Activating a DVD or video

[WickedWoods]

Would it be possible to use one of your controllers to, as part of a sequence of events, start playing a DVD?  Ideally, the TV screen would be dark when the video is not playing, but I am open to alternatives.

I have never used your products before, but after reading about the flexibility and great support you offer, I am strongly considering it.

Thanks.

[Caretaker.CCI]

Here's one possibility (depending on your skill level). If your DVD player works using an IR remote you could control your DVD player with a Prop-1 (or 2 or SX). You would transmit the appropriate signal using an infrared LED telling the unit to do whatever you want it to do. Parallax has a great book called "Understanding Signals". I think Jon wrote it but I'll have to check on that. This would be a challenge if you're a beginner but fairly easy if you have some experience writing code and using an oscilloscope.

Connecting directly to the DVD player seems more challenging but perhaps someone here on the support forums has had some experience with that.

Greg

[livinlowe]

You could have an rc4 turn power on to the tv, so it would be totally dark (so you wouldnt see it glow, even with a black screen. The infrared to tell the dvd to play would be cool!

[Caretaker.CCI]

Actually... if you're going to go that far, the same controller could turn on the TV as well (most have an IR remote). I like the FC-4 for controlling anything AC. If you go that way, make sure you check out the thread for the FC-4. Most picture tubes have a brief flash of light when powered up. You might want to test that before you commit to a particular method. Perhaps the DVD could have a track of "black" for when the device is idle.

Greg

[JonnyMac]

I didn't write "Understanding Signals" but I do have a copy of it.

I've always used the SX to send commands, but it *may* be possible with a Prop-2, especially if the player in question uses Sony IR codes.  An important first step is to determine the protocol used by the device you want to control. 

Just another quick thought: if you can find one of those universal remotes that will work with your player you could hack it, using relays to simulate button presses on the remote -- using this strategy you could use a Prop-1.

[WickedWoods]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I'll take more if anyone's got them.

I particularly like the idea of using relays to simulate the button presses.  I'll even entertain activating a piston to reach out and physically push the button!   :D

I don't want to make things overly complicated.  In our haunt, we've had one or two involved sequences automatically controlled and I'm looking to expand that.  If need be, I'll put people in the process ("When the lights dim, you push this Play button.  Okay?"), but would rather automate the whole sequence and run off a single "GO" (push button or other trigger).

More background on me:  My experience with this type of equipment is negligible.  I have previous programming experience and am comfortable I can pick that part of it up.  I can follow instructions with respect to circuit boards, but would be lost without said instructions.

Thanks again!

[Caretaker.CCI]

That's pretty-much where I started and thanks to Jon and John (and others on this forum), I'm was able to move things along.

Actuating mechanical relays, DC motors and air cylinders is a comfortable place to start. I was able to create some pretty cool things using those devices as a starting point. The good news is, they're all easy to control using the Prop-1 (a good place to start). By starting the learning process now (instead of 2-weeks before Halloween) you have a good chance of getting what you want to work.

Pick the device you want to control (air cylinder, linear actuator, etc.) dig around in the forums for something that looks close to what you want to do (for example: someone just posted a question about actuating a double-acting cylinder) and...as Jon says, "play!". There's lots of help available so don't feel like you have to "go it alone" or re-invent the wheel. Once you get started, you'll be hooked!

Greg

[livinlowe]

And because the prop-1,prop-2 and prop-sx are all based off parallax products, if you look through their forums you will find TONS of info that will help you with halloween prop programming (though it wont be prop specific as mostly will be on efx-tek).

Like Greg said- start slow and have a blast! The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

But, to get back to this thread's topic, if you can tell us what kind of DVD/video player it is we can help you with the possibility of controlling it with infrared communication (and when I say we I mostly mean Jon  ;)  )

[WickedWoods]

The scene is still in the conceptual stage.  I have a pretty good idea of what I want to do, but depending on the anticipated complexities of making those concepts reality, it may change.  For example, if the one-shot, on-demand DVD playing is too taxing for my feeble brain, I may be able to reconfigure the scene so a looping video works.  It is a kind of pre-show/stage setting scene anyway.

[stiltbeast]

surely this is to simple to be of help, but could the video be playing on a loop and simply use a prop 1 to open a curtain or panel to reveal the tv set and then turn on the sound by separate speakers? I solved the dvd loop issue by making the image I wanted to play the menu screen and having invisible play movie buttons on the screen.
good luck,
    Allen

[JonnyMac]

Sure; you could probably use a pneumatic cylinder to take care of the curtains and a relay to connect the speaker.  The relay/speaker thing is not terribly elegant, but may be the best solution unless you can find a way to get complete control of your DVD player (from an outside device, that is).

[livinlowe]

Good Idea Allen! Too simple? Heck no, too good thinking maybe! (good thinking too....well you know what I mean!  :D )

[menehune]

Theaters use Sharkstooth scrim to reveal/hide scenes on stage.  Light the front of the cloth, dim the background scene and you can't see thru the cloth; turn off the foreground lights, illuminate the background and you can see thru the cloth.

You could use an RC4 to switch the lights.  May be quicker and less noisy than a pneumatic piston and a moving screen.

You could also have a flat black painted door rise or lower to reveal the monitor.

[WickedWoods]

Thanks for the great ideas.  I'll consider everything.

I have a pretty good idea of what I want the scene to accomplish and I'm sure there are dozens of ways to bring that about.  I am excited by the control offered by the Prop-1/Prop-2 controllers, but by rethinking my scene, I may be able to reduce my need for such control.  Of course, this is just one of many scenes I have planned and the controllers will definitely come in handy somewhere!