Computer controlled christmas lights in Brewster, OH
Because I found it so helpful last year to be able to download other people’s sequences, either just to see how they did something, or to modify and use their sequence outright, I decided to post my sequences for others to use. As I said before, there are parts in there from Richard Holdman, Frank Kostyun, and random_rodder, so I am in no way claiming that the sequences are original.
I was able to get on the upper roof this weekend and get all of those lights down so all that’s left is the few strands of lights still wrapped in one of the trees. They will just have to wait until it gets warmer because they are a PITA to get out. I also have a big pile of extension cords in the garage waiting me, but I’d say I have half the extension cords wrapped and put away nicely. I’ve got a few unrelated projects ahead of me, but then it’ll be full steam ahead on the 2010 show before it gets nice outside and I have no time to work on it.
I spent the better part of yesterday testing and packing away the lights until next year. I still haven’t put them in their final resting spot, as there are a few strings still up on the upper roof that are waiting for the snow to melt before they come down. There’s also the miscellaneous stuff like sorting all the extra bulbs so they can be found easier and other stuff like that, but for the most part everything is put away.
Now to get building on 2010 stuff 
Well I went out and braved the 17F temperatures this morning. I know, to those of you in MN with -17F, that isn’t cold, but it was still cold. I got most of the display down. I didn’t venture on the roof to get the upper roof portions as there is still snow there and I wasn’t all about ending up in the hospital after a fall from the roof. I also didn’t completely get the wrapped trees unwrapped. After about 8 strings, I gave up and decided to wait for a warmer day. There’s still about three strings left in the one tree, but I just couldn’t take any more unwrapping. We had already talked about not wrapping them next year, and today firmly concreted that decision in my mind.
Currently everything is sitting in the basement warming up and drying out. There’s also a large pile of extension cords on the porch and in the garage that will need warmed up and put away, but at least they are out of the yard. Once everything drys off I can go through my yearly ritual of checking all the bulbs, fixing bad ones, and putting them away nicely. Then I can finally get onto development of next year’s show.
My wife gave me one more project for 2010 tonight. She want’s the star topper on the indoor tree to be RGB LEDs that change colors, so I am hoping to come up with a small micro-controller based project that can do this and all fit into the star.
Well in about half an hour, our first animated light display will come to a close. While there is a bit of sadness that all of our work will be coming down tomorrow (or whenever the ground thaws in some cases), the thoughts of what is planned next year have already been dancing around in my head. It’s just as exciting as it was last year as I began to plan the display.
What’s funny is that last year at this time, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but it turned out to be one of the most rewarding and enjoyable hobbies I’ve ever partaken in. Yes, it gets a little expensive at times, but what hobbies don’t I suppose.
I went out to watch the show one last time tonight, and naturally the stuck channel issue that I was having earlier in December, and thought had gone away, presented itself tonight. I tried my usual fixes and thought it was fixed again, but when I went out to watch, there it was, stuck on again. What’s strange is it’s never the same channel that gets stuck. I think once the lights are down, I’m going to hook up the controllers and run some sequences for a few days to see if I can track down what’s causing it. Anyhow, my last viewing of the show was unfortunately marred by this channel, kind of disappointing, but oh well.
2010′s show should add many more improvements if things go how I hope. We WILL have a mega tree, that I can say for certain. The rest is up in the air, but exciting nonetheless.
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