So, how do we do it?
37,000 lights total
- 850 Old Fashion C7 bulbs
- 2 large leaping arches with 1800 lights each
- 4 small leaping arches with 800 lights each
- 54 Candy Canes; 18 red, 18 green, 18 white
- 13 foot mega tree with 3200 lights plus Star (coming soon)
- many more mini-lights
- 128 individual light channels (powered by Light-O-Rama)
- And a whole lot of patience to program the lights!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long does it take to put the display up and take it down?
A: For 2008, it took 7 days to put up. Typically, we start preparing during the Summer by testing lights, making repairs, or creating new ideas. We warm up with a small Halloween display. The weekend after Halloween, we start installing the Christmas lights. It will typically takes 2 days to remove, organize and store.
Q: How does everything work?
A: I'm using a software and hardware platform called Light-O-Rama. It allows us to hook up all the lights to "channels" that can be dimmed, brighten, flickered, sparkled, or turned on or off. It is controlled by a computer that allows us to sequence the lights to the music.
Q: How did you get your own radio station?
A: We use a ipod FM tuner, the Belkan Tunecast II. It is modified with a new antenea so that we can broadcast our radio station on our street block only. This is a legal, inexpensive process.
Q: How long does it take to sequence a song?
A: It takes anywhere from 10 to 20 hours sequencing each song.
Q: How much electrical cost does it take to run the display?
A: This is the most asked question. Actually, we only see an increase of about $30-$45 for the season. Sounds crazy? Well, if you think about it, the lights are never all on at the same time for a long period of time. Before I started sychronizing our lights, our Christmas Light bill was much higher.