Tower of Terror Theater
Well-Known Member
So I have been attempting to recreate the physical look of the Tower of Terror Basement elevator from the Disney ride, and also create a special effects and AV effects in an approximate 4 min scene all triggered by pressing the "elevator" button on the set. I have been seeking help and have gotten some from colleagues of the set builder to give input, but as a non-technical guy, I really dont have the expertise to implement the advice even if I had the appropriate equipment. I have attached the description of my issues I wrote to someone. Any advice where I can get help in solving the problems and hands on implementation in the Las Vegas area.
Hi Ken, you were kind enough to text me Oct 28th after being referred to me by Josh regarding trying to get sound effects, video, and special effects integrated in a programmed scene. Josh worked on the physical set reproducing the Tower of Terror Basement elevator entrance (ie Disney World amusement park ride) for me, (which in reality is the entrance to my home theater) and I do have a technician that works/designs haunted houses and escape rooms in Las Vegas, but the project involves multiple audio tracks and audio sources, multiple video display devices (two LCD displays and possible additional projector with augmented reality) which has complicated how to integrate everything to play through a single set of existing ceiling speakers, and a pair of passive subs, and possibly an additional powered sub. The timing of the scene of the events I believe can be accomplished by the escape room tech using a haunted house controller called the Boo Box Flex max, which can function to trigger all the equipment at the appropriate time. This controller, can turn things on/off via 12V triggers and/or 110V relays, has DMX control abilities, has onboard audio amp.
Currently the plan is for a press of the elevator button to trigger the Flex max controller https://www.frightprops.com/control...ollers/boobox-controllers/boobox-flexmax.html to start its sequence of planned effects (completed). The following is a list of the equipment I need to get video output to, and equipment that needs to output audio to ceiling speakers and subs (all the hard wiring connections are already existing ie HDMI cables and extra cat6 if needed). So just to clarify, all sound will be played through the single set of ceiling speakers and the set of passive subs and possibly a powered sub.
1) Start sound effects of elevator motor noises and other sound effects to play at various times through the scene. . This can originate from controller on-board files/MP3 player or suggestions.
2) 19” Asus 4:3 LCD monitor
Only want video to play on monitor; want audio to play through speaker pair in ceiling, and a pair of passive subs and possibly powered sub). The video file to play for this monitor currently played through dedicated Sprite media player which has single HDMI out and/or RCA audio out (can hold multiple MP4 files and be triggered to play desired file at desired time).
3) Firefly digital lightning/thunder/dimmer simulator https://www.frightprops.com/lightin...-lightning-simulator-with-internal-audio.html
This device outputs lightning (two LED strobes located outside the patio), controls dimming of set lights, and outputs the sound of thunder. The lightning thunder can be triggered via internal on-board recorded track, or it can be triggered via input of sound track to the device (it responds to loud noises to trigger lightning; the louder that noise, the more lightning and thunder it generates. It is good because it dims the set lights in synch to thunder/lighting that it outputs automatically and thus we dont have to worry about programming the dimming, it is bad because it responds to any noise, it will respond to voice or music that may be on an audio track. I want to synch this device via a custom digital MP3 player input to this device which will input noises to synch to lighting and thunder which appear on the intro video which will the video plays through the 19” monitor.
4) 65” Commercial LCD montitor in portrait mode. This monitor currently is also connected to a dedicated Sprite media player via HDMI and only want video to play through the 65” monitor and the accompanying audio track to play through overhead speakers and pair of passive subs and possibly powered sub.
5) Augmented reality projector https://lightform.com/lf2 This is not yet obtained, but anticipate the video will again be supplied via dedicated Sprite media player (but open to alternative suggestions), and any accompanying audio can be on on-board controller MP3 player or be outputted from Sprite player.
So the crux of my question, is how do I get all the audio sources/video sources to get to the desired display and all to play audio through the same set of speakers/subs? I have tried to use a single Sony A/V receiver but there was a problem with feed back when I attempted to connect both the overhead speakers and subs using the media player with the intro video, while the media player displaying to the 65” display was able to output to the A/V receiver and play through the overhead speakers and subs without problem, plus I did not know the best way to switch between all the audio/video sources and outputs.
My guess is you may need to see the set in person to get a better grasp of the issues.
Here is a link to the Youtube channel which documents the progress of the project with individual effects demonstrated.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcTO0no5eLSdGT8u6C-mcJg?view_as=subscriber
Here is a clip which shows the 65” display and lightning and thunder device in action.
