How do you make those lights work in synchronization with the music?  This is one of the most frequently asked questions about this display.  For those that are curious, read below to find out how this display works.   

It's all done via a computer. We use a computer program called Light-o-Rama to program all the lights in synchronization with the beat of the music. It can take 10-20 hours per song...a lot of time.

In order to control the lights, we use 16-channel controllers that have a number of capabilities: dimming, fading, twinkling, shimmering, etc. The controllers are connected together using CAT5e cable or telephone wire. The cable is then hooked up to the computer with an adapter that connects to the USB port on the computer. The computer software sends the signal to the controllers to tell it what to do. 

In order to put together the show, we program light sequences that can take 10-20 hours to create (sometimes longer if you have a more complicated setup). This is probably the hardest part of a computerized display, and you need to budget a LOT of time for this. Synchronizing lights to music takes a lot of time to perfect, and there is a learning curve attached to it.

 Getting Help

 You probably have a lot of questions about how to get started with this technology. We would recommend the following resources if you are looking to do this yourself:

• PlanetChristmas chatroom. Chat with thousands of other Christmas lighting enthusiasts that know their stuff! Decorators that have been featured on national television congregate on this forum. Learn from the experts and do it right.
• Light-o-Rama Wiki - If you plan on using Light-o-Rama for your display, consider checking this out.

Tips

• Plan ahead! Computerizing your display takes much more time than putting up a normal display! Start early.
• Budget! Keep in mind that synchronizing your lights to music is VERY expensive. Be prepared to budget at least $1,000 for this.
• Programming can be very time-consuming. It can take us anywhere from 10-20 hours per song in our display.
• Broadcasting: You need a way for your visitors to hear the music. We utilize an FM radio transmitter to broadcast the music out to the car's radio, so that visitors can tune in to hear the music in the comfort of their own car.

Please understand that we are NOT a business.  That means we do not sell lights or do this commercially for-profit.  We are just providing this information for those who may be interested in doing this for their displays, as we do for our family display. 

If you would like some guidance or direction doing this, we would be more than willing to help you out.