# Anyone with experience hacking a Gemmy product?



## mikeq91 (Jul 19, 2005)

I picked up this product after Halloween this year, and I want to hack it to make it say what I want. I was wondering if someone who has hacked gemmy products before might be able to help me, assuming that their electronics are either the same or similar. I'm not very knowlegeable about hacking, so any help would be great!

Heres a picture of it- http://www.gemmy.com/product.cfm?productId=27447

thanks, Mike


----------



## Vlad (Aug 2, 2005)

Hi Mike. I've read quite a few detailed hacks on the spirit ball, but none on the talking busts yet. I'm no electric hi techie, but the hack will involve tracing the sound wires to the servos that control the jaw, and power leads to the eyes, and replacing them with the sound input you desire, and at the same power level that the unit supplies itself now. Yeah yeah, I know you already know that much, lol. As soon as I see the hack for these show up, I'll be back here to post a link.


----------



## mikeq91 (Jul 19, 2005)

Thanks Vlad. I do want to crack it open and take a look at it, I'm just afraid of messing something up so it won't work at all. Plus I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking for. But its probably worth looking at it inside and see if that will help.


----------



## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

Spirit ball hacks? Where?


----------



## slimy (Jul 12, 2006)

See the 'talking skull hack' thread a few threads down. The same hauntmaster controller would work for these busts. They do not work with servos, just regular motors and a spring return.


----------



## kevin242 (Sep 30, 2005)

I've busted up and reworked a few gemmys in my day, usually out of nessecity. "When something's not working right, the best thing is to tear it apart and make it better..." -Drop Dead Fred

When doing it, just be careful not to break any of the solder connections to the boards, they are pretty fragile. Otherwise, its not all that difficult to reuse the sensors, motors and sound units for other props.


----------



## mikeq91 (Jul 19, 2005)

Okay, I cracked it open and took some pictures. I also read the link to the Hauntmaster "Motor Mouth" from the talking skull hack thread. Does it seem like I'd be able to use the motor mouth for this prop or is it too complex? Any alternative ways? Here's some pics:

















We've been able to trace and identify a good amount of the wires, but I'm not sure which of them I'd need to conect to the MM and how i'd do so (asuming I can use it for this prop). The prop has 4 different messages that it says, while a blue and green light flash from the bottom and its red eyes light up.

any help is apreciated!


----------

