Projects

A lot of the lights you will see on this website, and at my home, are controlled by a PC. The software is called Vixen, a great public domain application designed by K.C. Much of the hardware, controllers were either designed by me, or by friends over at DIYC.


Vixen

The software used to control my lights is called Vixen.

 

DIYC

Want to know more about automated Christmas lighting? drop over the DIYC and check out the ideas, hear what others are up to, and new projects.


GPW 204556

Christmas only comes once a year! What to do the rest of the year? rebuild a June 1944 Ford GPW jeep. Have a look at the project via the Tabs above.

 

VMVC

I am a member of the Victorian Military Vehicle Corps, and you can see my 'other' website.

2009 Blog

Once Halloween is complete, the setup fro Christmas begins.

 

My preparation this year has been as hectic as the last two years, with too many tasks to have completed before the lights turn on.

 

This year there have been a number of major changes.

 

I am now using DMX controllers for 50% of the channels, and RENARD Controllers for the rest. The majority of the DMX controllers were designed by a friend in the US. Each controller is 8 channels and control the DC LED strings and display items.

 

I am also using DMX controlled Pixels.

 

You will see a lot more use of colour this year, I have RGB LED Floods on both the top and ground floors of the house.

 

Many of the popular decorations are back again this year, the 20 foot Megatree and the Leaping Arches.

 

1st December - Lights On

The goal was set to be live by December 1st, and we got there! not without some tears and terse words. I am still making adjustments and will be adding songs and more lights over the next three weeks.

 

4th December - the Music is playing on 89.1

I changed the program around and the music is now being transmitted on a small FM transmitter. Tune to 89.1 FM and listen to the music while you watch the lights.

 

6th December - Dancing in the streets

One of the tracks this year is from Michael Jackson, We had a group of teenagers turn up, crank up the radio, and start dancing to the Music.