Software is the building block of a great light show
In this guide, we will go through the most popular programs for computer-controlled Christmas light shows. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced light enthusiast, these tools will help you design and run impressive light shows synchronized with music. We’ll look at both software that requires a computer to run the show and solutions that work wirelessly or on smaller devices. All the programs we’ll cover are free, making it easy to get started with your own light show.
xLights
- Price: Free of charge
- Pros: Supports complex light shows and multiple controllers.
- Cons: Can be challenging for beginners to learn.
The most popular program for light show programming is xLights. It’s open-source and completely free to use, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced users. It supports a wide range of controllers and coro characters on the market, giving you great flexibility to create unique light shows. With xLights you can design complex animations and synchronize them with music, whether it’s for a small home project or a larger commercial setup.
FPP (Falcon Player)
- Price: Free of charge
- Pros: Many software options and can run on cheap Raspberry Pi or BeagleBone.
- Cons: May require technical knowledge for configuration.
One of the most popular tools for playing light shows is FPP (Falcon Player). It’s a free, open-source system that makes it easy to play and control light shows without the need for a full computer. FPP supports a wide range of controllers and protocols, making it a flexible choice for both small and large installations. It works with most devices, such as Raspberry Pi and BeagleBone, and allows you to play pre-programmed shows, control sequences and synchronize multiple devices – all on a stable and user-friendly platform.
xLights Scheduler
- Price: Free of charge
- For: Direct integration with xlights.
- Cons: Requires a PC that is turned on and dedicated during the entire show time.
xLights Scheduler is an important feature of xLights that allows you to run your light shows automatically using your computer. This feature requires a PC to be turned on and running the software as it acts as the brain of your light show setup. With xLights Scheduler, you can schedule when your sequences will play, synchronize shows with music and control the entire setup from one central computer. This makes it an ideal solution for those who want a flexible and reliable system for managing complex light shows where the computer is the key component in the execution.
WLED
- Price: Free of charge
- Pros: Easy to use for small installations.
- Cons: Can’t run an entire light show on its own, requires additional hardware.
WLED is a popular and easy-to-use software for controlling LED lights. It is designed to run on ESP8266 and ESP32 microcontrollers, making it possible to create advanced light shows without the need for a dedicated computer. WLED allows you to control your LED strips over Wi-Fi, either through a smartphone app, a web browser or integration with smart home systems like Home Assistant. The software is easy to install and configurable with many effects and animations. WLED is ideal for those who want a simple, wireless solution for controlling LED lights without relying on a PC to run shows.
Combination
One of the most popular solutions is a combination of xLights and Falcon Player (FPP). You design and program the light show on your PC using xLights and then transfer the show to FPP. FPP can be configured to start the show automatically based on a calendar, independent of input from an external PC. An effective hardware combination would be to use a Kulp K16A-B controller to control the lights, with a connected speaker to play music. This setup ensures both precise light control and music synchronization without the need for a constant PC connection.
