Simple halloween 2014

DrNeutron

Just starting in this crazy hobby
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Oct 19, 2012
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Glace Bay
Here are a few vids for our Halloween 2014 display.....singing face, some tombstones and pumpkins.
No pixels as of yet so kept it simple but the kids loved it...2nd Year of Halloween using HLS.
Ghostbusters: http://youtu.be/U39NUD02OXY
It Must Be Halloween: http://youtu.be/JCPqPBD7qOg
This is Halloween: http://youtu.be/eq0VgnSW5_g
The Addams family: http://youtu.be/doiU7k8KwWM
Purple People Eater: http://youtu.be/1shn1oF0wUQ
Monster Mash: http://youtu.be/zowSCDkTzxc

I very quickly made the backup singers using left over rope light from Christmas last year and using 7 of the 10 available channels left on a LOR controller (had to tie both together). I actually hated them, but the wife made me keep them....
Turnout has been great with over 100 cars every night. I live in a small town of 16 or 18 thousand and on the outskirts of main streets so I consider this a hit.
:D
 

jcmarksafb

Hello from Christopher Creek Arizona
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Mar 11, 2012
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Christopher Creek Arizona
WOW! What a cool show! Goes to show you don't need a lot of pixels and efx to have a stunning display. That captures the experence of having fun with lights. Great Job!
John
 

BundyRoy

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Apr 9, 2014
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That's fantastic. My son made the comment he loved the back up singers the best (he hadn't read your post, just came in whilst I was watching and made the comment). Great use of the 7 channels I say. Great choice of songs too. Just when I thought nothing was going to beat the Adams Family, they just kept getting better.

Are the RIP headstones made of corflute.

I think I'll have to do Halloween next year. So different to Christmas and another chance to use the lights.
 

DrNeutron

Just starting in this crazy hobby
Joined
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Glace Bay
Yes, the tombstones are made of coro....I played with this a bit to get the diffusion I wanted and decided not to go the "rear projection" way as it showed the individual LED's.
Here is a quick lowdown on the build:
I found the right size for me was 24" high by 16" wide. This enabled me to get 6 coro tombstones per sheet of coro (front and back).
Here is the base:[attachimg=1]
It is a simple piece of 2" X 4" painted black with 4 RGB modules attached. (needed weight and something to attach coro top).
The coro tombstone itself is 2 pieces of coro with a 1 1/2" edge hot glued with RGB strip attached to the edging (in the middle)[attachimg=2]
My plan was to use strip quick connects to be able to detach the base from the coro but just wired them up for this year as is....[attachimg=3]
I mounted 2 U clips on the base so that I can drive some 1/2" conduit into ground and just slip the base over it to keep things in place with the wind we get. As of tonight we are in store for a very nasty Nor'Easter coming up the coast and heavy rain over next 3 or 4 days.
I attached the coro to the base with SS screws so I can remove it very easily. My plan next year is to make some small faces in the tombstones and animate them.....
 

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BundyRoy

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Great work Doc. and thanks for sharing the design. There's a bit of thought and time put into that design. I reckon the faces will look great as well. A skeleton hand would also look good if it was possible.

Was also thinking it would be good to incorporate some sort of Christmas theme effect/image on the other side so that they could be used for both. Obviously it's not a real good look having tombstones at Christmas and especially whilst it's still fresh in everyone's minds that they were tombstones only a month ago. Just would be nice to get two uses out of them for all the work that goes into making/storing them. You might have this covered already, if not, it's food for thought.

I need me one of those draw organisers too. Looks like a handy investment.
 

BundyRoy

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Was just thinking, was there any reason why you used modules on the base and strip on the top. Is it just easier to attach modules to the base that strip. Cheaper, better light ?
 

DrNeutron

Just starting in this crazy hobby
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Glace Bay
The use of modules at the base was just what I had on hand, but the funny thing is....if you look at the video I believe the modules are actually brighter than the strip. Especially full on red, you can see the diffusion is great all along the sides and brighter from bottom while darker in middle.
You actually hit it right on the head Bundyroy.....I was planning on making it modular so the coro tombstone comes off the base and I was going to make a coro tree for the top at X-mas. The only reason I didn't do that this year is lack of the quick connects. I had a few from the pixel strips I got from ray but not enough to complete the design so I just soldered the wires for the base and the strip together (didn't want to use pigtails as they are too bulky). The coro top is screwed to the base so it is easy to remove....
Using wood (pressure treated) is a good choice for this particular build as I needed a firm base to ensure I could anchor them for the high winds and rain we get this time of year. The PVC U clips used for 1/2" conduit were perfect and then use 1/2" conduit as the stakes....
Sorry for the poor video quality, I had to shrink the video down to 640X480 for uploading as my ISP speed is appalling.
 

DrNeutron

Just starting in this crazy hobby
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
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Location
Glace Bay
Hahah, yep will look awesome next year with the strobes....
I just checked and mine are in Mississauga, Ont. Should be at my doorstep in 2 days.
woohoo can't wait.
:D :D
 
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