Light-O-Rama?

[FablesStudios]

Anyone use Light-O-Rama lighting for haunt shows? Is the software easy to use? Are there any other companies like this you have used?

Link to what I am talking about.
http://www.lightorama.com/


Thank you!

Peter T

FS

[Jolly Pumpkin]

Light o Rama and other companies like Animated Lighting are very popular among those who have synchronized Halloween and Christmas displays or events. I guess the technology could be used for a haunt, but I could see it being very difficult. Below is a link of how I use synchronization in my display. I just use a simple light box that I connect to certain channels. I could see a haunt using Light o Rama on the outside of their haunt, but on the inside it would be difficult since people are looking at other things such as props and actors and also walking around your haunt.

[FablesStudios]

Well..

The idea I have is different then a typical walk thru haunt. I’m a smaller haunt so I can keep people in rooms for 20-40 seconds while little things play. Ill have some videos of examples next year. My haunt will be open for the 2010 season. I would like to get more into detail but I cant. All I can say is keep checking www.FablesStudios.com and the name kind of helps explain the haunt.

Thank you!

The lighting looks Awesome BTW!!! Is the software easy to use? It looks simple enough.

Thanks again!

Peter T
Fables Studios
Interactive Haunted Attractions

[Coasterbp]

I've just purchased the system for use this year at my home for both Halloween and Christmas. The software couldn't be easier to use.

And I'll have to politefully disagree with Jolly Pumpkin. I think that these systems can be VERY EASILY used inside of haunts. The have stand alone units that will run endless loops of lighting and sound for you. You can create whole scenes and atmopsheres for use in each room. It doesn't have to be just dancing lights to music.... PLUS, some of the units come with different input triggers, so you can have scenes start when you want. AND they also have video playback capabilities if you run the system off of your computer... endless possibilites, I think.

[Jolly Pumpkin]

I'm not referring to having lights syncronized to lightning and thunder sounds. I'm talking about an entire haunt syncronized to music from begining to end. Many haunts have lights synchronized to thunder and sound effects. You don't need Light o Rama to do that. You can do it much cheaper. If there is a haunt out there that uses Light o Rama from begining to end using music please tell me. It can't be effectively done in a walk through haunt unless you are talking about simple sound effects.

[FablesStudios]

I've just purchased the system for use this year at my home for both Halloween and Christmas. The software couldn't be easier to use.

AND they also have video playback capabilities if you run the system off of your computer... endless possibilites, I think.

What is the attatchment for the video? This would make my life easier...

I think this will help run certian rooms in my haunt (not the whole thing). The props in the rooms are all electric so the LOR will beable to start and stop them when I want, with lighting effects and audio tracks going to it, this makes the whole show on time and easy to run.

Are there any other companies that have a whole package like LOR?


thanks for all your help!

Peter T
Fables Studios

[Coasterbp]

What is the attatchment for the video? This would make my life easier...

I think this will help run certian rooms in my haunt (not the whole thing). The props in the rooms are all electric so the LOR will beable to start and stop them when I want, with lighting effects and audio tracks going to it, this makes the whole show on time and easy to run.

Are there any other companies that have a whole package like LOR?


thanks for all your help!

Peter T
Fables Studios

*I BELIEVE* the only requirement for the video aspect is that it is able to play on your computer. You use it like an external monitor. So instead of using a piece of music to sync your lights to, it uses the audio from your video file to sync to and then the video portion is played back. You just send that video portion to whatever you want to display it on... (I'm not 100% positive, but if you go to the Lightorama Forums http://lightorama.mywowbb.com/ they would be able to answer any questions you have. Very helpful folks there.)

There is another company, www.animatedlighting.com that sells similar products. I like Lightorama because I can get the kits shipped to me unassembled, I assemble them myself and save myself a decent chunk of change.

And Noah, I wasn't suggesting that you would use LOR to do your whole haunt, start to finish. I don't think that there are many products that WOULD do that. I was suggesting that yes, it can be used inside haunts for individual room/prop control and overall ambience effects.

-=coasterbp (whose LOR kits shipped yesterday....woo-hoo!)

[sophisticatedterror]

lor

Hey all, Im a huge lor user for both christmas and halloween. I run about 70 16 channel controllers on my network for christmas, and about 10-15 for each haunt. For my haunt Im using them as some of the rooms scene directors, for example, one time a customer walks thru the room and there is rain pouring down and thunder and lightning, the next group walks through and there is only crickets chirping....and so on....their uses are limitless, also can be triggered via switchmat or other means....very cool product also do a lot of dmx with lor as well..



Thanks
kale

[GraveStalker]

Fable,

I have used LOR inside of my haunt for the past few years. In one application, I did exactly what you are describing - held quests in a room and programmed a series of light synchronized to sound events that corresponded to a skit/show we were doing - very effective! Suprisingly I learned that there are already quite a few large pro haunts that use LOR "Inside" their haunts

As Coaster mentions, the software is as basic as it gets - It's graphical programming where you fill in blocks of time with the light effects you want. The input triggers allow you to start shows when you want and options like interupting the current show with a different one. Triggers can be switches, sensors and pressure mats.

Kale makes good points - that you can run different iterations of shows and configure on DMX network

Personally, I have found Light-O-Rama to be less expensive than Animated Lighting and very reliable. MonsterGuts.com is an industry supplier of LOR, so you may want to contact them for assistance.

[FablesStudios]

another question???

Hello ALL!!!!
I see on the (LOR) site they have different software like basic ,advanced. The only difference I see is adding more channels to controll. Should I buy the upgraded software or not? Is it worth it? I will need to run about 10-15 things in one room. I need two rooms to have their own 30sec-1 min skit.

I wonder.... If you get the expansion for another 16 channels, can you run two separates rooms at one time off the same CPU? I think I might need two CPUs..

Thanks for all your help!

Peter T
FS

[Coasterbp]

Hello ALL!!!!
I see on the (LOR) site they have different software like basic ,advanced. The only difference I see is adding more channels to controll. Should I buy the upgraded software or not? Is it worth it? I will need to run about 10-15 things in one room. I need two rooms to have their own 30sec-1 min skit.

I wonder.... If you get the expansion for another 16 channels, can you run two separates rooms at one time off the same CPU? I think I might need two CPUs..

Thanks for all your help!

Peter T
FS

I would suggest the Director units. One for each room and then if you need to expand, you can just use the 8 or 16 channel boards to expand. That way you can not have to worry about getting a PC for each room you want to control.

-=coasterbp

[GraveStalker]

I agree: Two mini directors is the better option - plus they have the input triggers that are easily accessible

You could get way with one director if you didn't need run the two shows simultaneously

[FablesStudios]

Thanks.

I think I will need two. You never know when the patrons will hit the next room. thanks everyone for your help!

Peter T
FS

[GraveStalker]

I would have Dean at Monster Guts quote you a system - he's an authorized LOR dealer.

[Scareside]

I've used Light-O-Rama in my past haunts and love it. I mostly use it to control ambient lighting in the house because multiple units can be controlled from a single location.

With the new S2 software upgrade I'm hoping to do one room this year with triggered video effects. I've been able to do it in the past but was a pain because I had to use 2 computers to do one effect.