Logistics of running your show

[ghethco]

Another noob question :-)

One thing I haven't seen discussed much (maybe I'm not looking in the right place) is the logistics of running a show.  Do you simply loop your show during certain hours?  If so, is there any way to automate this so that you don't have to be home to start and stop it?  Do you use triggers of any kind?  I've seen references to triggers in Vixen, not sure how they work.  We have mild winters where I live, so most people view holiday displays on foot.  I could easily rig a motion detector light as a trigger if it could be interfaced to Vixen.

How do you deal with nights where you (gasp) won't be home?

Do you ever have problems with people, including theft or vandalism?  We have some punk kids in my neighborhood and I've been vandalized before, just with normal lights.

As you may have guessed, I'm a little concerned about loss of privacy and freedom during the show season.  I don't want to be forced to be home every night.  I *certainly* don't want to have to physically attend every show.  I've seen some people do this who have elaborate holiday displays.  I'm not sure why they did it.  Just curious how people handle this as I'm sure I'm not alone.

Gary

[lonewolf41]

I run mine every day from 6-11 on a continuous loop.  Same show.  Schedule is set up in Vixen.  There are other schedulers that allow the same thing and you can set up different times for different days if you want.  I planned on using teamviewer to remotely stop the show if it was raining while I was out of town, but it kills communication to the etherdongle.  I may try the same thing but use remote desktop to remote in to the show computer and see if that works.  If you use the conductor, there is supposed to be an app that allows you to remotely control it if you have it hooked up to your network.  I could not find it this year so I don't know if it has been done yet.

Mainly, I try not to be gone during the show.  Next year, I will have my security system that allows for remote viewing set up.  That in combination with getting remote control over either the computer/etherdongle and/or conductor should allow me complete control over my show from wherever I am.......I hope.   

Thanks,
-Keith

[sjb]

As Keith mentioned. All of the sequencer programs come with a scheduler that you set up shows (certain songs) and assign time and dates to run. When in the scheduling part you can run a show from lets say 6pm - 10pm and then there is a check mark to loop show until time ends. So at 10pm if it is in your second song of a 5 song list it will play all 5 then shut off.

You must have your show computer on and (as I use Vixen) have Vixen running and then the scheduler will run when the time come around.

Hope this helps

Steve

[therealbigjim]

As above its mostly automatic. I run LOR S3. Once I set up and get the show running the way I want it, I do not update, fool with or turn off anything for the season. I have using this method for several years and have had no equipment issues. I took a few extra steps and everthing is powered off several labeled breakers. The computer is near by in the garage. My wife knows how to reset the show if there is a problem. Also I have a neighbor trained and he watches out if we are not home. 

[taybrynn]

Running lor s3 ... Show runs roughly 5-10 pm ... and after that i have a "night light" sequence which runs all night for security ... It's just a few display items with a strand of white 'on' each item.    If you run cameras this also makes filming much better.   No problems with security but I live in the distant burbs.   Show computer runs 24x7 and I come and go as I normally would .   I do watch from inside a lot and enjoy wine with my wife.   With people constantly out watching the house to probably safer than normal.

[rrowan]

For security the best bet would be friendly neighbors.

If you are in good with your neighbors then start talking to them about what you are planning to do and if they offer suggestions talk about that and see if you can add their ideas to your show. Besides them watching out for your show when you are not around a helping hand or two is a good thing with setting up. If you want to go bigger and include their yard or part of their yard then you will have more happy neighbors.

just my two cents.

I think the guys have answered your questions about logistics

Rick R.

[mms]

I use xLights to run the show.  It has a user-friendly interface and seems to load things more smoothly than the Vixen scheduler.  If I were using just the Vixen scheduler, I would make the entire show 1 big sequence.  That's just me though.

Other logistics for automation: Expresses, hub, FM transmitter, and inflatable fans are on timers.  Granted, none of these use a ton of power in an idle state, but then again, power-cycling hardware is never bad.

[jnealand]

In addition to what has been mentioned above, I have my show computer connected to a UPS, but even if power goes off, the computer has been configured (in the bios) to automatically power back on when power is restored and automatically logon to my account which has vixen set to run as soon as I logon.  My show runs from 5:30 til 10 Sun - Thur and 5:30 til 11:00 Fri and Sat.

[rrowan]

In addition to what has been mentioned above, I have my show computer connected to a UPS, but even if power goes off, the computer has been configured (in the bios) to automatically power back on when power is restored and automatically logon to my account which has vixen set to run as soon as I logon.  My show runs from 5:30 til 10 Sun - Thur and 5:30 til 11:00 Fri and Sat.

That reminds me.

I need to get a small UPS for the Etherdongle/Conductor. I didn't have a problem this year but why take the risk and It won't take much of a UPS to keep the Conductor going.

Rick R.

[twooly]

In addition to what has been mentioned above, I have my show computer connected to a UPS, but even if power goes off, the computer has been configured (in the bios) to automatically power back on when power is restored and automatically logon to my account which has vixen set to run as soon as I logon.  My show runs from 5:30 til 10 Sun - Thur and 5:30 til 11:00 Fri and Sat.

That reminds me.

I need to get a small UPS for the Etherdongle/Conductor. I didn't have a problem this year but why take the risk and It won't take much of a UPS to keep the Conductor going.

Rick R.

This kind of made me laugh to myself.  I'm a nerd Ill admit it.  Because of my setup (ETD/Conductor/Hub) are all together, get a larger UPS......power goes out in the neighborhood and I still have blinky for a short period (depending on how many SS you have going ) 

[chrisatpsu]

i used to live in an apartment back when i was single. the only things i had plugged into a UPS were the tv, and a lamp.

[Steve Gase]

In addition to what has been mentioned above, I have my show computer connected to a UPS, but even if power goes off, the computer has been configured (in the bios) to automatically power back on when power is restored and automatically logon to my account which has vixen set to run as soon as I logon.  My show runs from 5:30 til 10 Sun - Thur and 5:30 til 11:00 Fri and Sat.

That reminds me.

I need to get a small UPS for the Etherdongle/Conductor. I didn't have a problem this year but why take the risk and It won't take much of a UPS to keep the Conductor going.

Rick R.

I definitely see the value in a UPS for a computer that is writing to disk sometimes.  You don't want disk corruption, nor the loss of unsaved data.  I'd do this for a desktop computer, but with an operational battery, there is no point in adding a UPS, when you lose power, the notebook's battery takes over.
 
I'm not sure I see the point of using a UPS for a conductor.  There is no writing of data, so there is no chance of losing data.  If power goes off to your conductor, it is very likely off with your lights anyway.  With conductor's built-in clock, it will simply start the show over when power is restored -- assuming that the schedule and your current time allows for the show to resume.

[rrowan]

I definitely see the value in a UPS for a computer that is writing to disk sometimes.  You don't want disk corruption, nor the loss of unsaved data.  I'd do this for a desktop computer, but with an operational battery, there is no point in adding a UPS, when you lose power, the notebook's battery takes over.
 
I'm not sure I see the point of using a UPS for a conductor.  There is no writing of data, so there is no chance of losing data.  If power goes off to your conductor, it is very likely off with your lights anyway.  With conductor's built-in clock, it will simply start the show over when power is restored -- assuming that the schedule and your current time allows for the show to resume.

Its simple really. To keep the schedule going. Otherwise if you loose power at the wrong time either you manually run the show the rest of the night or you have to change the schedule by reformatting the card and reload everything and change the schedule for that night.

just my opinion

Rick R.

[chrisatpsu]

yeah, once the power stop to a conductor, and comes back on, i believe it just waits for the next time to start, which would be tomorrow.

[Steve Gase]

odd...  I thought in the demos that RJ performs, he just plugs the conductor in and it starts -- if the current time was within the already configured start and stop times.