MAGIC TOUCAN INSTRUCTIONS V.4E 6-1-09

“MAGIC” TOUCAN INSTRUCTIONS
v.4e 6-1-09

Congratulations! You are the proud new owner of an Axtell “Hands-Free Puppet”TM MAGIC Toucan. Here are a few hints to get you started. First of all, make sure you have the contents outlined on your invoice. You need all the fun gizmos to give your puppet life!

Now let’s do our initial setup. Unpack the puppet, FOB and transmitter. These items need to be charged overnight, so plug the green Smart Charger into the stand (Puppet Power Jack), and charge the transmitter with the black charger. The mp3 player on the Hands-Free Magic Control System will need to be charged by USB cable connected to a computer.

If you purchased the optional PA system, it also needs charging and you’ll need a couple of AA batteries for your mic transmitter. Check out the included Hisonic instructions for details Now, go relax, you have a big day tomorrow discovering just how cool your new toy is!

Good morning! Ready? Let’s set up the stand
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Unfold the legs and adjust the stand height by loosening the wing nuts and squeezing the clamps on the poles to your desired height. Tighten the wing nuts. Attach the perch by removing the perch screw near the top of the pole, aligning the top with the perch fitting, and replace the screw, securing the perch to the stand. The turnbuckle assembly can be adjusted so the puppet can “lean” forward to your tastes by simply turning the threaded piece. The rod on the bottom of the puppet will slip into the bird post receptacle once you have a basic adjustment. Now, carefully slip the rod found on the bottom of the puppet into place so he is “sitting” on the perch. Make sure the puppet is centered correctly facing forward. Attach the feet to the velcro strip on the perch, and plug the puppet power cord into the stand (puppet power jack). You will be plugging the puppet’s power cord into the same stand jack that you used to charge the stand. The batteries that power your puppet are hidden in the stand.

You can now open the flap on the puppet’s back and flip the red power switch located in the lower right. You’ll hear a hum and know he’s ready to go. Reposition the flap onto the Velcro.

Now let’s have some fun! Unplug the charger and turn on the transmitter (see the photo for locations of levers. Note: some levers may not function on your particular model). Once you read the instructions, play with the different levers and learn their function. The labels on the transmitter will help you find and learn your moves.

The MAGIC System is the top of the Hands-Free Puppet line. It has the ability to play the MagicTrax TM programmed mp3s as well as function just like the other systems Live and Vent! So it’s 3 systems in one.

LIVE

VENT

MAGIC

“LIVE” OPERATION
In the “live” mode you will operate the transmitter and do all the body moves live, including the mouth, while you provide the voice for the puppet. (make sure the “live” switch is in the up position, and the Motor-Mouth TM switch is down on the front of the transmitter). You can use a microphone to amplify your voice. The mouth can be moved manually or can be set to move automatically with Motor-Mouth TM.

MOTOR-MOUTH TM

When set up properly in Live Mode, you will manipulate the puppet’s body movements with the transmitter joysticks, but automatically operate the mouth with your voice! Here’s what you need to do first, it’s easy, so stay with us.

On the back of the transmitter are 3 more plug-in jacks.

These are your Motor-Mouth TM connections for a wireless microphone system. The center jack is for a microphone (our Hisonic mic is recommended if you have it) and the right jack (out) goes to your wireless mic transmitter. Turn the switch on the wireless mic transmitter to “on” and make sure your receiver and mic are connected with a sound system so you can hear your voice. If you have our Hisonic PA just press the power switch on the Hisonic receiver/PA. Make sure the switch on the front of the transmitter for the “live” mode is in the up position, so you can move the puppet with the transmitter joy sticks, and the “MotorMouth” TM switch is up (the mouth will no longer move by the sticks).

For any mouth adjustments, in Motor-Mouth TM mode, if you quickly press and release the top “set open” button, the mouth will open and close so you can see the amount of mouth movement. Then, we’ll adjust the open and close position of the puppet’s mouth. (make sure are still in the Motor-Mouth TM mode, note: the switch is located on the top left front of the transmitter). On the transmitter back, press and hold the top button with a pointed object (set open) until the light flashes. Still holding in the button, turn the center knob to the desired “open” position. Release the top button. Press and hold in the bottom button and adjust the “set closed” position by turning the center knob. Release the bottom button. This is normally a one-time adjustment and utilized only if necessary.

The middle button is dual-purpose. It also functions as a gain adjustment.

It allows you to further dial in the sensitivity as you are speaking using the Motor-Mouth TM function by simply rotating the gain as you speak.

A special note about Microphones: Occasionally, a mic will demand a more or less sensitivity adjustment for the puppet’s mouth to move correctly.

Again, follow the Hisonic instructions to adjust the volume on the transmitter and receiver. The mic is the big top volume knob. (Disregard if you do not own the Hisonic wireless UHF PA system).

Alternatively, you could also use your Hisonic wireless mic with a large PA system! Just plug an 1/8” cable out of the “output” jack on the Hisonic Receiver and go into the sound board of the big PA system with an adapter. Other wireless mic transmitter / receiver sets can be used similarly.

Now let’s think big. You are at a huge venue with a large PA system into which a vocal mic is plugged. In this scenario let’s say you are not using the wireless mic. Instead you are using a wired house mic. You can run a line out of the house PA into the first jack on the back of the Hands-Free Transmitter called “line” and your voice over the house mic will still move the bird’s mouth. This is great for large venues where you need to use a big PA system.

To have the puppet automatically automated while you still control the mouth movement with your voice, we use the wireless Motor-Mouth TM function with Auto-Alive TM. To use this feature wirelessly is simple but requires some adapters, easily purchased from Radio Shack. With a stereo “y” cable, connect both the mic and receiver into the “mic” input on the back of the transmitter. With a stereo extension cable, connect the “wireless” input on the transmitter with the Zen output cable as shown. On the front of the transmitter, make sure the “live” switch is down (enabling Auto-Alive TM) and the Motor-Mouth TM switch is up. You’re all set to speak to move the mouth, yet the body will move constantly in the Auto-Alive TM mode.

If you are utilizing a large PA venue, the wired Motor-Mouth TM using Auto-Alive TM is even simpler. From the PA, send a monitor or aux signal from your PA microphone to the “mic” input on the back of the transmitter utilizing an adapter. The amount of gain on the signal will affect the mouth movement, so test levels. Also, a stereo cable needs to connect the “wireless” output on the transmitter to the Zen output cable as shown. Again, make sure the “live” switch is down (enabling Auto-Alive TM) and the Motor-Mouth TM switch is up on the front of the transmitter.

If you purchased a Hisonic system, be sure to read the Hisonic instruction manual – it really has a lot to offer!

In LIVE MODE you do NOT use the FOB, or the Mp3 Player. It is really for live functions where you are fully controlling the character and usually hidden…like at a trade show or at large events. You can really make a lot of money doing this so don’t dismiss it unless you really hate crowds!

“VENT” OPERATION

With your MAGIC Puppet system you can also go into the VENT MODE. You leave the Control System turned on and set to Vent Mode in the menu setting explained later. (NOTE: When in “vent” mode turn off the power to the mp3 player!)

In the VENT mode you will only be using the FOB to control the puppet’s head left and right, and mouth. You will be able to turn Auto-Alive TM on for the body movement, or turn the body movement off. The idea with VENT mode, is that you can be on stage talking with your Hands-Free puppet as a ventriloquist (providing the live voice of the puppet without moving your mouth….a skill you can learn on our website). You would hide the fob in your hand so the audience does not notice that you are controlling the mouth of the puppet, or it’s head turn. You can now turn the head to the extreme left and right or anywhere in between! Press and release and the head of the puppet will stop. Auto-Alive TM will operate all the other functions including the head turn randomly unless you press the head left / right buttons on the fob.

The FOB is used in VENT and MAGIC operation. In VENT mode it is used to control the head and mouth of the puppet. In MAGIC mode the same FOB will be used to control the MP3 player (which controls the puppet with servo data pre-programmed).

Following is an overview of the FOB operation in both modes.

“MAGIC” OPERATION

The Third and most complex mode is also the most technically advanced and impressive….the MAGIC Mode! This is the mode that will turn your remote control puppet into a full blown ANIMATRONIC puppet! The puppet primarily is controlled by playing our “MagicTrax” TM from the mp3 player in our Hands-Free Control System.

MagicTrax TM

MagicTrax TM are special audio mp3 recordings specially encoded with servo data that runs the puppet and synchs the animation performance with the audio (voice, sound effects and music). This type of performance system is also known as audio-animatronics but that is a trademark of Disney. Our MagicTrax TM contain audio recording on the right channel and servo data on the left channel. If you listen to a MagicTrax TM on a stereo player you will hear both sides and it will sound awful. Servo data isn’t going to make the top 10 song list anytime soon. So don’t be alarmed….your audience will only hear the right stereo channel (a mono recording) through your PA system. It is played out through the mp3 audio out jack. Use the appropriate cable type to connect the mp3 output to a PA amplifier system. Our Hisonic Wireless PA is a great one for smaller crowds, but any sound system can work.

You control the Mp3 player (a Creative Zen is being used) with the FOB (the same fob you use in Vent mode, will work differently in MAGIC mode. Hidden in the palm of your hand the FOB can control the mp3 player, an amazing concept and so handy. Here is the layout of the control buttons on the FOB.

The center button on the FOB is appropriately labeled “panic” so that if anything interrupts your mp3 playback (a kid asks a question, a heckler, you forget your lines in a routine), you can hit this button and the puppet will turn to you, motion for you to come to him, and whisper a message in your ear and you can then tell the audience whatever you wanted the puppet to say. It could be “my Toucan is a little shy but he wanted me to let the little girl know that he is very happy she got a new kitty for Christmas…now please fold your hands and listen to the rest of the routine”. You will come up with lots of good ideas for this! It’s a great thing to have a Panic Button!

All the other FOB functions pertain to the mp3 player in MAGIC mode.

Finally, the icing on the cake: The MP3 Player. You have a very powerful system utilizing a Creative Zen mp3 player which can integrate into your show, providing incredible audio potential in the form of interactive tracks and music. Your mp3 Zen came pre-loaded with several Axtell MagicTrax TM recordings you can incorporate immediately in your show. See the Zen instructions for details at www.axtell.com/remotesupport.html so you can see how easy it is to integrate mp3 technology. You will amaze your audiences!

Your mp3 player needs to be charged by the USB connecter to a desktop or laptop computer. When the transmitter is on, the Zen will be supplied with power from the transmitter battery when the cable is plugged in. Look at the diagram for the USB charge cable input on the Zen. You would unplug this cord from the jack and then plug a USB cord into your computer for recharging. Don’t forget to turn off your Zen when you turn off your transmitter. Make sure both units are adequately charged before your show!