The greatest goal of whatever who loves to decorate their yard for Christmas is to set up a full light show that includes music. These shows can be difficult to set up, but they are spectacular to see and are well worth the effort.
Here are some steps to get your started on creating your own show:
Do your Research.
Before going any further, be aware that setting up a Christmas lightshow as part of your covering Christmas decorations take a lot of time and patience. It can be a great hobby, but it's not as easy as plugging some lights in flipping a switch. So, if you are ready, keep reading.
You are going to need a few items to make this work:
1. A computer to do the programming.
2. A light controller with manifold channels. This is what controls the lights.
3. A software program to program the light controller. This will define when the lights turn on and off in relation to the music.
4. An Fm transmitter to broadcast your music. Another selection is a pair of speakers on your front porch, but it is unlikely that the neighbors appreciate the same song playing over and over again.
5. The lights! For a faultless effect, this should comprise not just quarterly lights, but icicle lights, net lights and yard displays.
Organize and Plan.
Now you are getting down to the fun part. To make the show work, you will need to sit down with pencil and paper and compose your system. Decide what music you want to play (preferably something that has to do with Christmas), and where the decorations will be. Your plan should comprise a drawing of your front yard, with sketches and notes on how the show will work.
Buy Your tool and Decorations
Now that you have your plan, you are ready to buy your decorations. This can get expensive fast, so do some explore to make sure you aren't overpaying. I advise going through the internet for the software and control box for the lights. A crusade in Google or Yahoo should yield several results and allow you to collate several options.
Test, Test, and Test!
It's foremost adequate to say again: Test, Test, and Test! The first thing you should do is set up your controller for a singular set of lights and make sure you can get it to turn on and off. Then get it to turn on and off to music. Then add a second set of lights and make sure you can get that one to turn on and off. See why this takes so long? It can be tedious, but the results are well worth it.
Set It All Up
After all is programmed, it's just a matter of setting it up. Hang the lights, set up the displays, and plug it in.
Now, all you have left to do is sip hot cocoa and watch your neighbors scramble to get their decorations looking half as good as yours!
Good Luck!
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