LOR or D-Light

[soccerislifex16]

I am looking for input here: which is better; Light-o-rama or D-light? Please give me some feedback about the controller itself and the software. I need to know which one is better to use and if LOR is really worth over $200 more. I am looking between 16-32 channels. And sorry if this is the wrong category, I'm new!

[Trip]

Don't know too much about either, but you can learn to build your own here on this forum and save a ton of money in the process while getting a ton more channels. This is pretty much a do it yourself forum for Christmas lights controllers.

[kostyun]

Thats OK! We do have a few members here who use both! and hopefully one of them will pipe in and give you some good information. (Jeff.Mill and crazylightlady are two excellent sources of information)

[soccerislifex16]

Trip said:
Don't know too much about either, but you can learn to build your own here on this forum and save a ton of money in the process while getting a ton more channels. This is pretty much a do it yourself forum for Christmas lights controllers.
I am not looking to build one because i am no good with electronics at ALL. I have seen Computerchristmas.com and that stuff is just why over my head. Buying is really my only option right now and I would like to get a head start so I can sequence more songs before December!

[daviddth]

I'm not putting down LOR or D-Light, but try buying a $20 soldering iron, some stripboard & practicing some soldering. It's not hard, and the pleasure you get is really worth it.

It all comes down to practice - get the heat on, solder on, melt & heat away in as short a time as possible so you dont damage the parts or board. I look at the soldering I did 25 years ago & shudder, BUT the gear is still working (40 watt amp, still running in the shed almost daily).

Heck, buy a few kits & practice there too. Even if you go LOR or D-Light this year, aim to become reasonable at soldering by next year & start making your own stuff then :)

[Frankz]

You'll find a lot more users of retail controllers at the PlanetChristmas.com forums. Most of the people here are diyers, and build their own controllers.
PC has a separate forum for each retail controller; Animated Lighting, LOR, and DLight.

.

[acewingman]

To get you started and maybe more interested ;) you could download Vixen (http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=6) sequencing software for free and get started sequencing right now for zero dollars.

[Matt]

Here we'll try and push you in the DIY direction, after all we are DoItYourselfChristmas! I had very little electronics experience when I started. There are tons of people here that can help take the confusion out of it - it's not really that complicated once you get the hang of it!

If you are looking for something similar to LOR or d-Light I would suggest looking into the Renard16 (xmus16), Renard24, or Lynx.

If you need help we are here to help you through every step of the process. If you still decide that you want to buy, I would suggest the planetchristmas.com forums as a great source of information.

Good Luck!
-Matt

[DynamoBen]

While these posts of encouragement are of value they don't really answer his question. Let’s not fill the thread with posts telling him how "easy" it is.

Based on the fact that he has been to CC and is now here I would assume he has had lots of people trying to pull him toward the DIY method. Not everyone is interested in going the soldering route right away.

While I don't own either system LOR goes beyond just lighting. LOR has controllers for music and even premade sequences. However D-light is focused only on lighting with no premade sequences. I would say the best way to decide is figure out how much you want to spend and what features you are looking for. Better seems to be relative. ;)

[pixeldigger]

actually use LOR, AND DIY stuff.
My main musical display is LOR software and controller, and a DIO card and DIO SSRs.
I also use vixen for animated stuff with a DIO96 and some Renard16s.

I haven't used D-Light, but i DO know that LOR is soon changing their firmware, and D-Light stuff may or may not work with their future software.

With the low price of the LOR PC controller, I would recommend that, but again, I have no experience with D-Light.

[greenmeanie]

I liked my LOR hardware.
Reminds me of the Ren-24 which is a great board.

Dan from LOR is a great guy and goes above and beyond to please his customer.

[wjohn]

and KC works for LOR, and he is the author of Vixen,

so,

If DIYC is not yet for you, support our programmer and buy LOR ;-)

[Jeff Millard]

I am looking for input here: which is better; Light-o-rama or D-light? Please give me some feedback about the controller itself and the software. I need to know which one is better to use and if LOR is really worth over $200 more. I am looking between 16-32 channels. And sorry if this is the wrong category, I'm new!

Hi Soccer,
I was away in Florida and got back to find a PM pointing me here...

At this time I use 13 LOR controllers (three different board styles) I assembled around half of them from kits. When you ask if LOR or D-Lite is better you're asking an opinion question that usually starts a big debate on the other boards. There are dedicated users to both systems. D-Lite was successful in reverse engineering the LOR control software for version 1, but will no longer be compatable with LOR after the full release of LOR SII. So they created their own software to run their boards.

Light-O-Rama isn't really represented here as it isn't a DIY system, and really isn't compatable with the whole mindset. As a user of LOR, I am very happy with their treatment of me as a customer, and you will find that with most of LOR's customers. But, D-Lite users are likewise happy with the way their systems perform. I think LOR is the best choice for features, as they have added DMX functionality, wireless capability and have several new devices coming out in the first half of 2008.

I, like everyone else in this thread, want to convince you to try your hand at making your own hardware. It is without a doubt the most cost effective way to do it. I have tried three different types of control software and Vixen is by far the best of the three. (I have a little experience here, as I'm a beta tester for LOR software) LOR was so impressed with K.C. Oak's talent... as wjohn stated before... they hired him to help with their current Gamma release of LOR II.

I have begun the slow process of swapping over from LOR to all DIY hardware. This is due to my involvement here, my interaction with Macrosill, wjohn, Wayne James, fkostyun and others, and the fact that Frank's all-in-one board has 24 channels rather than the 16 available with LOR boards.

To sum it up, you should go to PlanetChristmas and check the three major vendor's forums... Animated Lighting, Light-O-Rama, and D-Lite to see the threads already there about this subject. Each of the three have an individual help forum that was spun off from PC to free up Chuck Smith's hands so he could place the whole world in time out whenever he pleases... Check those sites too.

Then... get back over here and teach yourself how to solder and make your own stuff. You'll be much happier to say you built it from scratch... You'll get the best help available right here on this website. Ask a question and all the best minds in DIY are right at your fingertips, chomping at the bit to be first to help you. Because they all love this hobby, and love to help others!

You can do it! If I can do it, you can too... Trust me on this...

Jeff

[rlilly]

I am looking for input here: which is better; Light-o-rama or D-light? Please give me some feedback about the controller itself and the software. I need to know which one is better to use and if LOR is really worth over $200 more. I am looking between 16-32 channels. And sorry if this is the wrong category, I'm new!

This site is more geared toward Do-it-Yourself vs L-O-R. I chose DIY vs LOR because:
1) It's about $16/channel cheaper 2) more fun! 3) I don't know if (2) is more important than (1)!

It really depends on your perspective. If you don't like or don't want to get into the guts of the electronics required to controls those lights, then LOR or DL is for you. If you want to acquire a deep understanding about what is going on, then DIY is for you. Look inside.... do you feel the force??

[rlilly]

and KC works for LOR, and he is the author of Vixen-)

Hmm...Forget anything you may have read from me.....buy LOR!!