Sequences for Halloween

[Santas Helper]

I know this is PlanetChristmasand I also know there is a lot of very experienced members on here.

I've seen several posts concerning Halloween and was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction for animated light shows/sequences for Halloween?

I'll be running LOR controllers for my Halloween display and any help would be very much appreciated. Then all will be converted for a Christmas show. Knocking out 2seasons with one stone will help ingetting the Christmas display going sooner for me as the lights will stay up and just changing the music and sequences and various themed props.

Please? Please? Please Help?

Thanks, Tom

[Mark Sloat]

I think you are the one that PM me about the sequences for Halloween for LOR. Too bad I use Animated Lighting’s controllers or I could email them to you. But, you are in the right place for asking help with the sequence with LoR, even though it is for Halloween. There aren’t a lot of people in the Halloween community that use Animated Lighting or LOR. If you can’t get any help here you might want to check out http://www.halloweenforum.com (http://www.halloweenforum.com/) or http://forums.unpleasantstreet.com/ (http://forums.unpleasantstreet.com/) for help. But I pretty much live at both these places as much as planetchristmas and I don’t know to many people that use these products. But, it doesn’t hurt to ask. It might be a good idea to just start writing your own sequence for Halloween. I don’t know how difficult it is to write for LOR, but Animated Lighting is a breeze. MY first year I just used about 12 Halloween songs like Monster Mash and Thriller and sync them to all the lights I had on the bushes, strobes, and other lights I had. It went pretty good. I have video on it but not on the computer. But, the second year (2005) I just wrote macros for a standalone controller and placed it in the crypt I made for Halloween. This year I will probably have two structures that I will have light up with the controller. Here is a low-resolution video I made of 2005. I submitted the high-resolution video to Animated Lighting. I am hoping it gets put on their customer site. I think I screwed up and sent them the wrong video. Oh, well. LOL.



https://home.comcast.net/~sloatbyte/crypt.wmv

[Santas Helper]

Hey Mark and thanks so much for sending those links. I'll check them out.

Yes, I remember you sent me a PM on your video. I have to say your smooth lighting for your Halloween display gives it the eerie feeling and looks great. That will give me a few ideas.

Yep, I think your right. I was planning on making my own sequences with LOR. My main musicals will be with bands like Mannhiem Steamroller and Midnight Syndicates. They are more of the instrumental side which I prefer.

Thanks again for your inputs and I hope there are others out there that can provide their inputs.

Tom

[Rod Richardson]

hi Tom

check the links below my sig. I have some of my Halloween vids uploaded-Halloween 2005 I had only 8 channels of LOR to work with.

[Santas Helper]

Rod, thanks a bunch,

Only 8 channels does a lot. I really appreciate sharing that. Is the smoke machine on a seperate timer or timed with the lights thru a controller?

Great job!!! Tom

[Mark Sloat]

Didn't I see that video on animated Lighting's site?

[Rod Richardson]

Hi Mark

Shouldn't be mine (never sent to them)...I don't useAL...I use LOR.



Mark Sloat wrote:

Didn't I see that video on animated Lighting's site?

[Rod Richardson]

Hi Tom

Thanks. The fog machine is on it's own remote/timer. Not hooked up with the LOR at all.

Rod

Santas Helper wrote:

Rod, thanks a bunch,

Only 8 channels does a lot. I really appreciate sharing that. Is the smoke machine on a seperate timer or timed with the lights thru a controller?

Great job!!! Tom

[Brad Caudill]

I got several sequences. I do Addams Family, Monster Mash, some creepy sound effects, a disco Scooby Doo song,and so on.

[Santas Helper]

Brad Caudill wrote:
I got several sequences. I do Addams Family, Monster Mash, some creepy sound effects, a disco Scooby Doo song,and so on.
I would like to see some video if you have some.

Tom

[EAB]

Rod Richardson wrote:
Hi Tom

Thanks. The fog machine is on it's own remote/timer. Not hooked up with the LOR at all.

Rod


Hey Rod,

I thought about how you could get a fog machine on LOR and came up with this...

1. Purchase a 120v solenoid that drew back when activated.

2. Purchase a normally open, momentary toggle switch that would handle the 54V contolling volts of a manual fog machine switch.

3. Find a piece of scrap metal (old Real Estate sign worked great!)

4. Removed the toggle from the manual controller and rewired it to the momentary paddle type toggle switch.

5. Wired it all together and bolted it to the old real estate sign.

This is what I got...


And, it works BEAUTIFUL!! When the solenoid is charged by the LOR, it manually draws back on the paddle type toggle switchwhich connects the54V circuit on the fog machine...

[EAB]

Here's a link to the larger version of that picture...

http://www.deadlikemeonline.com/images2/controller.jpg

[Santas Helper]

EAB wrote:
Rod Richardson wrote:
Hi Tom

Thanks. The fog machine is on it's own remote/timer. Not hooked up with the LOR at all.

Rod



Hey Rod,

I thought about how you could get a fog machine on LOR and came up with this...

1. Purchase a 120v solenoid that drew back when activated.

2. Purchase a normally open, momentary toggle switch that would handle the 54V contolling volts of a manual fog machine switch.

3. Find a piece of scrap metal (old Real Estate sign worked great!)

4. Removed the toggle from the manual controller and rewired it to the momentary paddle type toggle switch.

5. Wired it all together and bolted it to the old real estate sign.

This is what I got...


And, it works BEAUTIFUL!! When the solenoid is charged by the LOR, it manually draws back on the paddle type toggle switchwhich connects the54V circuit on the fog machine...


Hey Rich, that is a GREAT idea. I'll have to check that our for sure.

Thanks a bunch, Tom

[Rod Richardson]

Rich

Great idea....fantastic.!

Did you use this set up for Halloween? (just curious as to how it worked in a "show" setting)

[EAB]

Hey, I don't even have a controller yet... I made a switchable outlet that I plugged this thing into... It's crude, ugly, and really looks homemade, but hey.. It's gonna find itself in a waterproof box that's painted black, so what do I care...

No, I've never used this setup before... I do have the timer for my machine if I do want to use it... I've actually gotten away from doing Halloween... Kids stopped coming to my house and I'm left with a bunch of candy left over...

But, I've used the fog machine for putting effects behind 'gravestones' with black lighting behind... That effect is quite cool!!

No, this years LOR controlled fog machine is goin on the Christmas display... It's firing up about 20 seconds before the laser and stobe show...

:)

[Rod Richardson]

as long as it works who cares what it looks like. :]

I just might put the gizmo together. I plan on running another fog machine opposite the cemetery...this way the TOT's get it from both sides..:laughing:

Halloween 2005 was my largest and busiest...well over 200 TOT's...cars had trouble driving down the road.

Thanks for posting and making the model

[EAB]

Good luck with that... Here's the parts list...

2' lamp cord.

1 - Aluminum Real Estate Rider

1 - Normally open, momentary paddle switch

1 - Solenoid (www.mcmaster.com (http://www.mcmaster.com) part number 70155K48 $8.82)

1 - Sprinkler survey flag (for the firm wire connection between the solenoid and the switch)

2 - Blue Wirenuts (to join the lampcord in the old switch housing)

4 - Female insulated terminals

1 - Male 120v electical plug

1 - Manual fog controller

[EAB]

Found a glitch when testing...

The momentary paddle switch can't take the strain of that 120v solenoid. I'm going to try this again using a ceiling fan, on/off pull switch. I'll let 'yall know how this works...