Scheduling - Always On Sequence

[TitanBry77]

Ok,

Finally got everything fired up and running, couple days ahead too! Was shooting for December 1.

Now, I only plan to do shows on the weekend, during the week I just want to have the lights always on. Say from like 5:15PM - 10:00PM, I want all my channels on.

Then at say 10:01PM - 1:00AM, I want just a few channels on, mainly just my iceicles.

I thought I could just create like a 5 second animation sequence (las) and then load them up. Well they don't load unless I do the simple show builder.

So then, what I see from 5:15-10:00pm is all channels on, but every 5 seconds (which is how long the las file is) I see a very brief "blip" lights flicker, I'm guessing this is where the animation sequence is going back to 01 seconds.

There has to be a better way? lol

[Guest wbottomley]

Who wants to see static lights when they are suppose to be animated.

[Don]

(Pardon the short message.)

Use the Show Builder and Schedule Editor.

Show Builder:
Show01:
Name: WeekDayOn
Animation Tab: Your "All On" sequence. Only need this once. Important: Make sure "Turn off lights at end of sequence" is NOT Checked.

Schedule Editor:
Mon-Fri - 5:15-10:00p - WeekDayOn

Then follow the same ideas for the 10:01-1:00am.

[TitanBry77]

Well, see, I thought about that, and I could run the shows but I don't have speakers or an FM transmitter, so wouldn't it be odd looking people not knowing what's going on?

On the weekend I was planning to put one of the computer speakers on the porch but dont feel comfortable leaving it there during the week.

Do most of you guys just run the shows non-stop? and then once the shows are done for the night, lights totally off?

[Guest wbottomley]

TitanBry77 wrote:

Do most of you guys just run the shows non-stop? and then once the shows are done for the night, lights totally off?

Yep and yep.


Been doing it for 7 years.

[TitanBry77]

Bingo, thanks Don, I was almost there, I was in that Show Editor, just couldn't figure it out, had to do the Save As. Good to go now.

If I had the FM Transmitter or a speaker to leave out full time sometthing like that I'd let the shows rip.

[TitanBry77]

Nice! @ William Thanks for sharing the sequences too, I disected quite a few of them to see how things work, I couldn't imagine working the amount of channels and lights you do. Great work!

[Guest wbottomley]

No problem. Help yourself.

[TitanBry77]

Thanks. Ok, so I woke up this morning and the lights were still on. For some reason it doesn't seem to be turning them off.

I tried briefly before I left work work, to schedule the "weekday on" sequence for like 5 minutes as I got ready, no dice. They stay on. Is there a setting I am missing?

I did try a quick show sequence, that ran, then I had it set to go to the "Weekday on" and it did that. But then once there is nothing in the schedule past a certain time, shouldn't all the lights go off?

Thanks!

[mbettez]

This is because you have turn used lights off at the end of each sequence unchecked. Try adding the same sequence to the shutdown sequence section but this time check the turn used lights off at the end. This will shut off the lights at the end of the night.

[TitanBry77]

Hmm, ok, are you talking about in the "Show Editor" There is a tab that says "Shutdown" ? When I click that tab it tells me I don't have the proper license.

[mbettez]

Ok, sorry. Didn't realize you needed advanced license to use the shutdown sequences. Someone else should have a solution but I'm out of ideas.

Actually, just thought of this. You chould create a separate show called all off. Play the same sequence you did previously in the animation tab. For this show check the turn lights off box. Now schedule this show to run for 10 seconds at the end of every night.

[TitanBry77]

Thanks. I was thinking that I may have to fill the schedule with a show or animation that is like from say 11pm-5pm(the following day) with a 1 second show that has no lights on, but there's got to be a better way than that.

[TJ Hvasta]

TitanBry77 wrote:

On the weekend I was planning to put one of the computer speakers on the porch but dont feel comfortable leaving it there during the week.

I have a set of powered (amplified) computer speakers in gallon sized freezer bags to keep out moisture/rain, hidden under the minitrees in the yard.. you hear the sound, but dont see them. I got them at Frys Electronics.. I think they were $15.. anyway, hide them under a minitree or fake present, can even put a black garbage bag ove it and put it in the middle of your megatree.. behind a bush.. wherever you can..

Attached files

[cmoore60]

TitanBry77 wrote:

Hmm, ok, are you talking about in the "Show Editor" There is a tab that says "Shutdown" ? When I click that tab it tells me I don't have the proper license.

Not the shutdown tab. Where you add your sequences either in the animation tab OR the musical tab. to the right there is a checkbox that says "turn all used lights off at the end of the sequences."

Does that check box got a check in it? If not put one in there and save your show.

Chuck

[TitanBry77]

TJ Hvasta wrote:

I have a set of powered (amplified) computer speakers in gallon sized freezer bags to keep out moisture/rain, hidden under the minitrees in the yard.. you hear the sound, but dont see them. I got them at Frys Electronics.. I think they were $15.. anyway, hide them under a minitree or fake present, can even put a black garbage bag ove it and put it in the middle of your megatree.. behind a bush.. wherever you can..

Thanks, that made me think, and I rumaged through my old office supplies etc, and found a set of old powered speakers that are old, but work, and will do the trick.

Do you just run a stereo cable to the computer speaker output? I can make my own stereo cable and just run it inside to the computer.

[TitanBry77]

cmoore60 wrote:

Not the shutdown tab. Where you add your sequences either in the animation tab OR the musical tab. to the right there is a checkbox that says "turn all used lights off at the end of the sequences."

Does that check box got a check in it? If not put one in there and save your show.

Chuck

Ok, I'm not at my computer with it on there but I know for sure I "unchecked" that box because I thought it was saying, that at the end of the sequence, which I thought it was referring to my animation sequence, that it would turn the lights off.

The "Always On" sequence is 5 seconds long so I thought that it would have the lights always on, then at the end briefly shut off and start again, endlessly repeating for the time frame that I have that animation schedule, which is from "8pm - 11pm"

[TJ Hvasta]

I use several headphone extension cables I had lying around (abt 30'), goes out the front window from the computer to the speaker line.. then another RCA-jack extension(abt 25') to the opposite minitree speaker, so there's abt 25' seperating the two speakers. Power for the speaker comes off one of the controller power taps so it's always on.. I probably could run the speaker power into a controller channel, be able to shut off the speaker, but dont have a need for it really.

If you have the "Leave Lights On" button selected, they'll remain on indefinately until the next show starts..

[TitanBry77]

Thanks, I just made up a 60' long cable with a female stereo / headphone jack on one end and male on the other, works like a charm, can't wait to get home and try it out. I have these gift box lights in the middle of the yard, I think they'll fit under them.

Ok, so if I uncheck it, it will still play my 5 second sequence for whatever 3-4 hours, then once that time period is up, they will turn off?

[cmoore60]

The check box should have a check in it. OTHERWISE it will leave the lights on.

The check box being checked is telling the software to "turn used lights off at the end of each sequence?.

True that with the checkbox checked you get a flicker of the lights when the animation ends and then starts over for the next time. The little flicker sure beats having the lights on when you don't want them.

Chuck