WAKE COUNTY — Day 3: Monday, November 19
Tasks for the day (changed from original due to the surprise shower this AM):
Finish setting the center light frame in place.
Set up the computer in the upstairs playroom
Hang lower level snowflakes
Test and hang window wreaths
Center Light Frame:
The center light frame has to be mounted differently since its a bay window, and it doesn't have the brick insets to use my pressure fit trick. I added some bolts through the wooden frame, and the open end of the pvc legs fits over them to keep it steady. I took 30# fishing line in and around the window divider to secure it to the wall. The fishing line is thin enough that it doesn't interfere with the window closure.
After I put this in place last year, I had a significant sag in the middle of the frame, so I added a pvc support leg in the middle to keep the frame square.
Wreaths:
I used a fairly traditional wreath design, and added multi-function lights. I don't have a good way to control the functions from within the computer control software, so I only fire these on for short periods of time (no dimming) and get the multi-color twinkle. You'll see it for emphasis on only a couple of strong musical hits.
Computer:
I had the computer stored (its an aging PIII running Windows 2000, but more than adequate for controlling the light show), and had to install it in the upstairs playroom. Has to be at a decent height and close to a front facing window, because the very weak FM transmitter hooks up to it. It's the same kind of transmitter used in cars to transmit from an MP3 player to the car stereo over FM. I caught a couple of screen shots of the control software.
I was suprised to find a new station on the frequency I used last year (95.3), so I had to go in search of an unused frequency. Looks like 90.3 is a good candidate frequency (currently unassigned anywhere in our market), and I would only have to replace one numeral on my sign. I changed the tranmitter frequency to 90.3, and initial testing sounds good.
The signal gets from the computer to the controller boxes downstairs by a regular network cable routed from the playroom, down through the garage, under the house, and then out a foundation vent to the first controller. (techie types: its an RS-485 signaling standard carrying the signal over the CAT5).
More photos for today's work effort in the image gallery
Lights deployed today: 4000
Total so far: 21000 (none of them plugged in yet)
