Which controller?

Hi all,

We're going to be creating out first animation this year. Which controllers do you recommend?

Well, we've followed up our FireFly lightning simulator this year with the Mantis family of controllers. microMANTIS and miniMANTIS were first shown at Transworld. The micro is a digital event controller with rotary controls, and the mini is programmable (via "keybanger" method) to record and play back your desired actions.

Our controllers offer some advantages over other products, such as our LADC connector, where no electronic knowledge is needed to use our controllers and connectors. Just click, click, done. Of course you're not limited to our sensors... screw terminals are also available to connect other triggers and sensors. We offer dual relay contacts, so you can simultaneously control high and low voltage, or combine them to control up to 16 amps of current.

The MANTIS2 is being assembled now, and will be shipping soon. It's a 2-channel programmable controller with audio.

There's also our infrared beam-interrupt sensor, MANTIS relay and remote trigger.

Have a look at http://www.lights-alive.com/ctrl_mantis.html

Steve
Lights Alive
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See us at Midwest Haunters Convention, Booth 505/604

What type of devices ( lights, solenoids, sound) do you want to control? Do you want everything to come on at once? These are two of many questions that will help you answer your stated question. There are quite a few controllers to choose from on the market, determining what you need will help you narrow it down.

Every controller and controller accessory I use is made by EFX-Tek. www.efx-tek.com

Awesome customer support and amazing products.

I was looking to start this thread and here it is... How many of you guys are using a single controller to do an entire room, or series of rooms? Or do you use the more basic controllers and then buy the bigger props? I am trying to figure out if I would ever use the more expensive controllers or if by the time I get to wanting ambient sound, prop sound, motion, lights, I will be beyond a a couple of hundred dollar controller anyway.

Thanks for the advice....

I have used Animation Maestros I & II every year for the last 4 years. They work very well for what I need them to do. They can control lighting or pnuematics. Ive used them for both. I did use an audio repeater in conjunction with them but I had to use a relay to activate them both at the same time. I'll surely use them again this year.

Kelly Anderson
HauntYourHouse.net

I started another thread with this Questions..


I am good at building things and have some tech background, but what would you suggest I get in order to put on each of my rooms in my haunt?

Examples..

Is there something that will play my pre recorded audio, have props and lights go off/on at the times I need them to? I do not want to have a bunch of different switches for a worker to have to press. Just one button to have the room/show begin. If there is something like this, which Im 100% sure there is, where would I find this controller and how do they work?

I have been looking and reading on controllers but confused on which one I would need. Do I need a computer to run them? Just a switch?

I am a newer haunter so any thoughts will be greatly appreciated. Links will help as well.

Thank you!

Peter Tomeczko
Fables Studios

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FablesStudios

I started another thread with this Questions..


I am good at building things and have some tech background, but what would you suggest I get in order to put on each of my rooms in my haunt?

Examples..

Is there something that will play my pre recorded audio, have props and lights go off/on at the times I need them to? I do not want to have a bunch of different switches for a worker to have to press. Just one button to have the room/show begin. If there is something like this, which Im 100% sure there is, where would I find this controller and how do they work?

I have been looking and reading on controllers but confused on which one I would need. Do I need a computer to run them? Just a switch?

I am a newer haunter so any thoughts will be greatly appreciated. Links will help as well.

Thank you!

Peter Tomeczko
Fables Studios

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I would suggest either Hauntbots, www.hauntbots.com , or EFX-Tek, www.efx-tek.com . Both companies have controller boards, sound boards that are controlled by the controller boards, and varied add on boards. Both companies use a computer to program your sequence, and then run on their own without the computer with just a switch or sensor to start the programmed sequence.

http://www.frightideas.com has some cheap and simple controllers, the also have some higher end and more costly ones too

http://www.trossenrobotics.com has a varity of robotic controllers and relays.

Hope this helps. I tried to post this last night but i guess i didn't post it right.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kelly Anderson

I have used Animation Maestros I & II every year for the last 4 years. They work very well for what I need them to do. They can control lighting or pnuematics. Ive used them for both. I did use an audio repeater in conjunction with them but I had to use a relay to activate them both at the same time. I'll surely use them again this year.

Kelly Anderson
HauntYourHouse.net

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I have also used these for years, and now they have there MP3 player attachment so you can easly trigger audio.