# Interested in lightning



## Devils Chariot

I saw this in 13 magazine, and it looks cool right, but I thought " you know if you buy it, you'll be told about a better solution in like 3 days, probably on hauntforum that cost half as much".

Firefly lightning










Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? Or maybe direct me to a good thread about this.

DC is not tech savvy, but he appreciates your input.


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## DarkLore

There are several threads on lightning and color organs. 

I use a Lighting FX box. It's black box with a lightning bolt on it. You can find them for anywhere from $8-40 depending upon the sale or holiday clearance. Normal price is around $29 I'd guess.

With different color organs...you can connect to audio to sync up the lightning. Some flash the lights to brighten with the noise...other's do the reverse. Most have a sensitivity know and the capability to hear through microphone or audio connection.

I've read about the Firefly and other units...but I still don't see much advantage to them. I'd love to see a comparison of units that don't cost an arm and leg.


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## DarkLore

http://www.frightcatalog.com/Halloween-Props/Lighting-FX-1408006

I believe you will also find kit solutions on sites such as http://www.electronics123.com


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## Devils Chariot

I love those things darklore, I have 4 of the fx units. 

and I just looked, the fx is limited to 500 watts.

I guess if i use big led spots, I can get more light for and keep the juice levels down. 

hmmm


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## The Archivist

DC, I have a lightning sim in my archives as well as the site it came from. Here's the link. Don't worry, it's not too technical.

http://www.hauntedillinois.com/h3.php


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## Frighteners Entertainment

How does this look to you?

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/video/video.php?v=1051494382352&ref=mf


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## bw1

The firefly lightning controller is hands down the best professional and versatile unit on the market. Just remember the old addage " you get what you pay for"


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## Devils Chariot

hmm. well aside form bw1 ones full throated endorsement.

Hey Jeff, what controller is that in the video? Kind looks like something you could do with 3 fx units with different sensitivities, though that would be a huge wiring mess.

I thought it over last night, and I think what I really want is something very bright, that kind of overpowers everything so you really get the lightning feeling.


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## Frighteners Entertainment

this is a 3 channel color organ kit (there is a thread here some place), no delay in the thunder, full stereo effect.
I think this could be even better with bright 12w LEDs, two color organs (one for each channel). This will be my goal for this years Halloween.


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## Sunkenbier

Im using the lightorama light controllers. With the controller I can controll 16 different channetls and it is expandable. I have manually set my lights and lightning to syncronize it with music and events such as lightning


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## Devils Chariot

That looks really cool sunkenbeir, but the price point I think is too high for me, though if i were an christmas guy too, then maybe I could justify the expense.


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## Moon Dog

I went the strobe and controller route from this thread and had great results.

Lightning

I couldn't find a demo video on that site, I'd want to see it in action before I gave them any money.


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## Devils Chariot

Thanks moon dog, that was the thread I had been remembering, but if couldn't remember who posted it. I had bookmarked that strobe along time ago, but no the controller. I'll have to review it now.


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## i-Zombie

The best lightning controllers on the market are the i-Zombie units. We invented the stereo and multi-channel lightning controllers. The Lights Alive Firefly units are copy cat knock offs of our designs. If you want a dirt cheap unit that just basically flashes a light to any sound, but does not really function as a lightning controller, you can get a kit from Velleman for about 10 bucks or buy the cheap unit mentioned earlier in this thread. However, if you want a real thunder and lightning simulation that doesn't look like you are just turning the porch light on and off real fast, take a look at the i-Zombie units at: www.i-zombie.com


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## Troy

I also think IZombie is the best I've had mine for two years and couldn't be happier, the soundtrack is superior to any other I've seen run with a controller, I've also witnessed the Firefly (my buddy got one), it's a nice unit but even he admits that the IZombie creates a better sim.


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## TommaHawk

Here's a thread to get both "regular" and "reverse" lightning in the same box. Works really well for me!

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=10973&highlight=reverse+lightning


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## DarkLore

Frighteners Entertainment said:


> How does this look to you?
> 
> http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/video/video.php?v=1051494382352&ref=mf


Can't see the page without a facebook account.


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## DarkLore

i-Zombie said:


> The best lightning controllers on the market are the i-Zombie units. We invented the stereo and multi-channel lightning controllers. The Lights Alive Firefly units are copy cat knock offs of our designs. If you want a dirt cheap unit that just basically flashes a light to any sound, but does not really function as a lightning controller, you can get a kit from Velleman for about 10 bucks or buy the cheap unit mentioned earlier in this thread. However, if you want a real thunder and lightning simulation that doesn't look like you are just turning the porch light on and off real fast, take a look at the i-Zombie units at: www.i-zombie.com


 Yup...that's exactly what I want. A dirt cheap unit that flashes lights to any sound.


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## Wicked Saw 2 Cut

*Lightning*

Just a thought, but the best lightning recreation Ive ever seen used a photo enlarger bulb, 150 watt. This was mounted about 20ft up in a tree out on a limb, and run buy a cheep-o Walmart bought lightning unit.

Now if a guy has a lightning track and Audacity sound editor you could use the phase shift effect to move the lightning back and forth between the left and right channels. then pick up a couple of cheap lightning units, plug one in the left channel the other in the right channel and you have shifting lightning. Also these old style enlarger bulbs are incandescent and give off a more realistic lightning effect than the xenon strobes. Old school stuff, but with Audacity to do the sound and a small mixer board you could put your lightning any where.

I have never tried this for lightning before, but did use this effect in the pyro musical I did on the 4th and hearing Jimi's, All A Long the Watch Tower shifting back and forth form left to right blew a lot of minds. For those unfamiliar with Audacity it is free just google (Audacity) and it will get you to a free down load. you can trust the down load site.


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## Devils Chariot

Audacity is a great program, I also endorse it wholeheartedly. OpenSource baby!


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## Otaku

I use two of those FX boxes. I like having the lightning flash an instant before the thunder, so I divide the stereo thunder track and send one side to the FX boxes and the other (delayed) side to the amplifier. I use four 250 watt photoflood bulbs (white and blue) for the lights. Those FX boxes work great - best deal for the $$.


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## Devils Chariot

yeah and i have like 5 already...think I'll go with otakus suggestion, nit that others were bad, but it's affordable and I have most of it on hand already.

Thanks G.


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## danaomaii

i have the firefly 501 it works great . also get leds


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## DeathTouch

I have used Animated Lighting stuff and they are great but can get pricy if you buy in the main season. I buy off season. I can normally buy the cheaper setup for 150 bucks for a 16 channel. LOR is cheaper.


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## cmk4425

I use a single channel color organ, 4 100watt floodlights with lightblue gels, speakers mounted to the eave of my house, and the angry skies cd. I came up with a way to have it lightning then thunder like it really does. I made a cd with the right channel 3 seconds behind the left channel so the color organ is hooked to the left channel and the sound is played from the right channel. What I end up with is a flash of lightning then 3 seconds later you hear the thunder. I think its cool but I don't think anybody at my Halloween party even noticed I guess its the price we pay for being Halloween freaks:jol: Alot of hard work and imagination with nowhere near enough appreciation. Oh Well atleast we impress ourselves hehe


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## Hallowennie315

cmk4425 said:


> I use a single channel color organ, 4 100watt floodlights with lightblue gels, speakers mounted to the eave of my house, and the angry skies cd. I came up with a way to have it lightning then thunder like it really does. I made a cd with the right channel 3 seconds behind the left channel so the color organ is hooked to the left channel and the sound is played from the right channel. What I end up with is a flash of lightning then 3 seconds later you hear the thunder. I think its cool but I don't think anybody at my Halloween party even noticed I guess its the price we pay for being Halloween freaks:jol: Alot of hard work and imagination with nowhere near enough appreciation. Oh Well atleast we impress ourselves hehe


Ha ha, I know exactly what you mean, Cmk4425. I just use a lightning effect box connected to a sound system with a "work" style lamp. Works really well. You don't have to spend a lot of money to have great lightning.


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## Jaybo

a few people in this thread and others have suggested using LEDs to save on the amount of power drawn by the light. Where do you find LEDs bright enough to compete with a halogen flood light?


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## danaomaii

I have the firefly 501 It is awesome . you do get what you pay for


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## i-Zombie

I would like to clarify an earlier post I made concerning the Firefly lightning controllers. I said that they were copycat knock offs of i-Zombie designs. They are not copy cat knock offs trying to pass them off as i-Zombie units. They are a distinctly different brand of controller. They merely copied i-Zombies' idea of a Stereo and Multi-Channel lightning controllers and built their own units. i-Zombie Productions invented the Stereo and Multi-Channel lightning controller back in 2004. I think it is great that other companies think enough of our ideas that they want to make their own version of it. We wish Lights Alive much success with their Firefly controllers as I believe there is plenty of business out there for all of us. I would also like to thank all those who chose i-Zombie Lightning Controllers this year for their haunted houses. Visit the i-Zombie website at: www.i-zombie.com


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## Mr Grimsley

Hello all,

I'm interested in knowing if anyone using strobes with their lightning controller/box (any brand) has a video of said combination in action that they can post to this thread?

I'm planning on using a chauvet 2000s along with the Lighting FX Box. I've done a few tests that look promising but like to get an idea of what it may look like on a haunt.


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## scream1973

Mr Grimsley said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I'm interested in knowing if anyone using strobes with their lightning controller/box (any brand) has a video of said combination in action that they can post to this thread?
> 
> I'm planning on using a chauvet 2000s along with the Lighting FX Box. I've done a few tests that look promising but like to get an idea of what it may look like on a haunt.


Send a message to meltdown ( i think thats his name) he was using Chauvet 1000 watt strobes with a controller for lightning


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## MBrennan

Otaku said:


> I use two of those FX boxes. I like having the lightning flash an instant before the thunder, so I divide the stereo thunder track and send one side to the FX boxes and the other (delayed) side to the amplifier. I use four 250 watt photoflood bulbs (white and blue) for the lights. Those FX boxes work great - best deal for the $$.


Otaku,

Where do you get the photoflood bulbs, and do they fit in a regular flood light fixture?


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## Otaku

I get the bulbs at photography stores. They go for ~$5 each. Don't be alarmed by the "3 hour" life that's printed on the box. Each lightning flash is just a few seconds long, and I've been using my bulbs for 4 years (about 5 hours each Halloween) and they're still going strong.


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## pagan

I'm a little bummed.. It seems the lightning fx boxes are out of production and no longer available..


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## stagehand1975

They are out there and the more expensive ones are still being made. I have seen some on eBay as well. As far as using strobes, you dont get as good of an effect if you are using small strobes. For strobes, the bigger the better. I use a 750 watt strobe and a strobe controller with audio input I also use a 2 channel collor organ and 2 1000 watt stage type flood fixtures.


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## avarax

There's a comparison of the i-Zombie and the Firefly units on the Firefly site. Obviously, it makes the Firefly look good, so take it with a grain of salt, but it is full of facts about each unit. Could be helpful to anyone looking at both units and trying to decide.

http://www.lights-alive.com/pdf/FireFly_vs_iZombie.pdf

Hope this helps anyone!


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