Computer Controlled Xmas Lights

Have you ever wanted to have your holiday lights go in time to music as you may have seen in videos such as this one or this one? I have and because of this I have looked into a few systems and the cost associated. I have also built some equipment of my own but my equipment was designed for DC switching control and now I want more. That being said an example of my boxes controlling xmas lights can be found here.

This is just a summary of some of the research I have done as to what you can buy or build, and is in no way an extensive list nor an endorsement of any product or method.

The lights themselves while very important are an item beyond this discussion, so my search and information is just about the control of those lights.

The Hardware

There are a few systems to do this and while both involve some level of DIY one is more of a complete DIY where the other you purchase some of the parts. In addition to the controllers you will also need a computer and software.

A few companies sell controllers and software that are pre-assembled. To name a few light o rama and animated lighting. Between these vendors you can buy anything from a controller that is pre-built and ready to plug into your computer, and lights to a kit that you have to solder the parts to the board. You can also go one step further and create your own kit such as the Renard light controller where you can order a blank board and the parts.

These controllers also have different things they will do. Some can run standalone without the computer once programmed, while some do dimming, some just turn the lights on and off, while others do DC control and AC control.

The Software

Some of these systems will only work with one kind of software while some work with more kinds. More and more the software support multiple devices and standards such as DMX, as well as the controllers also supporting DMX as well as their own method of communication.

The free software that is available is Vixen which supports many of the controllers mentioned above. If you want to purchase software you have more options such as light show pro and ShowTime although make sure the software you use works with your controller.

The Cost

Depending on your method be prepared to spend anywhere from about $5 a channel to more than $20 a channel, which adds up quick. A 16 channel system could run you as low as $80 to easily $600 or more and that doesn't include the lights. Keep in mind many people have over a hundred channels or even over a thousand channels.

Other considerations deal with how much power your lights will draw. Some people go as far as having special circuits put in. LED lights draw much less power but also cost more. You will also want to think about the music and how people will hear it such as speakers or an FM transmitter.

Once you add all these things together you will realize it is not cheap, but most people tend to start somewhere and just keep adding year after year.

Image Sources:

Light-O-Rama

Lights on Barrel Race

Pacific Lights