Tune In Sign Question

[scodavis]

One of the features I plan to have in my show is a lit sign that says "TUNE IN TO 98.5 FM" and my website's address.  I want it to be controlled by a LOR controller so that I can have it turn on at the beginning of the show and off at the end.  Here is how I plan to set it up - I wanted to get some other thoughts to make sure what I thought was correct (I won't be buying any controllers until this year's mad grab sale, so I can't test anything right now).  This post is broken up based on the tabs at the top of the LOR Show Editor screen.

 

BACKGROUND

The sign animation sequence.  One minute long, and only one channel (controller 3, channel 16).  It does a two-second fade in, and then has a loop on the other 58 seconds that repeats 1,000 times (obviously I want the sign to just stay on solid).

 

STARTUP

My start-of-show "welcome to Davis Family Christmas" commercial (I'm contracting with The Demented Elf for some voiceover audio because I really like what he does).  The sequence does not have controller 3 channel 16 anywhere in it.

 

ANIMATION

Nothing in here.

 

MUSICAL

My songs and between-song commercials.  None of the sequences have controller 3 channel 16 anywhere in them.

 

INTERACTIVE

Nothing in here.

 

SHUTDOWN

My end-of-night commercial.  Contains controller 3 channel 16 turned on all the way during the commercial, and then does a two-second fade at the end.

 

What I'm wondering is - should I do it like I have outlined above, or should I do the sign fade-up during the startup commercial, do the sign loop as an animation sequence under the Animation tab, and then do the fadeout during the shutdown commercial instead?

 

I'm hoping I made what I want clear.  Thank you to all!

 

-Scott

[k6ccc]

Either would work on my quick read. Note that some of the lower license levels don't support all of the tabs (I don't remember details as I went straight to the highest license).

[scodavis]

@k6ccc I have the professional license.

[wbaker4]

I have one dedicated channel for the sign, and that channel is set to on for all sequences played during the show.

 

When the first song of the night plays, the sign goes on.   

 

When the show is over for the night, I play the sequence that tells the hours of the show, the sign is off. 

[smithzone]

I have one dedicated channel for the sign, and that channel is set to on for all sequences played during the show.

 

When the first song of the night plays, the sign goes on.   

 

When the show is over for the night, I play the sequence that tells the hours of the show, the sign is off. 

yep - that is all I do

Add an extra AC channel to every song and leave it on during every song

[jlarson]

I have my sign set to 50% brightness and will blink it to full on for the first few seconds then back to 50% at the start of each song.

[dknahoolewa]

+same...one dedicated channel to the FM Sign. I have it blink for the first couple seconds of every song then go solid.

[EARLE W. TALLEY]

Put the sign on a timer and save the channel for your other lights. Simple on at "time" off at "time".

[dqhall]

I have dedicated 3 LOR channels and used "Snap-N-Glow" panels to make a Tune-To sign. Here is what it looks like.

http://www.deckthehalllights.com/signlight.html

 

I set it up as a Background animation and it runs for the entire show and shuts off at the end. The sequence is only 1 minute long.

[scodavis]

I have dedicated 3 LOR channels and used "Snap-N-Glow" panels to make a Tune-To sign. Here is what it looks like.

http://www.deckthehalllights.com/signlight.html

 

I set it up as a Background animation and it runs for the entire show and shuts off at the end. The sequence is only 1 minute long.

 

Whoa - I really like that, Doug!  Can you provide more information on where you got the product and the rack?  And I'm trying to figure out why you'd need 3 LOR channels for it.

[basis21b]

Put the sign on a timer and save the channel for your other lights. Simple on at "time" off at "time".

This has been what I have done for years. A simple solution is usually the least trouble-free.

Tom

[EmmienLightFan]

My sign this year will be two seperate P10 panels, but it is pretty much the same, just with a more complicated sequence. I will probably paste the scrolling text into each sequence, so if I want to, I can have images from the sequence and use the two smaller matrices.

[dgrant]

I run mine at %100 between songs and then dim to %30 during a song. This way, its not over-powering the lights and glaring. I have two of them on individual Ac channels.

[Robert Burton]

I have dedicated 3 LOR channels and used "Snap-N-Glow" panels to make a Tune-To sign. Here is what it looks like.

http://www.deckthehalllights.com/signlight.html

 

I set it up as a Background animation and it runs for the entire show and shuts off at the end. The sequence is only 1 minute long.

Sent you a PM on your setup. I know LOR Forum has messed up my emailer every so often if you haven't seen it yet :-)

[sax]

The problem with adding the tune to sign to every sequence is it will blink off and then back on between sequences if you have "turn off all lights at end of sequence" turned on in in your show setup. And since I put 3 seconds between songs, it could be seen as a signal to the end of the show as the sign would be off that entire time.

I went to the animations tab and am much happier. 1 minute on with a few loops. Keep that channel out of your sequences and good to go.

Adding a timer would take away my ability to quickly make changes to the show. Sure, I lose one channel. But if I need one more channel surely I could use 15 more too.....new controller!!

So in short, to me it looks like your plan will work. I do not use startup or shutdown tabs.

[wbaker4]

And since I put 3 seconds between songs, it could be seen as a signal to the end of the show as the sign would be off that entire time.

 

If you make the 3 seconds as part of each sequence, the tune in sign will not go off.

 

I have at least 3 seconds before the music starts for each sequence in order to make sure the video associated with the sequence gets loaded.

[dqhall]

Whoa - I really like that, Doug!  Can you provide more information on where you got the product and the rack?  And I'm trying to figure out why you'd need 3 LOR channels for it.

 

Sure scodavis,

 

The Snap-N-Glow" panels (once discontinued) are available in some places on the Intenet. I believe Amazon may still sell them.

 

Anyways, I created a EMT frame and attached the panels to the frame. In my example, "HEAR THE LIGHTS" and "TUNE TO FM 94.9" each letter requires one panel. Each panel shares the letter for each phrase. So for example the "H" in HEAR THE LIGHTS and the "T" in TUNE TO FM 94.9 will share the same panel. Within each panel, the lights are placed where needed to form each letter. 1 channel will control the "H" and then a 2nd will control the "T". But for each light that is shared between each character, that light will then become a common light which would become the 3rd channel, which basically mean it comes on with each phrase. The same goes for each letter on each panel.

 

Did that make sense? It's actually very simple and looks great. It's large and can't be missed by all the cars.

[radioguy1007]

Doug:  Nice to see your version of the "Snap-N-Glow" sign.  They definitely get noticed.  I first built mine for the 2007 season, and it has done a great job ever since.  This year the lights started to show their age - as I had one string apparently domino on me and before I could stop it more than half the lights burned out.  Ended up having to replace a string of 70 - which was not easy having the three channels "woven" together.  I first posted the concept on PC way back then - and everyone there thought it was a unique idea alternating messages using 3 channels.  It does catch your attention and can be read from a distance - a must for my display.  I have alternated the sign message with the beat of the songs - or flash the messages with the beat - so I don't run a loop in the background.  Here is a link to the YouTube video of my sign:  http://youtu.be/Ctg5XS-wOxI

[scodavis]

Sure scodavis,

 

The Snap-N-Glow" panels (once discontinued) are available in some places on the Intenet. I believe Amazon may still sell them.

 

Anyways, I created a EMT frame and attached the panels to the frame. In my example, "HEAR THE LIGHTS" and "TUNE TO FM 94.9" each letter requires one panel. Each panel shares the letter for each phrase. So for example the "H" in HEAR THE LIGHTS and the "T" in TUNE TO FM 94.9 will share the same panel. Within each panel, the lights are placed where needed to form each letter. 1 channel will control the "H" and then a 2nd will control the "T". But for each light that is shared between each character, that light will then become a common light which would become the 3rd channel, which basically mean it comes on with each phrase. The same goes for each letter on each panel.

 

Did that make sense? It's actually very simple and looks great. It's large and can't be missed by all the cars.

 

That makes perfect sense - thank you for explaining it so clearly.  I found the panels on Amazon, but they want $40 for just five panels - way too expensive.  I think I'll just go with blank coro board.  But I think I WILL look into using your method of creating three channels to make it more obvious and changing to attract more attention.

 

-Scott

[Vince4xmas]

I do what Earle stated:

 

Put the sign on a timer and save the channel for your other lights. Simple on at "time" off at "time".