This update is just to let everybody know that four new DC-powered light controllers have been ordered from America.

Light-O-Rama, the business which manufactures and sells these boards, is bringing out a newer, cheaper, DC board called the CMB16D-QC. There is little difference to the more expensive CMB16D controller other than the different cable connection method. Read More...

There hasn't been an update since New Years Day, so I figured it is time for an some news.

Regarding the 2010 display, there will be changes but most of it will be behind the scenes. The biggest change is the introduction of DC controllers which is safer and more reliable for syncronising LED lights to music than the 240v AC alternative. The controllers operate under the same proprietary Light-O-Rama protocol as the CTB16PC controllers used during 2008 and 2009, so I'm hoping there won't be too many bugs to squash when I receive them.

A few new additions will be added though! Three new rope light shapes were bought during the after-Christmas sales, and soon I shall be ordering new LED lights for the verge tree, putting an end to the unreliable incandescent mini's in that section of the yard.

Yesterday was the launch of this year's Christmas display. It went off mostly as intended, although the 'sticking' issue returned on one section of the mega tree once again. I'm hoping it will be corrected for tonight.

A video from the launch is now available on the video page. Pictures and videos of individual songs are not available just yet.

Well tonight the lights were set to turn on at 8:30 pm for a few minutes to find out whether the digital timers were set up properly. Whilst some of them were a little too slow, this was nothing compared to the problems the mega tree suffered.

The 'sticking' problem has returned. This is where certain strands of LEDs on the mega tree turn on and 'stick' in the on state until the power is physically cut off by switching off power to the controllers.

So the fast fix... another trip to the shops, another $50-$60 to be spent. I guess this is to be expected, but on the eve of opening night and less than 24 hours to go, I'm feeling a bit frustrated. I'm sure the smiles of little (and big!) kids tomorrow night will make this all worth it though.

The sticking issue that the Mega Tree encounted seems to have been fixed now but I now am having lights on the magic cave fail - either staying on or not lighting at all. The white colour works as intended but the blue and green don't.

Switching one of the colours to a spare channel on a different controller don't seem to fix the issue, but running these colours directly (not through a controller) do work, so I'm a little puzzled as to what is causing the problem.

Update: disconnecting the faulty set and starting the connection process from scratch appears to have fixed the issue. Using a test set on the original mega tree channels however shows it is faulty.