I'm planning on doing the the Casa Fear ground breaker using the Ground Breaker Kit from Fright Props (http://www.frightprops.com/ground-breaker-parts.html) triggered by a PIR sensor and I'm not sure what all I need for the controller. 

I was thinking of the Prop-1 Starter Kit (http://www.efx-tek.com/topics/prop-1_starter.html) but is there anything else I need?  The kit suggest a USB to serial cable that doesn't appear to be included in the kit.  What about sound triggered at the same time?  Maybe selecting 2-3 sound files to play?  I'm also thinking about a light that also turns on when the PIR is tripped.

I've looked through the forums and found many examples of code for specific configurations, but I didn't see a basic program.  I did see how to hook up the PIR so I got that.  I'm no stranger to programming, but since we are towards the end of August, I already feel behind. 

Is the programming software compatible with Windows 10?

Also, is it safe to assume that I should only control 1 prop with the board.  Next year if I add something like a coffin box I should use another prop1?

I would appreciate any suggestions.

The Prop-1 Starter Kit comes with everything you need except...
-- a computer to write/edit/download programs

That's it! When you're ready to build a second prop you will only need to order a Prop-1 controller and a power supply (both come in the kit). If you do a bit of searching here you'll fin several Casa Fear Zombie programs; that will give you something to start with.

Thanks Jon.  I just went to order it and when I clicked on buy now it went to a page saying product not found.  Does this mean the Kit isn't offered any longer or just isn't available at the moment?

Ed

Out of stock for the moment -- but that will be corrected soon. We've had a crazy run on product with the boom in the Escape Room industry.

Note that the Prop-1 kit does have the cable and adapter needed to program it, but does not include audio or PIR, so if you didn't get those with the expensive FrightProp kit, you'll need to get something for those too.  EFX-TEK has those items of needed.

Lights can be controlled via the prop-1. For my ground breaker, my eyeballs are lighted and I have a 12v automotive blue LED strip that lights him up when activated. If you're looking to use a 120v AC light (spot light, flood, etc), you'll need to get something to switch 120v AC... again EFX-TEK has a solution or you could use a different relay approach.

I went on the cheap for sound - a Velleman sound recorder/playback kit (MK195) I got at fry's for $5/ea, into powered PC speakers-- but it works very well, and there are four different "voices" that he uses. (couldn't resist the price so I bought all four kits that they had.)

I have no issues at all with Win10 and the programming environment.

Technically you "could" control more than one prop with the board, but you're very limited with what you can do with the prop-1.  Probably best to keep it to a single prop for each prop-1 controller.

Mike

QuoteAlso, is it safe to assume that I should only control 1 prop with the board.  Next year if I add something like a coffin box I should use another prop1?

If you want to do multi-prop control with on PCB, then the HC-8+ is the way to go. While it is *possible* to do very simple multi-prop setups with a Prop-1 or Prop-2, the programming is excruciating and completely blows through the money you "saved" getting the lower-cost controller.

Help, I'm not much of an electrician and I don't want to fry the board.  How do I wire in a PIR sensor to p5 as the trigger?  Can the Prop1 power the sensor and do I just wire the three lines from the sensor to the W R and B pins?  Or do I need a separate power for the sensor?

Go have a look in the documentation section of the boards:  http://www.efx-tek.com/php/smf/index.php?topic=314.0

There's a log of good info there and many times, examples with pictures.  Above link goes to directly what you need.

mike

PIRs are easy to hook up and no need be electrician.

You use a 3 pin servo cable which one end plugs to the 3 pin header on the Prop-1 and the other end plugs into the 3pin header on the PIR. This means all you have to do is make sure the "W" (white) on the Prop-1and PIR matches the white wire on the servo cable.

BTW, when we talk about the "W", "R", "B" we are revering to the wires in the servo cable.

Quote from: ZombiEd on October 27, 2016, 05:37:14 PM
Help, I'm not much of an electrician and I don't want to fry the board.  How do I wire in a PIR sensor to p5 as the trigger?  Can the Prop1 power the sensor and do I just wire the three lines from the sensor to the W R and B pins?  Or do I need a separate power for the sensor?

If you're using the PIR we sell (built by our friends at Parallax) then the connection really is plug-and-play.

This will help:
--> http://www.efx-tek.com/downloads/pir_docs.pdf

Thanks all.  Exactly what I needed.