Lessons learned from 2009 season

[lortiz]

Maybe we can start discussion about our mistakes and/or how to be better for 2010 so others can learn and avoid them.

1) I for sure way underestimated setup time to have a show ready for the season (at least Dec. 1.)  Started soldering boards like crazy on Thanksgiving. This year I must solder/prepare boards as soon as I get them from COOPS.

2) I also did not start sequencing songs until Dec. 1st. That is a very very time consuming task even for a low channel show (82 in my case). Must start sequencing new songs during Aug-Sep if not sooner. I must thank Mr. Tony Palombo for sharing his sequences. I adapted them for my setup sooner than I could create my own sequences.
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3) Thought I could get by with one of those Belkin tunecast FM transmitters. Please buy a good ONE! Period.

4) Plan, plan, plan your probable setup for 2010 NOW and make adjustments during the year.

I put together my show piece by piece (MegaTree first, Arches next, etc.) and finally had my full show ready by Dec. 21. Fortunately our Christmas season in Puerto Rico ends in January 6 with '3 Kings day' celebration.


Thanks everybody in this wonderful community, specially RJ,  for all the designs, support and advice during 2009.

Now to start planning and work for 2010 

Leo

[Made2Rock]

I was thinking of something along those lines. Maybe something in the Wiki. In my case my wife is a huge Jimmy Buffett fan soooo..... We had an island with a pair of palm trees, 3 dolphins and water. Try to find out something about water and it is not easy. I debated and came up with all these big ideas and spend days playing with them. In the end it 2 channels of 1200 blue lights that zip zag back and forth over each other. looking at it from my point of view it was not that great but from across the street it worked fairly well. The draw back was leaves, they would get hung up in the lights.

So I think a lessons learned section may not be a bad idea. Of course I also think if you want to submit something you'll need to do more then the 2 little sentences I did above.

[rrowan]

One thing that I am hoping people learned this year, not to wait until Nov, Dec to get started if at all possible. I puts a lot of stress on you and stress on all of us trying to help while getting our displays fine tune. Like building the controllers, testing them, test each channel with light strings connected to them, etc.

What I did try this year and plan to expand is using 1/2 schedule 40 pvc on the roof to help keep the lights straight. I did it across the roof peak and at the gutters. Next year I will do the left and right sides also. I plan to run a rope inside the pvc to help keep it in line.

Its NEVER to early to start sequencing.

If you have not done so yet. Write down notes of what worked for you and what didn't.  Like I know one of my mini trees (#1) needs the red lights redone since I had problems with it. The arches worked wonderfully and plan to add more.

One thing I do plan to do for now one (thanks to Tony Palombo) is to share the sequences as soon as they are ready. Like whats the big deal on holding them back the more seqs out there the more people can learn from them.

Last thing for now.

If you have a idea to add to the WIKI please follow through and put it on there. It is open to all members of DLA and just think of it as a simple text editor.

Cheers

Rick R.

[Ron]

I say watch a bunch of videos.  It's a little late to visit displays in your are now, but if you can do that next year I highly recommend it.  We visited about 10 with a bunch of other light enthusiasts this year and it was great.  Lots of good ideas.  Watching videos will also give you lots of great ideas.

As always, plan, start WAY early and try to enjoy it!

Ron

[Made2Rock]

Lets see

According to wbuehler and blearning we have around 325 days till we start the show for 2010. Now what they didn't take into account is setup. So figure about 3 weeks for that which takes us down to around 300 days.

300 days is 42 weeks and we all have to work to make the money to buy the toys that take up all our time doing christmas lights so this will drop another 210 days off the time you have to prepare for xmas 2010.

That brings it down to 90 days and if you have a family they will easily do in half of that so 90 days becomes 45.

With only 45 days you will need to layout what you want to do. You will need to plan on the parts you need. Don't forget you'll need boxes to put them in and cables to hook up the lights. What about extension cords or cat5 cables if you are not going wireless, you'll need to build somethings from scratch and you'll have to research that.

Good luck and start SOON

But one thing I will tell you is when you step back and watch what you created it is truely amazing. When you see people stopping to admire your work you love it. for a bonus walk into the middle of that yard with the music playing and watch it all surround you.

Once you do this you'll be hooked

and

a honorary member of the sick puppy club as I call it

we'll see you there next year 

in the mean time if you need help just ask but get started soon. I have been planned 2010 since early december.

Joe

[WWNF911]

You don't know how depressed I was to see the thread labeled 99 days and realized I WAS BEHIND!!!

I haven't even finished gathering up all I can at the after Christmas/75% off sales and I'm being told I have 45 days left for 2010.  

I give up!

Leon

[Kwajtony]

ROFLMAO   

[wbuehler]

Yea, Now I am sad.