Thread: Prop control with laptop

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Sorry to make my firstpost a question but I've been searching for 2 nights already. I'm sure this must have be discussed before but I cannot find the correct query to return these threads.

I noticed a number of props here that rely on combinations of prop controllers, mp3 players and/or DVD players combined with DTMF decoders or other creative solutions to get audio and video in sync.. (for example the Asylum door Axe killer which I am planning on building)
This seems to make sense when making a standalone prop but all these items together add up to quite a bit of cost.

I assume an old laptop (Pentium II or III) with Serial and/or Parallel ports can do all those things and is probably cheaper to get a hold of then all these individual items nowadays (plenty old laptops available on ebay for less then $40).

Does anyone have an idea what kind of software (and maybe Operating System) + extra hardware would be required to play a video and sync some relays or motors with it? I'm also curious how I could trigger (PIR or manual or ...) a PC to start the sequence.

I was thinking the same thing you are thinking. Can't you just use a laptop as a controller?

Well, yes...... and to get the features you want to work for you.....expensive.

If you don't mind hitting the enter key on your computer to activate the routine for your prop, you could get the VSA ($50) program. But, you need a way to get the signal to the solenoid of the cylinder to fire. I use DMX signaling but that means a USB DMX interface ($60) and a DMX relay ($100). Basically it would cost upwards of $200 to get a prop to work using an existing laptop.

Headline, it's actually an expensive route to use an existing computer to fire props. I suggest a stand-alone controller.

Using DMX and VSA would definately be an option but as already stated... not exactly cheap. Reason why its not cheap: these tools are intended to run a whole network of devices.

How can I get this to work if I can dedicate a computer to a prop?

Components required:

• Sofware Audio/Video Player
• "trigger" solution to start the playback
• Interface that talks to prop (relays)

I remembered playing with WinAmp a long time ago and it had a fairly active community writing plugins so I started looking into that direction and found the following (sorry site is in German, not my native language but I can read some of it): LightCtrl which explains the following Plugin and how it can talk to a homemade light controller based on what is happening in WinAmp( Schema of the device it can Control)

I also found a very old plugin that allows "Serial Button Control" to do something in WinAmp COM-port Winamp Control v142

Not an out of the box solution for what I want to do but possibly a step in the right direction or at least a different way of looking at a potential solution.

One option for a less expensive method of using your old laptop would be to use Vixen which is a free program to run a Kit74 board. This board has 8 relays and can be bought in kit form for less that $33. I got mine at http://www.electronics123.com/s.nl?s...earch=kit%2074 You can also get it assembled for about $5 more.
Here are a couple of threads that I'm using to get mine set up
Kit 74 Wiring
Definitive Kit 74 Thread (hopefully)

A combination of a Kit74 with instructions comming (in)directly from WinAmp or a similar Video Player would definately be a cheap solution. I'm currently searching for a way to make WinAmp talk to the Kit74.

While looking for that I ran into the following combination which might be useable (would be DMX though ) a combination of a homemade dongle: http://users.skynet.be/kristofnys combined with this plugin: http://www.winamp.com/plugin/dmx-512...ht-show/139289

Little update: found an old WinAmp plugin that can control lights/fogmachines..
Have not played with it yet but this sounds good.

http://discolitez.com/pmwiki/pmwiki....Litez.Download

Played a little with the DiscoLitez plugin and this is really looking promising. According to the documentation it can control up to 32 "lights".

In the original Axekiller thread one of the ideas was to use a certain frequence to trigger an action, the DiscoLitez plugin should allow exactly that. You can define a (what they call) Trigger Range and a Spectrum data (FFT) on which it must trigger an action and how long that action should last.



Time to start looking at the hardware, I think I'll build the LED thing first to see if I can really make it work.

There are several schema on the website of the guy that created the plugin:

With 5v Relays:


With Triac:


Is there anyone here that knows if the Kit74 would work (or could be made to work) with this?

Had some time to play with all components today.

• Got myself an old laptop (Dell Latitude D800, has both serial and parallel port)
• Hooked a simple switch to the Serial port COM1 (shorting pin 1 and 4)
• Hooked my multimeter to the parallel port LPT1 (DC current, pin 2 and 25)
• Installed WinAmp and plugings: DiscoLitez and COM Port Control.
• Got my copy of Hi-rez Nurses Escape (and made a DivX out of it, WinAmp is not too fond of DVDs)
• Configured "port 1" in DiscoLitez to listen to the Right stereo channel (which has the DTMF tones on it)
• Configured "port 2" in DiscoLitez to listen to the left channel (just for a proof of concept)

Video with current progess:
View My Video

You can see on the multimeter (and later on the little DiscoLitez plugin in the upper right corner of the screen) when pins 2 and 25 on parallel port go "high".

So far I'm not happy with 1 thing; in this test I sent the command: "Previous file" on "trigger" and that makes the WinAmp logo appear right before playback starts. I hope that playing a little with a playlist and maybe other WnAmp controls allow me to avoid this.