PLUS2003 ClassSchedule Last Update 07-26-03 August 2-3, 2003
Who's teaching what?
lA Sparky - 101 Herb McCartney
lB Lights! Lights! Lights! Josh Barnett
lC Now You Tell Me! Chuck Smith
2A Sparky - 101 Herb McCartney
Darryl Brown, Greg Parcell, Dan2B Open Forum A Baldwin, Josh Barnett, Mark
Obermiller
2C Santa's bag of Tricks Walter Monkhouse
3A Santa's Workshop Dan Baldwin
3B Lights! Lights! Lights! Josh Barnett
3C Wire Frame Construction Mark Obermiller
4A Santa's Workshop Dan Baldwin
4B Now You Tell Me! Chuck Smith
4C Wire Frame Construction Mark Obermiller
SA Christmas Computer 101 Herb McCartney
Jackie & Walter Monkhouse, MarkSB Open Forum - B Obermiller, Terry Dykes,
Dan Hall, Hill Robertson
SC Rudolph, Do You Smell Smoke? Tim Fischer
6A Christmas Computer 101 Steve Pearson
6B To Etch or Not To Etch? Terry Dykes
6C Scotty, Emergency Impulse Power! Dan Hall
7A Is This the Year You Go Digital? Drew Hickman
7B Fox News Will Arrive At 6:30 Chuck Smith
7C Scotty, Emergency Impulse Power! Dan Hall
8A On Dasher! Drew Hickman
8B A Very MIDI Christmas Terry Dykes
.c:> 8e Rudolph, Do You Smell Smoke? Tim Fischer
9A On Dasher! Drew Hickman
PLUS2003 ClassSchedule more info: http://www.pianetchristmas.comIPLUS.htm
PLUS 2003 Class Schedule
9B
9C
Last Update 07-26-03 August 2-3, 2003
Open Forum - C Steve Pearson, Tim Fischer, DanBaldwin, Chuck Smith, Ron Lister
Christmas Web SiteDesign/Development Hill Robertson
ASl
AS2AS3AS4
Discussion of programming display control software * - Hosted by ChuckSmith
Demo-discussion of Light-O-Rama -Hosted by Dan Baldwin
Demo-discussion of a Parallel Port Control Box-Hosted by Hill Robertson
Demo-discussion of Blitzen -Hosted by Jeff Sands
PLUS 2003 Class Schedule more info: http://www.planetchristmas.comIPLUS.htm
PLUS 2003 Class Schedule Last Update 0726-03 August 2-3, 2003
A Very MIDIChristmas
8B Terry DykesMIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface -pronounced middy) is an electronic music standard forcontrolling devices such as synthesizers and soundcards. Terry has designed a controller that respondsto standard MIDI commands broadcast on a RS-48Sbus via CATS cable. This course is designed for allparticipates with both low and high level aspectsdiscussed. Course components are:
~ What is MIDI
~ How does MIDI work
~ System Component Description
~ What is Sequencing Software
• Cakewalk Home Studio Introduction
• Customizing for Christmas Lights
• Editing/Dim minq/.Audio Mixing
• Synchronizing Lights to Audio
• Automatic Time Scheduling
Blitzen AS4 Jeff Sands
ChristmasComputer 101
SA
6A
Blitzen! A demonstration and/or discussion of theBlitzen control program.
This course is designed for students with limited or nobackground in Personal Computers. If you have beenthinking about going computer controlled but thought:"it's too complicated", "I'm afraid I will burnsomething up", or "I'm frankly a little afraid of thosethings", this is definitely the course for you. Themain topics are:
~ Basic Terminology
~ Major Hardware Components and Their Function
~ Software Components and Their Function
~ Demonstration of a Computer Driven Display
Steve Pearson(Herb McCartney)
PLUS 2003 Class Schedule more info: http://www.pianetchristmas.comIPLUS.htm
PLUS 2003 Class Schedule Last Update 07-26-03 August 2-3, 2003
Christmas Web 9C This course is divided into halves. The first half is Hill Robertson
Site Design designed for people who are contemplating a web siteDevelopment and have little or no experience. This part covers:
~ What do I need:
1. Domain Name
2. Web Site Host
~ Design and development options:
1. DIY - Web development applications
2. By-the-numbers - On-line kits
3. Full service - Where do I send the check?
The second half is designed for people who currentlyhave a web site and would like to further develop it.This part covers:
~ Options for the non-programming webmaster
~ Options for the programming webmaster
Fox News Will 7B This course is designed for people who have a display Chuck Smith
Be Here that will probably attract or you would like to attract(Ron lister)
At 6:30 media attention. It concentrates on:~ How to get media exposure
~ Working with the reporters when they arrive
~ How to do an interview and finally
~ Handling the "Scrooges" in the communit.
Santa's Bag of 2C Santa's Bag of Tricks is designed for both the first Walter and Jackie
Tricks timer and the veteran. Learn some of the secretsMonkhouse
used by the master display builders Walter and JackieMonkhouse. Check his web site out and see some ofthe cool things they has designed and built over theyears. Learn the secrets the pros us to:
~ "Push any of the buttons" of their CD or VCRwithout actually being there
~ Turn on or off parts of their display by remotecontrol from in front of their house
~ Get their tall (up to 42 feet) display items upquickly
/""' See their display in action and make any necessarychanges before they install the first string of lights
PLUS 2003 Class Schedule more info: http://www.planetchristmas.comIPLUS.htm
PLUS 2003 Class Schedule Last Update 07-26-03 August 2-3, 2003
Is This TheYearYou
Go Digital?
7A This course is designed for people who are making themove to computer controlled lights but are uncertainas to what technology to use. People who arethinking of changing technology may also find thisvery informative
There are several methods of controlling your lightswith a computer. Much has been written about theadvantages of one over another. It has become quiteconfusing for many people. This class will attempt tobring clarity to the subject. The instructor will coverthe 4 types of technologies available, their pluses andminuses and what it requires to make them work.Those 4 technologies are:
~ Serial
~ Parallel
~ Digital I/O card
~ Xl0 (CMllA or CM17A computer interfaces)
Drew Hickman(Herb McCartney)
Light-O-Rama * AS2 Demo-discussion of Dan Baldwin's Light-O-Rama froma development standpoint
Dan Baldwin
Lights!Lights!Lights!
1B3B
This course is open to anyone who would like to knowmore about the many different kinds of lights that arecurrently on the market. Traditional lights, as well assome new and exotic specialty lights, will be covered.The instructor will focus on the pros, cons, and uniquefeatures of:
~ The "c" Family
~ White and colored minis
~ Rope Lights
~ Strobes
~ LEOS
~ Neon Lights
~ Lighting Lightless Displays
* Specialty Lights: Lasers, Cold Cathode Lights,LEOs, and other exotic items
Josh Barnett(Darryl Brown)
PLUS 2003 Class Schedule more info: http://www.pianetchristmas.comlPLUS.htm
PLUS 2003 Class Schedule Last Update 07-26-03 August 2-3, 2003
Now you tellme!
1C4B
This course is designed for any student who wants tobe more efficient with non-setup time. It focuses on:
~ Various phases of the planning process
~ Suggested time-lines for specific mile-stones
~ Estimating development time
~ When to redesign
~ Tips for a faster setup
~ Breakdown strategies
~ Storage and labeling suggestions
Chuck Smith(Ron Lister)
On Dasher! 8A
9A
This course is open to anyone who would like to knowmore about Dasher. Dasher is a software programthat will free you from the technical programming sideof computer-controlled indoor or outdoor lightingdisplays.
Drew Hickman, the creator of Dasher, will take youthrough the process of designing a simple programand then demonstrate its operation. There will beinformation about recent developments as well aswhat's on the horizon for Dasher. This will be a highlyinteractive presentation.
Drew Hickman(Greg Parcell)
Opendiscussion ofprogramming
display controlsoftware*
OPEN FORUMA
OPEN FORUMB
OPEN FORUMC
1../
,9B Panel will host a question and answer session on
relevant issues related to Christmas lighting
AS1
1B
5B
This discussion will cover various issues, problems,and techniques related to writing your own softwarefor the control of Christmas lights. Come join themfor a non-structured talk about the good, the bad andthe ugly!
Panel will host a question and answer session onrelevant issues related to Christmas lighting
Panel will host a question and answer session onrelevant issues related to Christmas lighting
Chuck Smith
Darryl BrownGreg ParcellDan BaldwinJosh BarnettMark Obermiller
Mark ObermillerTerry DykesDaniel HallHill RobertsonJackie MonkhouseWalter Monkhouse
Steve PearsonTim FischerDan BaldwinChuck SmithRon Lister
PLUS 2003 Class Schedule more info: http://www.pianetchristmas.comiPLUS.htm
PLUS 2003 Class Schedule Last Update 07-26-03 August 2-3, 2003
r\ Parallel Port AS3 Open discussion and demo of Hill Robertson's Parallel Hill Robertson
Control Box* Port Control Box.
Rudolph, 5C This course is designed for all participants regardless Tim Fischer
Do You Smell of their experience constructing a Christmas Display. (Dan Hall)
Smoke? 8C It will focus on:
~ Common problems and solutions
~ Prevention as a trouble shooting technique
~ Common safety procedures and why
Santa's 3A This course is designed for those interested in building Dan Baldwin
Workshop physical structures for their display. Highlights of the(Darryl Brown)
4A course include:
~ Common materials used for building displays(coro, plywood, netting for rope lights, wireframe,etc.)
~ Construction Techniques
~ What should be in your toolbox
Scotty, 6C This course is designed for any student who wants to Daniel Hall
Emergency guarantee the display will have adequate power(Herb McCartney)
:(mpulse Power! 7C through proper and safe procedures. Main points of'"
the class consist of:-
~ Calculating the power needs of your display
~ Determining how those needs may be met
~ Providing power safely
~ Anticipating future needs
Sparky - 101 lA This course is designed to provide students with a Herb McCartney
limited understanding of electricity as it applies to(Dan Hall)
2A Christmas lights. Course components are:~ Basic Terminology
~ Essentials of an AC & DC Circuit
~ Series & Parallel Circuits
~ Understanding Resistance- Voltage-Curren i-Po wer
~ Application of Ohm's Law
~ Meters and Measurements
\
PLUS 2003 Class Schedule more info: http://www.planetchristmas.com/PLUS.htm
PLUS 2003 Class Schedule Last Update 07-26-03 August 2-3, 2003
To Etch or 6B This course is designed to show students how to make Terry Dykes
Not To Etch? a single-sided printed circuit board. Though the mostpopular methods are to be discussed, a sampleproject will illustrate the process step-by-step. Thefollowing topics are to be covered:
~ Bread boarding
~ Creating a PCBLayout
~ Transferring your layout to the circuit board
~ Etching
~ Drilling, Plating, Tinning, and Soldering
~ Protecting your circuits from the weather
Wire Frame 3C This course is designed to show students how to build Mark Obermiller
Construction 4C wire-framed displays from scratch as well asmodifying existing displays. There will be a briefdiscussion of both 20 and 3D displays. It is assumedthat the student does know how to weld, use a cuttingtorch, or use other steel fabricating tools. Thefollowing topics comprise this course:
~ Designing a display
~ Automating the display
~ Selecting the proper tools
~ Selecting and locating materials
~ Bending steel
~ Cutting steel
~ Fabricating letters
~ Selecting appropriate lights
~ Learning proper techniques for attaching lights
Names appearing in parentheses will deliver the classif the primary presenter is unable to present
* These sessions are open to all but discussions will involveknowledge beyond most new or intermediate enthusiast
** Brown Bag Class
PLUS 2003 Class Schedule more info: http://www.planetchristmas.com/PLUS.htm