New Singing / Talking Christmas Tree

[Dougp]

I would like to get your opions on a new product that I'm in the process of making. It's a talking / singing christmas tree and can be used with your announcements for you display without showing parts of your display until you are read to show them.

I could see that as an "emcee" telling jokes between songs, too! I plan on making it 5 foot tall and will be able to fold for shipping. The below picture is a drawing of what it will look like and if you would like one of these please let me know. I will build one and take a picture and place it on my website so that you will be able to see the finished product.

http://wireframedlites.com/images/singing%20tree_small.jpg

[trcons]

Sounds really neat. I don't think that red x looks much like a Christmas tree though.

Tom

[Dougp]

Sounds really neat. I don't think that red x looks much like a Christmas tree though.

Tom

What red x? Do you not see the picture?

[RandyA]

Looks fine here..

[Jakeleg1969]

Looks fine here..

Yeah, what he said.... It looks good to me...

Jerry in Louisiana

[Dougp]

I have an update to the tree. I will be changing the eyes to give it a more jolly look. Here is what they will look like.

http://wireframedlites.com/images/eyes.jpg

[kwajtony]

There is a thread here that talks about mouth movements and phonetics, might be good to look at it to get some ideas.

[trcons]

I see it now. I'm not sure what the problem was before. I still think it's a neat idea.

[Dougp]

It has been suggested that the mouths should be changed to included at least 3 mouths.

I'm looking for your feedback and Ideas on what you think they should be.

Thanks and I hope everyone has a great Halloween Display.

[dirknerkle]

It has been suggested that the mouths should be changed to included at least 3 mouths.

I'm looking for your feedback and Ideas on what you think they should be.

Thanks and I hope everyone has a great Halloween Display.

You might consider using just a wire grid for the mouth instead of pre-forming any shape. The end-user is going to affix lights or ropelight to it probably via zip ties, and a grid would allow an universal mounting platform for the user to apply the mouth he/she wants. Just an idea...

[budude]

You may want to pay attention to how it would be mounted by the end user into the ground as well. At five foot tall and full of ropelight (+snow, +wind) this could get quite stressed so a good stand would be important. Alternatively, adding in points to bolt these to a fence or the house might be good as well.

If using 12v ropelight as a benchmark, it might be good to try and stay within 3" multiples for lengths/circumferences when scaling things. This results in easier installation and less wasted ropelight.

As for the eyes - I think it will tough to jam that much rope light into that small space to support multiple eye movements - but - if it can be done, that would be pretty cool to have it be able to look in different directions.

[Dougp]

You might consider using just a wire grid for the mouth instead of pre-forming any shape. The end-user is going to affix lights or ropelight to it probably via zip ties, and a grid would allow an universal mounting platform for the user to apply the mouth he/she wants. Just an idea...

I kind of like this idea and I can offer this as an option for the people that want to create their own mouths.

Thanks

[Dougp]

You may want to pay attention to how it would be mounted by the end user into the ground as well. At five foot tall and full of ropelight (+snow, +wind) this could get quite stressed so a good stand would be important. Alternatively, adding in points to bolt these to a fence or the house might be good as well.

I will come up with a way of mounting it and I will build it according to what each customer needs.

If using 12v ropelight as a benchmark, it might be good to try and stay within 3" multiples for lengths/circumferences when scaling things. This results in easier installation and less wasted ropelight.

What about the ropelight that's cutable in multiples of 18" or 19"?

As for the eyes - I think it will tough to jam that much rope light into that small space to support multiple eye movements - but - if it can be done, that would be pretty cool to have it be able to look in different directions.

I will look into this.


Thanks,

[budude]

Well - if it's 18" or 36" ropelight (this is what I used on my Jack-O-Lantern), then it really doesn't matter - you'll need to find a way to hide all of that extra (I used lots of black tape). I would highly suggest folks stick with 12v rope light though if possible - it's just so much easier with the shorter segments. I know for the JOL, I needed a short 4-5" section on either side of the mouth and it would have been easier to have two small sections versus one long one wrapped up in tape. The other issue is when you multiple sections crossing each other because of the excess - with short lengths, you'll have less to worry about. It's not so much a problem with standard lighting of these - it's when you add in the animation bits and need multiple bundles of lights in a small space - really no fun at all...

[Dougp]

Well - if it's 18" or 36" ropelight (this is what I used on my Jack-O-Lantern), then it really doesn't matter - you'll need to find a way to hide all of that extra (I used lots of black tape). I would highly suggest folks stick with 12v rope light though if possible - it's just so much easier with the shorter segments. I know for the JOL, I needed a short 4-5" section on either side of the mouth and it would have been easier to have two small sections versus one long one wrapped up in tape. The other issue is when you multiple sections crossing each other because of the excess - with short lengths, you'll have less to worry about. It's not so much a problem with standard lighting of these - it's when you add in the animation bits and need multiple bundles of lights in a small space - really no fun at all...


That is true with the 18" ropelight. I have made one for Val at www.christmas-led.com and she is going to look into a kit for the lights on the JOL and I can do the same for the singing tree after I have it made.

Thanks so much for the feedback and input.

[dirknerkle]

It seems to me that there could be a need for a new LED display board that had perhaps only different shapes for a mouth. It'd be a 4 or maybe 8-channel board that would just be mounted on a wire frame display where you wanted the mouth to be and it would eliminate the use of rope light, mini-lights, etc. It would have appropriate resistor circuitry for the LEDs needed to form the lip shapes. The board would probably have to be about 8 inches square.

Hmmm... this would be a perfect companion project for budude's Ren48LSD!

[Dougp]

Well, I'm finally getting to the Singing tree. I will be building one this week along with the Singing Santa.

Hope everyone with a Halloween Display are having fun.

[Dougp]

Well, I finally have a Singing tree and a Singing Santa. They are at the Powder Coater and I'll have pictures of them on the website next week after I get them back.

Have a great weekend everyone.

[Dougp]

Here are the pictures of the Singing / Talking Tree and the Singing Santa.

http://www.wireframedlites.com/images/singing_tree.jpg http://www.wireframedlites.com/images/singing_santa.jpg

[dirknerkle]

Very fine work! Yessirree, outstanding!

[kychristmas]

You are killing me Doug. Its taking everything I have not to order and focus on what I have.

[Dougp]

You are killing me Doug. Its taking everything I have not to order and focus on what I have.

Sorry about that. :( At least you will have something to look forward to for next year.:grin: To help you out, I could not have one made in time for this year right now. I'm backed up with other orders, plus I'm trying to get my own display up. But, hey I'm not complaining.

These are being shipped out to customers tomorrow.