Fireworks triggered by music

[Corabar Entertainment]

A client phoned us the other day with a garbled message from the company who is doing the fireworks at his wedding.

We asked to speak direct to the fireworks company, but the client didn't have their contact details to hand and so said he would get them to contact us. (We're waiting for their call).

Prior to speaking to them, I was wondering if anyone on here had any prior experience / knowledge that might shed some light on what they may be after.

All we have so far is that the firework company want to run the music for the fireworks through our system... BUT the link is somehow a trigger for the fireworks so that the fireworks go off in time to the music.

As I mentioned, the client really doesn't have much of an idea, but he mentioned 'phantom power', 'XLR', 'DII Standard', and that the fireworks company told him that 'it would be the same thing that we were using to control lights' (which we can only assume is 'DMX' )

Any ideas from anyone prior to this company contacting us?

[Excalibur]

Any good?

[Jiggles]

DMX + Fireworks/ pyro = Major disaster waiting to happen! Dangerous! It will be a specialist detonation program they will have.

[DJ Jules]

Phantom power & DI sounds like they expect you to use a Direct Injection box (which is what you'd use to connect a high impedance source to a low impedance input - e.g. Guitar to Mixer) to connect their music to your system.

Fireworks aren't allowed to be triggered using DMX - there's something in the DMX specs from memory which states that it's a protocol for non-critical systems only.

I'd expect the firework company to be using software to play back the music with markers at specific points in the song to electronically trigger the fireworks - they may be using a DI box to lift the earth to remove the noise classically associated with connecting a laptop to a mixing desk.

But, I have no practical experience of fireworks, or firework control software so I'm guessing (except for the DI bit).

Julian

[Corabar Entertainment]

Peter:

Callum: (as the forum expert on blowing things up ) Yes - kind of got the gist of that, but how does it connect/work, etc

[Jiggles]

Fireworks aren't allowed to be triggered using DMX - there's something in the DMX specs from memory which states that it's a protocol for non-critical systems only.

Yeh there is no error checking in the system. One wrong signal being transmit and BOOM! someones injured!

RE Angela

Depends on what system they use. I think they are wanting a connection from a PC into your PA. Kind of like How longs a piece of string!

[Excalibur]

Yeh there is no error checking in the system. One wrong signal being transmit and BOOM! someones injured!

RE Angela

Depends on what system they use. I think they are wanting a connection from a PC into your PA. Kind of like How longs a piece of string!

It sort of depends which way things are going. If their system is fully self contained, and they just want to run a signal into your PA so the punters hear the music, it's not too tricky. If they want your music to actually be the trigger, that's way out of my league.

I'd recommend ( as you've probably realised) that the only proper course of action is to speak directly to the Firework Man. ( And take the extra big box of cables to the gig )

[Corabar Entertainment]

Phantom power & DI sounds like they expect you to use a Direct Injection box (which is what you'd use to connect a high impedance source to a low impedance input - e.g. Guitar to Mixer) to connect their music to your system.

Fireworks aren't allowed to be triggered using DMX - there's something in the DMX specs from memory which states that it's a protocol for non-critical systems only.

I'd expect the firework company to be using software to play back the music with markers at specific points in the song to electronically trigger the fireworks - they may be using a DI box to lift the earth to remove the noise classically associated with connecting a laptop to a mixing desk.

But, I have no practical experience of fireworks, or firework control software so I'm guessing (except for the DI bit).

Julian

Ah.... that's starting to clear some fog!

[Larry B Entertainment]

I'd expect the firework company to be using software to play back the music with markers at specific points in the song to electronically trigger the fireworks - they may be using a DI box to lift the earth to remove the noise classically associated with connecting a laptop to a mixing desk.


Julian

Found some info here........
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13526_3-9985586-27.html

[discomobiledj]

This might help explain it....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6976248.stm

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