Pressure pads motion sensor to trigger animations?

[Deathwing]

Hi,

What do you prefer to trigger your animations or effects? Do you use motion sensors, pressure pads or push buttons to trigger?

Thanks

Jake

[Frightener]

I've only been a home haunter so far. 2012 will be my first real haunted house. I've also done lots of parties. I've never owned / used a pressure pad. I've only used Motion Detectors and only had 1 fail me in all the years of using them. (sometimes buy new ones though)

I've used a triggering button sometimes, when I was using a guide and needed timing to be perfect. Other than that, I'd say I've always used motion detection.

[scareprops]

we use pressure pad for all of our triggers in our haunted house and the anamatronics we make also ,they rarely fail if ever and dont require any power at all .we also used beams but they will trigger with smoke machines sometimes

[Cincyscreams]

I'd say it depends on what your activating. A pressure pad works great for air cannons or instant scares. Since it'll activate instantly when a patron steps on it. Motion sensors work great for most animations. It all depends on what your trying to activate. A lot of haunts use a mix of both.

[FrightProps]

We have this table that compares the different trigger types (click here).

In case op doesn't know, a trigger needs to activate a controller (or prop that contains a controller) to do something.

Doug.

[Brianmudgett]

I would recommend the Fright Props beam sensor for prop activation. They are so easy to install and set up. Fright Props includes instructions with pictures "yes pictures" showing how to wire them to different controllers. I suggest the beam sensor over a PIR motion sensor or Pressure pad because with the beam sensor you can control your effect or prop activation at the time you want it to. With Motion Sensors it varies and with pads they can completely miss them. I thought pads were the best until Fright Props came out with this Beam Sensor. It's affordable and like I said, extremely easy to use. I am actually planning on replacing all my Pads and Motion Sensors with Beam Sensors.

http://www.frightprops.com/controlle...nsor-0696.html

Brian Mudgett
Scream Apocalypses
Vancouver, WA

[Jim Warfield]

There were maybe 48 or 24 in a box, they were cheap, didn't activate anything at all, I even bought the heavy duty ones called "MAXI"!
I used motion switches with a hidden manual over ride switch , or two, in various locations... because it's My Show not the customer's! I decide if or when things "happen" for maximum effect, or no effect at all if there is someone too afraid, like a small kid.
Sometimes I let the scared little kid push the button, it makes it a much more memorable and fun experience for them, often turns the corner for them and one smile leads to another and here's my next generation of customers!

[Deathwing]

Thanks for all the responses. I guess a combination is the way to go....


I know some things an actor can trigger but others guests will, so I have to figure it all out for the design and prop placement.

Thanks again!


Jake

[Deathwing]

Doug,

Since you sell these what do you think is the most practical to use and most efficient?

Jake

[SCfearfarm]

Another good thing about pressure pads is that it doesnt pick up actor movement. We had a toxic room where a construction worker was a "puker" that puked into a barrel. We set it up on motion sensor so that when people walked by he would puke. The only problem was that every time the actor in the room would move to get set for his scare or get a drink of water or fix the fog machine etc. he would set the puker off. With the pressure pad the actors can kind of step around them if they need to move around.