Lessons learned from my Halloween Display

[deplanche]

Just wanted to share a few things that I learned from my halloween dispaly.

- I used the "This is Halloween" song which is about 3:15 long. I sequeneced using this length, but then wanted some additional time at the end when the lights were either all on or all off. Rather than making another sequence, I just lengthened the sequence length to 5 minutes. Vixen 2.5 didn't like that. The play from curor position (F6) would not work after the original 3:15 length. The lights also didn't seem to hit the right beats anymore and the length they were on seemed short. Lesson learned - don't lengthed a song longer than the audio it was originally set up to do... especially at the last minute.

- At first I was thinking of using 48 channels, and made the sequence for that. Based on time and money constraints, and I only ended up using 36 of those channels (2 - Lynx Expresses, both wireless). Since I already had the adjustable preview laid out, I simply rearragned channels and put the ones I wasn't going to use at the end. I then tried to delete the 16 I didn't need, but couldn't delete them since in the natural order they weren't at the end. Lesson learned - You can only delete from the end of the natural order from what I can find.

- I am still getting ghosting or channels coming on that shouldn't be on some channels. It seems to be more on mini's than single C7s. For the most part doesn't matter and no one else noticed. But as a perfectionist, that can bother you. Lesson learned - test your sequences ahead of time and leave some time to troubleshoot.

- Many people liked the show. Lesson learned - You guys to have developed the hardware, and KC's FREE Vixen software is a fantastic way to have a crowd pleasing Halloween show. Thanks to all!!!!

[ThaiWay]

Thanks for sharing... you mean I'm not the only perfectionist here?  Maybe I'm just the laziest one!

John

[rrowan]

Thanks for sharing... you mean I'm not the only perfectionist here?  Maybe I'm just the laziest one!

John

Guess I am the total opposite of a perfectionist

Cheers

Rick R.

[MrC]

Thanks,

Just wanted to add my experience with Vixen.

I ran a Haunted house with Vixen 2.1.X.   This year, instead of one long sequence,  each room of the house had a seperate sequence.  When Vixen switches from sequence to another, it turns off all the lights for approximate 1/10 of a second!  No smooth transitions.

It didn't affect any of the on lookers, but it bugged the crap out of me!

Thanks again from one perfectionist to another!

--MrC

[rrowan]

Thanks,

Just wanted to add my experience with Vixen.

I ran a Haunted house with Vixen 2.1.X.   This year, instead of one long sequence,  each room of the house had a seperate sequence.  When Vixen switches from sequence to another, it turns off all the lights for approximate 1/10 of a second!  No smooth transitions.

It didn't affect any of the on lookers, but it bugged the crap out of me!

Thanks again from one perfectionist to another!

--MrC

Have you looked at

Menu Tools - Preference - Sequence Execution and un-check reset controller at the sequences

Also if you are running background then right under Sequence Execution is Background items. There is a delay of 10 second default which can be lower.

Rick R.

[jnealand]

After doing a halloween display for two years, I can say that it sure is educational and a good way to debug the basics of communications and setup.  Seems like there is always something unexpected coming up and I would rather learn about it at Halloween rather than Thanksgiving.  For Halloween I can always just turn all the lights on and be static.  All the kids want is to collect their treats and head to the next house.  It is the parents who want to listen and watch the display.  I just have a pumpkin choir singing to the music.

Jim
Kennesaw, GA

[blearning]

Halloween Night was a hit around here, Sorry I am lazy and used LOR and LORVIZ.  LORVIZ is plugin add in for Windows media player and turns the controller in a very expensive 8 or 16 channel light organ.

Anyhow was voted "best on the block"

Of course I messed up on the mix of glycerin and water for the fogger and that fog would not go away.  It settled in for about a block in either direction so it was definitely cool.   It would only go away if a real stiff wind stayed up for a good fifteen minutes.  After the wind died down the fogger again filled the block with nice fog.  The neighbors appreciated the additional of fog to our spooky street last night. I found out too late that I had mixed it wrong.  50 percent is too strong for fog. LAUGHING

lesson learn light up on the glycerin.

Got the Halloween put away and manicured the yard today and got some yard decorations up. Mind you it helps when your body is still still on daylight savings time.  Got an extra hour of work in this morning, and then tonight I got another hour of daylight to work with.   
 

[MrC]

Thanks for the tip!

--MrC

[Night Owl]

It never occurred to me to mix my own fog juice.  I purchased a gallon from a party store a number of years back and am only now running low.  What was your recipe?  50% water 50% glycerin? 

My project for next year is a fog chiller and work in a light show.  Wanted to try out  "This is Halloween," "Remains of the Day" from Corpse Bride, and a couple of Oingo Boingo songs.  But a faulty USB module halted that plan.  Which is probably just as well, seeing that I am a total noob when it comes to computerized lighting.   

[blearning]

It never occurred to me to mix my own fog juice.  I purchased a gallon from a party store a number of years back and am only now running low.  What was your recipe?  50% water 50% glycerin?  

My project for next year is a fog chiller and work in a light show.  Wanted to try out  "This is Halloween," "Remains of the Day" from Corpse Bride, and a couple of Oingo Boingo songs.  But a faulty USB module halted that plan.  Which is probably just as well, seeing that I am a total noob when it comes to computerized lighting.  

I made a Cooler fog chiller a year maybe 2 years back, and tried a new method this year... fill a 10 foot length of 1 1/2 pipe full of ice cubes and stick one of the pipe on the nozzle of the fogger ... it comes out low lying and hugging the crowd and you can feel it being cold.  

Much better then the Cooler method.  I saw the pipe method on you tube so I can't take all the credit.

[lortiz]

Videos please!!   

[blearning]

Pipe based fog Chiller

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

[Night Owl]

I tried something new this year.  Sent the fog through corrugated drainage piping.  No ice involved.  The drainage piping has holes along the length and is normally buried in the ground.  Excess rainwater flows through the holes and is channeled away.  I connected that to a 15' length of piping that did not have the holes in it.  The fog machine was positioned at the end of that pipe.  That way the fog had time to slow down, cool and expand.  By the time it hit the section with the holes, it was cool enough to hug the ground somewhat.  I'm thinking for next year I'll combine both methods and see how that works.

In this video, it looks like the full length has holes.

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login