Animated Lighting Haunted House in a Box User manual

Assembly and
Operating Instructions
Animated Lighting, Inc.
13848 Wyandotte
Kansas City, MO 64145
[phone]
www.animatedlighting.com
With Pumpkin Faces
IN A BOX
A PRODUCT OF ANIMATED LIGHTING, L.C.

Overview
Congratulations! You have purchased the Haunted House in a Box (HHIAB). It is a plug-and-play light
controller from Animated Lighting that enables you to quickly build an exciting Halloween light show with
your lights on bushes and trees, black lights, strobes, spot lights or just about anything spooky that lights up
or you can shine a light on.
Animated Lighting, Inc PAGE 1
Animated Lighting, Inc PAGE 1
Unpacking Haunted House in a Box
This is the front of Haunted
House in a Box (15A version).
It includes a 16-Channel light
controller with one three-prong
power cord dangle.
2Here are the two components of
Haunted House in a Box:
Monster Brain - This unit plays
your lighting shows and songs.
16-Channel Light Controller
(15A unit shown) - Plug your
extension cords from your lighting
channels directly into the female
plugs on the bottom of the this unit.
If you have purchased four singing
pumpkins, you will receive three
light controllers.
1FM Transmitter
(An Optional Item Sold Separately)
Visitors to your display can
listen to the Haunted House
in a Box’s holiday music by
turning the FM radio in their
vehicle to the appropriate
frequency.
To complete a Haunted House in a Box
installation, you will need to supply extension
cords to connect your lights where they are located
on the Haunted House in a Box light controller.
You will need a pair of powered speakers (or
amplifier and speakers), plus your own light
strings, flood lights, spot lights, black lights, strobe
lights, props, lighting figurines, etc. Finally, you
may need some zip ties to secure lights to trees
and duct tape for securing wires that cross walking
paths.
Other Parts You Might
Need to Supply
Locating your display outdoors is fine but keep in mind all components are not weatherproof. The light
controller should be mounted in a position where the cord access holes point down so rain cannot enter the
enclosure. The small Monster Brain is not weatherized and has sensitive electronics, therefore should be
mounted inside a building or waterproof enclosure. Speakers should be mounted out of the direct path of rain
(under your house eve is a good place) or use waterproof marine speakers.
If Your Display is Outside
MBX32
PWR Audio
Port 1
Port 2
Play
Term
MP3
DMX
HB
SD
IP

Animated Lighting, Inc PAGE 2
Single Pumpkin Face Package
ADDRESSING: Locate the two dials on the same board as the RJ45 (8-pin) jacks that
say A1 and A0 on them. These dials need to be set at “1” (A1) and “4” (A0). These dials
will be changed based on the size of your display (the number of light controllers that are
used).
CONNECT WITH A CATEGORY 5
COMMUNICATION CABLE
PLUG THESE CHANNELS INTO
THE LIGHT CONTROLLER
USING THE CHART ON PAGE 3
AS YOUR GUIDE.
MBX32
PWR Audio
Port 1
Port 2
Play
Term
MP3 DMX
HB
SD
IP

The Single Pumpkin Face Package has been pre-programmed based on the following:
Light
Channel
Description
(Recommendation)
0Top Eyes
1Bottom Eyes
2Top Lip
3Mid Lip
4Bottom Lip
5Open Mouth
6Circle Mouth
7Black Light
8Auxiliary Bank 1, Channel A
9Auxiliary Bank 1, Channel B
10 Auxiliary Bank 1, Channel C
11 Auxiliary Bank 1, Channel D
12 Auxiliary Bank 2, Channel A
13 Auxiliary Bank 2, Channel B
14 Auxiliary Bank 2, Channel C
15 Auxiliary Bank 2, Channel D
Animated Lighting, Inc PAGE 3
0
1
2
4
3
5
6
Suggested Layout-Single Pumpkin Face Package

Suggested Layout - Single Pumpkin Face Package
As long as you do not put too many lights into one channel, or overload the entire light controller, you can split
zones across multiple objects. This means you can put two or more lights on an individual channel with the
light controller. If you have more lighted items to control than you have lighting channels, you can plug your
ghoulish ghost and your vicious werewolf into the same lighting channel. Doing so will cause them to light and
fade at the same time, therefore you may have to experiment with the placement location. Try placing them side
by side, or on opposite sides of the yard. Choose what looks best to you!
Splitting Zones Between Objects
Your Haunted House in a Box can power a large number of lights, more than a typical wall outlet can provide.
There are between one to four 120 volt cords coming out of each lighting controller you have purchased. Plug
each cord into different wall plugs to distribute the power. In some cases you will have to find wall plugs fed by
different circuit breakers from your master power panel.
Important Consideration for Power
12 13 14 15
8910 11
7
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1) CONNECTION: Locate the RJ45 (8-pin) jacks inside each of your light controllers. Connect
one end of a CAT 5 network cable into the open RJ45 jack of your original controller. Run the
other end of the cable out of the hole in the bottom of the box, and into a hole on the bottom of
the expansion controller. Plug that end into one of the available RJ45 jacks on your expansion
controller.
2) ADDRESSING: Locate the two dials on the same board as the RJ45 (8-pin) jacks. Below these
dials are designations “A1” and “A0”. We have listed in the diagram above the network addresses
that are needed for each light controller above the picture of each light controller.
1
2
Four-Pumpkin Face Package
FACES 1 AND 2
“1” (A1) “4” (A0)
INITIAL
CONTROLLER:
BUSHES AND TREES
“0” (A1) “0” (A0)
FACES 3 AND 4
“1” (A1) “5” (A0)
The Four Pumpkin Face package is designed to use either Qty. 2 or Qty. 3 light controllers. You
will only need Qty. 2 light controllers if you are only going to have the Qty. 4 Pumpkin Faces
sing to the music. If you want to control not only the Pumpkin Faces, but also have the lights on
your bushes, trees, flood lights, black lights, and strobe lights dance to the music, you will need
a third controller. We will identify this as “Initial Controller” in the diagram below. In either
scenario, you will need to daisy chain from the Monster Brain to the controllers with a Category
5 network cable as shown below.
MBX32
PWR Audio
Port 1
Port 2
Play
Term
MP3 DMX
HB
SD
IP

The Four Pumpkin Face Package with two controllers (controlling only the faces) has been pre-programmed
based on the following (see below). Remember the controller for Faces 1 and 2 are addressed at “1” (A1) and
“4” (A0).
Light
Channel
Description
(Recommendation)
0Top Eyes, Face 1
1Bottom Eyes, Face 1
2Top Lip, Face 1
3Mid Lip, Face 1
4Bottom Lip, Face 1
5Open Mouth, Face 1
6Circle Mouth, Face 1
7Black Light
8Top Eyes, Face 2
9Bottom Eyes, Face 2
10 Top Lip, Face 2
11 Mid Lip, Face 2
12 Bottom Lip, Face 2
13 Open Mouth, Face 2
14 Circle Mouth, Face 2
15 Black Light
Animated Lighting, Inc PAGE 6
Suggested Layout-Four Pumpkin Face Package
Light
Channel
Description
(Recommendation)
0Top Eyes, Face 3
1Bottom Eyes, Face 3
2Top Lip, Face 3
3Mid Lip, Face 3
4Bottom Lip, Face 3
5Open Mouth, Face 3
6Circle Mouth, Face 3
7Black Light
8Top Eyes, Face 4
9Bottom Eyes, Face 4
10 Top Lip, Face 4
11 Mid Lip, Face 4
12 Bottom Lip, Face 4
13 Open Mouth, Face 4
14 Circle Mouth, Face 4
15 Black Light

The standard lighting channels for the Haunted House in a Box has been pre-programmed based on the
following (the network addresses of this controller are “0” (A1) and “0” (A0):
Suggested Light Arrangements - Four Pumpkin Face Package
Light
Channel
Description
(Recommendation)
1Flood Light, Channel A. Placed upwards towards a large object in the back of the display. These
two items work best together. If you place the Channel A flood light on the left side of your front
door, then it is best to place the Channel B flood to the right side of your front door.
2Flood Light, Channel B. If you place Channel A flood light on the left side of your front door, then it
is best to place Channel B flood light to the right side of your front door.
3Black Light. Looks very good up against a sheet white ghost.
4Auxiliary Bank 1, Channel A. Looks best if placed in the front of the display and in sequential
order from the left to the right. Any type of light can be used. You can have four bushes with orange
mini lights wrapped around them. You can have four light up figurines. Feel free to use your imagi-
nation!
5Auxiliary Bank 1, Channel B. Looks best if placed in the front of the display and in sequential
order from the left to the right. Any type of light can be used. You can have four bushes with orange
mini lights wrapped around them. You can have four light up figurines. Feel free to use your imagi-
nation!
6Auxiliary Bank 1, Channel C. Looks best if placed in the front of the display and in sequential
order from the left to the right. Any type of light can be used. You can have four bushes with orange
mini lights wrapped around them. You can have four light up figurines. Feel free to use your imagi-
nation!
7Auxiliary Bank 1, Channel D. Looks best if placed in the front of the display and in sequential
order from the left to the right. Any type of light can be used. You can have four bushes with orange
mini lights wrapped around them. You can have four light up figurines. Feel free to use your imagi-
nation!
8Auxiliary Bank 2, Channel A. Looks best placed evenly behind Auxiliary Bank 1 as some of the
effects play behind two banks.
9Auxiliary Bank 2, Channel B. Looks best placed evenly behind Auxiliary Bank 1 as some of the
effects play behind two banks.
10 Auxiliary Bank 2, Channel C. Looks best placed evenly behind Auxiliary Bank 1 as some of the
effects play behind two banks.
11 Auxiliary Bank 2, Channel D. Looks best placed evenly behind Auxiliary Bank 1 as some of the
effects play behind two banks.
12 Extra Prop A. Looks best placed behind channels 10 and 11. They work hand and hand with the
channels in auxiliary Band 2.
13 Extra Prop B. Looks best placed behind channels 10 and 11. They work hand and hand with the
channels in auxiliary Band 2.
14 Extra Prop C. Looks best placed behind channels 10 and 11. They work hand and hand with the
channels in auxiliary Band 2.
15 Strobe Light.
16 Strobe Light.
Animated Lighting, Inc PAGE 7
0Strobe Light.
Strobe Light.

Suggested Layout - Four Pumpkin Faces (continued)
As long as you do not put too many lights into one channel, or overload the entire light controller, you can split
zones across multiple objects. This means you can put two or more lights on an individual channel with the
light controller. If you have more lighted items to control than you have lighting channels, you can plug your
ghoulish ghost and your vicious werewolf into the same lighting channel. Doing so will cause them to light and
fade at the same time, therefore you may have to experiment with the placement location. Try placing them side
by side, or on opposite sides of the yard. Choose what looks best to you!
Splitting Zones Between Objects
Your Haunted House in a Box can power a large number of lights, more than a typical wall outlet can provide.
There are between one to four 120 volt cords coming out of each lighting controller you have purchased. Plug
each cord into different wall plugs to distribute the power. In some cases you will have to find wall plugs fed by
different circuit breakers from your master power panel.
Important Consideration for Power
2
13 14
3
15 16
910 11 12
5678
4
1
Animated Lighting, Inc PAGE 8

Setting Up the Base System
This is the Monster Brain.
Make sure it is located inside
a building or a weather proof
enclosure.
Animated Lighting, Inc PAGE 9
Connect one end of the
communications cable here.
This is where the Monster Brain
communicates with the external light
controllers. Both plugs are labeled
“RS485” and either plug will work.
Connect the small plug of the wall
transformer here. Do not plug the
transformer into the wall outlet yet.
Determine the final location for the light controllers (mindful of the power requirements mentioned above),
Monster Brain and speakers.
On the back of the Monster
Brain is a standard 1/8” stereo
mini jack for connecting your
amplified speakers. It is labeled
Audio. You may also use this
connection as the input for your
external amplifier.
Your light controller enclosure can
be located outside but make sure the
access holes are pointing down so
rain water cannot enter the unit.
MBX32
PWR Audio
Port 1
Port 2
Play
Term
MP3 DMX
HB
SD
IP
MBX32
PWR Audio
Port 1
Port 2
Play
Term
MP3 DMX
HB
SD
IP
MBX32
PWR Audio
Port 1
Port 2
Play
Term
MP3 DMX
HB
SD
IP
Ethernet Power
7-24VDC
front
mixing board.
Port 1 is for standard
light controllers, Port 2 is for Pixel
Drivers (for RGB customers only).

A Haunted House in a Box light controller is rated for loads between 15 and 60 Amperes maximum. Most
household wall outlets are rated for loads of 15 Amperes maximum. Therefore, unless you have specifically
installed an outlet that can handle 30 Amperes, you should locate two over-under outlets on separate circuits to
power the light controller. (One power cord per two-hole, over-under outlet.)
ALWAYS REMOVE POWER FROM CONTROLLERS BEFORE OPENING THE LID COVER TO
THE CONTROLLER. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PLUG IN OR REMOVE CORDS FROM CHANNEL
OUTLETS UNTIL POWER TO THE CONTROLLER HAS BEEN REMOVED.
Plugging the Haunted House in a Box
Light Controllers into Power
Animated Lighting, Inc PAGE 10

Support Issues or for More Details
CALL: 816.941.0400 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST, M-F excluding holidays)
EMAIL: [email protected]
Warranty and Disclaimer
Please consult www.animatedlighting.com for product warranty and
disclaimer information.
Use for Year-Round
The Haunted House in a Box can be used for several events to dazzle your friends and family:
Christmas Use your Christmas in a Box
“personality cards” to play Christmas
lighting shows and songs. Broadcast
holiday music that is in perfect rhythm
with your lighting effects. You can
animate just one object, a small group,
or include an unlimited number of trees
or columns.
Christmas
IN A BOX
Animated Lighting, Inc PAGE 11
Parties Use our Party in a Box
personality cards. We have the
shows and songs to help you
and your friends dance the night
away!
Use our Patriotic personality
cards. We have lighting shows
and songs that help capture the
spirit of these holidays!
Patriotic Holidays