# Sound



## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

I have a question for you sound gurus. I want to add some sound to individual props, but I am not ready to invest in the whole computer, woofer, tweeter set up. Is there a way that I can just add a "device" that attaches to a little speaker that will play a sound that I have recorded? I have seen and canabalized those little circuit boards from the various Gemmy devices. I was wondering if there was some way for a sound moron (such as myself) to build one of those. I am shying away from a Ipod in each prop. I just want soemthing cheap and easy that can play a few seconds of sound or maybe a short loop.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

I haven't had the chance to use one of these yet, but I hear they're pretty good for the use you're describing.
http://www.electronics123.com/s.nl/it.A/id.2841/.f
I'm told the sound quality is better than the cheap 10 sec recorders, and it has looping capability. Triggering can be done with a relay, manual or mat switch and the like.


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## halstaff (Nov 18, 2009)

Here's a link on hacking a recorder similar to the one Otaku mentioned - http://wolfstone.halloweenhost.com/HalloweenTech/audrec_RecordableSoundBox.html
The Radio Shack one, which is a 10 second recorder, is OK but it no longer has the separate push button to tap into for the trigger. You have to make the connection on the board. Doable, but a little more work. I will be using the electronics123 board in the future. I'm not really happy with the sound quality of the RS model.


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

At this point, I'm going to apply the discussion of one thread to another. In a recent thread started by Joker, we got into a conversation about audio card and triggers.

If you read through the read, to response #19, Otaku shows a circuit. If I understand it correctly, the circuit described is for triggering the USB audio player sold at Electronics123, with a PIR sensor that you get with the Talking Pumpkin toy that R/S sells, or with a Parallax PIR sensor.

(Otaku - Do I get extra credit points for applied knowledge?)


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## Allen H (Feb 13, 2010)

http://www.chipsinternational.com/
they make a motion activated device that then plays a sound that you record, some models have a jack so you can add self amplified speakers to it. Very cool, I have several of them in my show.


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## Eeeekim (Aug 14, 2009)

Allen those look great! One would be hard pressed to make a motion activated sound system for less than $25


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

For just the sound, if you have any medium/large offices/schools nearby, check with their IT department to see if they have scrap PC speakers. Many of these places are looking for a way to get rid of old equipment without tossing it or paying a recycler, and would be happy to give powered speakers to you. I did this several years ago and came away with about 20 pairs for free. Then all you need is a source (cheap mp3 player, something like Otaku linked to, etc) and you are good to go.


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

I bought a similar device to the Howler. It sounds like a broken teddy bear dying in the bushes. The quality of those low end devices is normally poor. And ten secs is barely enough time to hear me break wind. The mid-range device (Howler Pro) has some popularity and appears to have usefulness for haunters...but at $80 + shipping...it should. For that same price I bought an audio controller (plays mp3s from a memory card) and small crate amp (craig's list).


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

And why would we want to hear you break wind?


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

80 dollars is more than I want to spend, considering that I would like to include the device with several props. Oh, also I am cheap. The electronics 123, is the sound good on that?


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## Indyandy (Sep 7, 2005)

I had good luck with it, plus cpu speakers.


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## hedg12 (Jul 6, 2008)

jaege said:


> 80 dollars is more than I want to spend, considering that I would like to include the device with several props. Oh, also I am cheap. The electronics 123, is the sound good on that?


The sound from the board itself is OK, but the included speaker is lacking. If you replace the speaker it sounds pretty good for what it is. Not something I'd want to listen to music on, but fine for a prop.


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## Just Whisper (Jan 19, 2009)

*How Can I do this?*



Otaku said:


> I haven't had the chance to use one of these yet, but I hear they're pretty good for the use you're describing.
> http://www.electronics123.com/s.nl/it.A/id.2841/.f
> I'm told the sound quality is better than the cheap 10 sec recorders, and it has looping capability. Triggering can be done with a relay, manual or mat switch and the like.


I can't afford $60-$80 a pop for store bought DSRs. What exactly would I do with something like this USB recording module? I need about 4 for the sound on my motion sensored props. And then a couple for areas where the sound just continuously loops. I know there are posts on here that explain how to use one of these (or something similar), but so far none of them have made any sense to me.
How do I use it with the USB on my computer? Do I have to wire it to do that?
How do I hook it up to speakers or an amp? Or to the motion sensor or pressure mat? I am not completely electronically challenged. Mostly I don't understand the terminology so I can't follow the directions on most threads (also have severe ADHD and don't follow directions well). Can someone explain this to me like I was 10 yrs old and include diagrams. I like pictures. You can do it in a PM if it would be out of line on this thread. Thanks for any help anyone is willing to give me.

JW


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## halstaff (Nov 18, 2009)

I really like these USB boards for triggering brief audio effects. I don't use them for applications that require clear speech but what can you expect for $10.95? I use a pair of $6 Big Lots computer speakers, Otaku's trigger board and $1 PIR that I got at Radio Shack after Halloween last year. So for $20 I have triggered audio. I know Darklore doesn't like them but he did a great tutorial on building Otaku's board which can be found at http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=22839&highlight=trigger
You can check it out at this link to see one of the props I use it on - http://www.youtube.com/user/halstaff#p/a/u/1/oDXrrruFBQc
I will be ordering a couple more of these to add to props this year.


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## stagehand1975 (Feb 22, 2010)

For track that loop all night. Some store still sell portable walkman like cd players. I use a few here and there. In some cases you can find them for a dollar or less. We had a store up here that used to sell stuff that was out of the package or missing stuff. They had them for .50 each.


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## hpropman (Jul 27, 2008)

what is wrong with a plain old MP3 player. The have the best sound and they can controlled by either hacking the control buttons or using a servo to press the play/pause/stop button. I have some info on my site about hacking some of the older 5 dollar units but I do not know if they can be found anymore. Most of the cheaper ones today can probably be used also try to find one with the same button that controls the playback, pause and or stop or you will have to hack or press 2 buttons. Please send me a note if you need more help with this or post it here.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

There's certainly nothing wrong with hacking MP3 players - I've done many of them - and the sound quality is great. I think that most folks who look to the cheaper solutions do so because they're not comfy with trying to hack the MP3. Things like the USB board are easy to trigger and don't need to be shut off when the file ends. That was the big issue with those old $5 units, they'd loop unless you had a way to shut them down. Then timers and/or microcontrollers get in the picture. It's all part of the fun for me but a less experienced haunter may be put off by the learning curve.


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

The basic issues....triggered amplified sound, at an inexpensive price, with decent quality. By the time you add things to make cheap solutions work, the price is no longer around ten dollars.

Halstaff - I listened to your link. The quality I get is nothing like what you posted. However, I've only used the products as advertised/sold. 

The issue to me is that we are no longer talking about a $10 store bought solution. I expected the volume and quality I get from a Gemmy prop. The whole point was to buy something that didn't require amplified speakers, a guitar amp, etc.

Otaku's trigger solution worked well and it was easy to make. Luckily, I had almost every piece on hand. But you need an audio player that will ignore constant triggering.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

DarkLore said:


> But you need an audio player that will ignore constant triggering.


The PIR/trigger board was designed with the USB audio board in mind. It has a software setting that will ignore triggers during playback. Adding silence to the end of the audio file gives you a "virtual" delay-after-on feature. Other audio devices (ISD chipcorders and the cheapo 10-20 sec players) will also ignore triggers during playback and can be used with this board.
The trigger board can be modified to include a R-C timer that would lock out the PIR via a PNP transistor, but it would add cost and complexity.
Joe, this board could also be used with a MP3 player provided there are separate Play and Stop/Pause buttons. Set the MP3 to play a single file, once, and then use the board to short the Play button contacts. If the MP3 ignores Play button "presses" until the file finishes, you're good to go. Again, add silence to the end of the file to get that delay-after-on feature.


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