I just added 600 more
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Category: Whatever Else
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URL: http://www.aurorashow.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=991
Printed Date: 13 May 2025 at 2:12pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.06 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: I just added 600 more
Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Subject: I just added 600 more
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2009 at 11:46am
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I just added 600 more lights and 3 more channels to the display this morning... just for one song!
A kid emailed me requesting the Chipmunk song... which gave me an excuse to add 3 "mid trees" (4' high minis) to the display. I'm using W2E on them... one for each chipmunk. I didn't have many lights left in the garage, so I had to do them a bit thin (only 200 on each tree).
On another note... I was out in the yard maintaining some stuff last night when a child was yelling from a car "Make the rainbows work! Make the rainbows work!" It took me a while to figure out that she meant the Firefli arches which are only used maybe 5% of the time in the show.
I think this makes my light count 41,639 and the channel count 240 now. ------------- http://www.aurorashow.com/"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: LightChristmas
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2009 at 3:54pm
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Have a sequence done for that - will post to the file-share Group.If memory serves, its a reworked Holdman. ------------- http://www.aurorashow.com/"> 
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Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2009 at 4:33pm
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I'll upload mine sometime too (along with the fifth sequence I did). Typically I run mine exclusive for the first year and then dump them to the public domain for future years. Just got back in from doing display maintenance for the big night. All of the lights except for 100 are working now (those 100 are difficult to get to in this weather... I'm not going onto the roof in 35MPH winds for instance). Yes, it is realllly windy here. I added additional anchoring to the mega tree base ring since it had pulled up the rebar and was sailing 3 feet off the ground. The rain hasn't arrived yet, so the we might get a decent turnout... but if the weather turns it might be a weak night. Let's see if we can beat our previous Christmas eve record of 24 cars at a time. ------------- http://www.aurorashow.com/">
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Posted By: LightChristmas
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2009 at 4:42pm
Had 15-20mph sustained here today, along with about 2" of rain. Display is still good except for another triac on the megatree that has failed and "stuck on". Only have one extension cord left to get to the spare channel on another controller. Wife is already coming up with "ideas" for next year (that Holdman guy is a bad influence on her!)! Looks like the tax refund is going into controllers and lights!  BTW, the file is now posted if you want to grab some bits off it. ------------- http://www.aurorashow.com/">
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Posted By: Jonathan
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2009 at 4:42pm
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24 cars would be a nightmare on my street. I had 8 lined up last night when I got home from an xmas party and I had to ask a lady to move up just so that I could pull into the driveway. I may have to remove some of my spiels and replace them with the don't block traffic spiels, especially since I never got around to converting the opening sequence that did just that. ------------- ~Jonathan |
Posted By: LightChristmas
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2009 at 4:49pm
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Wife called me last night and said there were people lined up and parked along the whole street 15 minutes before the show started! Since "year two" of the show, have added the "rules" to the introduction at the start of each loop. 1. Don't block driveways. 2. Parking lights only - no headlights blasting into the car in front of you. 3. Keep radios turned to decent level (not 11!). Neighbors don't need to hear it too! (whenever I can hear it inside my house, I turn down the audio gain until the offender "gets it") ------------- http://www.aurorashow.com/">
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Posted By: mbyers23
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2009 at 5:18pm
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Ugh, got the call from the HOA last night. Traffic has skyrocketed the last few days and get out of their cars and blast the music, and don't bother to stop blocking driveways until residents get out of their cars to ask. I just added some rules to my intro and put in the show in a few places. Hopfully this will make peace...
Marcus
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Posted By: ChrisL1976
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2009 at 6:48pm
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Limited parking here tonight.....Like 2 spots. Neighbors across the street have a family get together every Christmas eve.
May get interesting here in about 30 minutes when it has been getting busy ------------- Chris www.lightsonsixth.com |
Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2009 at 7:37pm
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I'm thankful I live in the country! The front yard is about 180 feet wide and the neighbors are absolutely great. I must be the only one who had Demented Elf do the voice overs that requested the removal of the driveways part of the rules. It just hasn't been a problem here and the neighbor across the street doesn't mind if people park in the driveway to watch (it's a great angle). We do get loud radios, but it isn't as bad when the houses are all set back 100' from the road. For the first time we put on santa hats and talked to some of the visitors. I learned a few things in the process... like once we get lined up around 9 or more it becomes too far to see the tune to signs. I'm thinking about adding another sign for the busy nights at the neighbors next year. About 2/3 are return visitors; many have made our house a Christmas tradition. About 1/3 were here for the first time ever. Most common questions: 1. How does the radio station work? (or some variation thereof). 2. How long does it take to set up? Funny none of the public asks about light counts, channel counts, etc. ------------- http://www.aurorashow.com/">
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Posted By: deweycooter
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2009 at 10:11pm
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1. I have a buddy who works at the station - I just give him a call when I'm ready to start the song. 2. Right around.... 3 1/2 hours. ------------- http://www.deweycooter.com/wiki/index.php/Aurora - Aurora Lights Wiki http://www.aurorashow.com/"> 
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Posted By: ChrisL1976
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2009 at 10:46pm
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I've gotten a couple humorous question over the year: How do you get the lights to change colors? Do the leaping arches run underground? ------------- Chris www.lightsonsixth.com |
Posted By: BigDPS
Date Posted: 28 Dec 2009 at 10:33am
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Typical questions I get are "How many extension cords did it take" and "where do you store all these lights". We weren't here at Christmas but the neighbor told me it was just crazy. He had never seen so many cars in one spot. He's thinking of installing a toll booth next year!! ------------- http://www.aurorashow.com/"> 
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Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Date Posted: 28 Dec 2009 at 11:18am
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Traffic didn't surge as high on Christmas eve this year. With the weekend timing, it was more spread out and steady instead of all at once. We probably peaked at 11 at a time instead of 24 as we've done in the past. I did get the extension cord question... I just said "about a mile". I used to keep stats on cord length, but I didn't keep track with this year's reconfigure. Since I reused a lot of old wire in the process, I can't just add up the empty SPT spools.I'm already scheming for next year... trying to figure out a new mega tree design than can animate both left/right and up/down. ------------- http://www.aurorashow.com/">
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