Halloween Event checklist

RichTJ99

Active Member
Hi,

I am putting together my item list for Halloween. This is the desired effect for a trick or treater coming to my door. I am a little confused on how long it should run & reset's etc.

Motion sensor 1 is set off by person.
  • Porch Light Dims (100% down to 25%)
  • Driveway lights dim (100% down to 25%)
  • Entry way light dims (100% down to 25%)
  • Scary Music volume increases (from 5% up to 100%)
  • Fog Machine starts blowing fog (Insteon Appliance Link 1 on porch)
    • Fog machine powered from garage
  • Strobe light 1 turns itself on (Insteon Appliance Link 2- shared)
  • Strobe light 2 turns itself on (Insteon Appliance Link 2 - shared)
  • Orange Strand Light turns itself on (Insteon Appliance Link 3 – Shared)
  • "Flaming Pot" light turns itself on (Insteon Appliance Link 3 – Shared)
Additional Motion sensors are set to the same X10 code as a redundant system. They hopefully will do nothing if Motion sensor 1 event is running.

Questions:
  • How long should the event run (to long could be annoying – 2 minutes)?
  • Fog machine will stop after 30-45 seconds.
  • What happens if the event is running & the motion sensor is tripped again while the event is happening?
  • If someone stays until the end of the event, then the motion sensor catches them again, should the cycle start again?
  • Should there be a minimum reset time (it wont go off for 5 minutes)?
Entry button B resets everything back (manually).

Thanks,
Rich
 
Here is what I am doing for halloween. Go to other peoples homes. GET CANDY, see displays if any. go home. eat. get sick.

brilliant! :)
 
Ambitious....

I would worry about volume at 100% for more than 10-15 seconds. You want to get their attention, but then you want it to subside to be able to hear them and talk to them. For the reset cycle, it depends on the expected foot traffic. If you are in a suburban neighborhood and expect a constant on/off influx of traffic, I would have it start at the beginning of motion and then if motion is continued within a certain amount of time of the normal end time, maybe enhance the sequence with some flashing lights or a brief scream or something else.
 
Well,

Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEXkdAKWH_s

It worked very well using Homeseer 2, BLRadar, & BLmediaplayer with Insteon Hardware. Blade was very helpful in getting everything working together, he even updated BLRadar to add a feature.

(http://bladeplugins.no-ip.org/)

I did the trigger manually for the video (sorry about the blairwitch effect).

It was nice to be sitting on the couch & hear the trick or treaters before seeing them. I had a number of children who were too scared to come to the front door :(

Thanks,
Rich


The following items happened:

Motion sensor 1 is set off by person.

Porch Light Dims (100% down to 25%)
  • Driveway lights dim (100% down to 25%)
  • Porch lights dim (100% down to 25%)
  • Entry way light dims (100% down to 25%)
  • Non-stop Scary Music volume increases (from 20% up to 90%)
  • Fog Machine starts blowing fog (Insteon Appliance Link 1 on porch)
  • Strobe light 1 & Strobe 2 turns itself on (Insteon Appliance Link 2- shared)
  • Strand light set 1 & Strand light set 2 turns itself on (Insteon Appliance Link 2 - shared)
  • Orange Strand Light turns itself on (Insteon Appliance Link 3 – Shared)
  • "Flaming Pot" light turns itself on (Insteon Appliance Link 3 – Shared)
After 2 minutes:
Driveway lights goto 100%

Porch lights goto 100%

Entry way light goto goto 100%

Non-stop Scary Music volume decreases (from 90% down to 20%)

Fog Machine shuts off (AFTER 1 MINUTE)

Strobe light 1 & Strobe 2 turns itself OFF

Strand light set 1 & Strand light set 2 turns itself OFF

Orange Strand Light turns itself OFF

"Flaming Pot" light turns itself OFF
 
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