StephenJTaylor7 Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Just have a couple questions : )Timers: Do any of you guys use timers to supply power to your controllers, or is it best to leave them plugged in 24/7?Laptop: Can you leave your laptop closed and still run the show? Or do you have to leave it open?Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Ancona Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 All my outlets run off of timers, but I also have a lot of static lights not hooked up to controllers. So my controllers go off after the show. As for the lap top, depends on the settings on your lap top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vipzach Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 I plan to use some timers this year.On the laptop, what OS are you running? If XP, you can right click on the desktop, click properties>screensaver>power, I changed to mine to all never when pluggeg in, except the "turn off monitor" I set it to 2 hours. Then clcick Advanced, change the "when I close the lid" set it to "Do nothing" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surfing4Dough Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Solofilmmaker wrote: Just have a couple questions : )Timers: Do any of you guys use timers to supply power to your controllers, or is it best to leave them plugged in 24/7?Laptop: Can you leave your laptop closed and still run the show? Or do you have to leave it open?Thanks.I leave mine plugged in 24/7. I just have the mini-director and FM Tx on the timer that controls when the show starts and stops Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskernut Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Mine are on 24X7. I run a small show early in the morning and the main show in the evening, and broadcast Christmas music when ever the show is off.I am running 4 rainbow wall runners off of a PC power supply and have not yet decided if i will timer that one. Maybe just to save the fan on the supply but thats kinda dumb since I leave all my desk tops on 24 X 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-klb- Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 All mine are plugged in 24/7, for most of the year. The city park ones are plugged in 24/7 from the time they are installed each year through when we take them down.I use a laptop for my show computer. I have all the power management turned off. I think the only thing it does is shut off the display with the lid closed.. Heck, I only open the lid about 1/3 of the time I am working on that system, as I usually use VNC for all management of it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Batzdorf Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 The controllers and transmitter are live 24/7. I thought about using an x10 for the transmitter, but i have this thing about turning on and off electronics. I am old school on that aspect. I leave stuff turned on all the time. Heck, we leave the plasma TV on for the cat when we run out for a bit in the evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Cherry Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Surfing4Dough wrote: Solofilmmaker wrote: Just have a couple questions : )Timers: Do any of you guys use timers to supply power to your controllers, or is it best to leave them plugged in 24/7?Laptop: Can you leave your laptop closed and still run the show? Or do you have to leave it open?Thanks.I leave mine plugged in 24/7. I just have the mini-director and FM Tx on the timer that controls when the show starts and stopsDitto on my display 24/7 controllers are on and only use a timer on the mini director and transmitter. Works great.No random lights coming on in the display when idol and no power up problems with the controllers or reset issues if you keep them on all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsea300 Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 My controllers are on 24/7 as soon as they are outside.Which is 5 weeks before display starts. Mine are in a shed and I leave one running until the first day of the show then they all run 24/7. I was told in previous years this is a good practice because, they create enough heat to keep them dry from condensation build up inside the controllers. As far as your laptop, it depends on you setting. I have mine setup to keeep ruinning even if lid is closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amcdonald307 Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 24/7 here also, and I don't think power draw should be a consideration in your decision (referring to controillers - laptop may be different story). I plugged a Kill-O-Watt in to mine and running idle, it barely registers (can't remember if it was .01 watts or .001 watts!). I actually doubt it draws enough power that it affects the condensation issue (anyone? jump in with an opinion).My transmitter however I have had tendency to shut off because it gets hot (to the touch). Last year I bought one of those laptop "Chill Pad" cooling fans to set it on, and that seems to have helped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Batzdorf Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 amcdonald307 wrote: My transmitter however I have had tendency to shut off because it gets hot (to the touch). Last year I bought one of those laptop "Chill Pad" cooling fans to set it on, and that seems to have helped.Hadn't noticed a heat issue. will keep an eye on it this season though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taybrynn Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 24/7 as well ... PC controlling the show is always on, FM transmitter is on a timer inside., Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basis21b Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 The controllers are powered up as they are installed and then shut down at the end of the season.When I used a laptop I kept the cover open. My experience was that when I closed the cover it would shut down the USB port after a certain period of time. I would reboot the laptop every two or three days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 I also leave the controllers, the pc that runs the show, and the FM transmitter powered up 24/7 during the season. I'm still not one with the idea of trusting any Microsoft OS with being stable, so I reboot the PC everytwo or three days just to make sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 George Simmons wrote: and the FM transmitter powered up 24/7 during the season.Do you broadcast something during the day? (It's considered bad form to leave a transmitter on without sending some audio. Wikipedia says: "Among professional broadcasters, dead air is considered one of the worst things that can occur.") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim6918 Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 George Simmons wrote: I also leave the controllers, the pc that runs the show, and the FM transmitter powered up 24/7 during the season. I'm still not one with the idea of trusting any Microsoft OS with being stable, so I reboot the PC every two or three days just to make sure.I leave town for a couple of days over the holiday, usually Christmas Day and a day or so after, just to pay homage to the in-laws' excess and gluttony. Last year I was a nervous wreck the whole time while I was gone, and would call my neighbor at the show start time to make sure everything came on correctly, including the FM. Not sure what I would have done it the house was dark at the start time. Quick trip home I guess. Like George I don't 100% trust MS to work when you really depend on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-klb- Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 I'll add that the home & city show PC's I plan to reboot about once a week, which usually turns into about once every two weeks. Usually the home PC, which is much slower, and with less memory, will lock up once during the season on that schedule.As for the radio, I leave it on all the time, and I run Zara radio on both outside of show times... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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