programming your christmas lights

PROGRAMMING YOUR CHRISTMAS LIGHTSANDREW KONKOLTECHNICAL ARCHITECT AT SENTRY INSURANCECREATOR/DESIGNER OF THE KONKOLS CHRISTMAS LIGHT SHOW

CLAPChristmas

Light Addiction Problem

MUSIC

•Turns flashing lights into Magic•Classics, Pop, Rock•TSO: Trans-Siberian Orchestra

SEQUENCING/SCHEDULING SOFTWARE

• Ties lighting effects (on/off, fades, chases, etc) to a timeline, in sync with music• Bitmap vs. Vector• Popular Free

• Vixen (2.1, 3.0, Vixen+)• HLS• Nutcracker• xLights

• Not free• Light Show Pro (LSP) – $100-$400• Light-O-Rama (LOR) - $50-$400

COMPUTER

•Most software is Windows-based•Needed for Sequencing•Needed for controlling the show and playing music

during showtime• Unless you are using a stand-alone controller

POWER (ELECTRICITY)

• AC• Traditional incandscents, LED lights from the store• Dimming requires zero-cross detector

• DC• Needed for modern LED-based lighting• 5V, 12V common• PC Power supply works well for this

• Need to consider total power required (Amps/Watts)• Outdoor = GFCI

ZERO CROSS DETECTION

FM TRANSMITTER/ANTENNA

• Gets music into the warm cars of visitors• Low Power (avoid attention of FCC)• Dipole antenna• www.radio-locator.com• RDS (Radio Data System)

PROTOCOLS / INTERFACES

• RS-485-based• DMX• Renard• LOR• PixelNet

• Ethernet-based• E1.31 (DMX-over-Ethernet or Streaming ACN)

• Pixel protocols• WS2801, TM180x, WS2811, TLS3001, GE Color Effects

• Protocol converters• Examples: Etherdongle (takes in E1.31, outputs PixelNet), E1.31-to-DMX/Renard bridges, etc.

CONTROLLERS

• Takes in information on a protocol bus and turns it into blinky-flashy• Use microcontrollers• PIC by Microchip

• Programmed in C or Assembly; flashed with PicKit• Parallax Propeller

• Programmed using proprietary “Spin” language; flashed with “Prop Plug”• 8 Cores

• Arduino

CONTROLLERS – AC

• Uses Solid-State Relays (SSRs)• On-board: AC switching happens on the same board as the protocol

processing• Off-board: AC switching happens remotely – 5V signal connects SSRs to

main board

• Fancy power-strip• Examples include Renard SS (8, 16, 24), Renard 64, Lynx

Freestyle, Lynx Express, Helix, LOR

CONTROLLERS - DC

• May either switch a DC power source (using DC SSRs), or provide power directly• Commonly controls RGB floodlights, strips, or “dumb” RGB

strings• Examples include Renard4Flood, Ren48LSD, Renard 64,

PixelNet Dumb String Controller (DSC)

CONTROLLERS - PIXEL

• Takes input protocol and produces pixel protocols to control “smart” RGB nodes• Provides constant DC power, plus a “data” signal to tell individual

nodes to set RGB output levels (providing 256^3 = 16M color possibilities)• Examples include PixelNet Smart String Controller (SSC), PixelNet

Zeus, SanDevices E68x series, J1SYS EthConGateway (ECG), RPM Pixel Bridge

CONTROLLERS – STAND-ALONE

• Some controllers can run the whole show• No computer needed at showtime• Theoretically could provide a more robust platform (Windows is not a real-

time OS)• Files (MP3, sequences) stored on removable media• Just hook up other controllers, lights, and an FM transmitter, and you’re set• Examples include Helix and EtherDongle with Conductor daughter board

LIGHTS!

• Incandescent• 1 channel per string

• AC LEDs• 1 channel per string

• DC LEDs, including “dumb” strips/strings/floods• RGB strings typically use 3 channels per string

• Pixels (“smart” strips, strings, modules)• Typically use 3 channels per node, so a string of 50 would use 150 channels

TOPOLOGY

• How does it all connect together?• It all depends!• What protocols, controllers, lights are you using?

• Centralized versus decentralized• Data and power connections

TOPOLOGY OF MY SHOW

RESOURCES

• www.doityourselfchristmas.com – General DIY lighting forum. Renard, Vixen, E68x, Audrino, HLS

• www.diylightanimation.com – Lynx, SmartStrings, Etherdongle, LSP, xLights• www.diyledexpress.com – Lots of LED-based products, boards, kits, enclosures• www.holidaycoro.com – Corrugated plastic props, DMX-based stuff, RGB• www.aliexpress.com/store/701799 - Ray Wu’s store – lots of RGB products, direct from China

(message Ray direct to get a combined shipping quote)• www.lightorama.com – Commercial (non-DIY) lighting control products• www.lightshowpro.com – Home of LSP• www.vixenlights.com – home of Vixen, including latest 3.0 releases• www.auschristmaslighting.com - Australian forum – lots of DC-based stuff (RGB, etc)• Don’t forget to check out the Wikis – most forums have one

QUESTIONS?

• Andrew.Konkol@outlook.com• https://www.facebook.com/KonkolsChristmasLightShow