Amazing Christmas light display

[DC]

http://www.radioearth.com/VideoXmasLightDisplay.html


I can't imagine how this was done. Must be some kind of high-tech light controller like what would be used in a stage production or something. Normal HA devices (X10, UPB even hard-wired relays) wouldn't be fast enough.

If the banner at the top is making annoying noises (like a camera shutter) exit and restart and it should select a different banner.

[Rupp]

This is poping up all over the place. It is endeed a very nice show.

http://board.homeseer.com/showthread...ight=christmas

[YM]

Anybody can do it

Here ya go: http://www.wonderlandchristmas.com/wizardsofwinter.php

[Mike]

from the AP

Man Decks House With Synchronized Lights

2 hours, 29 minutes ago

MASON, Ohio - Some people at Christmas time are content to deck their homes with evergreen wreaths and holly, and maybe a few strings of lights made to look like glimmering icicles. Not Carson Williams.

He spends nearly two months hooking up 25,000 lights, then programs them to dance to Christmas music.

Hundreds of cars drive by his house north of Cincinnati every night to see the display, which also is posted on several Internet sites.

"So far, everyone's been really courteous," Williams said on NBC's "Today" show Monday. "I told the neighbors, I told the sheriff, if they get any complaints, I'll shut it down, because the neighbors are more important to me than the Christmas lights. I do the Christmas lights for myself."

This is the third year Williams has assembled the display, which grows every year. He said he merely built on a suggestion from his wife, Sherry.

"She wanted some lights on the house, and I work with computers, so I said, 'There's got to be a way to control it with computers,'"

Williams said.

He explored the Web and found examples of other synchronized displays. It takes him about an hour to program each minute of the display, which flashes to music by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

That doesn't mean neighbors have to listen to the sound track repeat itself all night.

"The sound, we actually broadcast on a low FM transmitter, so there's actually no sound in the neighborhood," said Williams, an electrical engineer with Cincinnati Bell Technology Solutions.

A sign tells passers-by where to tune to listen, and Williams often stays outside for hours at a time chatting with visitors and directing traffic.

"We've had no problems," said Dave Hare, who lives across the street.

But the first year, it took some explaining.

"We called it the psycho house," said Hare's wife, Michelle. "It was just weird random flashes. Then, he told us about the radio station and it was great."

[kevind]

Man that is AWESOME! I have GOT to get me one of those

I wonder what software he is referring too?

So much to do and so little time...

[Shawn]

That vid even made it to the local news here on the central coast of California.

[anogee]

Was on the Today show on Monday morning.

[bdraper]

Here is a link to a news article about the light display http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.d...=2005512050331

[Rupp]

Can you imagine living next door or across the street from this? I'm sure it would get old fast. Especially without sound.

[wpiman]

I imagine the sound would be worse. Blinds can be quiet good- I imagine the cars would be an issue.

Apparently he broadcast the sound over a local FM transmitter- so you simply tune your car when driving by.

Someone here posted it was done with a lightorama. I went to their website and downloaded their application (demo). It is pretty damn awesome. You pick an mp3- play it- and hit the space bar whenever you hear a beat. It saves these beats- and then you can take those beats and turn on and off lights at those time.

The really good thing too- it has a picture window you can draw what your light s will look like. You play the song with your sequence and it shows up on this screen. It lind of looks like a lite-brite from the 70s-80s.

Unfortunately, they are all out of hardware. I think once this thing went around- they sold out. Too bad- it looks like a neat thing. Hopefully they can get someone to help them manufacture it.

[anogee]

Unfortunately, they are all out of hardware.

Its a tiny company and they probably got overrun. There is always next year.

I live in Phoenix, and since we don't get snow here, people seem to compensate in other ways, such as huge light displays. That display that is drawing all this attention wouldn't even be in the top 10 of what you see around here. Many people here not only decorate inside and outside with 100,000's of lights, but many actually let you walk through the house. Neighbors either like it or they don't. Usually the traffic is the biggest problem, and many of these displays draw hordes of tour buses, limos, etc. Every year, we drive around and see them, as they put the maps in the newspaper. Usually its the same people every year. Most are retired guys that decorate starting in September.

This year neighbors took legal action against one house and closed it down. It was a pretty cool one and the owner was a special effects lighting guy. You usually had to park 1/2 mile away and walk just to see it.

[pjohnson]

Light-O-Rama Software Can Control X-10 Devices too!

Hey, did you guys notice that the Light-O-Rama software can control X-10 devices and not just that expensive controller unit.

http://store.lightorama.com/swx.html

I was playing around with a Z-wave module on my Christmas tree yesterday to see what I could expect doing some simple tricks with the lights. I was surprised to see it faithfully respond as fast as I could cycle power to it, and that was using a MainLobby button on a touch screen to control the lights on the tree too!

If your X-10 setup at home works great and you got the Light-O-Rama software with a bunch of cheap X-10 modules, it just might make for a decent way to go to setup a budget impaired light show.

What do you guys think?

[DC]

He shut it down

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178023,00.html

[tobad78]

Hey, did you guys notice that the Light-O-Rama software can control X-10 devices and not just that expensive controller unit.

http://store.lightorama.com/swx.html

I was playing around with a Z-wave module on my Christmas tree yesterday to see what I could expect doing some simple tricks with the lights. I was surprised to see it faithfully respond as fast as I could cycle power to it, and that was using a MainLobby button on a touch screen to control the lights on the tree too!

If your X-10 setup at home works great and you got the Light-O-Rama software with a bunch of cheap X-10 modules, it just might make for a decent way to go to setup a budget impaired light show.

What do you guys think?

I actually contact Dan at LOR to ask if he wanted to switch to Zwave from X10. Maybe if more would request it (email hime stating so) he might. I plan on a LOR display next year.

I've bought only $100.00 in lights this year and waiting for the after christmas sale for more.