matt_h Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Hello, I think the solution to my problem is a Lanbox, however I'm wondering if there is anything a little cheaper out there before I go and order one. Basically we are building a series of "Magic Mushrooms", one of which has a head that in a dormant state is a static blue colour until a button is pushed (by customers (all ages from 1 year olds to octagenarians)) and then it goes off on a psychedlic colour change for 30secs or so, before returning to its static blue colour. We're proposing to do the colour change using 1 or 2 LED pars inside the head (made of perspex), so really I need a controller that will output 1 - 10 channels of DMX, and accept a contact closure to trigger a sequence. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Showtec makes a box called the 'Scene Pilot'. It doesn't have remote inputs so you'd need to modify it to extend the 'go' button. It might do what you want. Have a google. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkPAman Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 If you are happy messing with a soldering iron, there's a cheap way of doing this I think ...... The Stairville LED cans I've got (and probably most other cheaper ones) have colour/chase & RGB selectable via their DIP switches - speed is on a pot. So, a timer & a few relays could replace the dip switches & do the job if you're happy with the chase that's built into the can. If there's any noise about, sound to light would give some randomness to the speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peternewman Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Mark's idea sounds quite sensible, alternatively Milford Instruments have a DMX sequencer for £125, I've never used it, but it looks like it should do the job, or you could do something with an Arduino if you're that way inclined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musht Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Does it need DMX control at all, i.e. need it under remote control at points? If not a simpler non DMX sequencer driving couple of LED panels might be cheaper and simpler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_h Posted June 6, 2011 Author Share Posted June 6, 2011 Thanks everybody, the Milford DMX sequencer looks perfect. I wasn't looking to modify anything this time around, its got to stand up to 40,000 kiddies bashing it over Christmas and experience shows that modified stuff just doesn't cut it. The Lanbox looked OTT for the job, but buy once cry once! Tim, thanks for your PM, I may be in touch about a different project later in the week. If anybody else has any suggestions please keep them coming, I won't be doing any purchasing for a couple of days as we put prices together. Thanks again, Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peza2010 Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Just dont be putting up signs saying "look kids - magic mushrooms" Some parents may not be inpressed :P haha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themadhippy Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 look kids - magic mushroomswere???? Don't bother with the lights, slip everybody some mushroom tea and let them see there own light show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsabre Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 its got to stand up to 40,000 kiddies bashing it over Christmas and experience shows that modified stuff just doesn't cut it. You're not kidding there, I've done a lot of gadgets for interactive museum exhibits and I am constantly amazed what prolonged kiddie bashing can achieve. Even vandal resistant stuff gets destroyed. Given a few months they can get through 18mm MDF!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigclive Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Not the same effect, but my own RGB controller modules have a random colour function where each press of the button selects a completely random colour. Very popular with light therapy for autistic kids. Output is vanilla RGB common-anode, non current limited for driving RGB panels or strip. Can I mention that 30 seconds seems a long time. The kids will just keep hammering the button. In my unit they get a result every time they hit it. (And they WILL hit it very hard.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peza2010 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 I can't think of desks off the top of my head, but couldn't a cheap small desk, a large pre programmed cue stack which always returns to your static blue cue, and a go button modified to whatever kind of switch/push button/mushroom head you like work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigclive Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 I can't think of desks off the top of my head, but couldn't a cheap small desk, a large pre programmed cue stack which always returns to your static blue cue, and a go button modified to whatever kind of switch/push button/mushroom head you like work? Noting that whatever desk you used would have to be able to boot up into that operating condition and be locked away from meddlesome hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_h Posted June 8, 2011 Author Share Posted June 8, 2011 Just dont be putting up signs saying "look kids - magic mushrooms" It's more than likely that they will have a sign that says "Magic Mushroom's." The kids don't know the difference, believing the mushrooms are magic because of the interactives, and the bigger kids (parents) get a bit of a snigger! Even vandal resistant stuff gets destroyed. Given a few months they can get through 18mm MDF!! We've found that plastic vandal resistant buttons last longer than the metal ones, and yes the destruction that small fingers can create has to be seen to be believed! Hardcoat rendered 18mm ply doesn't last, we now use solid timber for everything. bigclive - thanks for the suggestion and its one I have been toying with from the outset of this project (I bought some of your knob controllers and downlight PCBs last week for a shop display). I may order one and have a bit of a play, I've got some LED panels at home that would do for testing. If its not used for this project I'm sure that it can be used for something else. I'm just going to reiterate the no modifications stance. At most there is £250 worth of other hardware in making this thing glow and hum, spending nearly double that on a control for the glow part seemed a bit OTT, but if it turned out to be the only solution that worked "off the shelf" thats what we would have gone for. The £125 Milford DMX sequencer seems to fit the bill quite nicely, not to mention that they are 25mins drive down the road from us if a replacement is ever needed. Thanks to everyone who has contibuted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigclive Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 A button I'd recommend for interactive displays and indeed props (I used them on Mission 2110 recently) is the Starpoint fruit machine buttons. They are illuminated and designed to take heavy punishment. They're also modular and easily serviced. I recently discovered that the modern wedge style 12V lamps that use a single 5050 three chip LED on the end are great for illuminating the Starpoint buttons. Particularly if you match the LED colour to the plastic cover. For even greater reliability use red, orange or yellow LEDs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Coker Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 SpaceKraft are a useful if pricey supplier of large buttons and the like.I've used them before: http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f184/kclx1/ELC.jpg KC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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