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Halloween Technology Roadmap

In order to support the folks who love elaborate Halloween decoration, we have built up a considerable base of technical information that might actually be of general use...

• Contact information: equipment, supplies, and information sources

• remote control systems
  • intro to X-10
  • intro to DMX
  • intro to DTMF
  • intro to single tone detection

• intelligent controllers
  • intro to controllers
  • choosing a haunt controller
  • Controller Input/Output Overview

  • BASIC Stamp-based controllers
    • Choosing A BASIC Stamp
    • BASIC Stamp Development Setup
    • BASIC Stamp Development Connection
    • BASIC Stamp Output
    • BASIC Stamp Input

• power
  • power wiring
  • Wiring Line Voltage
  • wall warts

• lighting
  • color organs
    • commercial color organs and kits
    • making a color organ
    • debugging color organs
  • Flickering Light
    • theory
    • practice
    • Producing Flicker With Software
    • commercial flicker
      • commercial fake candles
      • commercial electronic flicker circuits
    • silk torches
  • Flashing Light
    • intro to flashers
    • commercial flashers
    • strobe lights
      • commercial strobes and kits
      • debugging strobes
      • The terrible twofer: black light strobes.
  • commercial cross-faders
• electronic projects
  • electronic kits
  • finishing electronic projects - boxes and knobs
• light sources
  • introduction to lighting
  • advanced lighting concepts
  • common light sources
    • incandescent lamp specs
    • compact fluorescent lamp details
  • exotic light sources
  • light emitting diodes (LEDs)
    • powering LEDs
    • Short Life Lights Using Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)
    • LED-resistor calculator
    • black light LEDs
  • optical fibers and light pipes
  • commercial plasma lamps
  • color
    • how color vision works
    • color systems
    • color mixing
    • coloring light
• black light
  • intro to black light
  • creating black light:
    • generating and projecting black light
    • compact fluorescent black light
    • black light LEDs
    • The terrible twofer: black light strobes.
  • materials that react to black light

electronic components

• relays
• transformers
• solenoids
• switches
• 555 timer calculator
• resistors

making motion

• electric motors
• intro to DC Electric Motors
  • Commercial DC Electric Motor Drivers
• intro to AC Electric Motors
• RC servos
  • Commercial RC servo drivers
• stepper motors
  • Commercial stepper motor drivers

mechanical components

• PVC pipe
• styles of pipe connections
• Connection methods:
  • compression fittings
  • flare fittings
  • one touch push-in
  • pneumatic quick disconnect
  • threaded pipe connections

audio

• Introduction to sound systems
• connecting audio systems
• With multiple speakers, you have to worry about speaker impedance matching.
• You can avoid a lot of trouble with a 70-Volt speaker system.

finishing

• glue
  • hot glue
• paint
• applying finishes

compressed air

• intro to compressed air
• compressors
• Turn the pressure on and off with solenoid valves.
• Turn pressure into motion with pneumatic cylinders.

Immortalize your creations in photographs.

• We suggest digital photography.
• Tips on buying a camera.

It looks a lot spookier with fog.

• Your best bet is probably a glycol fogger...
  • Buying a glycol fogger.
  • ...which might require a chiller.
  • A lot of people are curious about making your own fog juice for glycol foggers.
  • We added X-10 to a fogger for remote control.
• Buying a water hazer.
• Ultrasonic misters are good for little spots of fog.
• Dry ice fog is not as good as you might think.
• You should avoid oil crackers.

Assorted effects:

• bubble machine
• snow machine

problems with products and companies

• Plenty of problems with X10.com
• Short Life Lights Using Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)

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