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Virtual Santa Display video


toddmoon

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This year I added a virtual santa display. I have had a lot of feed back and the kids loved it. The adults were not sure what to think. Some had to watch it for a while and try and decide if it was real or not.

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Same for me. I had the Virtual Santa for the first time also. It was a hit too. For a week everyone thought it was me in the window dressed as Santa.

I cant wait til Halloween as I got some Halloween video also.

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What did you use to display it? I have the DVD but did not use it becuase I got it late. I havea projector but was wondering if that is what people are using.

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Even tough I have 2 good projectors, I used the Virtual Santa with projector. It is actually cheaper than replaing the bulb in my good projector.

The projector that comes with it is a USB video device. You put the AVI file on the projectoer and it loops the video as long as it is on.

NOT all that bright, but put in a room that totally dark, and it works fine projecting on a double matt screen which I got from the vendor also.

Simple to use, does not get hot, and you can run it 24/7

Go here and see a pic..
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f55/bubba423/IMG_1436.jpg

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I have to be honest with you, the Virtual Santa is a little creepy, but an excellent idea. I wish I had a window in the front of my house to use it in.

Great addition to your display!

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I used a regular projector to shoot into my window using a DVD player hooked up to it. I put the DVD on a loop and it just ran until I would shut it down.

The kids loved it and the Adults would have to study it for a while trying to decide it was a real person or not in the window. Because it is so life like it did kind of put some Adults off a little.

Now for Halloween I think I can have some real fun with this system. The creepier the better. Oh, Yea, I have bigger better plans for 2010.

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But what did you shoot it ON? I have a piece of frosted mylar that looks like it would work but no reason to reinvent the wheel if there is a PERFECT home made solution.

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Matte mylar is what I used. Works the best. I have been told that a white or frosted shower curtain (with no designs on it) works also. I did get a frosted shower curtain just in case, and tried it and it worked also. But not quite as good as the mylar.

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I had some plastic for painting and sanding that you cover your furniture with. I just cut some pieces out and hung it on that. It is like 3 mil thick and has a frosted white finish. I was not sure how well it would work but it turned out just fine.

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I used a simple "sheer" curtain to put all of the videos on and it works brilliantly. I also used the video file from virtual santa, added my audio as a backing track and used video files when sequencing. You can see the effect here http://www.vimeo.com/8186136. Sorry about my poor video skills though.

What was funny and great was that I found an identical candlestick in a local 2 dollar shop and as the video changed (no more virtual santa) a "real" Santa came walking out the door with some candycanes for the children. Some of the parents did not know what to do - but the kids just mobbed Santa. It was a huge hit.

Cheers
CraigG

Wollongong - Australia

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I have been using the virtual Santa for 3 ears now and he is a crowd favorite. People actually get upset when/if he is not turned on. I don;t use plastic or mylar. I have an LCD projector I bought on ebay for $60 and use wax/parchment paper taped to the window and I think it works just fine.

Here is a decent view of him. Audio stinks though. http://www.youtube.com/user/jfelix75#p/u/1/sLoX3Ame0rA

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I added VSanta to my display also this year and it was a hit! Some children wanted mom and dads to knock on my door so they could see Santa!

I used a projector that I got for free, has a lens problem but for this application it worked great. The screen was longerie Lycra, stretches one way and not the other? I projected from the rear and the cost was $18.00 for the two yards I bought, I believe it was 110 wide, so 72x110. Just taped it up to the window frame. The project was below the window so the hot spot on the lamp was not seen from outside.

With the christmas tree in next to the VS it looked so real! Some even thought it was creepy? Ha Ha... Some thought I was walking around doing the Santa thing!

I have included a couple of photos. This was again a great addition to the show!



Attached files 196051=10985-IMG_1649_resize.JPG

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  • 3 weeks later...

Even now I am still getting comments from people about my virtual santa display. It is amazing to me how many people actually saw it in the little town that I live in and how many have commented on it.

It has me really thinking about what I want to use for Halloween 2010. Anyone have some suggestions for Halloween material?

I am also considering adding some christmas video additions for 2010. Maybe some short cartoon clips like the intro Christmas Vacation. Any suggestions for christmas content. Have any of you used other content and what kind of reaction did you get with the material.

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toddmoon wrote:

Even now I am still getting comments from people about my virtual santa display. It is amazing to me how many people actually saw it in the little town that I live in and how many have commented on it.

I just ordered the VHS version (cheap, and I can pull it into my PC anyway ) but since I just let you all know that I am cheap, how cheap can i go with projecting it? I gather toys like the eyeclops are no good, what about the torpedo for this application? Any other in-expensive projectors out there?

Rick
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For those of you who do Virtual Santa and are looking for something for Halloween, I can't recommened enough of



www.hallowindow.com



It's Awesome. You can check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fM9tPyY5KKU and you can see it in use for Halloween at my house.

As far as suggestions for projection material... I used for my display, to $2 shower curtains from Walmart. They work perfectly.



-=coasterbp

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For those of you who do Virtual Santa and are looking for something for Halloween, I can't recommened enough of



www.hallowindow.com



It's Awesome. You can check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fM9tPyY5KKU and you can see it in use for Halloween at my house.

As far as suggestions for projection material... I used for my display, to $2 shower curtains from Walmart. They work perfectly.



-=coasterbp

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  • 2 years later...

So a quick question about the Virtual Santa/Scrooge from Christmaslightshow.com..If I Get that unit (projector) can I play just a regual DVD Like Charlie Brown Christmas? or am I way off base here?

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