Its Christmas Time!!

[ben]

I just love Christmas. Every year I get so excited just to be in that time of year. The presents are a bonus for me its just such a nice time of the year. This weekend I start setting up my 45k christmas lights all programmed to music ran by a computer. I did about 15k last year and even then people recognized me as I walked through Home Depot, Wall Mart, Lowes etc.

How many other people on here decorate and enjoy this time of year?

Only 39 days left!!!!!! My christmas lights get turned on Thanksgiving day at 6pm and run from 5pm till 11pm every day till new years.

Ben

 

[ben]

<a href="https://www.tackylighttour.com/lights/7063_Brooks_hollow_parkway?utm_source=Syndication&utm_medium=Image Link&utm_term=Decoration&utm_campaign=Badge" title="Christmas Lights on Tacky Light Tour"><img src="https://www.tackylighttour.com/images/site/badge.gif" alt="Christmas Lights on Tacky Light Tour" border="0" /></a>

Vote for me!! I just thought I would ask and see if I could get some TRF support in winning an award this year. My goal is to win a tacky tour award before I turn 18 to be the youngest winner in Richmond!

Ben

 

[gregpearson]

Ben, good luck in the contest.

I like Christmas time too, but not when they have Christmas stuff in the stores in September. That makes it too long and tends to get us burned out.

Grandkids love it though!!

 

[MaxQ]

I have done some lights...landscape only...using the botanical garden at Lews Ginter for inspiration.

Have you and the family visited the botanical garden at Christmas to see the lights ?

 

[skycopp]

Merry Festivus

 

[talkin Monkey]

Pretty Cool Ben!

Just outta morbid curiousity (too much electric bill for me), but how does the music/syncopation/timing to lighting circuits interface?

MP3 ->PLC ->Timed RLO code ->I/O Card(s) ->Relays -> 1/2 mile of Extention cords ->15kW of X-Mas lights bliss?

Or is it like waaaay smarter than that?

Somebody made CNN last year doing the same type of thing, I was just wondering what makes that type of setup tick.

 

[Micromeister]

Now that is impressive ben!
I'm also one of those who just loves the Christmas season for many reasons. but don't do the big lighting thing anymore.. Carry on my friend I'm gonna have to make an effort to find and see your set-up.

 

[Pantherjon]

And here I thought I had a big light display with only 1K lights!:lol:Well, it IS the biggest display on our block/neighborhood!

Good luck Ben! Post a couple of pictures here when you get it all up!

 

[graylensman]

Geez, Ben! I live on the other side of the city! I guess I'm gonna have to cruise by after the next launch.

As for me, I hate Xmas until I see the Grinch. Then I'm better.

 

[evil ed]

Geez, Ben! I live on the other side of the city! I guess I'm gonna have to cruise by after the next launch.

As for me, I hate Xmas until I see the Grinch. Then I'm better.

He was on TBS last night!

Ed

 

[Peartree]

He was on TBS last night!

Ed

We have it on DVD (both versions). Sometimes you just have to watch it in July...

 

[ben]

sorry for not answering ?s sonner!!

I use a program called Vixen Lights. Its free and its amazing. I solder together all my own controller that a friend of mine desgned around DMX (digital multiplexing) that is a theatre lighting standard. The lights are turned on an off using solid state relays ina circuit using a triac and opto with a resistor. I use CAt5 as the connector and the lights plug into the controller and power and computer also.

I will post some pictures when I get stuff up this weekend. I have a "mega tree" that is made from 2.5" central EMT pole with 3 foot start at the top 20 feet tall. Lights come off the bottom of the star and make a triangle out of the lights. That is the new big item this year.

lights go on November 28th and run till the first weekend after new years 6pm-11pm.

Ben

 

[ben]

alright setup started! the count is 100 light up so far. Hoping to jump to 2k by the end of tomorrow.

Ben