Frequently asked questions:

Where did you buy that stuff?  (We get asked this question more than any other!)

Most items in our display are hand made using basic building materials and "smart" LED lights or commercial grade LED Christmas light strings. Some items use custom cut plastic sheets and we installed the pixels (a pixel is a LED device made up of a red, green, and blue LED, each pixel can display more than 16 million different colors). A couple of the smaller items are store bought and we modified them with "smart" LED lights. Click here to see how the geometric wreath was made.

What makes that work?  

The LED lights are connected to controllers that receive commands from a computer. Multiple Single Board Computers work together to play the music, send commands to the controllers, display images on the video screens, and interact with the viewers. Some of the controllers operate entire strings of lights while others operate each individual pixel in a string separately. There are many thousands of channels that control the lights.

How many lights are there?  

This year, we have more than 14,000 lights, a large projection video screen, and two smaller video monitors.

How much is your electric bill?  

Since most of the lights are LED, the change to our electric bill is minimal.

How long does it take to set that up?  

Every year, we add something new and the setup time gets longer. Setup begins right after Halloween. This year, it will take about 6-7 full days to set up and test the display. However, most of the year is spent building display items, programming and testing. This is an all-year hobby.

How much time is spent programming?  

Programming the lights is by far the most time consuming part. Most of the summer is spent programming. A typical three minute song will take many hours to program. The month of October is spent testing the programs and schedules.

How can I get involved in this hobby?  

The best way to determine if this hobby is for you is to attend a "mini". These are mini conventions where knowledge is shared, questions are answered, and friends are made. Everyone in this hobby is happy to share their knowledge and experience with someone new. You can also meet the vendors (some even specialize in getting you started). To find a mini in your area, see the Mini Calendar. See these links for the New York Mini Website or New York Mini Facebook page. Feel free to Contact us if you have any questions or would like more information.