Lets talk Christmas lights

I built my own from scratch using renard boards and Vixen for strings of LEDs, but not pixel level yet. I have considered making a pixel setup, but just haven't wanted to spend the money.

Highly recommend the boards at DIYChristmas if you want to get into building from scratch.

LINK

i got big into researching this last year. i have a whole folder of what i want to do. then im glad i didnt because i moved. Are you planning on putting the channels just on the soffet or up the roof angles too?

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Are you planning on putting the channels just on the soffet or up the roof angles too?

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I have a gable roof with multiple sections, so I think I need to trace up the gables, otherwise it might look incomplete. And it's a corner lot, so there are a LOT of roof lines visible from the street.

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I don't have soldering experience

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get you an iron and start doing it... it is really really easy. use flux, heat up the wire then touch the solder to melt, not the other way around. If soldering is whats keeping you, dont let it. I learned when i was a wee boy.

I was about to link The Engineers Guide to DIY Computer Controlled Holiday Lights, but looks liek the URL is dead. Dead Link

i follow this guy, he has good tutorials. LINK

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I have a gable roof with multiple sections, so I think I need to trace up the gables, otherwise it might look incomplete. And it's a corner lot, so there are a LOT of roof lines visible from the street.

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yea i had my old house maped out in XLights. I might start a new build at the new house now my kid is getting of age

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The link you posted was to the main forum page. I didn't know if there was a specific board that you recommended.

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Ah, they have a few different pixel controllers on there, just go in general and ask some questions about what you want out of it.

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I would like to do lights that sync and dance and stuff. Anyone have a link that can explain it from scratch like I’m a 6 year old?

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Go buy Light-O-Rama equipment, it's probably the easiest to learn to use. This isn't for a 6 year old though, you have to program all the turning off and on of each string or light for each song in software. You will be running cable all over your house and yard to all the control boards/relays that also need to go from there to the strings/lights themselves. It's a wiring mess.

Light-O-Rama has a deep library of songs that others have programmed you can steal from though to create your songs.