Residential 16 Channel Starter Package - Computer Show

Light-O-Rama Showtime residential high voltage AC light controllers can make lights do amazing tricks.  Think of the light dimmer switch as you enter a room and how it controls one electrical circuit.  Multiply that circuit by four, eight or 16 and imagine the lighting possibilities.  Now put all those dimmers in a box and use a computer to control everything.  Each circuit can blink, twinkle, ramp up/down or take on just about any effect you desire.  Go to the next level and start linking more controllers together in a Light-O-Rama data network and imagine the possibilities of everything being synchronized.  When you’re ready to really dazzle your audience, add music and/or video and your lights will dance creating an unforgettable show.

Compatible Lights

These residential controllers are designed for 110-240VAC environments typically meaning if you can plug the lights into a wall socket you can plug them into our controller. Most incandescent and LED based lights will work fine. Make sure the lights are rated to fade or dim in order to take advantage of all of our capabilities. We do not recommend using non-dimmable lights.

Durability and Usage

Light-O-Rama manufactures the residential series of high voltage AC light controllers geared for lighter duty applications such as home use or environments not needing commercial grade equipment.  Available in 4 and 16 channel configurations, each residential high voltage AC light controllers unit is encased in a PVC enclosure designed for long life.  When mounted correctly, the controller will provide a weatherproof environment to keep the control circuitry functioning in almost any typical outdoor condition.  We do suggest common sense usage and keeping the cable access holes pointing down so the entire enclosure can shed the rain.  We also recommend the pigtail power outlets be at least one foot off the ground.  Keep the unit away from heavy splashing water and forced water flows such as from irrigation sprinklers. 

Amperage Capacity

For a 30 amp controller, each side of the CTB16PC (channels 1-8 and channels 9-16) can handle 15 amps of AC power in total. Any one channel circuit can handle up to eight (8) amps of AC power. This means that if you connect 8 amps worth of lights to channel 1, channels 2-8 (the remaining channels on that side) can only contain another 7amps combined (8+7=15). 

Residential high voltage AC light controllers plug directly into wall plugs and we recommend these be dedicate power circuits for power hungry applications.  Our 30 amp units require two independent 15 amp power feeds.  If you have more than 15 amps of power (via your light strands) connected to your controller in total (not per side), you must plug the two power cords of the CTB16PC into DIFFERENT outlets.

For more detailed information about amperage capacity, click here.

How many CTBPC16s per network?

Multiple residential high voltage AC light controllers can be connected to the same Light-O-Rama data network.  See some examples of a typical network layout and how you can combine traditional lights and pixels into the same show!  Each AC controller has a unique location code (a "Unit ID") set by your personal computer so it knows when to respond to commands.  240 CTB16PC controllers can function on the same Light-O-Rama data network giving you the ability to independently command almost 4000 channels (aka, anything you separately plug in, like a section of a leaping arch, LED snowflakes, or icicle lights on your roof).  If you need more channels, just add another network.

What else can you do with residential Ready-To-Go high voltage AC light controllers?  By attaching one of our ShowTime Directors to the Light-O-Rama data network, you can have a stand-alone system of synchronized lights (no PC needed for control).  

• Unit IDs: Up to 240 AC controllers (or one-unit-ID controllers) in a single Light-O-Rama data network
• Fading: 1024 levels used for smooth fading effects. Fades from 0.1 to 25 seconds
• Dimming: 100 levels (0%…100%), custom curves for LEDs for smooth dimming
• Built-in Effects: ramp, fade, intensity, twinkle, shimmer
• Presets: High-burn and low-burn settings

DMX Compatibility

Already have a communications infrastructure using DMX-512 typically used in the entertainment industry? We’ve got you covered. Light-O-Rama light controllers are smart enough to analyze the type of data network they are connected to and adapt to DMX-512 if needed. Depending on the unique network assigned to your Light-O-Rama controller, it will occupy that DMX-512 address plus the next 15 (for a 16 channel controller.) The control channels (depending on the controller) must be in the same DMX-512 universe. (Like DMX Universe 1, circuits 1 through 16)

Sequencing

What do you need to get your residential high voltage AC light controllers to flash your lights to music?  If you’re the creative type our ShowTime Sequencing Suite provides all the tools needed to create your own incredible show.  If you don’t have the time or inclination to create your own shows, we have plenty of off-the-shelf songs already sequenced to lights in our sequence store.

View the manual for the CTB16PC Controller here.