[znelson710]

with the parallel (or however its spelled) board and the right software, can you set it up with a motion sensor so that when it senses electricity in lets say relay 1 it will start a program the will run the other seven relays?

and if not is there a way to make a motion sensor for it. I just want it to start things up when triggered

 

[HomeyDaClown]

with the parallel (or however its spelled) board and the right software, can you set it up with a motion sensor so that when it senses electricity in lets say relay 1 it will start a program the will run the other seven relays?

and if not is there a way to make a motion sensor for it. I just want it to start things up when triggered

If you are referring to a Kit-74 parallel port type relay board, no, there is no input for a sensor to control anything more than a single relay.

If you want to add a motion sensor, it has to talk to the show control software (VSA...or Vixen) that controls the parallel port board and acts as a trigger for your routine.

 

[znelson710]

and how would i go about doing that?

 

[hedg12]

Monkeybasic offers a program called Composeit that can trigger VSA routines through the parallel port, but I'm not sure if you can use it and a relay board at the same time on the same port.

 

[HomeyDaClown]

and how would i go about doing that?

Use the latest version of Vixen (2.5 beta) and then get the parallel port trigger plug-in here:
Programming Vixen - Do It Yourself Christmas Forums

The way it works is that you set up the parallel port input pin(s) you'd like to use for sensor input. You can use the same port your Kit74 plugs into since it only uses 8 output pins just solder another wire to the 25 pin plug at the pin(s) you select.

Vixen will scan those assigned input pins waiting for the pin to be grounded (either from a sensor, relay or switch). When it reads ground (0 volts) on a trigger pin the sequence associated with that pin will play. A ground must appear on an input pin and ground come from any pin from 18 to 25 so you are basically connecting the input pin to any pin from 18 - 25 to make the ground connection with your sensor. The input pins you select can be any of 10,11,12,13 or 15 , these are status pins that can be monitored by Vixen with the plug-in. http://www.codeproject.com/KB/system/steppermotorcontrol/pic14.jpg

 

[znelson710]

what kind of motion sensor should i use? i have a motion switch that i got a while ago for this kind of stuff. its main use is for lights. its one of those you can replace a regular light switch with.

 

[HomeyDaClown]

what kind of motion sensor should i use? i have a motion switch that i got a while ago for this kind of stuff. its main use is for lights. its one of those you can replace a regular light switch with.

Run the leads that would normally go to the light socket to the coil terminals of a 110 VAC coil relay from Radio Shack. That way the motion sensor will activate the relay. Run two extra wires from the N/O (normally open) relay contacts back to the parallel port pins.

Just make sure to insulate the coil terminal connections well (heat shrink tubing or tape or silicon) so you don't feed 110 VAC back to the parallel port.

 

[znelson710]

Run the leads that would normally go to the light socket to the coil terminals of a 110 VAC coil relay from Radio Shack. That way the motion sensor will activate the relay. Run two extra wires from the N/O (normally open) relay contacts back to the parallel port pins.

Just make sure to insulate the coil terminal connections well (heat shrink tubing or tape or silicon) so you don't feed 110 VAC back to the parallel port.

any diagrams or pictures you could show me?

 

[HomeyDaClown]

any diagrams or pictures you could show me?

Here's a how to for setting up the relay as a trigger:

Trigger Relay