Gear and Props 

Device control

All of the active spook zones are controlled by a device called the Scare-O-Matic 7000.  The Scare-O-Matic allows for programming and replay of arbitrary event sequences, including:

• Starting and stopping sound sources
• Triggering strobe flashes or other momentary events
• Direct switching of any AC or DC device
• Switching any AC device through house wiring using the X-10 protocol, or by a Graphical User Interface.

For detailed information about how the Scare-O-Matic works, click here.

Sensors

One pair of infrared photoelectric detectors inform the Scare-O-Matic when guests approach the house from either direction along the sidewalk.  Another such sensor uses an infrared beam across the driveway, which is broken when guests are approaching the house more closely; for example, to *heh* get free candy.  A third sensor is activated when guests are just about to step onto the porch.

Animatronics

Trash Can Trauma -- an innocent-looking plastic garbage can unexpectedly comes to life as visitors walk past!

New for 2006!

1. The Grave Jumper - A pneumatically driven zombie jumps up and over a tombstone to startle passersby with an evil laugh and eyes backlit with strobe lights!

· New for 2007 Pneumatically driven, independently controlled arms!

2. The Flying Crank Ghost - Visible through the front window of the house, a lifesize ghost marionette moves about while raising & lowering his head and arms in apparently independent motions (a classic haunted house effect.) The effect is enhanced by black lighting and fluorescent paint.

Lighting

Black lights:

• 3 - 24" single-tube fixtures
• 10 - 48" dual-tube fixtures.  These are painted black to be unobtrusive, and the bulbs are enclosed in wire mesh for ruggedness.
• 1 – 400 watt flood light (mounted in the “Tree Lighting Platform” seen below)

Strobe lights:

• 1 - 750 watt strobe (Bad Weather) – (in the “Tree Lighting Platfom” – picture above)
• 3 - 75 watt strobes (Bad Weather) – (1 in a tree in the yard, 1 on the garage and one in the “Pole Platform” – see picture below)
• 2 - 50 watt strobes (Garage O' the Damned)
• 1 - Plain old Radio Shack strobe (Garage O' the Damned)

Spotlights:

• Multiple red & green pinspots (Front yard ambience)

Intelligent scanners:

• 2 - Martin RoboScan 218 Pro scanners (in roof top scanner platforms 1 & 2 – see picture below)
• 1 - Martin 2308 light controller

Cameras:

• Multiple wired & wireless surveillance cameras (daylight, lowlight & IR) for observing our guests (and for the live webcast 10/31/2006! )

Other:

• 1 “Go-bo” scanner which projects a moving ghost figure across the scene (mounted on the “Pole Platform.”)
• 1 home made Jacobs ladder (using steel rods & a large neon lamp power supply - also on the “Pole Platform”)
• 1 moving laser projector: star pattern (mounted in the “Tree Platform”)

Fog

A set of foggers (1 large, two small) in the garage generates the large clouds of fog for Garage O' the Damned.  Smaller foggers in the front yard provide an ambient fog level by periodically emitting bursts under the control of Scare-O-Matic Panel 1.

Sounds

Three independent stereo systems belt out the following:

• Eerie swamp ambience (Sound Ideas General collection, disc 6039, track 47); mixed with the Bad Weather soundtrack as necessary
• Bad Weather soundtrack

A second stereo system in the garage provides the Garage O' the Damned soundtrack.

A third stereo system on the porch provides the Spectre soundtrack.

Props

Below are some of our props (This is an ever growing and changing population. Please visit our Haunt to see the latest batch!)

Also check out the Cast and Rogues gallery pages for more props.

Click on any image below to return to Ranch o’ Spooks