OMG! I may have lost my mind!!!

[n8huntsman]

I can't speak from experience, havn't done a show....yet. I got a REN 64 and 16 SSR's all soldered up and ready to go for next year. I also got the neighbors a REN SS24 a REN SS8. The only other thing I'm going to add is 4 universes of DMX and 600 RGB pixel nodes for the roof line. With the amount of labor and money required, I can tell that that alone will keep me busy till Christmas. One thing I would suggest is that if you are set on having multiple colors on your displays, look into the RGB's. That's something I would want to do from the beginning so you don't make a large investment in lights only to replace them next year with RGB's. I'm finding that it's actually cheaper than a 2 color display when you factor all the channels, and lights required to do multi colors. The setup becomes easier when you only have to run one string of RGB's and you get the advantage of choosing any color you want. It's a lot more confusing right now because it's a relatively new technology but things should be getting more and more clear on RGB soon.

[Skunberg]

As others say, cut colors, cut items, cut segments but you can also run some things together like all the windows and door together as a color for a channel. Only 4 channels to sequence and you get the look of four colors. Same with your small wreaths all together with a channel for each color. I think you should watch the Holden behind the scenes for ideas. Also you'll note he only has three colors.

Archs
7 segments
1 color each
channels = 28 for four arches

Window / Door frames
5 windows and 1 door
4 colors each
total channels 4 run each color as a channel

Mega Tree
4 colors of lite X 16 each
total channels 64

Mega Tree Star
1 colors
total channels 1

Mini Trees
4 colors
6 trees
total channels 24

Mega Wreath
4 Segments of 4 colors
8 C9 lamps
total channels 17 channels, c9s one channel. Mega Wreath less colors and more segments or keep the four colors in one segment.

Mini Wreaths
4 wreaths 4 colors each
total channels 4 run all four together.

Roof Star
5 colors
total of 5 channels

Candy Canes
8 Candy canes
total of 8 channels

Gutter Lights
5 segments
4 colors each
total channels 20, again pick colors or segments.

Santa spot light
total channels 1

Gemmy Remote (for current mini trees)
total channels 8

Car port lights
total of 7 channels

Bells
total of 2 channels

[glaforce]

I thank i will cut back channels and colors for the first year or two. What i have found so far is that the building of the controllers is very much the easy part. I have not started to build my display yet other then the mega tree and it went up pretty well however i do what to make some changes to it for next year. I now i lots to figure out like how many light strings does it take to build and arch, how do i wrap the lights on this 42" wreath that i have, etc etc. The sequencing of the lights seem almost like an imposable task but that i thank is because i haven't figured out what i what to do, and with out that i can't layout the preview screen, and with out that i can't make the sequence :confused:...

[griffixdc]

personally i would keep the color count balanced with everything... i noticed some had 4 colors while others had 5 ...keep them the same that will either reduce or increase channels....keep in mind for your first year combine some props to save channel count . ask your self do all my windows need to be on separate channels and can i combine some windows? or does my star really need to be different colors or can it be one with maybe 1-3 patterns....if you layout your channels good then you can get away with mixing channels without using extra.

[steve_hirst]

this was my first year. I started with 332 channels and all year to build my show. I have an electical license, I build and maintain computers at work, and I have an electronics background. with all of that said, YES, you have lost your mind. I'm not saying that it can't be done (because I did it) but it is a major feat. noone is going to tell you not to do it but be sure that you know what you are getting into. I was only able to get 3 songs done in time for the show and I added another about a week into the show. If I had it to do over I would not dive in so deep. Well I say that but I will add alot of channels this year but as many have said "I'm obsessed."

good luck with whatever you decide.

[james70818]

It can be done! Last year was my first year and I jumped off the deep end! I built 512 channels(used 436 channels), hosted two group buys, built 58 2' tall trees, 12 4' tall trees, 6 6' tall trees, 1 26' tall mega tree, and a bunch of other stuff plus had to sequence this stuff. It made for a lot of late nights!

This year we are starting a little earlier but the display will double in size plus we are adding new stuff. I can only imagine what Vixen is going to look like with 1040 channels!

The best advice I can offer is planning. I planned everything out and was able to make all of my SPT custom cords in the shop before the display went out to the yard and saved a lot of field work. Set goals to get things done.

And have fun!

James

[kychristmas]

Yeah, but you are like that kid an High School that skewed the Grade Curve upward. It's not fair to use you in any comparison of a normal first year setup. I think you are an alien. Most mult-year veterans (including myself) are amazed at your accomplishments. There can't possibly be any room for other hobbies. Except for cheering on those Nasty Purple Tigers of course!

You do offer some good advice no matter what size the display will be. Plan, Plan, Plan and Set Goals. That works great for any project!

It can be done! Last year was my first year and I jumped off the deep end! I built 512 channels(used 436 channels), hosted two group buys, built 58 2' tall trees, 12 4' tall trees, 6 6' tall trees, 1 26' tall mega tree, and a bunch of other stuff plus had to sequence this stuff. It made for a lot of late nights!

This year we are starting a little earlier but the display will double in size plus we are adding new stuff. I can only imagine what Vixen is going to look like with 1040 channels!

The best advice I can offer is planning. I planned everything out and was able to make all of my SPT custom cords in the shop before the display went out to the yard and saved a lot of field work. Set goals to get things done.

And have fun!

James

[BuzzKill]

8 channels ought to be enough for anybody.

[dirknerkle]

8 channels ought to be enough for anybody.

Well done, BuzzKill. Spoken with just the right amount of Bah, Humbug!-ness.

[griffixdc]

well my fisrt advice was to reduce channel count....the fisrt reason to that is the more channels you have the longer it takes to create a sequenced song to vixen....the beautiful part is say the next year you can reuse the songs and just make some changes via patterns, increased or decreased channels counts, so it makes for less work with already made songs. to me props dont take long to make, this maybe because i like hobby work and loose track of time . But spending countless hours in front of a computer screen trying to sequence 320 channels for the first time (forget it) you will spend about 250 hours trying to program 3-4 songs if you have this time or desire then go for it !!!! it will be wonderful. But knowing all this increased challenges or time consumption i recommend decreasing your channel count to at least a total of 200 channels or less maybe 192( because that's the mathematical number of our 8 channel adds) you will honestly thank me or anyone who convinces you to decrease channel count, either way your show will look awesome!. Decreased channel count also allows for more fine tuning to make your show look better (less channels more fine tuning = better show!, more channels less time to fine tune = cool abstract but the show will seem less planned) it will amaze you how such a fine little detail will change a show from good to great well i hope this is NOT a motivation buster especially if you want to tackle your high channel count show , either way i wish the best of luck to you and only ask you one thing make a video and post it on here when your done