multiple shows

[billc]

I have a bldg I am lighting up with multiple floods. I want to vary the amount of lights that are on certain times of day. I want all of the lights on until midnight and then maybe only 50% - 25% after midnight until dawn.

What is the best way to accomplish that?

Bill

[bob]

I would suggest the following:

Build two sequences, for some shortish amount of time each (let's say a minute). In the first sequence, set your lights fully on, for the entire length of the sequence. In the second, set them dimly on, for the entire length of the sequence.

Using the Show Editor (not the Simple Show Builder), build two different shows. Put one of the two sequences into the Animation section of the first show, and the other sequence into the Animation section of the second show.

Using the Schedule Editor (again, not the Simple Show Builder), schedule the two shows, the dim one from midnight to dawn, and the full one from dawn (or dusk, or whenever you want it to come on) till midnight.

Note that you'll have to periodically change the schedule, since dawn and dusk vary throughout the year.

[billc]

Thanks Bob. When entering shows on the schedule editor I check the box for the day of week the show is to run but if the show runs past midnight what day box do I check? Do I use the day the show begins or the day the show ends?

[bob]

If you want a show to span midnight, let's say between Tuesday and Wednesday, I would suggest scheduling it twice: once on Tuesday up till midnight, and once on Wednesday starting at midnight.

I think this won't be perfect, as the show will be stopped and restarted at midnight, but as long as you're only using a sequence in the Animation section, and not in the Startup or Shutdown sections, and that sequence is just an "all on", the only effect should be a brief flicker at midnight as the sequence is stopped and then basically immediately restarted.

[billc]

Thanks. I wondered about that. I will give that a try. I assume the same logic applies if I want to write & create multiple shows on the MP3 show builder and write to an SD card?

[bob]

The "two separate shows" idea (one full on, the other dim) is the same, but I think that the LOR MP3 can go through midnight in a single instance of a show. So, for example, if you select "Thursday, 9:00 PM to 3:00 AM", that's really "Thursday, 9:00 PM to Friday, 3:00 AM".

Note that you have to have the MP3 director, not the mini MP3 director.

Also, you have to be a little careful with building/scheduling the shows in the Hardware Utility - make sure to click "Change Selected Days" (not just "OK") after you've picked the schedule start/stop times, and make sure to save the two shows to different show numbers on the SD card.