TheBigE

I will be in CT for part of the Holidays, and would love to see some displays. Is there a list anywhere of the Displays. I will be near the Oakdale region, but would travel to see some slights. Thanks Erik

All, So my Display is on hold for three years as I took an overseas assignment for my company. Pretty good deal and great living in europe for a couple of years. Now that being said, I am continuing to plan my display for when I return to the states, this will include at least three new Mega Trees and LED lights across the board. Obviously this will be a sizable investment, but was thinking of spreading it over three years and take part in the CDI Presales. For example this year, I would purchase the LEDS required for the Mega Trees and controllers, next year the LEDS needed for the leaping arches, and the following year the remaining LEDs needed for my display. Storage of this equipment would not be an issue for the next three years. So my question is - Does this sound reasonable or is the technical development of LEDs and the in industry moving at such a fast pace that something new/better will be on the fore front. I could make an argument to put the money is a separate account and build some interest, but part of this is for mental health and help me keep in the "decorating" spirit even though I am on a hiatus. Basically a little retail therapy to fill the void for the next couple of years. but just don't want the equipment to be obsolute. I don't think it would be. Any thoughts or insight are appreciated. Erik

All, Well I had big plans this year for Christmas Lights at home in Indiana for 2010, but life always sends a curve ball and I have an opportunity to move to Geneva Switzerland for 3 years and then back to the States. Hard to turn down, but now I need to know what I should do with all my equipment that I have purchased over the last year. I have 3 LOR controllers all 110V - I believe I can convert these to 220 Volt. Not sure if I I can just convert the two main power cords and leave the individual channel cords alone. Also I have a role of SPT C9 cord with LED retro lights and a ton of new M5 LED Lights for some CoroTrees, not to mention 3 MM floods. All of course with the standard American Plug. First off selling my equipment is not an option, I want to keep it as I will be back in the same house in 3 years and most, if ot all will still be useful. Any PC members in Switzerland can lends some thought? Does not cost me anything to send the equipment over seas as my company will move it, just not sure the hurdles I will face this coming Christmas. Any thoughts are appreciated Erik

I would be in for a Meet and Greet on Friday the 9th, again time and location dependent. Keep me posted.

Gary - Great thanks for the picture. It really helped explain the concept. I assume that lengths of the J-Channel will fit most windows or do you have to splice a couple of pieces together? Of to HD I go to buy some J Channel

Gary - Thanks...the pictures would be very helpful.

Gary - How do you join the corners of the J-channel? I can't really tell from the pics on your website. Looks to me like some fancy cutting and pop rivets. Thanks Erik

How do you do the corners? From the pictures I can't really tell? Looks like there is some fancy cutting and Pop Rivets. Thanks Erik

Going to C9 retros, so that is why I went ahead and order the Spool through CDI during the Appreciation Sale. This way I can make up my custom lengths and do the lights around the windows like I want, also needed to goto LED just to cut down on the current draw as you say. No worries this year...hopefully.

All, Just looking for some opinions. I am considering purchasing a 500' spool of C9 socket cord. Currently I have several strands of C9 that I have used in the past on INCAD lights. Is there any reason that I could not use my existing C9 cord and make the lengths that I need? Or is there any other advantages to buying a large spool? Just looking for some insight. Thanks Erik

Great news. but a few questions: 1. Does the 20% off include everything on the website? (Zip Cord, LEDs, non sale items) 2. The 20% off of what price? Website? Product Catalog? Estimated In Season Pricing on Pre Sale Sheet? Specifically, I am looking at M5 lights. I see a pricing in your Product Catalog lines up well with the website, but your estimated "in season" pricing on your pre sale sheet is different? Is this a different brand? May just need to call to get the answers. Thanks Erik

All, Just wanted to provide some feedback to the forum based on my decision from this thread. I choose to purchase LSP and have been working with the program off and on for about a month. I wanted to share some of my insight as a newbie sequencing in LSP. A little bit of background, in 2009 I downloaded all my sequences and used the basic LOR S2 for scheduling and running the show, I did not do any of my own sequencing. In addition, I am currently running LSP on a iMac through Parallels (more to follow on this), but my show computer is a PC. My main driving factor for selecting LSP was the capability to easily control RGB flood lights as well as some of the other "convenience" features in LSP.. To be honest the first couple of weeks have been a rocky ride, and I am not sure how much to contribute to running the program on a Mac/.Virtual Machine and just the standard learning curve. Typically, I am on both the LSP boards and running LSP in the background when sequencing. Right now I am trying to line up a chase to the basic beat at the beginning of "Linus and Lucy by Vince Guaraldi". I have not completed the sequence, and at times it has been a bit frustrating but then I make a breakthrough and it become rewarding. Some insights I have had: The audio scrubbing is helpful, but still have not been able to use this to it full potential. It is nice to hear the music as you move the timing mark and look at the frequency spectrum, but it is hard to translate the single "note" to the overall song. Really nice to select a timing interval and hear the music that will be played along with the effect. You can really see when you are off in timing. I have had issues moving my timing marks after they have been set, but I believe this to be a "Mac" issue vice a program issue. I loaded the program on my show PC and did not have near the issues in moving a timing mark. The videos on-line are outstanding, and I typically watch them every other day just as a reminder of the program operation. The Dynamic Help Document is okay in the program but has lacked in some areas that I have encountered, but I was easily able to find the answer in the on-line forums. From a customer support standpoint, it has also been top notch and I have taken part in one Saturday Chat and was able to have several questions answered. I am looking forward to the March release and hope some of the new features will help out sequencing. Right now it does not have a playback speed less than 1, which can be difficult to line up timings. However, with some work and practice with audio scrubbing you should be able to lay the timing mark exactly where you want it. I am still working to perfect this method, and I think it may be complicated a bit by the song I am trying to sequence. RGB mixing is definitely top notch and easy to program, other than just some trial and error I really have not added much in sequencing of RGB. Because this year will be my first year with 54 Channels, it is really nice just to concentrate on one controller and line up the sequencing for that unit. Not that you could not do this in LOR, but it is nice to minimize other controllers and concentrate in a single area. The Image Visualizer is very nice and the images and objects are supper easy to draw in LSP. I have found on certain occasions that have the Image Visualizer on can slow down the playback a bit and I can have a slight delay. Usually, if I re-run the section everything lines up fine. I really do not have the full experience in LOR S2, and it is possible that some of the above items can be done in LOR S2, but just trying to comment on my experience with LSP. More to follow as we work through the first song. Thanks Erik

All, Since I really only started in the "Blinky Light Club" (my wife's terminology) in Nov 09, I was looking back over the last 6 months and was realizing how funny it is that a small idea can quickly morph into some grand plan. For example: 1, I started with 16 channels and animated my static display, and it is quickly growing towards the 80 channel mark in a year. I don't this is too uncommon. 2. Mini Trees - I wanted to add some. Looked at tomato cages, then found coro trees...oh wait now I can have two colors per tree... okay go with 8 tree at two colors...and need 16 channels of control, why not!! 2. Because of the power consumption of INC C9, I want to swtich to LED retro C9 lights. Great idea, so I start looking and well if I switch maybe I should just but the 1000' reel of C9 cord....oh wait now I can make custom lenghts...wow now I can start wrapping windows and other house highlights...more channels needed. 3. Well as long as I am switching to LED for C9, why not buy C9 for the Mini Coro Trees...another great idea since I need to buy the incandescent lights anyways....why not got fully LED everywhere else... whew at least no more channels required and no electrical service upgrade needed. 4. Love spot lights and need more, they add some neat effects....perhaps I should go with LED....hey what is this DMX thing...you mean I can now mix three colors....gotta have it. Two spots lights at 5 channels apiece...more channels needed. Just funny to look back over the last 6 months and really realize the amount of potential that is available and how just a simple idea grows quickly. Still having fun. Erik

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Add Leaping Arches and CORO trees....yeah I know not super secret here on PC. But for my neighborhood a it is truly "skunk works/area 51" type of stuff. Think I may add a retinal scanner device to my garage for my neighbors when I start to build everything this summer.....