PROGRAMMING YOUR CHRISTMAS LIGHTSANDREW KONKOL

TECHNICAL 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