Fright Ideas BooBox FlexMax Quick Start Manual

Audio and Speaker Connections (continued)

Internal Amplifier Volume Controls

Use the MP3 volume controls for audio coming from
the FlexMax. Use the MIX volume controls to
control an external audio source you’d like to mix in.

AUDIO

LINE

SPEAKERS

VOL

L

R

OUT

MIXINMIX

MP3

(MP3)

VOL

L

R

STEREO

MONO

VOLUME CONTROLS

Copying Audio Files to the BooBox

The recommended method to get your audio files onto the BooBox is to use our free Director software. It will copy
the sounds to your BooBox or ScareMaster and ensure the filenames and folder structure are correct. If you are
using a Mac, or prefer to copy the files on your own, see the full manual for SD card layout details.

Connecting Amplified Speakers

The FlexMax audio output is designed to connect to
powered speakers or external amplifiers.

AUDIO

SPEAKERS

VOL

L

R

LINE
OUT

MIXINMIX

MP3

(MP3)

VOL

L

R

POWERED SPEAKERS

OR AMPLIFIER

Programming

BooBoxes can be easily programmed with our free Director software and an SD card. The Director Connect allows
you to see your work in real-time, rather than having to save the program to an SD card first. The ScareMaster is a
great real-time programming option for those who don’t want to be tethered to a computer.

L R

4 - 8 OHM

SPEAKERS

MIX IN AUDIO

MP3 AUDIO

FI-216PROP CONTROLLER

SD CARD

AUDIO

SPEAKERS

MP3

MIXINMIX

VOL

VOL

L

L

R

R

PLAY

C

8

567

DIRECTOR

SOFTWARE

SD

CARD

1 234+5 678+9 101112+13 141516

+

MAX 500mA EACH (6W at 12V or 12W at 24V) INCORRECT WIRING WILL DAMAGE DEVICE

SOLID-STATE OUTPUTS

OUTPUTS 1-8

EXPANSION

BooBox FlexMax

PROGRAMMER

WWW.FRIGHTIDEAS.COM

SERVOS

-

+

A

B

S

DMX

PWR

12-24
VDC

INPUTS

5 - 24 V DC/AC

12-

-

1

2+31

C

3

2

4

24VGND

DIRECTOR SOFTWARE

DIRECTOR

SOFTWARE

WWW.FRIGHTIDEAS.COM

Director
Connect

DIRECTOR USB INTERFACE
FOR REAL-TIME CONTROL

ACTIVE

PN: 201

DIRECTOR IN REAL-TIME

1 234+5 678+9 101112+13 141516

+

MAX 500mA EACH (6W at 12V or 12W at 24V) INCORRECT WIRING WILL DAMAGE DEVICE

SOLID-STATE OUTPUTS

OUTPUTS 1-8

EXPANSION

BooBox FlexMax

PROGRAMMER

WWW.FRIGHTIDEAS.COM

SERVOS

-

+

A

B

S

DMX

PWR

12-24
VDC

INPUTS

5 - 24 V DC/AC

12-

-

1

2+31

C

3

2

4

24VGND

L R

4 - 8 OHM

SPEAKERS

MIX IN AUDIO

MP3 AUDIO

FI-216PROP CONTROLLER

SD CARD

AUDIO

SPEAKERS

MP3

MIXINMIX

VOL

VOL

L

L

R

R

PLAY

C

8

567

WITH DIRECTOR CONNECT

LINE
OUT

SD

CARD

AUDIO

SHORTCUTS

• HOLD ENABLE AND TAP PLAY FOR THE MENU

• HOLD ENABLE AND TAP REC TO SAVE ALL SCENES

• HOLD PLAY TO SELECT A SCENE

• HOLD REC TO SELECT DMX/OUTPUT CHANNELS

REC

ScareMaster

ANIMATION PROGRAMMER

WWW.FRIGHTIDEAS.COM

PLAY

MENU

ENABLE 1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8

EXPANSION PORT

A B

TO

+

-

AUX

CONTROLLER

9-24VDC

(OPTIONAL)

PWRFRIGHTLINK / DMX

A B

FI-200

ENTER

1 234+5 678+9 101112+13 141516

+

MAX 500mA EACH (6W at 12V or 12W at 24V) INCORRECT WIRING WILL DAMAGE DEVICE

SOLID-STATE OUTPUTS

OUTPUTS 1-8

EXPANSION

BooBox FlexMax

PROGRAMMER

WWW.FRIGHTIDEAS.COM

SERVOS

-

+

A

B

S

DMX

PWR

12-24
VDC

INPUTS

5 - 24 V DC/AC

12-

-

1

2+31

C

3

2

4

24VGND

L R

4 - 8 OHM

SPEAKERS

MIX IN AUDIO

MP3 AUDIO

FI-216PROP CONTROLLER

SD CARD

AUDIO

SPEAKERS

MP3

MIXINMIX

VOL

VOL

L

L

R

R

PLAY

C

8

567

SCAREMASTER IN REAL-TIME

Tips and Tricks

The BooBoxes have some great features that are often left undiscovered. The full list can be found in the manual
available online. Below are just a few examples:

Ambient Resume - Tells the Ambient scene to resume from where it left off after an input scene has finished.
Play All Sound Mode - Fill a scene folder with audio files and the BooBox will play them all. Great in Ambient mode!
Fade on Interrupt - If a scene is interrupted before completion it will fade out the audio before stopping.
Manual Playback - Hold the PLAY button for a few seconds to select which Input scene you’d like to trigger.

Quick-Start Guide

BooBox FlexMax

MORE INFORMATION ONLINE

This guide covers only a fraction of what the FlexMax can do.

Tutorial videos and a full manual are available online.

Power Supply

PWR

12-24

VDC

LINE
OUT

(MP3)

DMX

12-

-

2+31

24VGND

POWER CAN BE SUPPLIED
USING THE BARREL CONNECTOR
OR THE TRIGGER TERMINAL
BLOCK.

Selecting your Power Supply Voltage

The FlexMax requires a 12 or 24 volt DC power supply.

LINE
OUT

(MP3)

We generally recommend using a 24 volt power supply.
This will get you the most volume from of the amplifier,
and enable you to use larger solenoids without
exceeding the maximum current capacity of the
solid-state outputs. It will however require that all the
devices connected to your outputs be rated for 24 volts.

Sizing Your Power Supply

To size a supply you must add up the wattage for the
most outputs that will be on at any one time, then add 2
watts for the FlexMax if you’re NOT using the internal
amplifier, or 50 if you are.

Example:
50 watts FlexMax using Amp (24 volts is best)
+ 36 watts 6 x 6 watt solenoids
= 86 watts Need a 24 VDC > 86 watt supply

About Solid-State Outputs

Solid-state outputs are great for reliably controlling
relays, solenoids, and LED lights. They cannot be used
to directly control high-current, AC powered, or
contact-closure devices like a relay can. However,
unlike relays, they have no moving parts that will wear
out over time. Use external relays for these loads.
Keeping these moving parts outside of the controller
allows them to be

easily replaced when they wear out.

DMX

LINE
OUT

(MP3)

Master Mode (Default)

The FlexMax can be linked to our BooTunes or
BooTunes Amped MP3 players to add more audio
channels. It can also be connected to other BooBoxes
or DMX fixtures to control them in sync with the rest of
the show.

Slave Mode

The FlexMax can be setup as a DMX slave to another
FlexMax or DMX controller. The controller can then
control the Flex’s outputs and audio, or trigger scenes
depending on the DMX mode.

1 234+5 678+9 101112+13 141516

+

MAX 500mA EACH (6W at 12V or 12W at 24V) INCORRECT WIRING WILL DAMAGE DEVICE

SOLID-STATE OUTPUTS

OUTPUTS 1-8

EXPANSION

BooBox FlexMax

WWW.FRIGHTIDEAS.COM

-

+
S

INPUTS

5 - 24 V DC/AC

1

C

3

2

4

FI-216PROP CONTROLLER

C

567

9 -24
VDC

PWR

BooTunes

MP3 PLAYER

WWW.FRIGHTIDEAS.COM

PWR DMX

BUSY

1

2+3

9-24V

GND

PROGRAMMER

SERVOS

A

B

DMX

PWR

12-24
VDC

12-

-

2+31

24VGND

8

-

VOL

L

R

PLAY

FI-408

INPUTS

5 - 24 V DC/AC

C

1 23C45678

SPEAKERS

L R

4 - 8 OHM

SPEAKERS

MIX IN AUDIO

MP3 AUDIO

AUDIO

MIXINMIX

C

8 +

+

567

+

1 234 +

EXPANSION

MAX 500mA EACH (6W at 12V or 12W at 24V)

INCORRECT WIRING WILL DAMAGE DEVICE

SOLID-STATE OUTPUTS

BooBox Flex

FI-206PROP CONTROLLER

WWW.FRIGHTIDEAS.COM

1

12­24VGND

-

2+3

DMX INPUTS

-

1

2+3

FI-408

C

1 23C45678

5 - 24 V DC/AC

SD CARD

2

1

IN

IN

GND

GND

AUDIO

12V

12V

LINE
OUT

5 - 24 V DC/AC

PLAY

C

1 2

LINE OUT

AUDIO

C

SD CARD

INPUTS

SD CARD

MP3
VOL

L

R

AUDIO

PROGRAMMER

GND

PWR

LINE
OUT

PWR

(MP3)

12-24

VDC

9 -24

LINE OUT

VDC

PWR

BooTunes

MP3 PLAYER

SD CARD

WWW.FRIGHTIDEAS.COM

PWR DMX

BUSY

9-24V

GND

Solid-State Output Wiring Diagrams

12/24 VDC

DEVICE

+

ANY 12 OR 24 VDC DEVICE

1 2

+

BOOBOX

12-

GND

24V

12 OR 24 VDC DEVICE > 500mA

MUST BE 500mA OR LESS

(6W at 12V, 12W at 24V)

EXAMPLES OF DEVICES COMPATIBLE
WITH SOLID-STATE OUTPUTS:
LED LIGHTS, SOLENOIDS, RELAYS.
ANY 12/24 VDC LOAD UNDER 500mA.

1 234

-

+

RELAY

N.O.

N.C.

C

HIGH
VOLTAGE

1 2

C

RELAY BOARD

C

N.O.

N.O.

N.C.

N.C.

N.C.

N.C.

N.O.

N.O.

C

C

3 4

TO POWER SUPPLY

>500mA

12/24 VDC

DEVICE

TO WALL

OUTLET

EXPANSION

+

12/24 VDC

DEVICE

TAKE APPROPRIATE
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

!

WHEN WIRING HIGH
VOLTAGES.

+

BLUE = FAST
GREEN = SLOW

+

FOUR 12 OR 24 VDC DEVICES

VOLTAGE

1 2

ANY 110 VOLT LOAD

1 2

C

C

3 4

12/24 VDC

DEVICE

12/24 VDC

DEVICE

1 234

HIGH

N.C.

RELAY

-

N.O.

N.O.

N.C.

N.C.

RELAY BOARD

N.O.

N.C.

N.C.

N.O.

C

N.O.

+

C

C

12/24 VDC

DEVICE

TO WALL

OUTLET

12/24 VDC

COIL RELAY

TO 12 VDC POWER
SUPPLY

+

EXPANSION

Trigger Input Wiring

DMX INPUTS

12-

-

2+31

C

GND

24V

SENSOR WIRES

BLACK

GND (-)

RED

12VDC (+)

WHITE

RELAY C

GREEN

RELAY N.O.

DMX INPUTS

12-

GND

2+31

24V

SENSOR WIRES

BLUE

BROWN

WHITE
BLACK

RELAY N.O.

INPUTS

C 1 2

BATTERY

9 VOLT

BUTTON

OPTICALLY-ISOLATE CIRCUITS FROM DIFFERENT POWER

SUPPLIES, OR WHEN WIRE LENGTHS ARE EXCESSIVE.

OPTICALLY-ISOLATED INPUT

1 234

NOTE: PIR SENSORS CAN TAKE UP TO A
MINUTE TO “WARM UP”. DURING THIS TIME
THE BOOBOX’S INPUT LIGHT WILL BLINK
AND THE SENSOR WILL NOT RESPOND.

PIR MOTION SENSOR

-

C

1 234

GND (-)

12VDC (+)

RELAY C

BEAM SENSOR

INPUTS

C 1 2

-

SOLID­STAT E

OUTPUT

+

INPUTS

C 1 2

-

RELAY OUTPUT

+

C N.O.

DMX INPUTS

12-

-

2+31

C

GND

24V

1 234

PUSH BUTTON

PRESSURE MAT

PRESSURE MAT OR PUSH BUTTON

DMX INPUTS

12-

-

2+31

C

GND

24V

1 234

C

N.O.

+

CONNECT THESE ONLY IF THE BOOBOX AND BASE
STATION USE THE SAME VOLTAGE AND THE BASE
STATION’S POWER SUPPLY IS NOT CONNECTED.

WIRELESS TRIGGER

DMX INPUTS

12-

-

2+31

C

GND

24V

1 234

PUSH BUTTONS

TWO TRIGGERS

BASE STATION

RELAY
OUTPUT

-

POWER

1

2

USING A BOOBOX RELAY BOARD

FOG

C

N.C.

HIGH

VOLTAGE

+

1 2

RELAY

-

N.O.

+

FOG MACHINE

FOG

MACHINE

SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR A
CABLE SO YOU DON’T HAVE
TO HACK YOUR REMOTE.

OR

1. UNPLUG FOG MACHINE

2. OPEN REMOTE

3. LOCATE FOG BUTTON PINS

4. SOLDER WIRES TO PINS

5. CONNECT AS SHOWN

12 VDC MOTOR IN FORWARD AND REVERSE

8 OUTPUT

4 OUTPUT

FI-304

ADAPTER CABLE

USE ONE OF OUR AC RELAY PACKS WHEN YOU HAVE A LOT

OF 110 VOLT DEVICES TO CONTROL.

+

EXPANSION

PROGRAMMER

GND

PWR

PWR

12-24
VDC

+

1 234 +
MAX 500mA EACH (6W at 12V or 12W at 24V)

INCORRECT WIRING WILL DAMAGE DEVICE

SOLID-STATE OUTPUTS

BooBox Flex

WWW.FRIGHTIDEAS.COM

1

IN

GND
12V

DMX INPUTS

5 - 24 V DC/AC

12-

-

1

2+3

C

24VGND

FI-308

8 +

567

FI-206PROP CONTROLLER

SD CARD

2

IN

GND

AUDIO

12V

LINE
OUT

PLAY

1 2

AC RELAY PACKS

Audio and Speaker Connections

The FlexMax includes a 50 watt (2 x 25 watt) Class D stereo amplifier. To take full advantage of this amplifier, the
power supply needs to be 24 volts and have at least 50 watts of power.

8 OHM +8 OHM +8 OHM +8 OHM

L R

16

CE

4 - 8 OHM

SPEAKERS

+

16

CE

L R

4 - 8 OHM

SPEAKERS

++

4 OHM +4 OHM +4 OHM +4 OHM

4 OHM

16

CE

L R

4 - 8 OHM

SPEAKERS

+

TWO 4 OR 8 OHM FOUR 4 OHM SPEAKERS FOUR 8 OHM SPEAKERS

= DO NOT turn the volume past 50% if using a 24 volt power supply in this configuration.