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aricbell
11-27-2006, 01:22 PM
I notice small boxes with several red LED lights in them on attractions like Splash, HM, California screamin', as well as the elevator of Tower of Terror. They are typically positioned facing the ride vehicle.

One is quite visible right before the big drop on Splash, by the two birds.

My "guess" would be they syncronise the attraction's audio at the correct time, but I'm not sure...any help appriciated....:confused:

adriennek
11-27-2006, 01:27 PM
The security cameras often have a red light on them.

Adrienne

Dexter
11-27-2006, 01:32 PM
The red boxes you are talking about are InfraRed (IR) Illuminators, they shine an invisble light that allows the attractions security cameras to monitor what's going on in the attraction. The most notable example that I've seen is just as you are entering the Ballroom scene in The Haunted Mansion.

sdfilmcritic
11-27-2006, 02:51 PM
I thought there were also Trigger Boxes with red lights on them to initiate certain ride effects. For example...

The long dark tunnel scene in POTC now has the face of Davy Jones magically appearing in front of every boat right before it passes through the mist. The animation for the appearing face is triggered by a boat passing through the pathway of an infrared light box.

Bolivar
11-27-2006, 03:46 PM
If it is infrared, why is there a red light?

sdfilmcritic
11-27-2006, 03:48 PM
If it is infrared, why is there a red light?To signify if power is running through the sensor unit. I'm not an electrician, but it is my best guess.

Dexter
11-27-2006, 05:17 PM
If it is infrared, why is there a red light?


It's because the cameras are actually near infrared and not true infrared, the red glow you see is a near IR transmitter broadcasting light on to you. Near infrared is within the visible light spectrum. The transmitters are non-obstructive because red light helps preserve your night vision which makes being able to see in the dark rides with the limited show lighting possible.

RagtimePrince
11-27-2006, 06:23 PM
If you have a video camera with "Nightshot" or one of those sorts of night vision things, it's the same deal. On the camera front you'll see a couple of those LED things dully glow red when you hit the switch.

disneyhound
11-27-2006, 06:25 PM
Many of those infrared beams are trigger sensors. I work for a lumber mill, we use a lot of these sensors, they track the position of logs in the mill; relaying information back to the computers. I imagine that similar infrared beams are used to sinc special effects during an attraction, and keep everything safe!

coronado_g
11-27-2006, 06:40 PM
The one in the Haunted Mansion probably is for the detection of any riders who jump out of their Doombuggies at the ballroom scene. I've never seen anyone do that back I'm pretty sure that red light beam would catch them quick!

Bytebear
11-27-2006, 06:55 PM
The long dark tunnel scene in POTC now has the face of Davy Jones magically appearing in front of every boat right before it passes through the mist. The animation for the appearing face is triggered by a boat passing through the pathway of an infrared light box.

Actually the film of Davy Jones is just a looping cycle with him saying various things. It is not related to the position of the boat at all. It is just cycled enough that on average each boat can hear and see him once as they go by.

adriennek
11-27-2006, 09:16 PM
The one in the Haunted Mansion probably is for the detection of any riders who jump out of their Doombuggies at the ballroom scene. I've never seen anyone do that back I'm pretty sure that red light beam would catch them quick!

There are several cameras on Haunted Mansion, that's just one of them. If you've ever been on a ride and heard a voice come on a loudspeaker and remind people to stay in their cars, remain seated, take a child off of a lap, etc, that's because they were spotted by the cameras.

Before kids, I would wave to the HM cameras as I went through the ride. One night when it was rather empty, I was waving to one of the last cameras in the ride when the CM came over the speaker and said "Hi!" :geek: Now I'm busy watching their faces instead. :)

Adrienne

Opus1guy
11-27-2006, 10:25 PM
On most attractions, if you look behind you as you travel along on your boat or whatever...you'll see the red IR light emitters next to a camera lens. Some do face you. But most are positioned in the opposite direction from where the Guest would be looking at that moment.

FYI...here's just one example of what those Cast Members are looking at via those Infrared cameras:

http://img290.imageshack.us/img290/7112/untitled25qp1.jpg

:)

cwillis
11-28-2006, 06:34 AM
that shot seems kinda ghetto... i don't buy it.

Opus1guy
11-28-2006, 09:56 AM
that shot seems kinda ghetto... i don't buy it.

Then for you...No Charge.

:)

ladodgerjon
11-28-2006, 10:28 AM
If you have a video camera with "Nightshot" or one of those sorts of night vision things, it's the same deal. On the camera front you'll see a couple of those LED things glow red when you hit the switch.


I work in TV, and have supervised the installation of infrared cameras for several shows.

The red light on your camera -- or any other -- is called a "tally" light. It has no direct bearing on video taping; it is strictly an indicator that power is being supplied to the camera and that recording is in effect.

Most cameras equipped for nighttime (IR) shooting look "green" when played back for viewing. The IR "light source" is NOT visible to the human eye, and therefore would not be visible to any of us if placed in a dark enough corner of an attraction.

The red lights are triggers and power source indicators.

hefferdude
11-28-2006, 11:31 AM
Another old techie here. Work in automation projects using much of the same geegaw and gruppo used on the attractions, prox sensors, ir detectors, plcs, etc etc. Along with the IR cameras, prox sensors display an led showing they are powered up. A second led may indicate activity as well or vice versa.

Usual functions would be shuttle or boat passing, brakes applied to cart, track position like the alternating disembark tracks.

Really critical functions usually require a second ( redundant ) mechanical switch indicator as well. Best to be safe.

TikiGeek
11-28-2006, 11:52 AM
that shot seems kinda ghetto... i don't buy it.It's real! I've been in that room. Next time you ride Pirates look up to the left of the boat just as you leave the gates - you can look right in that room - wave at the CM's. ;)

BTW - Opus1guy would not lie to you...He might kid you - but lie?...No. ;) :D

Opus1guy
11-28-2006, 12:11 PM
The red light on your camera -- or any other -- is called a "tally" light. It has no direct bearing on video taping; it is strictly an indicator that power is being supplied to the camera and that recording is in effect.

I think some of us are talking about different things here.

That's not the type of red light I'm talking about. This is more like a household spotlight looking thing that is usually mounted somewhere near the camera or item the camera is attempting to illuminate. It's a bulb that has a face diameter of about 5 inches or so. They are very similar looking to this IR bulb/illuminator:

http://www.palmvid.com/content/categories/accessories/sub-categories/infrared-light-sources/products/35-infrared-illuminator.html

...but are standard 110 volt type bulbs/things.

To the naked eye, they look to be barely illuminated with the color red. Now this "red" might just be a filter/screen placed over the infrared bulb to make it less visible or something. I don't know. But I know when I've walked the attractions during refurbs I've been up close to them and that's what they are. Also you can spot them in the Park often when riding attractions.

I'm not talking about the little infrared or LED sensors that are related to the attraction vehicles or for triggering effects (those are usually mounted down near the track or waterway level). Nor am I talking about red power or camera "live" red lights. I'm talking about the infrared camera illuminators that do, as you say, make the image...


...look "green" when played back for viewing.

Which indeed they do look green on the video monitors when viewing.


The IR "light source" is NOT visible to the human eye, and therefore would not be visible to any of us if placed in a dark enough corner of an attraction.

Again, these illuminator bulbs are often just barely visible and many at Disneyland are slightly dark red looking. I can't say why many of Disneyland's are like this. Perhaps they are of an older technology? Not only did they say this is what they were (IR Illuminators) right on them, but when we would unplug these bulbs...the cameras would (still on) lose their IR nightvision image.

hefferdude
11-28-2006, 09:23 PM
I would propose the bulb is not special but the filter is. A filter that restricts the emitter ( bulb and filter assembly ) to a narrow frequency of light energy -tuned to the frequency band of the camera pickups. This allows for a simpler lower level technology and less costly "dark" camera that most likely covers a a greater volume per the cost to run/maintain it. Probably, if it works, and it has for quite some time now, why fix it?:)

danyoung
11-29-2006, 04:38 AM
Going back to the original post -


I notice small boxes with several red LED lights in them

If I understand the reference, I don't think these are the infrared lights, as those lights would appear to be one lamp, not "several red LED lights". I'm guessing that these are electronics packages involved with the automation of the ride, and the red LED's are simply indicators to let the operators know that everything's working OK.

Another Dimension
11-29-2006, 02:46 PM
that shot seems kinda ghetto... i don't buy it.

Backstage Disneyland is kinda ghetto, sorry to burst your bubble.

That is a very real PotC control tower pic.

FantasmicFan82
11-29-2006, 06:40 PM
Backstage Disneyland is kinda ghetto
:( You've destroyed the magic for me. I'm going ot go cry now....:crying:

hefferdude
11-29-2006, 08:42 PM
Have to chuckle at the ghetto reference. On occasion I have to lay open wiring troughs and bellys of systems that never were "production pretty".
Under tight time restraints and paying strictest attention to getting it solidly correct before powering up, it's tough to be pretty too. I'm not saying "not organized" but a seamless pristine 303 scene it usually ain't. ( I love to make degreed engineers cry ):~D

Keep in mind, under all that ferro cement, fiber glass and epoxy paint - it's pure industrial.

aricbell
01-02-2007, 02:05 PM
InfraRed illuminators they are. Although it's kinda hard to see in the Haunted mansion or POTC, go on California Screamin' if you want proof. Next to the track as your climbing up the big drop there are cameras, and next to those cameras are the boxes with the "Red Lights" I was referring too.

It's so funny how many thosands of people go on POTC or HM and think there not being watched on the ride.:~D

Thanks for all your help guys! MousePlanet rocks!