Planning for future light purchases in your sequences?

[skrednik]

Being my first year doing this, I of course, already have a dilema. In building the sequences for the songs I have chosen, I have a vision in my head of what I want the final look to be, but alas part of that look involves lights I have yet to purchase, nor do I know if I will have the funds to purchase before Thanksgiving. What I'm getting at is should I build the show with the features I envision, even though some of those features may not come to pass or just stick with what I have? I may have already answered this myself, but just wanted some input from the experts. Thanks!

Rich

[ChrisL1976]

you can always tweak your sequences to the final setup if things change.

[Dale W]

Remember, you can get cheaper lights during the after Thanksgiving sales (10% - 20% off).

I do not know how much this will help you. Also, if you are a frequent traveler, Holiday Inn's point program gives points which can be redeemed for Home Depot, Target, or Lowe's gift cards. If you travel a great deal, it is a good way to subsidize your display costs.

After you purchase after Thanksgiving, shoot for a Dec 1 lightup and you will not have to redo your programming. Otherwise, see what you need now to complete the display the way you see it. Make sure there is no way that you can meet the demand, and scale it back.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[relxerd]

you know, every year after Christmas, I would visit walmart/kmart/lowes etc... and i would blow around $150. I just bought random things... Untill I found PC last November. It was the day after Christmas and I had already planned out everything for next year. (lost of planning between Thanksgiving and Christmas :p ) So I just got everything I could then. I don't think I missed anything.

But the more you plan, the bigger the display and you get the point. Just keep your eyes open for things you know you will do in the years to come and one day, you'll see things go on sale and think "I could use that for ..... in my display!" I found an endless supply of the Lowes $10.00 off $25 coupon and probably spent $550.00 this month on my display needs. I saved well over $300 (30 coupons) as well as items for fixing up the house.

[mlittle]

right now plan on what you know you have, but program for what you want.
That way if you do get a little bit more you will be ready, if not there is always next year and you will be ahead of the game,
I always fix it so I have a few channels left over and f I see something that I just have to have, well....... I can just add it,,, minor pgm and away we go....

good luck.....have fun.....and don't stress..... at least not yet.... plenty of time as long as your working towards a goal.

[TysonHphoto]

Yeah I think it's easier to remove additional sequence info rather than add it. Plus the chances of you figuring some way to get those lights is hiigher than not! :-)

[skrednik]

What everyone is saying here was kind of what I was leaning towards. I started following this forum last year right in the Christmas season. Too late to do anything then, but I knew I would be doing this in '08 so I hit the after Christmas sales and picked up what I could. I already have been doing a moderate static display (about 20000 lights) for years, but when I saw the computerized stuff I thought "Oh YeeaaH!, That's me". Anyway, I was able to pick up another 20000 or so mini lights at the sales, but the color choices were limited.

And Clyde, I saw your post about the Lowes coupon on some other thread (I've read so much it all runs together) and used it a couple of times right before it ended to get some much needed extension cords. Thanks!

One question though and this is for users of the LOR sequencing software:
If I sequence the elements of the show I don't have yet, and come show time thoses elements I was unable to purchase, can I leave those tracks in the sequence without them being assigned a channel or contorller, or will it lock up the program?

Thanks for all the help!

Rich

[mnkyboy]

What everyone is saying here was kind of what I was leaning towards. I started following this forum last year right in the Christmas season. Too late to do anything then, but I knew I would be doing this in '08 so I hit the after Christmas sales and picked up what I could. I already have been doing a moderate static display (about 20000 lights) for years, but when I saw the computerized stuff I thought "Oh YeeaaH!, That's me". Anyway, I was able to pick up another 20000 or so mini lights at the sales, but the color choices were limited.

And Clyde, I saw your post about the Lowes coupon on some other thread (I've read so much it all runs together) and used it a couple of times right before it ended to get some much needed extension cords. Thanks!

One question though and this is for users of the LOR sequencing software:
If I sequence the elements of the show I don't have yet, and come show time thoses elements I was unable to purchase, can I leave those tracks in the sequence without them being assigned a channel or contorller, or will it lock up the program?

Thanks for all the help!

Rich

I have been testing different items for my display as I finsh each one with the complete sequences with a my DCMP3 and only the one controller that runs that particular item, and the sequences run just fine. So looks like you can leave items in and not light em up...

[relxerd]

You know, I never thought about sequencing for next year. Why would I? Look at all the extra work I would have to do! Besides, who knows if I'll even do it again next year? (I'm playing devils advocate here). Well, if I start now and add the other 64 channels to the sequence, then I can have the display look exactly like I want it in 2009! This makes perfect sense! Great Idea