BrokenArrowChristmas.com

1 down....

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:59:00 +0000

Yanni's Standing in Motion is DONE! I finished it last night. I shortened the song to 3:24 so it is not so long. I may have a few tweaks once I see it with the lights on but for the most part I can move on to the next song.

An email I received earlier today

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:40:00 +0000

We are proud to announce that we have a new opportunity to share your Christmas light display with fans from around the world!

A TLC Christmas Light Special will air Dec. 6th! We are looking for families near Phoenix, AZ and Broken Arrow, OK that love the holiday season and decorate their houses to spread the holiday cheer. TLC is a family friendly channel, it's popular for Jon & Kate Plus 8, so it will be a show they can watch with their kids. We want to see all the time, and hard work that goes into it, from setting up to when the lights go on, and then bring the celebration and joy it brings to the neighborhood into every one's living room. We're looking to do in-person casting in the last two weeks of June. And because the special has an early airdate, we're looking to shoot the show in the last week of October/ first week of November.

If you are interested in participating in the show, please respond to this e-mail. We will send your information along to the production company in charge of casting

twitter

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:20:00 +0000

I have made some website updates, you can now follow us on twitter @bachristmas
I found some mispellings, and grammatical errors as well and got them cleaned up.

new lights

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:19:00 +0000

I received my strobes and wire for the 2009 show. I ordered them back in January 2009, now that they are here I can begin assembly of the new display elements I have planned. I purchased 30 strobe lights and 1000' (yes that is one thousand) feet of wire to make my custom extension cords.

2 accomplishments

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Thu, 21 May 2009 21:21:00 +0000

I now have changed my twitter account to bachristmas (which forwards to brokenarrowchristmas.com) and opened a Vimeo.com account to host my videos. I have 8videos. You can subscribe to my channel at vimeo.com/bachristmas

Follow my progress throughout the year on twitter at twitter.com/bachristmas

Yanni: Acroyali - Standing in Motion

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:01:00 +0000

I woke up at 5:30 and decided I was going to get in shape today. Went for a bike ride came home and got ready for work. I then realized I didn't even need to leave my house for another hour. The kids were still asleep, Q had already gone to work and I was bored. So what should I do.......I downloaded Yanni: Acroyali - Standing in Motion from Itunes this morning. I am going to use this in the 2009 show. Although not a "Christmas Song" it has a great beat and I can use a new display item perfectly with it....

Videos

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:23:00 +0000

I now have my videos posted on a new site. The current host for brokenarrowchristmas.com didn't include enough bandwidth for the videos, so I have moved them to vimeo. You can see them here on my video page or visit my vimeo channel. An RSS susbscription is also available. Currently there are 7 videos.

lights on the way

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:16:00 +0000

Some of the lights and features I have planned to use in the 2009 brokenarrowchristmas.com light show are being shipped in the next 48 hours. I should have them by the middle of next week. I have been on a little break from Christmas lights the past month or two waiting on this delivery. There is a long to-do list that needs to begin, I plan on beginning the set up in the first or second week of November. This will ensure the show starts on time. Generally the show starts on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

new website

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:09:00 +0000

www.brokenarrowchristmas.com has been born! This has been on my project list for 2 years now. It is finally up and running. I need to finish loading the videos from last year and continue adding text. I also reserved the domain bachristmas.com and forwarded it to brokenarrowchristmas.com.

The site includes pictures, behind the scenes images, a map to the property, and FAQ's about the display. I will continue to add images throughout the year as I build display items. go visit brokenarrowchristmas.com and give me your feedback by using the contact us link.

Long time no blog

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 21:01:00 +0000

I haven't been doing much with the light show lately so I haven't had much to write about. However, I do have all but 1 controller that I need for next year's show. I have already doubled what I had in 2008. One more will complete my plans. I have also already purchased my new FM transmitter for the show. With the increased traffic, it becomes hard to hear the old transmitter when viewing from anywhere other than immediately in front of the house. Now you will be able to tune in from a block or so away.

I still need to choose a few songs for next year. I keep thinking that I will only do a handful songs for the show b/c it has grown so much and becomes more and more time consuming each year.

New controllers

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:28:00 +0000

The first sale of the year has come and gone, I have now doubled the amount of controllers I have for the 2009 Christmas season. I lost count of the amount of lights I purchased for this year at the after Christmas sales, let's just say I bought 9000 more 2 weeks ago. I have a lot of planning and programming to do now. One or two more controllers at the summer sale and I will have the materials necessary for the 2009 show.

Winder

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:53:00 +0000

I made a new "winding jig" for my 2009 display piece that I am working on. It is 2 pieces of 2.5" L brackets welded together to go on the end of a piece of PVC that will be wrapped with the lights.

New controllers

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:16:00 +0000

I purchased 2 new controllers today for the 2009 show. I have a few more to purchase over the next year as I get time to assemble them. Ideas keep going through my head of different songs and display items. As I get more, I will post updates.

Tulsa World Article comment

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:18:00 +0000

We saw a huge increase in traffic last night after the article below was published. I hope everyone enjoys the show, feel free to leave comments here on the blog.

Tulsa World Article

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:17:00 +0000

What started as an Internet video phenomenon is becoming a trend in outdoor Christmas decor. Blame YouTube.

About three years ago, a three-minute clip titled "Christmas Lights Gone Wild" hit the video-sharing Web site. Since then, more than four million people have viewed and nearly 6,000 have commented on the video, which features a computerized light show synchronized to Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Wizards in Winter." Several Tulsa-area families have created their own versions.

No laughing matter

Alex Whiteway, a Bixby High School senior, said his dad sent him a link to the video, jokingly suggesting that the family emulate the display next year. To Whiteway, the joke was more like a challenge. He spent nine months researching Web sites and learning to synchronize his first song. Now, he has a display featuring four Trans-Siberian Orchestra songs and 300 strings of lights.

In addition to masterminding the project, Whiteway pays for the display, which lights up his house at 11534 S. 89th E. Ave. in Bixby.

"(My parents) didn't have any faith it was going to work," Alex said.

Vixen, the computer program he uses to choreograph the lights, was free, but the lights, circuit boards and extension cords add up. Alex estimates that he has spent thousands of dollars on the project.

"I try not to keep track," he said.

His mom, Tracy Whiteway, said electricity to run the lights is less than $12 a month.

Although Whiteway is the brains behind the operation, he allows his family to help with the physical labor.

Mike Cotrill says the YouTube video inspired his display at 2400 W. Quinton St. in Broken Arrow, too.

"I happened upon it online one year," Cotrill said.

Impressed and intrigued, Cotrill decided to give it a try himself. He researched online and started small. In its second year, Cotrill's 15,000-light display is ever-growing.

"It's addicting," he said.

To keep from bothering the neighbors, Cotrill and others broadcast their music through the radio using a low-wattage FM transmitter. Visitors tune their car radios to the right station (look for a sign in the yard), and the show begins.

The more, the merrier

Damon Green says his show, at 208 S. Fir Ave. in Broken Arrow, is a family affair. His daughters, Peyton, 9, and Brooke, 5, help with the lights.

"And my wife, Deborah, makes sure it doesn't look too gaudy," he said.

Luckily the neighbors seem to get a kick out of the lights.

"I've met more people from the neighborhood from this," Green said. "We'll have Christmas cards shoved in the mailbox every day."

This year, the Greens are accepting donations for Toys for Tots at their house.

"If we are going to increase the traffic around the house, we would like to see it do some good," he said.

Like Cotrill, Green says his show gets bigger each year.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jenny Redden 581-8336
jenny.redden@tulsaworld.com

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How it works
To synchronize the lights to music, Tony Eberle uses a free computer program called Vixen, which looks like an Excel spreadsheet with each light string in its own row. Increments of time make up the columns.

It works by “talking” to the controller boards (see below).

To connect the computer to the lights, Eberle builds controller boards, which take information from the computer and convert it into control signals. Those signals are sent to solid-state relays, or electronic switches, that dictate when the lights go on and off.

To broadcast the music, Eberle uses a low-wattage FM transmitter connected to his computer. He says it works like speakers that take the audio and broadcast it.

Lights out/back on

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:10:00 +0000

Last night I had to turn the lights off due to the GFI receps. The weather looks clear for tonight so they are scheduled to be back on at 5:30.

ICE + WIND = REPAIRS

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:13:00 +0000

Due to the sleet we were getting last night I shut the show down a little early. Please remember, we do not run the show when it is raining, sleeting or snowing.

Over the weekend on Saturday and Sunday because of the high winds were were having, I had to make some "adjustments" of a few display items. The wind broke the large wreath on the West gable of the house, the west window lights have a loose buld that had to be fixed, the C-9 lights on the gutters came off on the east end of the house and finally the mega tree needed to have its strings tightened a bit.

Everything is fixed and secure, so let the show continue!

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:32:00 +0000

KBEZ 92.9 did a Q&A session. Here is the interview if you would like to listen. It aired on Wednesday 12/10/2008.

http://nores.net/cotrill/cotrill/mike_cot_lights.mp3

Lights out, oops

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:45:00 +0000

I came home and we decided to go to Hickory Hills, by the way it is way over priced I think. The lights were on, came back and part of the lights were out. Well crap was my first thought. I checked the breakers since we had a little rain the night before, they weren't tripped. The next thing to do was check fuses. Finally after freezing, I changed the fuses, and the show was back on. 5 minutes later, I was looked out the window and told Q we have lookers! The lookers have been kind of slow lately. As I looked close I noticed that this was just not any looker, this was a BUS. It was 2 gentleman from Eastland Baptist Church. The knocked on the door and we talked for a bit. They were scouting out a route for a Friday night light tour. How cool is that?

Christmas Lights, Cotrill Style

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:00:00 +0000

News from BentleyVillage.Org

Christmas Lights, Cotrill Style

Sunday night at about 8:00pm while driving home from an evening out with my family we decided to drive through the neighborhood to see who had their light up. I got ours up the day after Thanksgiving, I’m such a good husband aren’t I? While driving up and down the neighborhood streets we found quite a few people had indeed put up their Christmas lights, quite a treat for the kids in the back seat. As we turned the corner onto Quinton Street I saw the lights and suddenly remembered, “Hey, that’s the guy that has the automated Christmas lights set to music. Way cool!” After we sat out in the street for a few minutes (which I’m sure looks pretty odd from inside the house) watching the lights dance to a song or two I thought, “You know, I ought to type up an article on the website about this. A good ‘Get to know your neighbor’ type article that might inspire others into a little…competition.” So here it is. Click the ‘Read More…’ link for more about Mike and his now famous dancing lights.

-------------------------

First thing Monday morning I emailed Mike Cotrill, one of our Bentley Village residents, asking for his permission to write an article about his lights, and asking him a few interview questions. Not too long thereafter Mike emailed me back with lots of information that I could use for the article. It’s almost as if he was just as excited to share his light show with us as we were to see it. I could tell right away that Mike likes his lights.

This is only Mike’s second year setting up an automated Christmas light display, but Mike has been installing Christmas lights ever since his parents would allow him up on the roof. The neighborhood his parents live in has an annual Christmas light contest, and the competition bug bit Mike at a young age. As you can see, he still has it. This year’s display consists of 48 channels of computer controlled automation which controls about 15,000 light bulbs of various colors and sizes. The setup demands about 60 extension cords ranging in size from 6 foot to 100 foot each. All this controlled by eight dedicated
15 amp breakers. At what cost you ask? Mike says, “…last year is all I can compare it to and our bill was about $35 higher than previous bills. It is actually cheaper than just having lights on all the time.” So not only does it look cool, it environmentally friendly too.

This year Mike, with the help of his wife and father, started installing the display on November 1st, working weekends until it was completed the Sunday before Thanksgiving. In addition, Mike said that he spends about 2-3 hours of programming time per minute of music and estimates that he’s spent about 75-100 hours of time throughout the past year getting the animation programs tweaked just right, synced to the music, and ready to be installed. The current show consists of two separate shows that play during alternating hours each evening. Each show is approximately 15 minutes in length and loops during its hour “in lights”. This year Mike and his team of elves added lights outlining the roof and two additional arches to the display. However, the highlight of this year is the large white/blue tree they added to the display.

Mike already has new ideas for next year and plans will undoubtedly continue to evolve all the way up until the next holiday season. His current plans for next year include adding other colors to the large tree and possibly some sort of shooting star effect.
Mike jokes, “What I would really like is to take over my neighbor’s yard (I already had to use it for a guy wires this year).” Personally I think it’s only a matter of time, and we all look forward to a multi-family automated display on Quinton Street in the near future. Maybe there will even be a little bit of competition next year, who knows. Mike, any chance you can help me convince my wife.

The Cotrill Family Christmas Lights can be seen at 2400 W Quinton St. Showtimes are Monday – Thursday from 6:00pm – 9:30pm and Friday – Sunday from 5:30pm – 9:30pm.
The audio portion of the show can be heard by tuning your car stereo to 107.9 FM while in the immediate vicinity of the show. The shows will run through January 1st. Viewers of the show should be courteous to Mike and his neighbors by keeping noise levels to a minimum and not excessively blocking the street. If you are interested in seeing a small taste of the light show, you can view some of the songs on YouTube.

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:25:00 +0000

The lights are on, I video taped a few of the songs last night, I need to do some editing of my sequences again now that I have seen them with lights. I have some ideas for next year already, one will be surveilance cameras.

Thats right, I will have to spend my hard earned money on cameras b/c some shithead cut some of my light strings. If this is you and I catch you, I feel sorry for you. I certainly hope you have good dental records because you are cutting live wires! I cannot believe someone would cut wire of all things, you are extremely lucky the lights weren't on.

Home stretch

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:18:00 +0000

For the most part the lights are done. I have a few more to add in places to just "fill in". The biggest item left to complete is editing the songs once I watch the lights now that they are up, setting up of the shows and scheduling of the shows. I also need to work on a little "cord management". There is a bit of a mess in our front yard.

We had traffic stopping last night as I while I was testing lights, I didn't even have music on, just a bunch of flashing lights.

I have added some photos in the behind the scenes gallery.

Labor

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:18:00 +0000

The lights have started going up. For those that are curious, I have the roof completed as well as the mega tree. To this point I have about 20 hours in labor only. That doesn't count the time spent planning and sequencing songs. There are 4800 lights on the tree and 550 c9 lights on the roof. click here for photos thus far.

voice overs

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:52:00 +0000

Well, thedementedelf.com just sent me a few sound bytes for using in between songs for this years show. They sound great, I cannot wait. 2008 Production is underway, I have a list of things to do between now and Dec 1 when the show officially goes live. One thing I would like to do is add a few more how to's to the blog as well as photos. We'll see how time permits.

Crunch time

noreply@blogger.com (backyardpigs) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:21:00 +0000

The display runs nightly from Dec 1st to New Year. We begin setting up and testing in mid November. Construction is the final phase of the project which requires hours of work. This is done during the spring and summer, planning then creating the new song sequences. Once activated, the display runs automatically.

As of today 10/15/2008 I have 7 songs and a few sound bytes for the show. I will probably end up with 10 songs total.