Christmas Lights Gone Wild!

This is just sick; some people get way too into the holiday spirit. Click the link to see what we mean…

[Thanks, Scott]

Update: looks like dude's server got shut down, so we're hosting it now — gotta spread the love! Yes, it's still a WMV link.

Update 2: we have the deets behind to those 16,000 synchronized lights hanging off Carson Williams' house now. Thanks Bill.

[Scoobydoo @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

OMG. I have a new role model. That is AWESOME.

[Slipstream @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

I think they were trying to phone home.

[Ethan @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

My god. I wonder if they have huge amps out there to blast that music and wake up neighbors 5 miles away.

[Juice @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

How annoying is that if your the neighbor?

[firestarter @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

they have way too much time on they hands.

[Evan Evans @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Jesus will now let them into heaven.

[Ukgh @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

It's missing a big explosion at the end, like blowing up the house or something.

[Wingzinco @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

That's it, I'm breaking out the red and green spiked wristbands.

[Bryan @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

THAT...IS...AWESOME!

[my favorite xmas display ever @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

was next door to a house that was just obliterated with lights, the neighbor house was festooned with fixtures that must have consumed the output of it's own small country..

the house I loved? a sheet of plywood, with holes punched in & lights inserted it to spell out the word "ditto" and an arrow pointing at that house.

[Cameron @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

I bow before them.

[norebonomis @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

red and green spiked wristbands
thats hot...

but seriously this year i'm handing out pamphlets this xmas shit gets me sick

santa reprents the fasist capitalism and and blind faith of america..

jesus wasn't born in december...

and further more why spend more money during one part of the year? maybe because they want you to. stupid consumer.

[Chiablo @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

The research I have done on this shows that it is a hoax. He used a remote control and took individual pictures as he switched the various lights on and off. He then recompiled all of the images and added a sound track to it.

[stupid consumer @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

and a merry xmas to you too!

[cd @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

To #11

Who are you? Mr. Scrooge? Jeez....I think it's pretty cool.

You can take you communist comments and your no-fun roody-pooh ass out of this country.

You are just mad because you get nothing but coals in your stockings....The stockings of your dead rotten mother!! Merry Christmas!!

[cd @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Actually that was to #12 not #11.

[JaysonGW @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

I can only imagine how expensive that gear must cost. I've worked in A/V before, and that's a good chunk of gear just to make that performance go.
Kudos on whoever put it together - good job!

[klo @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Dude, that's amazing!!!

That's about the coolest thing I've ever seen for Christmas!

[Gooble @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Heh, I just saw this today, and its very cool. If anyone is wondering what music it is, the group is called �Trans-Siberian Orchestra� and the song playing is called �Wizards In Winter�. Think of them as Orchestrated Metal, which is uber cool, :) . Click on my name for the official site for this group.

[miko @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

#13: well, even that would be really hard since as you can see the lights fade in and out, they don't just stop and go. And you can also see transitions between various lights, shadows etc. which make it more realistic than fake. And in any case it's amaizing.

[Timm @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Thanks Gooble, I l;oved that music and now I dont have to franticaclly post on forums. :)

BTW, I dont think this was a hoax. If you look at the left 'eye' of the house, you can see a flashing light right to the left of it, from a cell tower or something of the sort. It comes in even intervals, so someone must really have too much time on their hands. Wish I could do that with my desk and PowerBook. :) Heck, I dont even have enough lights...or do I...

[MBProD @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

It's just a MIDI controlled light computer that they use for big tv program's and shows. Absolutly not fake.

[Andrew @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

i bet it would be really cool to turn the lights off, and when someone passes by, just put on the show. and record it all. Just for our viewing pleasure.

it's really really great.

[Paulo @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Wow, thats fantastic, I'm just waiting for the house to start saying things like "get out" and then implode.... must be built on a ancient burial ground...

Quote:
Carol Anne: They're here.
...
Diane: Sweetheart, last night, when you said "They're here.'...
Carol Anne: Can I take my goldfish to school?
Diane: Sweetheart, do you remember last night when you woke up, and you said "They're here.'?
Carol Anne: Uh huh
Diane: Well, who did you mean?
Carol Anne: The TV People.
Robbie: She's stoned.
Dana: Oh yeah? What do you know about it?
Robbie: More than you. Ask Dad.

For this to young to know what i'm talking about: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084516/

[mure @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Holly hell, crazy shit, very good nice :)

[davidr @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

"the deets" link is a 404...

[Swift @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

where are the "Deets". The guy that created it has not posted there or am I missing something..?

[Mitch @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

This is definitely not a hoax. This guy lives about 3 miles from where I work. We were up near there at lunch today so decided to stop by and check it out. He had taken the day off of work and was out front working on his holiday setup for this year. They guy was way cool and even took us into his garage to see all the software and hardware that runs the show. One of my co-workers lives in the same neighborhood and is going to spend some more time over there to learn about getting started on a smaller scale. And believe it or not, he does the whole show with a 40 amp service.

Final cool thing is that the Trans-Siberian Orchestra called him yesterday and offered him free tickets to their next show in Cincinnati with backstage passes and everything. How's that for quick fame?

[Ripple @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

REMEMBER the National Lampoons Christmas: Clark Griswald and his light fetish, YEAH same thing but on Crack. Mucho Awesome

[Bert S Jeltsema @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

This is fascinating. This guy deserves an award, especially if the music is original.

[wingenet @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

The choice of music makes it for me. If Mitch is going back for another look one evening, maybe he could take a camera & then upload a better quality version. I'd do it myself but I'm in the UK so not exactly a local.

[Mike Freeman @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

I agree with #18... This is the coolest Christmas display I have ever seen (and I've seen a few)! I wish I had thought of it first! I want to imitate, but vary a bit as to be somewhat original...
WAAAYYY TOOO COOOLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[PJ @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

hey engadget...

this is my first time commenting but since that other website you guys put up is down as well, i found the video on stupidvideos.com and thought you could post this entry one more time and include this link for the people who did not see the movie.

here is the link:

http://www.StupidVideos.com/?VideoID=1344


when you get this message, if you could, email me and tell me how it went.


thanks.

[William @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Hey any of you guys with "evidence" (pictures or other video) please e-mail them or post them on my website, I'd love to have more evidence this seems awesome, but I got some people that are convinced it's fake ;)

[Michael Hague @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Where is that house so that I might see it in person?

[Damion @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

It could be worse... For instance your neighbors could participate as well.

lol

http://www.uglychristmaslights.com/2005/strip.html

[drew @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

crazy stuff, i love it, the guy must have been a lighting tech, using a computer light control system, high tech fool. Great stuff, yah, also i expected the house to explode.

[Susan @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

does anyone know what song that is....i it's TSO but don't know the name of it

[Troy Mc @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

That is wicked cool!

Susan, If you take the time to read the above posts you will find the song name. :P

[mark @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

im speechless.............OR AM I? that was awesome and i didnt know christmas lights were capable of such......such talent, i bet you your neighbors are jealous unless they helped but they probly didnt OR DID THEY? and oh my dog says hi and he says well done.

[Susan @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Sorry...I guess I missed it. Thanks Troy

[Kaye @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

I thought that this was one of the coolest christmas light displays I have ever seen. It is one of the funnest displays out there and whoever thinks otherwise is jealous because they could never do something like it.

[laura @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Wow! What a way to piss off your neighbors!

[Jason @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

that is deffiently one of the coolest christmas light shows ever. Any body know how much all the equipment to do that would cost.

[Adam @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Does anyone have a username and password that i could use for the "Update 2" link? I tried to register the it's being all bullshitty and not letting me. anyone else having this problem?

[Derek Latimer @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

This guy is names Carson Williams and he lives in Mason, OH. He used Light-O-Rama controllers and the associated software to build this light show. The software (A free trial version is availible) is actually easier to use than you would think. Its a hell of a show, i must say.

[Pat @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

I just checked this place out in person since I live near Mason, Ohio - very cool. The music is broadcast over the radio so it isn't blasting out over the neighborhood (and driving the neighbors crazy with the same songs over and over). They have several songs, although the one in the video was not playing - they did have a different Trans Siberian Orchestra song.

[Erika @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

This is definatly awsome!! I want to go see it in person!! If anyone that knows where in Manson it is if you could e-mail the address that would be great!! [e-mail]

[Phil @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Any chance this could be done using X10 modules?

[Max @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

http://putfile.com/cool-chrismas-lights-

I added titles and credits to it.