photos are not permitted. Sorry about that, I know its hard to understand the scale of the project.
The video - other than zooming in to show detail, is exactly what the viewer sees. What you see is the whole show. There are no other songs, just the two.
The trees are video projectors, Barco HD20 units. The screens stand ~45' tall - made of an open weave sign printing fabric to reduce wind loading.
We had to build custom ventilated "dog houses" to protect them - the 4,000 watt lamps produce 13,000 BTU of heat...
There are 560 of our own custom designed nodes in each of 20 trees. We started at a full 4 universes of strings in each tree (672) but we too have a budget, so we had to reduce the number.
We are running two gigabit networks from a Core i7 PC running LightFactory Software.
The wind swirls use the first "generation" of the Stella Scapes product, which we developed with them in 2009.
All the steel shapes are designed based on our artwork, but many of the are modified stock artwork from the major Christmas light display companies. And again, because of budget, many displays are reused from prior years.
Yes the star is 25' in diameter and the dove is almost 50 feet across....
We also use Animated Lighting ELC-DMX controllers - in fact they developed the first DMX firmware for us many years ago.
We are partnering with them and many of our past year displays will be available this comming year because we have run out of storage!
And we are working with them to produce displays based on what we have already designed - like smaller versions of the star and "Seussical" trees from 2007 as well as some new ideas just for them.
In regards to the "professional" company, we are honored, but in reality, this is designed by a team of only two.
That's about all I can think of for now.
But I'll do my best to answer questions as you have them.
Per the community rules, daylight photos are not permitted. Sorry about that, I know its hard to understand the scale of the project.
The video - other than zooming in to show detail, is exactly what the viewer sees. What you see is the whole show. There are no other songs, just the two.
The trees are video projectors, Barco HD20 units. The screens stand ~45' tall - made of an open weave sign printing fabric to reduce wind loading.
We had to build custom ventilated "dog houses" to protect them - the 4,000 watt lamps produce 13,000 BTU of heat...
There are 560 of our own custom designed nodes in each of 20 trees. We started at a full 4 universes of strings in each tree (672) but we too have a budget, so we had to reduce the number.
We are running two gigabit networks from a Core i7 PC running LightFactory Software.
The wind swirls use the first "generation" of the Stella Scapes product, which we developed with them in 2009.
All the steel shapes are designed based on our artwork, but many of the are modified stock artwork from the major Christmas light display companies. And again, because of budget, many displays are reused from prior years.
Yes the star is 25' in diameter and the dove is almost 50 feet across....
We also use Animated Lighting ELC-DMX controllers - in fact they developed the first DMX firmware for us many years ago.
We are partnering with them and many of our past year displays will be available this comming year because we have run out of storage!
And we are working with them to produce displays based on what we have already designed - like smaller versions of the star and "Seussical" trees from 2007 as well as some new ideas just for them.
In regards to the "professional" company, we are honored, but in reality, this is designed by a team of only two.
That's about all I can think of for now.
But I'll do my best to answer questions as you have them.
Timon
Apprentice elf
Too bad about the daylight photo but such is life.
I'm assuming the screen material is similar to the scrim used in theatrical backdrops when rear projection is needed.
My biggest question, one of many, is how do you control the projector light spillage so it does not go past the edge of the screens and into the air. With that many lumens you see any dust in the air around the edge of the screen. The only thing I can think of is that when you said "dog house" you mean that you have covers from the back screen to the projectors which would also control any light from the rest of the display from showing on the screen.
As I said before this is the best light show I've see yet. Great job.
And Jim, for a display this size to use your 681's tells us something about the quality of your work. To you as well, great job.
I'm assuming the screen material is similar to the scrim used in theatrical backdrops when rear projection is needed.
My biggest question, one of many, is how do you control the projector light spillage so it does not go past the edge of the screens and into the air. With that many lumens you see any dust in the air around the edge of the screen. The only thing I can think of is that when you said "dog house" you mean that you have covers from the back screen to the projectors which would also control any light from the rest of the display from showing on the screen.
As I said before this is the best light show I've see yet. Great job.
And Jim, for a display this size to use your 681's tells us something about the quality of your work. To you as well, great job.
tuppetsdad
Funding & Tech Support
Check out the street price for the Barco FLM HD20's
http://www.projectorcentral.com/Barco-FLM_HD20.htm
http://www.projectorcentral.com/Barco-FLM_HD20.htm
Timon
Apprentice elf
Pocket change when your worth over $3B.
Before you run away with that number, the projectors were not purchased! That is crazy money.....
While many of you look at the owner and think that he can "spend whatever he wants"... we have to make the project work at a given cost - not every idea we have gets completed by a long shot!!!
To control the shape video we simply use a black video mask.
It was cut up into sections and matched to the real world trees....
Not an easy task - that took two days alone - never mind the two days we lost because the projectors don't remember their settings after a power cycle....
Have a great Christmas everyone!
While many of you look at the owner and think that he can "spend whatever he wants"... we have to make the project work at a given cost - not every idea we have gets completed by a long shot!!!
To control the shape video we simply use a black video mask.
It was cut up into sections and matched to the real world trees....
Not an easy task - that took two days alone - never mind the two days we lost because the projectors don't remember their settings after a power cycle....
Have a great Christmas everyone!
Another great example of the quality of displays in 2011. I could only imagine the hours and cost that went into creating that magical show but the results were outstanding and im sure the owner of the display was more than happy with the final result as you guys did an awsome job.
Thanks for sharing some of the details of the display
Thanks for sharing some of the details of the display
Beacy
It's so much better on the dark side
Truly amazing, I like many though it as a fake at first, but given how good it has turned out that must be a compliment, Love the star. The comment "worth $3Bill" did I miss it but who is the owner?
Once again great work
Once again great work