Halloween Yard Props for Beginners

johnnycarlos

I picked up some plastic pumpkins with lights from freecycle and it got me to thinking about making my first microcontrolled Halloween yard exhibit. Looking for ideas that are easy for the beginner...

For my pumpkin lamps, I'm thinking the Parallax Digital I/O Board will make a blinking light display a snap. Synchronizing it to scary sounds would probably be the next logical step.

Any other ideas? Like I said, this would be my first go here... I'm wondering about doing things on a larger scale. For example, I think a motion triggered Jack in the Box type of pop-up would be fun, but I don't know about how drive something of that size, like a large actuator/solenoid(?). Is something like that feasible for the beginner?

All suggestions welcome!

John

hover1

Start at the forums at:

·http://www.efx-tek.com/

Then:

·http://www.scary-terry.com/

There are many other, Google for Halloween Props.

Jim

JonnyMac

I'm working on an off-column article for Nuts & Volts that will how you how to make "Disney-style" candles (two leds each to create the flame [noparse][[/noparse]Disney actually uses 3 elements per candle]) -- the "flicker" affect is an algorithm that I have used on the SX and is actually running at Disneyland! (in Pixie Hollow) The project, though, will use a Propeller proto-board and will have a PIR/trigger interface so that you can make the "candles" respond to visitors.

If all goes well you'll see it in the October issue. Developing it now.

@Jim: Thanks for the nod to EFX-TEK!

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Jon McPhalen
Hollywood, CA

hover1

No Prob. After all, who are the experts on Prop based Props? [noparse]:)[/noparse]

JonnyMac said...


@Jim: Thanks for the nod to EFX-TEK!