The 2009 Light Show Information:
The 2009 show consists of the following elements:
| Element | Lights |
|---|---|
| (11) Windows/Balcony segments, 4 colors | 2200 |
| House/Roof outline | 1000 |
| (2) 12 foot tall bushes, 4 colors | 1300 |
| (8) 6 foot trees, 4 colors | 5500 |
| 12 foot, 8 segment Megatree, 4 colors | 3840 |
| 4 white arches | 2400 |
| Banjo/guitar/star/etc, yard art | 1800 |
| Total (estimated) | 18,040 |
2008 Highlights
The Christmas display is powered by three Light-o-Rama (LOR) controller boxes, using a total of 48 channels/power plugs.
Please note: The concept for the main display and light show was based on only ONE 16-channel Light-o-Rama box, so most of what you see is fairly simplistic. Next year will be even better with more planning time and imagination.
Specifications:
| 13 foot Red/Green Light Tree | 1,200 Mini Lights |
| Garage Display | 50 C9s (replaced with LEDs) |
| Driveway | 25 C7 lights in 11" big light containers |
| Front Porch area (wreath, gift boxes, etc) | 300 lights |
| Main Lawn area | 200 C7 LED lights |
| Train, gifts, Merry Christmas sign | 200 mini lights |
| Tree area (candy canes, lights in tree) | 300 lights |
| Total: | 2075 lights (more or less) |
Of the songs in the playlist for the 2008 season, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra ones (ie Wizards of Winter and Christmas Eve/Sarajevo) are pre-made light shows -- they were simply downloaded and installed.
Every other song you see and hear has been hand-coded by me. Coding (sequencing) these songs into a light show is a very time consuming prospect. Depending on the complexity of the music (number of instruments, unique sounds/themes, changes in tempo, etc) it can take 2 to 4 HOURS for each MINUTE of song to produce a synchronized light show. Thusly, what you are viewing is the end result of approximately 100 hours of the following process:
- Listening to a few seconds-long snippet of music,
- Deciding on what lights get turned on/off,
- Selecting the effects on the light(s) in question in tenth of a second intervals,
- Listen and watch again to hear if the resuls are good,
- Repeat again for other instruments/sound themes,
- Then skip ahead to the next chunk of music.
And repeat -- over and over again. You had better really, REALLY like the music you choose, because you will be listening to it for many, many hours on end. Due to the number of LOR boxes we now have and will be acquiring, any future light shows will be 100% hand-coded. Luckily, we have all year to plan for next year's show. :)