Why do you do this?
I have always liked decorating my house for Christmas and through the years it developed into what it is today.
How many lights do you have?
For 2006 I had approximately 4,500 lights.
For 2007 I had over 8,500 lights.
For 2008 I had over 14,000 lights.
For 2009 I have over 16,000 lights.
How long does it take to setup?
I perform alot of prep work in the months prior to Christmas to make it easier to setup. I will start checking that the strings of lights are working in late September. The wiring for the wreaths on the front of the house will be installed in October before the weather starts getting too cold. The bulk of the installation occurs in early November and my shows always start before Thanksgiving. Usually one week prior is opening night.
How much does it cost to do this?
I will be honest and tell you that this is not a cheap hobby. I don't want to put how much I have invested but if you are really interested drop me a note and I can discuss it.
How do you synchronize the lights to the music?
I have a computer inside the house that runs Light-O-Rama software which in turn sends commands to my circuit boards that are connected to the lights. My circuit boards are located directly in front of the house in custom enclosures and every single light string needs to be terminated to these boards. It takes approximately three hours to program one minute of the light show. Currently my show is just over 37 minutes long so it took me a LONG time to program the songs :)
How am I able to hear the music in my car?
The computer that controls the lights is also connected to an FM transmitter which broadcasts the music a few hundred feet from my house allowing you to listen to it in your car. If I was to put speakers on the outside of my house blasting the music the neighbors would not like it very much.
Your electric bills must be high.
Actually since the lights are not all on at the same time this type of display uses less electricity than a classic static display. If I was to turn on all of the lights at one time they would draw over 39 amps. My display is not as large as some you may see on the internet.
Does the show run every night or only when you are home?
The software has a built in scheduler so it will run whether I am home or not.