Thread: DMX Boogedy!

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Thank you for sharing Terra!! Thats really awesome when someone takes the time to show how you got to your final product. Kudos!

Great post. I am going to get my feet wet w/ DMX and VSA this year and have a few questions I hope you will answer. My current props use Hauntmaster timers and various key bangers w/ PIR sensors to trigger the action, and I would like to slowly upgrade to more complex routines.

How do you trigger a prop using VSA/DMX? Does VSA do it like a repeat timer? I have read that the DMXorcist can help here, but I really don't want to go all out the first year if I don't have to.

There are so many DMX relays to chose from; are their certain features you would recommend I look for?

And lastly, where did you purchase your cables?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Last year was my first year using VSA/DMX and I quickly realized that the only way to trigger my prop using just what I had (VSA, DMX cables and a DMX relay) was to literally hit the enter key on my laptop. After much whining, my husband came up with a solution that let me wander about 3 feet from the computer (which helped some) by getting me a wireless mouse that I hung around my neck. The optical sensor was taped off and I hit the enter key (left mouseclick) when I needed it to fire. But, I was leashed to be only 3 feet away from the laptop which was a bit of a drag. But I was with you, I didn't have the extra cash to buy an Exorcist box. That would have allowed me to use a remote which would have been much easier. If I wanted to run more than one routine, I would have to get DMXorcist.

This year I invested in the DMXorcist box and in the next month I will get into it and share my experiences with it. For now, I can't tell you specifically how it works.

You asked if VSA uses a repeat timer. I do not know, again, I'm still green on this. Last year, I needed to manually control the prop so I didn't know how the timers (if they exist) function. Perhaps others can chime in.

DMX Relay/Timer : I bought a 10 amp per channel DMX Dimmer box from cheaplights.com for $99. 136: DMX Dimmer & Relay Packs I quickly learned that the box is a DMX Dimmer box which didn't have an on/off function like true DMX Dimmer/Relay boxes. But no matter, I used a pulse bar setting when I set it up in VSA and no problem. So, a glitch to look for. I'm cool with just getting the DMX Dimmer box, by the way. In regards to the 10 amp per channel over the 5 amp per channel that was offered? Not sure if I needed the 10 amps ability but I thought to myself, "Well, I barely know what I am doing, so let's be safe". So, if anyone could let me know if I wasted my money or not, that would be cool to know.

I purchased my DMX cables from www.muscian'sfriend.com/ Be careful, there are microphone cables that many places sell as DMX cables. In fact, when I was at Guitar Center they insisted that they are the same thing. They are not! Here is a link to the cables I bought: Buy American DJ 3-Pin DMX Cable | DJ Accessories | Optical / Light Pip Cables | Musician's Friend They have a blue label, not a red (microphone cables).

Hope that helps

Thanks. Your response is a huge help. I love the mouse story. Where there is a will, there is a way. I look forward to your thoughts on the DMXorcist.

You can use a KeyWhiz and connect a mat to it to trigger VSA.
It worked like a charm for me ! It connected where your keyboard connects on the computer, when someone walked on the mat, it acted as if the enter key was hit.

Thanks Terra on the links where you purchased you equipment.

Oh my God Terra that is so cool. Maybe you can give me a few tips on painting. I too bought a few skulls from Fright Theatre but I couldn’t afford that full body. So I am in the process of building the body. Fright Theatre gave me a hell-of-deal on the skull. I just needed to fix them up with latex. I have to give them kudos for the great price. I am not a rich man by any means, so it was really nice of Fright Theatre to give me such a good deal. These skulls are very lite and very nice for making stand up props.

Terra if you can take a look at it and tell me how you would go about painting the head. As you can see I have just started out. Still has a lot to go.

Still planning on using the head for a stand up prop.

Originally Posted by Deathtouch

Oh my God Terra that is so cool. Maybe you can give me a few tips on painting. I too bought a few skulls from Fright Theatre but I could’t afford that full body. So I am in the process of building the body. Fright Theatre gave me a hell-of-deal on the skull. I just needed to fix them up with latex. I have to give them kudos for the great price. I am not a rich man by any means, so it was really nice of Fright Theatre to give me such a good deal. These skulls are very lite and very nice for making stand up props.

Terra if you can take a look at it and tell me how you would go about painting the head. As you can see I have just started out. Still has a lot to go.

Still planning on using the head for a stand up prop.

Thanks

I really like the Unborn concept for your prop. I think you could use the same latex, corpsing and painting techniques that I put in the tutorial of Boogedy. But, instead of greenish tones, I see a more true bone color would be pretty good. Or reddish tones. Basically more human colors I'm thinking. So, do a very dark red base and bone colors for the overlays. It would be a little gory but the whole Unborn take on this brings it naturally to this direction. Oh and definitely corpse it.

WOW that was a great video about DMX and your props is soooooo cool!

It might be too late of this year, but I am gonna start learnin anyway!

That looks AWESOME.

Terra,

I absolutely love your Boogedy character!
Thank you for posting how-to. I ordered Boogedy from Steve last week A project to work on with my oldest boy.

I've decided to control my character using a PicoBoo105 scare controller.
I was hoping you could help me choose the right cylinder for this guy.
I'm looking at single acting cyclinders @ FrightProps. Can you tell me which size and inches of pin stroke I would need?

FrightProps - Halloween Decorations, Halloween Props, Pneumatic Props, Animated Props, Halloween Accessories

Any help would be greatly appreciated