Newb Question...When do Coops start?

[kgustafson]

Steve,

I agree with you as well.  You can never have TOO many Lynx Expresses around.  I have 8 now and two that I have yet to build.  I used 6 this last year, when I expected to only use 4.  It is usually the spouse that drives my need to grab another Lynx Express and plug up an effect or connect another device. 

RGB does make more efficient use of cabling (as Sean mentioned) so I too am switching over some of my elements to RGB dumb and smart strings.  My mega tree for 2013 will be smart strings (I used 32 strands of Lynx controlled light strings in 2012) and I am considering RGB 'dumb strings' for my 8 mini trees (which each use 4 strands of Lynx controlled light strings for RGBW) just so I don't have to use so many power cords (64 around the mega tree alone).  I am sure that the 4 lynx expresses that are freed up by this, will find some use elsewhere.

Kurt

[jnealand]

Ditto on having surplus LEs.  I bought 4 last year to expand to the side yard (corner lot).  But then I bought some smart strings and did not get around to creating the side yard.  Thought I would get to that this year and bingo I went to the Academy and my wife saw RJ's demo tree and said I want one.  So off to buy flexstrips and learn nutcracker.  And now with my original smart strings freeing up LE channels I have excess channels to spare on my original LE's.  But is sure is nice to have a spare, and maybe 2013 I will finally get to the side yard.

For those who don't understand here is a simple example.  Every window on my house used to have 3 strings of lights and use 3 channels and 3 extension cords.  Now all those channels are unused and there is only a single cat5 going to each window.  Not only that, but I can put the smart strings up for Halloween and leave them up for Christmas with only programming changes.

[winwin]

Kurt,

I am so happy that you are running this coop and the way you do it is perfect. If you had run it for 100 units, once again the coop would have closed within hours (I just counted!). Not everyone has the flexibility to jump in a coop when it opens. The way you run the coop gives plenty of times for people to get in.

Being said, I do not envy you with all the parts you are going to have to sort, pack and ship. What a enormous job! For me, there is no rush and you can take all the time you need as far as I am concerned!

Thanks again Kurt for doing all this work.