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One Switch to Control them all?


OgeXam

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Greetings,  I want some help/advice on how to get one switch to get the entire show started/stopped.

I have three CTB16PC  boxes and one uMP3g3 ShowTime miniDirector

Last year I only had two boxes and had the one attached to the miniDirector on a power strip and the other box on a different outlet always plugged in.  When I would power down the one attached to the miniDirector everything would stop, no lights.  Then when I powered that one box back on then the show would start again.

 

This year I have 3 boxes and when I power the one attached to the miniDirector the two other boxes half their lights seem to repeat the last few seconds of command over and over.

 

Anybody know how it needs to be powered to allow one switch to turn all the shows off?

 

 

 

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I have no mini director knowledge but I would assume it is like running from a laptop, I just leave everything powered up 24 hours, the show builder plays our show as directed from the laptop at the hours I have inputed. The controllers are powered up waiting on an input from the LOR software on the laptop. Works great. But someone with a mini director will be along and correct me if necessary.

 

Keith

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On 12/8/2019 at 8:06 PM, OgeXam said:

Greetings,  I want some help/advice on how to get one switch to get the entire show started/stopped.

I have three CTB16PC  boxes and one uMP3g3 ShowTime miniDirector

Last year I only had two boxes and had the one attached to the miniDirector on a power strip and the other box on a different outlet always plugged in.  When I would power down the one attached to the miniDirector everything would stop, no lights.  Then when I powered that one box back on then the show would start again.

 

This year I have 3 boxes and when I power the one attached to the miniDirector the two other boxes half their lights seem to repeat the last few seconds of command over and over.

 

Anybody know how it needs to be powered to allow one switch to turn all the shows off?

Since a Mini Director HAS NO built in time clock, to do this, most folks purchase an OUTDOOR TIMER, then they set it for the time they want to the show to start, say 5:30pm, then at 5:30pm the Mini Director powers on and starts the show, then you have to set the time for the time you want the show to end, say 10pm, then at 10pm, no matter what is going on, the timer shuts everything off right then.

Everything, all controllers and mini director would be connected to the timer, this will allow it to turn on and off everything at the timers start and end times.

 

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24 minutes ago, Orville said:

Since a Mini Director HAS NO built in time clock, to do this, most folks purchase an OUTDOOR TIMER, then they set it for the time they want to the show to start, say 5:30pm, then at 5:30pm the Mini Director powers on and starts the show, then you have to set the time for the time you want the show to end, say 10pm, then at 10pm, no matter what is going on, the timer shuts everything off right then.

Everything, all controllers and mini director would be connected to the timer, this will allow it to turn on and off everything at the timers start and end times.

 

However, if controllers are plugged in electrically on different circuits, the miniDirector will turn on even though power to the first hooked up controller is still timed off. The miniDirector gets power through the cat5 from nearest turned on controller.
So, what LOR recommends is to make a SPECIAL cat5 cable between the first and second controller. This cable only uses the data pins - the center pair #4&5. Then controller 1 is the only one sending power to the miniDirector.
 I use this for my 19 controller setup. Works perfectly.  

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@OgeXam Use this 12V wall transformer with the mini director to control everything from one switch. 

http://store.lightorama.com/12vowatr.html

You can leave all your controllers powered up all the time and connected with your current CAT5 cables.  The lights won't come on and the mini director won't run until you provide power to the mini director by plugging in the 12V wall transformer.  I have my 12V wall transformer plugged into a timer so it powers the mini director from 4:30 to midnight every night.  The lights & music are on only during this time.  As soon as the timer hits midnight, it cuts power to the mini director, and all the lights shut off.

Before using the 12V wall transformer I had to either manually plug in the controllers, or set them on timers.  So much easier to just use the 12V wall transformer.  Works perfectly every time for me.  We're always out of town on Thanksgiving (opening night) and this method has worked flawlessly every night of the Christmas lighting season for 3 yrs.

Edited by Speedster
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4 hours ago, Speedster said:

@OgeXam Use this 12V wall transformer with the mini director to control everything from one switch. 

http://store.lightorama.com/12vowatr.html

You can leave all your controllers powered up all the time and connected with your current CAT5 cables.  The lights won't come on and the mini director won't run until you provide power to the mini director by plugging in the 12V wall transformer.  I have my 12V wall transformer plugged into a timer so it powers the mini director from 4:30 to midnight every night.  The lights & music are on only during this time.  As soon as the timer hits midnight, it cuts power to the mini director, and all the lights shut off.

Before using the 12V wall transformer I had to either manually plug in the controllers, or set them on timers.  So much easier to just use the 12V wall transformer.  Works perfectly every time for me.  We're always out of town on Thanksgiving (opening night) and this method has worked flawlessly every night of the Christmas lighting season for 3 yrs.

However, to be clear for those of you just reading this thread, please remember the OP is using ump3g3. Those of us with the original mdmmp3 miniDirector - well - not so fast.


First - 9volt not 12volt.

Second - must disconnect RJ45 connection and be very careful with polarity of the power supply first. Then when you are sure, reconnect it.

Third - must disconnect the internal power jumper  

Easier and faster to make the special cat5 cord. 

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7 hours ago, Mega Arch said:

However, if controllers are plugged in electrically on different circuits, the miniDirector will turn on even though power to the first hooked up controller is still timed off. The miniDirector gets power through the cat5 from nearest turned on controller.
So, what LOR recommends is to make a SPECIAL cat5 cable between the first and second controller. This cable only uses the data pins - the center pair #4&5. Then controller 1 is the only one sending power to the miniDirector.
 I use this for my 19 controller setup. Works perfectly.  

Made a goof, didn't catch it, but this line: Everything, all controllers and mini director would be connected to the timer, this will allow it to turn on and off everything at the timers start and end times. 

Should have read like this: Everything, all controllers and mini director would be connected via cat5 cables and the mini director only to the timer, using the proper adapter to power it {remove the internal power jumper for use with Cat5 power from 1st Controller}, this will allow it to turn on and off everything {mini director turns on/off, so everything is on or off} at the timers start and end times.

M bad, that's what I get for working on sequences all night long, then getting on here before getting some sleep first!

 

Edited by Orville
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9 minutes ago, Orville said:

Made a goof.....  

M bad, that's what I get for working on sequences all night long, then getting on here before getting some sleep first!

 

Drink some coffee Orv!

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7 minutes ago, Mega Arch said:

Drink some coffee Orv!

I had been doing that all night.  Went through at least 3 pots of coffee from 11pm 'til whatever time I finally went to bed Tuesday morning sometime, I can't even remember when that was. LOL

I'm kind of weird, I can drink coffee right before I go to bed, and it doesn't keep me awake at all, unlike a lot of folks that'd be bouncing off the walls after drinking that much coffee all night long.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

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3 minutes ago, Orville said:

I had been doing that all night.  Went through at least 3 pots of coffee from 11pm 'til whatever time I finally went to bed Tuesday morning sometime, I can't even remember when that was. LOL

I'm kind of weird, I can drink coffee right before I go to bed, and it doesn't keep me awake at all, unlike a lot of folks that'd be bouncing off the walls after drinking that much coffee all night long.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

When I’m this tired, only thing that works is pouring the next cup over my head. 

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4 hours ago, Mega Arch said:

When I’m this tired, only thing that works is pouring the next cup over my head. 

I prefer ICE COLD 🥶 water, that seems to work pretty well, but then again, when you get to beyond the point of your body and mind saying time to shut down 😴, and you keep going, seems NOTHING works.  Not even a nice electric shock  seems to do much of anything.:wacko::lol:

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I have a question for you guys I have a Showtime director wanting to add a superstar ribbon tree and a rgb star is it possible to run this off of the mini director?

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