Electronic/Software: Pirate Skull on the coral reef display!

daffy64 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 10:14 AM

My display for 2009. A singing pirate skull and clams backing him up! It was lit with a video projector casting the underwater shimmer. The reef is made out of paper mache over a plywood frame. Blobs of sprayable insulation foam create the coral lumps.

The skull is a talking candy bowl that was converted with servos and controlled by VSA running on a laptop.

The clams were vacuum formed over real shells.

Hope you enjoy it.

The video is also available here...

YouTube - Halloween 2009: The Pirate Coral Reef

Geoff

dadgonemad · #2 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 10:31 AM

Awesome! Your coral reef is beautifully constructed and detailed. Pirates rock!

-dgm

daffy64 · #3 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 10:48 AM

Thanks. I almost went nuts trying to get it ready in time. I was programming hours before the kids started coming.

Scott N. · #4 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 10:53 AM

that is awesome!

Dr Morbius · #5 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 11:03 AM

Most impressive! Very well constructed, the singing clams are perfect!

daffy64 · #6 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 11:06 AM

Thanks you guys. I didn't get all that many kids this year so I'm glad I taped it so you could enjoy it.

dadgonemad · #7 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daffy64

Thanks. I almost went nuts trying to get it ready in time. I was programming hours before the kids started coming.

I know what you mean. I modified one of my VSA routines the night before but didn't have a chance to test it. It was just a simple change afterall, right?

Well when I launched the show at 5:45, none of my servos, 5.1 audio, nor DMX dimmers were working. Agghh! Apparently my com ports got all reset and the 5.1 sound card became deactivated.... come to think of it, I did leave my PC unattended for a minute with my one-year old around.... somehow kids have a knack of hitting some magic keystroke to make everyhing go nutso.

Got everything fixed by 6:00 though

Again, nice work on your display. Love the clams.

-dgm

halloween71 · #8 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 03:07 PM

Wow!!!Everthing looks perfect!

savagehaunter · #9 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 03:28 PM

That is very, very cool. I loved the whole skull and clams singing on the reef.

gumba · #10 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 03:38 PM

Fantastic!!!!!