# Servo + sound Help



## jarettleiner (Sep 4, 2009)

ok this might be a really dumb question, but i am trying to learn how to use and control servos, and i think i understand the concept. i don't own any yet, but I'm hoping to buy some soon. my question is, I want to make a singing pumpkins with the mouths moving to the music and how to i sync the servos and the music to play at the same time. do i have to buy a special servo controller or what?


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

You need a computer to control the lights and servos. Look for the "how tos" here and elsewhere online regarding singing pumpkins. They are pretty informative. I am also a novice in that world, but plan on making a set myself for next year.


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

You can also look at Scary Terry Audio Servo Driver boards from cowlacious.com if you're only controlling one or two pumpkins


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## jarettleiner (Sep 4, 2009)

thank you for your guys help. if im using a servo controller that has built in memory, how do i sync that to play the music, and the mouth movements at the same time


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

I believe that's going to depend on _which_ servo controller you're using


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## jarettleiner (Sep 4, 2009)

I'm thinking about buying the SSC-32 controller, how would i be able to do it with that, or do you know what controller will let me do that with at least 4 servos? or does it have to be connected to a computer?


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

The SSC-32 solution needs a computer and you also need to get a copy of VSA software. Once this is installed and set up, you can convert any sound routine to drive the servos via an option in VSA.

VSA allows you to do a LOT more than this though and can control a whole haunt. It's something I'm looking to do next year when I really roll things out with animatronics.

A simpler and quick solution is to buy a combination of a Scary Terry sound to servo convertor and one of Cowlaciouses sound board - the Cowlacious board can be activated by various triggers including voltage and pir so a simple combo would allow you to get a quick n easy solution.

HOWEVER, unless you buy more boards, all the pumpkins would sing simultaneously. VSA and some extra work would allow you to separate out tracks so you could have one pumpkin singing solo and the others coming in on the chorus.


I've used the Scary Terry/Cowlacious solution to re-animate a dead Talking Boris as a Reaper Greeter. I can really recommend their support - Carl Cowley is excelllent.


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## jarettleiner (Sep 4, 2009)

thanks fritz42_male for your help. so if i buy the VSA and have the ssc-32 hooked up to my computer, i can create seperate tracks for different pumpkins to to sing to different parts, can i use just one ssc-32 or do i need to buy multiple controllers?


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

an SSC-32 has 32 servo channels, so you should be covered


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

Bit of an understatement there Mr_Chicken!


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## asterix0 (Nov 5, 2008)

You can get independent motion for two servos using the Cowalicious boards by recording each voice on one of the stereo tracks and setting a jumper on the board. I used this last year to separate the voice track from music on a talking skull.


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

The SSC-32 setup would allow you to have (for example) 3 pumpkins each with independant control. You could have pumpkin 1,2 & 3 arguing with each other then start pumkin 1 singing while 2 & 3 are silent then have them all singing the chorus then 2 & 3 chiming in at the end with some insults against 1.

The way to approach this is like anything you do programming wise. Keep everything simple and test each section of your programming independantly before assembling into a whole.


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