By GhostGuy
#204547
mburkit wrote:
Gareee wrote:Is there any chance of getting some sound out of this as well?
There certainly is. I'm still trying to find the best buzzer for it. I had one that sounded like a duck (lol), and another one that has a nice "beep" sound to it but is too big for this application.

This is the buzzer I use in my PKE's:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2062403

It sounds terrible normally, but it sounds like the hyperdyne one when you pulse it for a fraction of a second. I think I pulsed mine for 1/20th of a second.

You could probably get a sound ike the one in the movie out of a piezo speaker, but you'd have to record and analyze the sound of the one in the movie to figure out exactly what the waveform was shaped like. It ain't a simple square wave, I can tell you that.
By GhostGuy
#204548
ChapterMasterTu'Shan wrote:Does anyone know if the Pro Mini can do on-board playback of a sound file?

Also, I am working in conjunction with Matt to develop a shield for this thing when all is said and done, so it might become plug and play.

It probably can, but it would have to be a tiny sound file. There's only 16kb of memory on it.

8000hz is probably the minimum you want to record a sound at, so that'd give you a 2 second sample. However, you have to store the program on there too, so unless you could compress it somehow it would be something less than that.

The nice thing about the PKE though is that you probably wouldn't even need a sample thatg long. You'd probably only need a sample that is a few hundred bytes, and then you can play that back at a variable rate to adjust the pitch up and down.

Of course there are also timing issues to consider. The processor speed is only 8mhz or 16mhz depending on the model. Is that enough to play back PWM music and animate the lights? I dunno. I had a 16mhz 386 years ago and it could only just barely handle PWM.
By Gareee
#204555
That beep sounded fine.. I could probably downsample it for you to reduce the file size, if that is the issue...
User avatar
By mburkit
#204622
Here's a short video with the same buzzer that Ghost_guy has in his RGB PKE meter. I may end up using it only because of how small it is. Its a 12v buzzer but I have it pretty under powered (at 5v). Still works though, let me know what you think?
By Gareee
#204630
If thats what works, and fits, its good in MY book!

I'll have to rewatch the movie to see what the actual sound sounds like.
By GhostGuy
#204668
mburkit wrote:Here's a short video with the same buzzer that Ghost_guy has in his RGB PKE meter. I may end up using it only because of how small it is. Its a 12v buzzer but I have it pretty under powered (at 5v). Still works though, let me know what you think?

On my PKE's, the length of the beeps was fixed, and it was around as short as what you have when your circuit is beeping the fastest.

I'd either use fixed length beeps and go with the shorter ones, or start with the shorter ones and go faster than that. The longer beeps you have there don't really sound like the movie meter, and might get annoying.

In fact, I'd experiment with making them much much faster. It's possible if you keep ramping the speed up you might get a sound like the movie pke. At some point those super short pulses may begin to sound like a different note. You might get some harmonics going. Or maybe the buzzer will just get really quiet. I dunno. :-)
By GhostGuy
#204677
Gareee wrote:That beep sounded fine.. I could probably downsample it for you to reduce the file size, if that is the issue...
The beeping you hear is generated by the piezo buzzer, not the arduino. There's no sample being played.

A piezo buzzer is a piezo speaker with a little chip or something in there to make it pulse at say 6500hz like that buzzer there does. All the arduino has to do to generate the sound with a buzzer is power it.
By Gareee
#205007
The only issue I had was that the sound was very high pitched, and my left ear hearing issue was "spidey sense tingling"
User avatar
By mburkit
#206175
ChapterMasterTu'Shan wrote:Lots of soldering and cursing.
Yeah, basically. I'm busy soldering everything onto a PC board to install into my pke meter. ChapterMasterTu'Shan is working on making a schematic of it.

We are also looking into making it into a more plug and play kit for others. No guarantees yet though.
User avatar
By BSjohnson
#206195
I don't know if this will help you or if you've got something better going, but I remember seeing this website in the "make your own proton pack lights" thread a WHILE back:

http://www.expresspcb.com/

It's a program to design PC boards, and then they make them for you. For an electronics novice such as myself, it seems like a good setup. But like I said, you guys probably have something better. Just thought I'd throw this out there in case it was useful. :D
User avatar
By mburkit
#206723
Just a little update, I'm working on wiring up the wings and painting them, then I'll pretty much be done.

Here's a short video of the pke meter without the wings or one side of the shell installed. You can see how the screen looks so far atleast and that the speed control works.
User avatar
By BSjohnson
#206724
mburkit, one for you: :crunch:

ChapterMasterTu'Shan, one for you: :crunch:

jackdoud, one for you: :crunch:

Anyone I'm forgetting?
User avatar
By mburkit
#209524
Finally FINISHED!



I'll be posting a parts list and the code for it soon. TJ is still working on the schematics and we plan (at some point) to sell boards for this that will be more plug and play then the hell that I went through to make this.
User avatar
By BSjohnson
#209539
That is a thing of beauty!
By Gareee
#209544
THAT is sweet!

Image


I have two iona shells here that will get that treatment.. what was the total cost of the electronic parts?

Me wants!!!
User avatar
By BSjohnson
#209563
Seriously. I can't wait for the parts list and schematic!
User avatar
By mburkit
#209582
Okay kids, here's a parts list and the program for the arduino. Now granted you won't be able to do much with it yet without the schematics but those are still in the works. I figured I'd post this stuff so you had an idea of how much it cost. I'd also advice you not to go buying all this stuff until you see the schematics. I don't want anyone to buy all this stuff then get frustrated from the schematics and give up, wasting $100+ on electronic components.

So, first the total in parts (w/o shipping) comes to: $108.56

Attachments removed by Author. To be reposted at a later date.

Once there's a schematic, I'll repost all this stuff in a Tutorial thread.
User avatar
By mburkit
#209647
I know most people will come into this thread because of the electronics but in case anyone wanted to hang their pke meter off their belt like they do in the game. . .

Image
(sorry for the crappy picture)

might I suggest a covertec clip:
Image

This is what they used in the Star Wars Prequels to hold the lightsabers onto their belts, among other things. This is what I'm going to end up using.
By Gareee
#209649
That looks good... we wear out traps on the right hip though.. the gizmo is on the left... I'm running out of belt space! I guess I need to add more pounds and a larger belt now.. ;)
User avatar
By jackdoud
#209677
Looking good you hairy monkey. :crunch:

It will take a while before the schematics are forthcoming. TJ just moved across the state and is starting a new job on Monday. There are versions of the schematic existing but they're not refined enough for release.
User avatar
By mburkit
#209908
ScooterinAB wrote:That looks great. Congratulations. You've done the community a great good.
Not yet :D

We still haven't released the schematics for it. And with out those, most people would have to "reinvent to wheel" so to speak to have this themselves. That and you need to be able to read schematics have some ability to solder, because you solder, a lot.

But that's just if you decide to do it the same way as my prototype. There maybe other options in the future.
By NeonMessiah
#211494
Shock and Awe. I don't do electronics very well, and that is more amazing (to me) that you know! Great job. I'm looking forward to your kit! I have an empty PKE body sitting here just waiting on some awesome electronics.

Someone ID'd them on Facebook first, there w[…]

Two specific ideas I have are basically holiday sp[…]

While waiting impatiently for Frozen Empire to rel[…]

Make it that pack, sell it for $599. (While I […]