|
?
We became fascinated with computer controlled Christmas light shows after seeing videos on the internet several years ago, and in 2005 we bought our first computerized lighting controllers. Each year we add more controllers, lights, and songs. It can certainly be a time consuming and expensive hobby.
To power our shows we have 7 Light-O-Rama controllers, networked to a Windows XP Computer. Each controller has 16 independent channels. That translates to 112 independent lighting channels. To put that in perspective, imagine 112 light switches. Each switch can be independently turned on or off or set to shimmer or fade up or fade down. Next, imagine that each of those switches is connected to one or more strings of Christmas lights.
If only it were that simple. The process for creating a light show is time intensive, to say the least. Depending upon the length of the song and the complexity of the show, it can take upwards of a week, working several hours a day, just to animate one song. But when it's all said and done, it's time well spent. |
|
Going Green with LED Lights
This year we're going green, literally and figuratively, by replacing the majority of our traditional incandescent lights with LED lights. If you've priced LED lights in the stores, you already know that they can be more expensive than incandescent lights. However, they use far less electricity than traditional lights, and they last quite a bit longer. So in the long run you will actually save money by switching to LEDs. We purchased the majority of our LEDs after Christmas last year when they had been marked down to 75% off. |
|
|
