The Mini-tree
A simple light element you can build is a Mini-tree. Its a 3 foot tall cone shape made of fencing wire with 1 or more sets of lights on it. The ones we are building have 2 colors or is it 3? on them. One set is white and the other is red for 4 of them and green for the other 4. The total of 8 Mini-trees will occupy 16 channels on our system. This amount of channels will give us total flexibility for chases, blinking and color flashes. 2 Mini-trees will share a SSR using 4 SSRs for the group. Using Vixen to control them, some songs have the trees acting like choirboys, blinking to wording or rythms.
The Mini-Mega-tree
Our 4 Mini-Mega-trees are a bit more complicated using 8 channels and 2 SSRs each. Each tree has 4 "superstrings" on it and is about 6 foot high. A superstring is 2 or more strings of lights braided or twisted together to form a larger string with multiple channels. Our superstrings are 1 string of white braided with 1 string of blue. Each superstring is strung up and down from the top of the tree to the ring below at an angle 6 times in a quarter circle. Turning each channels on and off will give the illusion of a white tree a blue tree or a combination. Spinning, chasing and flashing effects are possible in many configurations.
The Mega-tree
In a future expansion of our system, we will make a Mega-tree. It will be about 10 to 20 feet high depending on what lights we can get. The construction of the tree is more complicated than any of the other trees. A footing must be secured at the base such as a pipe in concrete or a large base stand anchored with stakes deep into the ground to prevent the wind from blowing it over. A "topper" is placed on the top of the pole in the center of the base. The topper will have a star of some type on it, probaly a spinning set of star shaped set of lights. The topper also have anchors to hold the top end of the lights leading down to the ring at the base. At the ring near the base, the plugs for the strings will attach to the SSRs. The amount of SSRs will depend on how many channels we will assign it. We will probally have a tree with 24 or 36 channels. A multiple of 4 channels is preferred because of SSRs are configured in sets of 4 and also timing of music is usually a 4/4 beat.
A simple light element you can build is a Mini-tree. Its a 3 foot tall cone shape made of fencing wire with 1 or more sets of lights on it. The ones we are building have 2 colors or is it 3? on them. One set is white and the other is red for 4 of them and green for the other 4. The total of 8 Mini-trees will occupy 16 channels on our system. This amount of channels will give us total flexibility for chases, blinking and color flashes. 2 Mini-trees will share a SSR using 4 SSRs for the group. Using Vixen to control them, some songs have the trees acting like choirboys, blinking to wording or rythms.
The Mini-Mega-tree
Our 4 Mini-Mega-trees are a bit more complicated using 8 channels and 2 SSRs each. Each tree has 4 "superstrings" on it and is about 6 foot high. A superstring is 2 or more strings of lights braided or twisted together to form a larger string with multiple channels. Our superstrings are 1 string of white braided with 1 string of blue. Each superstring is strung up and down from the top of the tree to the ring below at an angle 6 times in a quarter circle. Turning each channels on and off will give the illusion of a white tree a blue tree or a combination. Spinning, chasing and flashing effects are possible in many configurations.
The Mega-tree
In a future expansion of our system, we will make a Mega-tree. It will be about 10 to 20 feet high depending on what lights we can get. The construction of the tree is more complicated than any of the other trees. A footing must be secured at the base such as a pipe in concrete or a large base stand anchored with stakes deep into the ground to prevent the wind from blowing it over. A "topper" is placed on the top of the pole in the center of the base. The topper will have a star of some type on it, probaly a spinning set of star shaped set of lights. The topper also have anchors to hold the top end of the lights leading down to the ring at the base. At the ring near the base, the plugs for the strings will attach to the SSRs. The amount of SSRs will depend on how many channels we will assign it. We will probally have a tree with 24 or 36 channels. A multiple of 4 channels is preferred because of SSRs are configured in sets of 4 and also timing of music is usually a 4/4 beat.
