# Sync Lights and More to Music or Sound - How?



## A Guy In Town (Sep 5, 2016)

Can someone give me a crash course on synchronizing lights and small electric relays, motors, etc. to music or sounds? Links? Brand names? Necessary components? Things to avoid?


Thanks!
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## Techster (Mar 2, 2011)

This is a tough question, it depends on how far you want to go and how much time you have. A lot of people who synchronize Christmas lights start with Light-O-Rama, but controllers can get pricey. Some other options include Vixen, Renard, Falcon pi player, etc. 

I started with LightORama (LOR), and like most I am progressing into Falcon pi player realm (Falconchristmas.com). There is a ton of information on various other forums such as forums.planetchristmas.com - forums.lightorama.com - auschristmaslighting.com - and my favorite doityourselfchristmaslighting.com

I do a small front yard Halloween lightshow, a test video linked- wish I would of taken better video last year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_yN7851MZ0

Happy Haunting,
Mike


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## A Guy In Town (Sep 5, 2016)

Do you prefer to use a computer to program the lights, or do you like the SD cards and the stand alone units (no PC) better?


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## jpbaily1 (Sep 21, 2009)

A Guy In Town said:


> Do you prefer to use a computer to program the lights, or do you like the SD cards and the stand alone units (no PC) better?


I am still a fan of LOR. Easy to learn & program. You can get Ton's of pre programed songs/sequences to help get you up and running.
You can "tweak" them from there to fit your layout and number of system controllers.


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## A Guy In Town (Sep 5, 2016)

The biggest problem I have with the Light-o-Rama demo videos is ... it isn't CHRISTMAS music. If I wanted to go to a rock concert ...

I'd like to set up a nice LOR display at my home, but I wouldn't be playing the type of music I see in all of their demo videos. So I guess my light displays wouldn't have that M-TV short attention span feel. I'd probably lean more toward mixing various blues, reds and other colors in slow transitions, to "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby!

I would probably prefer to program my lights using a PC. Right now, I know absolutely nothing about how that is done.



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## z0mbie st0mp (Oct 3, 2010)

I built my own lightshow controller using an arduino, a 16 relay board and vixen lights software.

I spent less than $80 to do it, too

I can control 16 on/off items and I also run RGB LED strips.

I have been doing this for 3 years now, and people come from all over PA to watch my show

This is my controller board:









At the top is the arduino mega.

In the middle is the 16 relay board

Off to the right is an "always on" plug.

Then, at the bottom is terminal blocks... the two in the center are the commons, and the outside sets are the hots that are controlled by the relays.

I run lamp cord from the terminals to the lights and props i need to control.

Here's a video of my 2014 show (most of it)
Skip to about 45 seconds to get past the stupid siren part

http://youtu.be/23H6Mbt-h5Y

This is the first song I programmed (below). It took me about 18 hours to program and only lasts about 4 minutes. Unfortunately, I dont have video of this one on the house.

http://youtu.be/0oPkhkln17I


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