Aurora Animation Feature

Originally posted by Aproct I understand the average individual may not be thinking about christmas in June, but I start creating new items for display and sequencing this time of the year.

Haven't been hanging around the decorating forums for very long, have you?

LOR has the ability to trigger sequences remotely via their controllers and their software.  To my knowledge, this feature does not yet allow the simultaneous operation of "mini-sequences" alongside scheduled sequences.  This is a relatively recent LOR feature, not to be confused with the stand-alone mode available in the deluxe version of LOR's Showtime controllers or using their MP3-Director units.  Other companies have their own priorities regarding what they and their current users feel is important, which may not necessarily be copying the most recent approach by another company.  Aurora is a very streamlined product, and to start adding every new gimmick just because another company has done it would be counter-productive.

Which doesn't mean that Aurora is in any way primitive.  In fact, it has many sophisticated sequencing features that have yet to be implemented in LOR, and at least a couple that are making their way into to Light Show Pro.  And unless you buy the full $139 version of LORS2 and then buy Holiday Lights Designer for another $49, then the visualizer in LORS2, for lack of a better term, sucks.  The unfortunate part of what is happening now is that there is a lot of focus on the newest gimmicks, and less on how to actually sequence your show.  It's like there are far too many people out there with far too much money and far too little talent.  For the next few years, I fear that we are going to see a whole lot of Nintendo-style displays, with a whole lot of DMX semi-pro gear tossed into peoples yards maquerading as art.

An example of this "Swiss Army Knife" approach would Light Show Pro.  If you really want interactive capabilities, then LSP can offer you the Nintendo Approach to Christmas displays.  But be warned...LSP is designed by a Microsoft Net Framework-oriented Programmer, so it is very memory/graphics/processor intense, and you will not be able to fully utilize its features without the most current computer at your disposal.  True, you can disable the most demanding parts of the program to streamline performance, but you will then be missing most of the "cool" features that are their selling point.  And it will still feel cumbersome to use.  You will also need to invest in Wii equipment to use their software as "Light Show Hero" (a similar approach to the video game Guitar Hero).

I'm a bit jaded, and I'm starting to ramble, but I did use the term "semi-pro" above intentionally.  It's amusing to hear how loosely the terms "artistic" and "professional" are tossed around the Christmas forums.  Especially in regards to approaches that are just not that hard to accomplish.  Sure, I could very easily get a second job to support my desire to make Starlight Express throw up on my lawn, but if I really wanted to do that sort of stuff, I'd go back to working in entertainment.  But the hours are long, and the pay sucks.

Originally posted by Aproct I understand not laying out to the competition what the upcoming plans are, but right now I am refer to items in a product that is already been released by others

Michael won't say this because he is a vendor, but I will.  By all means, if a company already has a product that you want, GO BUY IT!




Edited by tonyjmartin - 24 Jun 2009 at 1:50pm

Originally posted by Aproct There is what I beleive a 12 or 16 pin which when I went and looked for in my D-light controller that I need, it isn't there.

Can you explain this?  I don't understand what you are looking for?

There are significant milestones in the project plan that much be reached before a public time is committed to.  I do not prefer to announce a product date that is unreliable and then "scrub the launch".  I will certainly take your desire for a DIO plugin into consideration as the project plan is revised in the upcoming months.

What kind of time frame are we looking at?  It is already available via LOR...

There is no guarantee of DIO support for 2009 at this point in time.  It might still happen, but I can't guarantee it until some other things are completed first.