Video players and Prop-1 or Prop-2

[Liam]

Hi, everyone:

My apologies if this is in the wrong place, but this seemed to be the most appropriate place to ask my question.

I'm interested in incorporating triggerable video into my haunt this year, and am looking for a way to trigger video from a Prop-1 or Prop-2. I have received a few suggestions, but am not 100% satisfied with any of them at this point. They are:

1. Use a DVD player and hack a universal remote, using a relay from the Prop-1.
2. Buy a professional digital video player (Gilderfluke, Medeawiz, etc) and trigger it from a Prop-1.

[Edit] My other thought was that if I can find a way to trigger a video on my computer using a DEBUG command, I'm fine with that option also. Just not sure if the DEBUG window can actually talk to the computer to run a script or whatever might need to be done.

I'm not sure I'm ready to sink $300 or more into this project at this point, so thought I would inquire here to see if any of you had ideas on how to accomplish this in a little more affordable manner. Thanks in advance for any assistance!

Liam

[bsnut]

They have a product like this on internet and its called Control Freak. This will save time and your money and can be triggered by a Prop1 or any other controllers. The cool thing is, it looks like you can use any video projectors with control unit.

[JonnyMac]

Do you have a link to the Control Freak product?  A couple years ago we designed a circuit for a friend for sending start commands to a DVD player.  Once the HC-8 is out we'll be able to connect an LED to one of the outputs and send IR signals with it -- I've done this many times with the Propeller.

The Prop-1 is not fast enough to send or received IR codes.  The Prop-2 can do limited receiving.  The Prop-SX can do either but is too hard to program.  The Propeller in the HC-8 makes IR TX and RX a breeze (and it's plug-and-play for those that don't want to write their own driver).

[bsnut]

The website for the Control Freak is www.nightfrights.net/controlFreak.html, which sells this control unit. This unit is basically the same thing that Jon is talking about doing with HC-8, which is sends the IR commands to the DVD player.

[JonnyMac]

That's why it sounded familiar; I designed that circuit/code for Mike Fox.

[bsnut]

Jon,
Why am I not suprised of this.

Liam,
if you want your own homemade Control Freak and at a good price, then the HC-8 is the way to go for you. And why, I say this you will get the support of the guy who designed that circuit/code for Mike Fox.

[JonnyMac]

I have to be careful here; I'm not going to show anyone how to clone the Control Freak.  What I can show -- as I have in Nuts & Volts magazine -- is how to send control codes to a TV using an IR LED.

[Liam]

William and Jon, thanks so much for your feedback here. It's very helpful indeed. The Control Freak is very cool indeed - I may need to bite the bullet on that one. We'll see how the Halloween budget shakes out.

I will also look forward to the release of the HC-8. It sounds like there's a lot of opportunity for very cool stuff there.

Thanks again, Guys. Hope all is well with you both.

Liam

[gadget-evilusions]

I have used the digital view 300 http://www.digitalview.com/products/viewstream300-digital-media-player, triggered by a prop-1 to build this, http://youtu.be/nejPfDvHZ6Y . I used 1 prop-1 to control the pneumatics in the door, the video player, and to trigger the effects in the next room. The digital view 300 has a wire harness that can be hooked right up to an output and gnd to trigger it.

[Liam]

That's really cool, Brian! Thank you for sharing. I checked out the ViewStream 300 as well as the ViewStream 100. Any reason you used the 300 and not the 100? It's difficult to tell what the difference is from the info on their website. Looks like about a $40 difference in price between the two.

Thank you Brian. I love your work, by the way. :)

Liam

[bsnut]

From what I see this DVD video player is the way to go for you, Liam. Brian has built some cool props as you can see in his YouTube videos.   

[gadget-evilusions]

That's really cool, Brian! Thank you for sharing. I checked out the ViewStream 300 as well as the ViewStream 100. Any reason you used the 300 and not the 100? It's difficult to tell what the difference is from the info on their website. Looks like about a $40 difference in price between the two.

Thank you Brian. I love your work, by the way. :)

Liam

The 100 is not trigger-able. It just loops once it's powered up. The 300 has an optional wiring harness that plugs into the back and allows the connection of N.O. buttons to trigger a variety of named videos, adjust volume, etc. It's all configurable in the software that you use to add the video file.

[Liam]

That makes sense, thanks for clarifying that Brian.

Again, many thanks to all of you for your input!

Liam

[bsnut]

Here are links to the app notes for this DVD player so you can use it with RS232
www.digitalview.com/media/notes/Application-Note-RS-232-commands-on-M3.pdf
or use the pushbutton connection.
www.digitalview.com/media/notes/Application-Note-Button-Connection-on-ViewStream-Player.pdf

If you want to use the RS232 option you will need to use the Prop-2 or HC-8. Or, if you want to go easy way and be able to any of the controllers like the Prop-1 or the Prop-1, the pushbutton option is the better way to go for you. 

[Liam]

That is great info, thanks for posting that William! I think that's the way I'll go. Will definitely let you all know how it turns out.

Liam