Masterplan?

[Slite]

How do you keep track of all your channels and and what goes where?

I was thinking about doing something in excel or such. But if there is something better, or maybe someone already have done a spreadsheet for this and is willing to share.. why re-invent the wheel

/Stefan

 

[Beacy]

I just use Light Show pro and name all the controllers and that combined with drawing them in sequencer I know where everythiing is and for this year I'm over 10,000 channels and counting

 

[AAH]

I used a spreadsheet for 2011. Between the channel list that LOR prints and the visualiser file that I printed (via a screenshot) I knew where everything is going but when it's actually time to connect the channels or if you're a bit more organised than I was, when it's time to allocate channels to controllers I found it easier to use Excel. It was a bit of a pain getting the data direct from LOR into it but with a bit of effort it can be done. Once it's in excel it's easy to sort by display element, sort by controller etc. This is a feature that LOR is missing as you are stuck to the order that you have the channels assigned in the sequencer. I had 180 display elements going for 2011 (no pixels so the channel count matched). I actually had about 400 that were to be connected but December rolled around and I didn't get a bunch of it finished off or out. As my sequences had been made with these channels I couldn't delete them but with Excel I could easily remove the channels that weren't in use. If you get real creative in excel you could link photos to channels too.

 

[dropbear_luke]

Hi there.
This wont work for all, but as im only small and have a small amount of channels, This is what i do. Ive made a spreadsheet on excel with all my lights and what colour length etc... Then i have a drawing of my house that i drew on with coloured textas to represent the different channels. Next, because i work shift work and have quite a few night shifts where i sit around doing nothing, i bought myself an exercise book. In there i have one line per channel, and then across the top i write either the lyrics, or the beats of the song, ie. 4 beats per bar, which goves me 2 bars per page. Then i can take my sequencing with me where ever i am, without thw need for my computer. All i need is the book, a pencil and an eraser. I just draw in ramps, blocks, criss-crosses for shimmer etc... Then it kinda looks like a score for a piece of myaic and i can just tap wizard it into LOR.
But this would only work for a small channel count like mine, not those that have hundreds and thousands. Hope it helps.
Luke

 

[ryanschristmaslights]

I keep An Excel spreadsheet of what I need to get each year with approximate pricing and where to get it, anonther Excel spreadsheet which keeps an Inventory of all lights, and finally use the built in controller/channel list print out from the LOR software.

Every set of lights has a unique code on it, for example plain LED lights are LED### e.g. LED102 for the 102nd led set. I have a number of Star shapes, so they get STAR1, STAR2, etc. This unique code is used in the Inventory and holds additional information like voltage, length amps at running voltage AND 240v, whether or not it uses an adapter, its colour, its approximate location (left garden, right garden, lounge window, roof, etc) and also if its fully working or not. I've also added dropdowns to pick where it will be connected into - Static, AC, DC, etc, to aid in total calculations of all load (e.g. do I need more DC power supplies?)

The unique code thing has been a saviour at times when the original warning label that comes on a light string has disintegrated in the rain or heat over several seasons - otherwise I would need to measure the light string, plug in to see colour, etc all over again!

This system works great for me!

 

[fasteddy]

I use LSP and instead of having everything setup as controllers I set up everything as elements, like tree, left gutter, top gutter, large matrix, ect. I then allocate the correct channels I need for these elements. Then when I go to put it together I just print out the channel/controller arrangement from LSP and then go.
For some of the stuff which is on the roof i just plug it into any output on the controller, then i just go through that controller finding which output turns on what and then allocate the correct channel to the correct element.

 

[Bird]

Preface: I use LOR, only use 120v lights, other than CCR's only one 16 channel controller.
As for yard location layout (red tree, green tree, etc), a photo of the house/yard and element location, I have this in the software. This is also where the channels are assigned.
As for light strings and cables, I go to the hardware store and ask the employees to save their empty wire reels.

All light strings are rolled on the reels with a label on the side of the reel as to which element the lights are for.

All the 120v power cables (static end animated) are connected end to end and rolled up on the reels. (photo) The controller end (or male plug end) of the power cables are tagged with duct tape for which light string/fixture it goes to. Rolling everything up on reels makes take down and setup extremely fast.

Then all I have to do is plug the tagged end of the power cable into the tagged plug hanging out of the controller. At this point, I have no need for spread sheets etc. and hope I can continue to subscribe to this KISS theory method for many years in the future.

 

[Benslights]

nice setup there bird nice and easy for storage. love the kiss theory