Thread: Should I take the big step into animatronics or computerized lighting?

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I had my finger on the submit button for my Light O Rama order, when I paused, thinking if this is the direction I want my yard haunt to go. I've been amazed at the fine work some of you do with skeletons like Skulltonix and light displays like the singing pumpkins.

Light O Rama is having their big yearly sale this week, so I need to decide asap. I just have some lingering doubts.

I'm not trying to stir the pot, but want some honest opinions. Is it worth it? Will 20 hours of work on one song for my singing pumpkins result in only passing glances from TOTers? Do people actually stick around for more than a couple minutes watching an animated skeleton?

I find myself looking over Youtube videos. Yes, some cool effects, but I have to be honest and say I've rarely watched an entire video.

Is the time and expense worth the effect?

For me, it's the joy of building something and seeing it come to "life". Yes the programming of each little movement or light que can be tedious at times, but for me it's knowing that each of those is something I created, not a preprogrammed off the shelf prop that thousands of other people have. I have not used Light O Rama but I believe it is just for the on/off functions of relays. You will no doubt get many opinions as to what is the "best" and what "you" need to have. Before making an investment in any control system, take a look at what it will do for you and how it fits Your needs. I started out by purchasing a kit 74 relay board (controls 8 relays) and an old computer. After I decided I needed more relays, I added 2 more parallel ports to it and got 2 more kit 74s. The problem with that was I couldn't control all 24 relays with the software that came with them. After much help from the brain trust here (mainly Randyaz), I decided on VSA, a software program that will control 64 different channels of relays, servos, etc. Most presently available output devices are compatible with it. I also have a Prop2 controller that will be triggered by one of the VSA channels for a separate scene.
I quess what I'm saying is don't jump out and buy something because of a single recomendation (including this one), or because it's on sale. Do your research to see what the different methods are and how they will fit into your long term plan for your haunt.
You can check out VSA for free here Visual Show Automation - Overview
There are lots of people here that are more than willing to help you, so ask away...

I just started playing with lighting this year. 3 songs are now programed and ready to go. Still need to dig up a program that will let me load all 3 and run them back to back though.

I've enjoyed playing with this project (and it's something I can work on inside and not outside in the nasty heat).

I was wondering the same thing when I got started but I figure that I will try and get my singing pumpkins up by the first weekend of October. This way I'll get more than one night of use out of this work. I'll fire one up a night until the big event night when I'll have them all rotating.

It depends upon what you're expecting to control with LOR. LOR is great for lighting, but they do not have a servo contol board (supposedly coming in the future), so forget about controlling 3 axis skulls directly. Yes, you can (and many have) interface some of the various servo controllers out there (prop1, etc...) to LOR using a relay to trigger the servo controller, which then runs autonomously.

I have over 120 channels of LOR. But, I only use all those controllers to run 20K lights at Christmas. For this Halloween, I'm using 40 channels to control lighting and mood (mostly individual spots and a few well-placed fog machines), 8 channels for mechanical props triggered to the music, and 16 channels of DC to control my Talking thru Boris skulls, so they can sing the pirate ditties throughout the yard as part of the 'big show'.

Had I wanted to only control a few props, autonomously (i.e., not in a large coordinated show), I would NOT choose LOR. I'd be looking at the various servo controllers out there. If I later wanted to add all the mood effects and coordinate the triggering of these individual props, I could always then buy LOR to do it. LOR has a sale every June...

Craig

Thanks everyone. I really wanted something I could expand upon or change from year to year. LOR looks like the way to go.