Thread: picoBoo sound quality??

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I will piggybacking a 103 on each picoFX I get. I'll be sure to post back once I get wrap an analysis around these newer and quite promising picoFX units.

Loogs,

For what you are doing I really see why you do not go the route I suggested. I mean the PicoFx is $200 and another 103s is $70. Which brings you up to $270. The booboxflex with 4 outputs and a relay board will only set you back around $204. Even if you opted for the plug relay pack you are still at $250. The booboxflex offers 2 extra outputs and two triggers more the the 103. The scaremaster allows you to dim lights

The only downside is the $199 scaremaster you must have. The scaremaster is a amazing piece of equipment though you could never bang on 4/8 keys to get the movement you want. i like that you can "close" out the channels you are done with and work on each independently.

They are very flexible because of the 2 triggers and you can use them in a lot of configuations.

2 input

2 inputs on one prop
1 input on two props

4 input

4 inputs on one prop
2 inputs on two props
3/1 inputs on two props

8 input

8 inputs one prop
4 inputs two props
1234/5678 inputs on two props

4 very helpful overview vids here

http://www.frightprops.com/controlle...onnectors.html

You've got a good point; more outputs for the same price. I lean towards the pico units because they are small, popular, updated often, and hold their value. My qualm with the ScareMaster and the BooBox units is they are older and could be phased out anytime. FrightIdeas is always crankin' out new products and the BooBox units could be due for an overhaul.

I mean, it's like anything "electronic"; something bigger/better is always on its way. But if I can fund for the ScareMaster, I definitely want to roll with your "Flex" setup. I guess I could drop AC outlets altogether and just make pre-notched male/female patch cables for everything and just go with the cheaper regular relays instead of buying the expensive AC blocks.

It's funny, because as a sound tech, the ScareMaster resembles a little mixing console for "scaring". Thanks for letting me know you can dim, that's a big plus. What about the MP3 decoding? How high have you pushed the bit rate? 128kbps is standard on the BooBox Flex whereas the picoFX is 160kbps standard, but I would assume the Flex has more processing power so you could easily get away with pushing it.

Will the Flex automatically cycle through different scares & ambient programs as well? Seems like that's a standard thing FrightIdeas is implementing currently.

I've got quite a fright ideas collection going on now with 5- 105s w/pirs, 5- 103s w/pirs, and a scare master w/ 2 - 8 channel flexes....The Pica's are a great convenient box but you've got to use it for what it is, meaning this year, I'm using VSA/audio for the story telling areas because as you mentioned, you want the impact of high quality audio for those areas....The pica's work great for the quick things that jump out and say Boo! between those areas....I haven't messed with the flexes or the scare master yet so I don't know what the sound quality is on those but it should be pretty good.....I kind of like the pica sound quality for the screams and yells in a weird way....I'm sure it's my love for the old dark rides I ride every chance I get...They feature lot's of low quality audio and I love every minute of it ......ZR

Have any of you looked at this software? I e-mailed the guy after halloween last year (looking for a long term solution) a few times and it seems it would be a very cost effective way to run/control multiple props including mp3/wav applications. I didn't get around to it this year but will probably persue it for next year as my animated prop selection grows. The link is below. I would be interested in everyone's opinion

http://www.hottimesoftware.com/download-1.htm

i have 4 picoboo 104's and hook to the internal amp and a bose cube speaker the sound is awsome for me

Originally Posted by Industen

The scaremaster is a amazing piece of equipment though you could never bang on 4/8 keys to get the movement you want. i like that you can "close" out the channels you are done with and work on each independently.

I would have loved to use this with a flex when I programmed the mac bank for the haunted organ to play a tune....Imagine trying to keep a beat in your head while programming each channel ONE AT A TIME with a Gilderfluke minibrick8...Having all 8 channels at your disposal at the same time on something as nice as a scaremaster would have been a dream!....You just can't beat the simplicity of Fright Ideas products....ZR

I just bought a new PicoFX and a 105. As for the complaint about the bottom end, I ran both through an old computer speaker and a subwoofer. Plenty of bottom end in my opinion coming through both devices.

i have 4 picoboo 104's and hook to the internal amp and a bose cube speaker the sound is awsome for me

To give some credit to the pico's they do sound better the higher end you go in the speaker department. I've used cheap computer speakers and the sound is really bad but the speakers I have now really do make the 105's sound alot better. Not MP3 quality by any means...just better.

Loogs,

The flex is a very new product and I'm sure you could bump it up to 160kps. Quite frankly I can't tell the difference from 128-196kps. After all you are only gaining another 32kps but the difference from 8bit to 128 is like night and day. I would love .wav lossless quality but I'm more then happy with 128. The internal memory on the flex is more then enough because my props only last maybe a max 20 seconds an activation. 4 minutes for 128 is more then enough.

As mentioned earlier I haven't tried out my flex stuff yet but I'm pretty sure that's going to be my new weapon of choice for all of my future projects especially now that I have the scare master.....I've got lot's of 24 volt solenoids,LED lights,etc so it's the most logical choice......ZR

Not sure if you got my message Industen. I talked over the phone with Travis @ FrightIdeas today, he confirmed that the BooBox Flex is NOT able to dim or have any type of DMX connection; strictly on/off output. Only the picoFX and the BooBox 8 (through DMX) are capable of dimming.

I really want dimming and MP3 sound this year and the picoFX is the cheapest route. I'm dropping the order next week for a handful of those as well some 103 units for relays. I will report back once I test out the picoFX units and analyze their performance.

I will definitely be messing with BooBox Flex units next year though, no doubt my ever-growing haunt addiction will require more than 4 output controls per prop. Thanks for helping me understand the Flex, Industen.