Advice for a first timer

[canadianrover]

Hey Everyone,

Just ordered my first LOR controller and was hoping you could provide me with some advice on how to best acclimatize my self to the LOR software? Any tricks, hints, shortcuts, etc... ?

Thanks

[grump010]

Have a look at http://www.lightoramasequences.com/ and play with a few of the downloads. I also went to the dollar store and bought night lights so I could actually get some lights flashing. How many channels are you starting with?

[canadianrover]

Just starting with 16. That's a great idea about the night lights. Thanks

[Lightzilla]

Well now I know how many channels you have. Here is something you need to remember (I learned this the hard way), if LOR is anything like Animated lighting Controllers, make sure after your done sequencing a song for the night that you
push "Save the show" or don't push the wrong button or you can kiss 40 hours worth of labour (such as I did good-bye).

Also pick a song that is between 1:30 to 2:00 minutes long for now that is not to difficult to work with. I found a song titled "Dong,Dong Merrily on High" from a Christmas music file on the internet and you I am sure you can do that easy enough or The "Linus & Lucy" song.

Remember too that you can buy sequences from LOR'r web store and there is plenty of sharing going around.

I watch many musical Christmas displays on this forum or the D-light forum and the Animated Lighting forum...plus You Tube for ideas.

[ChuckHutchings]

Look at Richard Holdman's sequences. He's the best LOR sequencer out there (IMO) and his sequences are available for free on his site: http://www.holdman.com/christmas.

[Lightzilla]

Look at Richard Holdman sequences. He's the best LOR sequencer out there (IMO) and his sequences are available for free on his site: http://www.holdman.com/christmas.

Your right about that... Mr. Holdman is very good at sequencing, I like looking at his videos and listening to the info he gives. I also like Ken Good as far as Animated Lighting goes, his displays are well done too.

[txgstraitbullrider4]

huh dont go broke when you buy a Light O Rama lol

[wirekat]

Edit any songs you want to do down to 2 to 2-1/2 minutes max.
Setup a spreadsheet that matches your channels to track amp draw, location, circuit.
I setup whole strings of lights hooked up where I sequence so I can see
the timing. Also LED's react differently then incandescent.
Use more fades and cross fading (Holdman fade/chase).
Order another 16 channels before the sale is over.
If you're a handy person, check out diylightanimation.com

[Lightzilla]

huh dont go broke when you buy a Light O Rama lol

I went broke buying Animated Lighting, and a FM transmitter. I only have 32 channels.....actually I went broke because of 9 days of vacation. We spent far more than I wanted and now my light show could be screwed up for December....I need 4500 more LED lights or part of my display wont be running, or I need to come up with some other display that well take less lights other than the mega tree I had plan.

If I can't order LED's from the States, then I may need to wait until mid Oct. or Nov. 1st and hope our Canadian Tire will have the same kind of sale on again as they did last year. $6:98 per box of 100 count LEDs lights. That sale began in late Oct, and again in November and again in Dec. and lastly January. And yes I kick my self for not picking up more lights than I did.

[zman]

Start planning now. Buy or make extension cords. Start Planning now. Don't listen to the critics about cost, it's all relative. Start planning now. Download the software ASAP and get your hands on Sequences. Chuck is spot on Holdman in the Man right now. Start planning now. LEDs can come later if you are on a budget. Start planning now. As discussed pick a short song with a strong beat as your first. It helps. Oh, by the way, did I tell you to start planning now? It can't be stressed enough. Newbies inevitably bite off a ton, and get bound up right during set up. Wirekat suggested 32 more channels. IF you can pull it off, do it during the sale. You WILL want more. Even if you do not use all 16 channels, it will give you spares in case, something does happen to another channel (Stuff does happen), and if you want to add something at the last minute you have that option.

Start planning now, and stick to it as closely as possible. Lastly Cords, cords cords. That will bite you. Give yourself 2 days before Light Up to test your show to de-bug/enhance, outside with you watching. Enjoy.

[Philip]

while more channels is good 16 is plenty to get started. I don't know if it was said but get started now.

one big thing I learned from my first year ('07) was pay attention to the lights off timings, while it does look good in the software, it can look like something is missing once the lights are up and running and there's .5 seconds with nothing on.

what some forget is that when we get started there is that initial layout of the extra cash for the software and the connectors. work with what you can and just plan on getting your extra 160 channels next year during the sale :)

[Lightzilla]

[QUOTE=zman;223674]Start planning now. Start Planning now. Start planning now. Start planning now. Start planning now. start planning now?
Start planning now

Yes sir, start planning now.....trust me there is lots to learn. All the Does and dont's. Planning isn't just doing sequences, it involves checking out your yard layout as well...go out with a note pad and pen and write what colours you want to use and what channels you want to use on what bushes, and if you are adding mini trees, then write that down. Are you adding blowmolds, inflatables, and wood cut outs? Plus write down any other thing you may think of. Get that yard layout completed and once that's done then spread that yard layout before you and then go about your sequencing. Oh take a few digital pictures of your house as well...of course the pros can explain how that works.

Perhaps you may not except any of my suggestions, but there are some fine looking computerized Canadian Christmas homes in BC and in Rocky Mountain house, Ontario and a couple in Manitoba. Go to Christmaslights.ca or Lindsaylights.ca

I may not be a LOR user, but it is possible for me to drive to Calgary to help you out if needs be. Whats a 3 hour drive to help out a fellow Canadian anyhow.

[iresq]

Get some light strings out of storage and connect them to your controller. You will get a better feel for how the effects look. Keep in mind that it can take a long time to sequence a song. The more effort you put it, the better (hopefully) it will look. If/when you get tired of sequencing or hearing the same song over and over, take a break. This is supposed to be fun.

[festivus4u]

Start planning now....don't worry about it when people look at you and say "it is just June"....LOL! Start listening and picking out songs and don't bite off more than you can chew. Get extension cords NOW! We were buying extension cords all the way up to the night the lights went on.

[Lightzilla]

Get some light strings out of storage and connect them to your controller. You will get a better feel for how the effects look.

That's what I do, but 32 light strings in a small computer room is tuff, but I just had to see how the show would look when all 32 channels are on. But 8 sets would work. I will test out doors some day, but up here it does not get dark until around 10:45 pm....maybe late August...will work.

[ChrisL1976]

like said above...watch videos of other people lights shows...it can give you ideas of how your own display will flow....especially if you going to use the same song. 2 minute region is a good place as far as length of songs.....more than 3 minutes and I think people start getting board unless its a constantly changing song. Download and check out shared sequences. They will give you a good idea of how some effects are created and the timing used to create them. You'd be surprised what you can squeeze into a couple tenths of a second....:)

Play around, create a sequence or two and shoot them up on the board here and I'm sure some of the LOR guys here can look them over. There is a way to make a video of your sequence when you play it back. Having never done that myself, I'm not exactly sure how thats done.

Get started now.....Last year was my first year and I'd say early on, learning the software...your looking at a good 2-3 hours per minute of song of sequencing time.

[Santas Helper]

When sequencing, hit the save button about every 30 minutes or hour. You'll be sorry if you don't.
And backup your work on a thumb/external drive. Computers crash and it's a pain to lose all that work.
Good Luck,
Tom

[Lightzilla]

When sequencing, hit the save button about every 30 minutes or hour. You'll be sorry if you don't.
Tom

You got that right. I learned that the hard way.

There is something to think about and that is Canadian laws and FM transmitters. Our laws will differ from the US laws. Someone one from Manitoba is looking into the laws and the thread is found at the Animated Lighting forum. I haven't been there for a few weeks, so I do not know how the progress is going. I tried e-mailing some of our "Big Canadian Musical display type people" and asked what the laws say about the use of FM transmitters .....but I get no response from them. Perhaps they simply take there chances, this I do know and that is one of our Canadian big displays may be coming to the end after the 2008 season. he explains it on his web sight.

if I find any info I will pass it on.

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Notices/1993/PB93-46.HTM ....here check this out.

I also had a response to my question on the Christmaslights.ca web site. The news reporters asked this fellow in BC if he had a licence to broadcast his display via FM transmitter...he said Shhhhh! Off air the cameraman said that as long as you are transmitting under 1 mile you should be fine, beyond that range you are breaking the law.

No doubt they are keeping an eye open for law breakers here in Canada. So I wouldn't get to powerful of an Fm transmitter. I will keep you posted if more info comes in.

[Alec]

I hit the save button before I hit the play button- almost every time. It's kind of a habit, but a good one.

[nmonkman]

FM Transmitters are legal in both US and Canada as longs as you stay under 30 watts.

Neil M

[ChrisL1976]

if you can cancel your order..DO IT.....run screaming for the hills because you've considered joining the bunch of us who spend hours and hours just to make a bunch of kids smile and laugh and what kind of person would want to join a group like that???

Welcome to a Addictive Hobby!!!!! If you haven't been welcomed already :)

[iresq]

FM Transmitters are legal in both US and Canada as longs as you stay under 30 watts.

Neil M
I can't speak for Canada but in the US, the transission requirements deal more with transmitted distance than wattage. In a very basic definition, FCC Part 16 rules says you can transmit up to 200' without a license so long as you are not transmitting over someone elses frequency. I managed about a 150' with a modiefied Belkin. 30 watts would be way too much power and could probably transit 15 miles. You should be able to adequately transmit in front of your display with a 1/3 to 1/2 watt. Personally, I use a 1 watt transmitter that is a little too strong.

There is great information in the Christmas/music/video forum.

[ChrisL1976]

I can't speak for Canada but in the US, the transission requirements deal more with transmitted distance than wattage. In a very basic definition, FCC Part 16 rules says you can transmit up to 200' without a license so long as you are not transmitting over someone elses frequency. I managed about a 150' with a modiefied Belkin. 30 watts would be way too much power and could probably transit 15 miles. You should be able to adequately transmit in front of your display with a 1/3 to 1/2 watt. Personally, I use a 1 watt transmitter that is a little too strong.

There is great information in the Christmas/music/video forum.

My Whole house transmitter get me around 300'+. Your right about that FCC rule. Pretty much as long as your not screwing up a radio station broadcast ,I wouldn't worry too much about the FCC knocking on your door.

[canadianrover]

Thanks for all your advice and suggestions.

[Lightzilla]

FM Transmitters are legal in both US and Canada as longs as you stay under 30 watts.

Neil M

Where did you come up with that figure? That would be great if that figure is correct, but since I live here and they can threw all kinds of laws at you, it would be nice to have some kind of documentation that says your above statement holds true here in Canada.

Did you read the note that I posted a few posts back? I am not sure what that 30 meter means in the note. Were talking under 120 feet. The most that can happen to me is that I spend Christmas in Jail, pay a fine and start using outdoor speakers, but I will keep on keeping on with my display. LOL

Like I said before a fellow in BC was asked if he had a licence to broadcast over the FM airwaves once already..... so I wanted other Canadians to be aware.