DIY Christmas Lights Set to Music - Choreographed House Lights

Intro: DIY Christmas Lights Set to Music - Choreographed House Lights

DIY Christmas Lights Set To Music - Choreographed House Lights

This is NOT a beginner DIY. You will need a firm grasp on electronics, circuity, BASIC programming and general smarts about electrical safety. This DIY is for an experienced person so I will not go into detail about how to solder or how to read schematics etc. Sorry, it would take way too long to write an instructable that included schooling in electronics.

Here is a DIY to make your house christmas lights Choreographed to any song you want. It's not easy but if you're good at electronics YOU CAN DO IT!

STEP 1: The Components

To get started you'll need 16 MOSFETS, 16 Relays rated at 9V 10A, blank PC board, Cat5 wire, hot glue, a transformer rated to drop down 110V to 9V a bridge rectifier and Capacitors from Radio Shack.

STEP 2: Schematic

Here's a diagram of the circuit you'll need to build. It's basically a transformer to power the 9V relays. Then a microcontroller (later steps) will send a signal to the MOSFETS which will then activate the relays which will turn the 110V power on to the individual plugs.

STEP 3: Mechanical Relay Pack

Heres a picture of how I wired the relay pack. You can put them on a board if you want. I used CAT5 wire for all low voltage circuits and 12GA wire for the 110V applications. I recommend hot gluing all wires together to keep them from bending or breaking.

STEP 4: Relay Pack

Here's another pic of the relay pack with the rest of the board we'll build soon.

STEP 5: MOSFET Pack

Here's the MOSFET pack on the circuit board. You'll have to be creative when wiring them. If you like to etch your own board you cn do that but I just used wires and solder.

STEP 6: Wiring the MOSFETS

Here's the underside of the board where I wired the MOSFETS. I used 3 pieces of CAT5 wire. You can see the blue CAT5 wire to the left and right. This keeps it somewhat neat and organized.

STEP 7: Wired Circuit Board

Here's a pic of the entire board built. We'll get to the microcontroller board soon. But, now you can glue the transformer to the board, hook up the rectifire and capacitors and wire the relays to the mosfets. You'll have 16 large wires to go to the 110V AC outlets, a 110V AC Input and a strand of CAT5 to go to the microcontroller.

STEP 8: Wired Outlets

I got this plastic box and individual 110C outlets on ebay. Here's the back of the outlets and switchs wired. I used all 10GA wire.

STEP 9: Wired Box

Here's the box completed. I added a fan and fuse for safety. All we need now is the microcontroller.

STEP 10: Microcontroller

You can buy the board you see in my box for the microcontroller at parallax.com. It's the BASIC STAMP development board. I also used the BS2e module. You'll probably want to familiarize yourself with this software but it uses BASIC programing language so it's pretty easy. I'll attach a copy of one of the programs I wrote to the next step.

STEP 11: Writing the Program

This is what takes the most time. Since it's such a basic program you actually have to program every milisecond. It takes many hours to get this right but it's worth it! You can program the chip to turn lights off and on at any time in sequence. Here's an example of the wizards program.

'{$STAMP BS2e, Wizards2.bse, Wizards3.bse}

reps VAR Byte
freq VAR Word
repsl VAR Byte

LOW 1
LOW 2
LOW 3
LOW 4
LOW 5
LOW 6
LOW 7
LOW 8
LOW 9
LOW 10
LOW 11
LOW 12
LOW 13
LOW 14
LOW 15
LOW 16

PAUSE 4300

'first beats'
reps = 1
FOR reps = 1 TO 7
PAUSE 450
HIGH 15
HIGH 16
PAUSE 50
LOW 15
LOW 16
PAUSE 100
HIGH 15
HIGH 16
PAUSE 50
LOW 15
LOW 16
PAUSE 100
HIGH 15
HIGH 16
PAUSE 50
LOW 15
LOW 16
NEXT
'first run up'
freq = 200
HIGH 1
PAUSE freq
HIGH 2
PAUSE freq
HIGH 3
PAUSE freq
HIGH 4
PAUSE freq
HIGH 5
PAUSE freq
HIGH 7
HIGH 8
PAUSE freq
HIGH 12
HIGH 13
PAUSE freq
LOW 1
LOW 2
LOW 3
LOW 4
LOW 5
LOW 7
LOW 8
LOW 12
LOW 13
'second beats'
HIGH 15
HIGH 16
PAUSE 50
LOW 15
LOW 16
PAUSE 100
HIGH 15
HIGH 16
PAUSE 50
LOW 15
LOW 16
reps = 1
FOR reps = 1 TO 6
PAUSE 450
HIGH 15
HIGH 16
PAUSE 50
LOW 15
LOW 16
PAUSE 100
HIGH 15
HIGH 16
PAUSE 50
LOW 15
LOW 16
PAUSE 100
HIGH 15
HIGH 16
PAUSE 50
LOW 15
LOW 16
NEXT
'run up then down'
freq = 200
HIGH 2
PAUSE freq
HIGH 3
PAUSE freq
HIGH 4
PAUSE freq
HIGH 5
PAUSE freq
LOW 5
PAUSE freq
LOW 4
PAUSE freq
LOW 3
PAUSE freq
LOW 2

PAUSE 100
'first crazy up and down'
freq = 50
FOR reps = 1 TO 6

HIGH 7
HIGH 8
HIGH 9
PAUSE freq
HIGH 5
PAUSE freq
LOW 6
LOW 7
LOW 8
LOW 9
HIGH 4
PAUSE freq
LOW 5
HIGH 3
PAUSE freq
LOW 4
HIGH 2
PAUSE freq
LOW 3
HIGH 1
PAUSE freq
LOW 2
PAUSE freq
PAUSE freq
HIGH 1
PAUSE freq
HIGH 2
PAUSE freq
LOW 1
HIGH 3
PAUSE freq
LOW 2
HIGH 4
PAUSE freq
LOW 3
HIGH 5
PAUSE freq
LOW 4
HIGH 7
HIGH 8
HIGH 9
PAUSE freq
LOW 5
PAUSE freq
PAUSE freq
NEXT
LOW 7
LOW 8
LOW 9
END

Attached is a Word file containing the entire program. Also attached is the audio for it. Just flash it to your module and it's ready to go. Email me if you want more programs and I'll send them to you

STEP 12: Set It All Up

Now, find a spot in your garage to house the box. I had my laptop out there so I could flash different songs on the chip. Play the music loud in your house and trip the lights on at the appropriate time and you'll probably get your name and house in the newspaper like I did.

Here are some videos
The Best one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Cj-morKHPQ

Another good one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co-eirSUmsk

No sound on this one. Just crazy capabilities of the system
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZhcyr4RYLg

STEP 13: The Best Video

The Best One

It's a little repetative but it gets BETTER NEAR THE END so be sure to watch the whole thing!

BETTER NEAR THE END

STEP 14: Another Video

STEP 15: Capabilities

Here's a video of the capabilities of this system. The lights are all LED so they can turn off and on faster than the eye can see.

Comments

[FreddyJ1]

here is my email could you email me the word doc with the program codes. Thank

[e-mail]

[Ram15004x4]

This is the best.  I do have a question though.

I have read everything I can find on the Basic Stamp 2 Microcontroler. But I can't find anything On how to flash The Music and the code to the chip. Even in their forums.

Can you shed some light on this or tell me what book or books I need to read because I really want to build one of these.

Keep up the great work.

Ram


Ps. love the Basketball

[stempile]

@RAM This is exciting stuff! Checkout http://doityourselfchristmas.com

There is an awesome wiki as part of that community as well here: Do It Yourself Christmas Wiki

I stated out in 2005 with my own build, it was hard, time sucking and buggy!

Then I had success with Vixen software and the DIY Renard64 hardware with SSRoz boards. Its all in the wiki on how to get started and what it is all about.

ms

[prabbit22m]

It's been a while but I'll try to remember.  You can get the parallax software for free I think.  After you write the program in that software you can click a button at the top that says RECORD or WRITE or something like that.  If you get the CD that comes with the chip it will tell you how to flash the program.

The music is totally seperate from the light control.  I just started the lights and the music manually at the same time.  There's not enough room on those chips for music.  The big chip barely has enough room for the program. 

The Arduino is another great stamp module and it has a ton of support.  If you get the MEGA version it's got a ton of outputs. 

Good luck!
-Peter

[fujosamu]

what mosfet should i use?

[BrefelanDesigns]

Its Wizards of Winter by TSO (Tran-Siberian Orchestra) not wizards of light!

[mathieulj]

Simply awesome. One of the first projects on my list when i get a home. What is the song playing? Custom? kind of sound like nightwish to me but I don't know.

[chipmonger]

Great project. But for those who are not comfortable with 120 vac electrical wiring, here's a safer and simplier alternative: http://www.powerswitchtail.com

I've used these things on a number of outdoor lighting projects. The nice thing about it is instead of running ac extension cords back to the control box, I run low voltage cable to the powerswitchtails that are located close to the light strings.

[dooj]

i need to know where you got EVERYTHING, because i am going to build it. and links would help. i like you`re idea and think that contraption would a much better (and cheaper) alternative to Light-o-Rama. there are some other instructables like this, but i think this is the best out of all of them. please respond to it.

[tony112]

AWESOME DISPLAY.....It gives me many, many, many ideas this coming fall!!....thanks!. I had a couple questions, what type of BASIC chip did you use. I am new into PIC. I haven't seen 16 output chips. I am currently using an 8 output 16F84 chip. Any ideas how to multiplex 8 more onto the same chip?. Unfortunately Charlieplexing wouldn't work in this case.......... also, have you had any problems with your relays turning on and off several times a minute/second. Is there any problems of corrosion or arking. Would it be better too use solid state relays instead?? (I know they are terribly expensive though) Please advise, Thanks again for your fantastic idea!!! Take care, Tony

[prabbit22m]

It's the Basic Stamp 2e By Parallax. I think they sell a 32 output chip too. No I didn't have any problems with the relays. I think the low current keeps them from arcing. SSR's would definately be a better way to go. I would have done that if it weren't for cost. If you search youtube for my screen name, prabbit22m, you'll find one called christmas light CAPABILITIES. You'll see exactly how fast those relays can work. It's plenty fast for any music. The only thing they wouldn't work for is dimming by frequency. -Peter

[BlackHatCracker]

Considering the size of Rly 1-16, is it possible to mount them with the controller board in the same box or need a seperate box to put them in with the board. Considering the size of the stand offs that would be used, and the possible placement, maybe a larger box be used? I am asking since I am considering making this project, and I am looking at what I am going to get into price wise. Thanks! Love the light show..

[prabbit22m]

Everything fit in the box I made. In fact, there was pleanty of extra room. I would recomment mounting the relays on a board, thay will be much more secure that way. I didn't run into any problems but I was delicate with the box. Had I dropped it there might have been a damaged connection.

[BlackHatCracker]

I must give you kudos for that light display. My brother and I did one close to that, but it was not set to music a long time ago at my grandparents house... 2 days of working to get the light untangeled, and strung, and connected... 3 months worth of programming, and it was all done on a.... :: Drum roll :: ... C64 computer.. lol... Nice job! I really like it a lot!

[RoyalPayne]

Thanks for your input to my continuing education of Christmas lighting. From your video, I gather that red is not a good color, as it does not show up well unless back lit with a brighter color. Did you use the led lights in this display? As I am a beginner, I will not be attempting this electrical maze, but will turn it over to my husband. Thanks again.

[Sandisk1duo]

I have done this but with only one channel i used a npn and a relay to control a couple Christmas lights i mad the lights dim to bass, so it looks like my system is drawing helza power! the only thing is that it makes a lot of noise when the relay switches the lights on and off

[prabbit22m]

Try using an SSR (solid state relay). You can get them at mouser.com. An SSR doesn't make any noise. -Peter

[Sandisk1duo]

i was doing the project on short notice, so i couldn't order a SSR or i could use a light dimmer, if i properly tune it

[jongscx]

I'm sure you could also pay a small child to flip the lights on and off to the music too... no soldering required.

[Sandisk1duo]

ya, but he/she can't flip it 150 times a second but i like the creativity!