How Could I Automatically Turn On Virtual Santa Video Each Evening?

[airmaui 10]

Hello,

The laptop that drives my LOR-based show is located on the first floor of my house. I have a second laptop driving a projector on the second floor running the virtual santa video.

Has anyone figured out a way to automatically turn on the Virtual Santa video each evening?

Also, how do you loop a video on a dvd?

Thanks so much for reading this and for your help.

[JHolmes 2]

Can't help with the first part but if you grab your remote, in the menu there is usually an option to loop a video track.

[Mcas4380 49]

Have you considered a projector and a DVD player set to loop and a timer

[WhitePlainsNY 18]

Have you considered a projector and a DVD player set to loop and a timer

That's not recommended. All projectors need to cool off the lamp housing before they can be turned completely off. If you kill the power, the lamp housing will transfer the heat to the entire projector's inside which will melt and/or fry the unit. I've been searching for a learning remote that has a scheduling feature but I've been unsuccesful so far. I would use that as a way to use it's wireless remote signal to start the projector's shut down sequence. I could use that to start it up the next evening too.

[Mcas4380 49]

That's not recommended. All projectors need to cool off the lamp housing before they can be turned completely off. If you kill the power, the lamp housing will transfer the heat to the entire projector's inside which will melt and/or fry the unit. I've been searching for a learning remote that has a scheduling feature but I've been unsuccesful so far. I would use that as a way to use it's wireless remote signal to start the projector's shut down sequence. I could use that to start it up the next evening too.

Thanks!! i just learned something

[mike in tulsa 10]

You can convert the DVD to a .wmv file and use MS Media Player with repeat on. That's how I set mine up, so although I have to manually turn the projector on/off, the video will continuously loop until I stop it. The nice thing about this is I have also converted it to MPEG-4 so I can also play on I-Pad, I-Phone and/or I-Pod, although they do not have the loop/replay ability.

[jason101 0]

we use a xbox360. noone plays it anymore and it has a awesome loop feature., we use it all day/night long, no issues whatsoever... if you have one and dont use it, consider it... as far as turning it on and off, i would do it manually, because there are many issues with instant on and instant off...

[jerrymac 15]

I used one of the portable media players from Christmas Light show.com (saved virtual santa to micro sd card, also used for their carolers and Santa Symphonies).  My projector has a no signal auto off function that turns off the bulb when no signal is present for 2 minutes.   I put the portable media player on a timer that shuts off the media player at a patricular time.  Once the signal stops the projector shuts down (save power mode with the bulb off).  My sequencing was completely automated and worked without any human intervention.  Worked great.  LOVE the media player.  The player has a play all files in any particular directory and continue loop.

Edited January 10, 2013 by jerrymac

[Tom_Pokusa 1]

@jerrymac

 

What kind of projector do you have?

[gmac 32]

I use an Epson ..Model EX3210 That shuts light off after a short period (standby mode) with no signal.....The same as jerrymacs does

[Tom_Pokusa 1]

Thanks, gmac.  I had some more questions regarding projectors in general, but rather than hijack this thread, I started a new thread for my projector questions (

[Theron Schaefermeyer 0]

I purchased a cheap universal TV remote and programmed it to operate my projector.  Then I removed the power on/off button on the remote and soldered a wire to each of the two contacts under the button.  I then connected these two wires to the normally open contacts of a 120V relay which I powered from a X-10 control outlet.  Then in the start-up routine of LOR I run a short sequence that activates the X-10 channel for about 1 or 2 seconds.  This activates the X-10 outlet which powers the relay thus closing the contacts which short the ON/OFF button on the remote and starts the projector.  

 

At the end of the show I run a similar sequence that provides two ON/OFF pulses. the first pulse tells the projector to turn off and the second pulse confirms the action to turn off (as required by my brand of projector)

 

Oh, I have an old DVD player that just continues to run day and night with the virtual Santa disk in it.  I can set the DVD Player to continuously loop the video so I never have to worry about it.

 

I also use an X=10 channel to power my radio station so that it doesn't transmit when the show ends. 

Edited August 8, 2013 by Theron Schaefermeyer

[JHolmes 2]

I use an Epson ..Model EX3210 That shuts light off after a short period (standby mode) with no signal.....The same as jerrymacs does

 

Does it turn back on too when it receives signal?