BatesBunch.com - Dave's Haunts FAQ

Ok, so this is a quick FAQ with the most asked questions about my haunt.

• How many projectors?

  Just one thank goodness, but multiple would make for better quality (and a humongous hassle)

• What projector do you use?

  A projector that has been an amazing low price workhorse. The Sharp Notevision PGB10S. It can do (and has done) everything acceptably, although I want to replace it soon with something with more resolution and less screen door effect. With this kind of thing contrast ratio is less important, and the cinema "dark modes" should be disabled. You just want the maximum light output...period. I find the lens shift to be invaluable as well as a decent zoom. You just can't put your projector right where you want it in this situation. I've put a pdf on my now antique projector's specs here.

  Now the one I want... That is easy. The Panasonic PT-AE3000U. Someone asked me why?... The features I care about are all there: full HD, lens shift, big zoom, 1500 lumens, smooth screen (all but prevents screen door effect), and a reasonable price.

• Where do you put your projector?

  Originally I projected from an upstairs window of a house across the street. Then they moved and a new family moved in that didn't want to have anything to do with my display. I ended up moving over to my other neighbors backyard (who is very nice and loves Halloween).

  The projection booth is a plywood box with vents in the bottom and 12' 2x4s for a stand. I attach it each year to a fence post in their back yard. It is on a pretty steep angle actually which makes it nice for shadow control, but it also makes it so the garage is really far away... Still works well though. Have to be careful with scale. Basically that makes it about 70' away at the farthest and 40' at the closest.

• What do you run the video on?

  I render the video at 800x600 to match my projector resolution and run it right off my laptop (which I put with the projector) looping in Quicktime Player.

• How do you do the sound?

  In the beginning I used to broadcast the video from my house to the projector. Once I wanted more resolution than a standard TV signal, (and wi-fi came along and made broadcasting tough) I started broadcasting the audio back to my house using an FM transmitter. I used the Belkin Tune-Cast for a while despite its horrible range. Then switched to the "Whole House Transmitter" which is better, but still not perfect. Ideally I would like to go back to broadcasting the video, but either laptop to laptop over wi-fi, or with a high def broadcaster. Should work, but I haven't found a good solution that can keep sound in sync. If anyone finds anything I would be very happy!!

  The sound goes into my surround sound amp and then to three largish speakers. Two on the sides of my house, and one behind the pumpkins.

• What are your "pumpkins"?

  Gemmy inflatable item number 26007-50 created in 2004, and completely sold out everywhere as far as I can tell. They sometimes show up on ebay, but not in bulk (it takes four of course). If you find any, let me know. I know a lot of people that would like them. They have black faces on them, but I just turn them around

  The first year I used giant orange garbage bags with the faces on them turned backward (filled with newspaper). Not as good and a pain to fill up, but they worked. The second year, if my inflatables hadn't worked, I was going to make my own inflatable bags of orange nylon. Something like that. I'm keeping my eyes open for a better solution. Maybe someone makes 3' inflatable balls for parties or something. They don't have to be pumpkins (though that is nice).

• How are you able to project the video from across the street without people getting in front of the projected image?

  My projector is high. (more than 12 feet up from the sidewalk). It is also on an angle. People can still walk in front of it if they try, but I miss them if they are on the sidewalk. One of the bummers about projection.

• How did you display multiple images (pumpkins, skeleton, eye) all at once?

  My personal video loop has a combination of all the elements into one big video (bigger resolution too). However, it is VERY custom to my house layout, and as such, almost completely useless for others. One DVD purchaser bought it with the intention of laying out the elements himself in his video program to fit his house. That is certainly allowed under my DVD license.

• Do You have any trouble with Street Light Interference?

  It has an impact. The worst though is my neighbor (who hates me) across the street. She has three 100 watt lights on her house that shine right on my show! I've tried to ask her if I can decorate them to block the light, and they are very rude about it. It's like someone holding the door open in the back of a darkened theater. The show still works just the same, but it looks much better after they go to bed. In this picture you can see the shadow of me cast from them on the garage.

  Just keep in mind that a projector can't make anything darker than it already is. It can only make it brighter so you loose contrast the lighter it gets outside. Yet another good reason to stick with projecting ghosts...

• Can I really do this?

  Yes you can if you know how to set up a home theater using a projector. If you are doing the pumpkins, you will need 4 pumpkins (bags or inflatables to project on).

• How do I get the sound to come from the screen rather than the projector?

  There are four ways to do this

  1. Run a long cable to the projector for the video. I suggest www.monoprice.com for the best cable prices and quality.
  2. Run some long wires to the speakers.
  3. Broadcast the sound from the projector to the amp. For instance, you can use a FM transmitter. (This is how I do it currently)
  4. Broadcast the video to the projector (used to do this, but don't know what is out there anymore for it).
• Why so expensive for just a DVD?

  There are basically two reasons for this.

  • It was expensive to create. To recoup the costs with the limited number of people willing to stick a nice video projector outside their house. I needed to charge enough to make it worth my while.
  • I don't want my show on every street. Not that it would happen, but I want to limit my show to an exclusive group, and not have it everywhere.