Hi everybody! My name is Gordon. I like Christmas lights and also like to lurk.
Let’s see, does anything sound familiar?
80’s & 90’s– Hung the Christmas lights on my childhood home ( too many C-9’s in one long run. But, I was too young to know any better )
2001? - Wife ( or perhaps still fiancé ) begged me to put up some Christmas Lights - If she only knew the Pandora’s box being opened….
2002 - Bought a house & started buying lots of lights during after Christmas clearances ( the good old days when you could get 100minis for .40-.60 USD )
2004? - Built a FM transmitter. Connected a relay to a computer mouse button. The lighting console running the Christmas lights.. triggered a dimmer channel.. that engaged the relay.. clicking the mouse.. resyncing the music playing on WinAmp
2008 - Light O Rama – iDMX1000 ( PC ComPort → DMX ) a much simpler setup
2019? - xLights – PC running the LOR died. Couldn’t get another PC→ adapter → iDMX1000 to work right. So, moved to an E1.31→4
MX converter and imported songs/sequences to xLights.
Today - Practically out of spare bulbs/strands. Don’t want to buy any more incandescent and haven’t in many many years.
2024 – Start transition to LEDs / Pixels. ( Some of the C-9 strands being retired got their start with me back in 1980’s )
So, lurker no more, I’ve got some questions...
Let’s see, does anything sound familiar?
80’s & 90’s– Hung the Christmas lights on my childhood home ( too many C-9’s in one long run. But, I was too young to know any better )
2001? - Wife ( or perhaps still fiancé ) begged me to put up some Christmas Lights - If she only knew the Pandora’s box being opened….
2002 - Bought a house & started buying lots of lights during after Christmas clearances ( the good old days when you could get 100minis for .40-.60 USD )
2004? - Built a FM transmitter. Connected a relay to a computer mouse button. The lighting console running the Christmas lights.. triggered a dimmer channel.. that engaged the relay.. clicking the mouse.. resyncing the music playing on WinAmp
2008 - Light O Rama – iDMX1000 ( PC ComPort → DMX ) a much simpler setup
2019? - xLights – PC running the LOR died. Couldn’t get another PC→ adapter → iDMX1000 to work right. So, moved to an E1.31→4
MX converter and imported songs/sequences to xLights.Today - Practically out of spare bulbs/strands. Don’t want to buy any more incandescent and haven’t in many many years.
2024 – Start transition to LEDs / Pixels. ( Some of the C-9 strands being retired got their start with me back in 1980’s )
So, lurker no more, I’ve got some questions...