What electronics do people want?

[Raffles]

I second the idea for the Dredd lawgiver LED and sound board. Possibly with the motor drivers for the "double whammy" barrel.

Would love to see an affordable voice amp. Have managed to put together one of my own for £25. But all the commercially available kits are about the same as the helmet costs...

 

[exoray]

Lots of good ideas being tossed up here, and I don't want to hijack the thread .. But I have to mention from being on the other side of the fence custom low volume runs of electronics are COSTLY it's just a matter of fact...

We are all spoiled with cheap high volume electronics, and I wish to hell I could do stuff that cheap but I simply can't...

It's the same reason $15 of white styrene cost $1000, $20 worth of fiberglass cost $800 and $5 worth of resin cost $100 in this hobby...

 

[Stampedemag]

I guess the "No offense" wasn't read. All I meant was there are people out there making great stuff. No doubt there. The only problem is if it isn't re-configurable it does most of us little good. We all don't just have one costume and spending sometimes more money than the suit costs on one part no matter how good it is just isn't feasable.

I currently have about 10 costumes that could use some sort of sound kit for. At $4k that would get mondo expensive. If there was one that could be made to accept something like a USB cable or another way to download and reconfigure the sounds to work for a new costume that would be great.

This can be for ANYONE out there that has a mind for costuming. This isn't the only board out there in costume land ya know. There are alot of customers looking for the same thing I am. I know... we have talked about it.

 

[Stampedemag]

Exoray brought up a good point. It seems that sometimes when I am building something I tend to spend more than if I just bought it already made. Parts are getting to be expensive. That is why I tend to keep my "toys" and not sell them. I can't ever get anything close to what I put into them.

 

[Predatormv]

I would like a Fett range finder servo, with led lights that work on a tilt switch with a radio control that is small enough to be built into a guantlet or even a glove and a voice amp all in one small light weight unit that will fit in the helmet with out making it too cramped to fit my head in...and cheap. I know other people make the above mentioned thing and it is a great kit but if it can be done for cheaper then I am all about it.

And Brak's yes Tk409 does still make a nice inexpensive Boba chest light display and they are still available.

 

[howlingwind13]

Not exactly low cost but there are a few guys that want time circuit replicas from BTTF.
mike

 

[tk8456]

A Vader Voice changer isn't beyond anyone with an incline into electronics. Go for it dude. It would be worth your efforts when done.

Going to get geeky now...........
If you don't want to get into algorithms etc, go for it the analogue way.
A modified vocoder would do this simply. But the voice range bands maybe a problem

If you can't find an IC to do this (there are 16 band ICs out there) make a circuit?

Set up bands of high order band pass filters (you can get ICs upto 6th order that are programmable in their range) When an input is detected in that range (use comparators at a high threshold to detect them) it triggers a VCO/VCA at a lower frequency. It replicates the input waveform but at a lower frequency

Ring Modulation would add the metalic saw tooth sound to the output voice.

I did something very very similar for my degree project. But this baby measured brain wave actiivty and the fact someones eyes were open or closed.
If I can detect that, you can detect the presence of a voice range.

An even simpler way would be to maybe multiply the input frequency to help. Here you can increase it to help with the range or decrease it to try and lower the voice.
Phased lock loops can do this. Look up how superhetrodyne receivers work when unravelling what they've picked up. That's what you want to do here.


Go with the analogue method dude.

I'd gladly help out with this but I don't have to time to do this myself. I can consult no problem

 

[hyperdyne]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sl/tk8456 @ Mar 28 2007, 09:56 AM) [snapback]1450073[/snapback]</div>

A Vader Voice changer isn't beyond anyone with an incline into electronics. Go for it dude. It would be worth your efforts when done.

A modified Vocoder would do this simply.

If you can't find an IC to do this (there are 16 band ICs out there) make one?

Set up bands of high order band pass filters (you can get 6th order ICs that are programmable in their range) When an input is detected in that range (use comparators to detect them) it triggers a VCO/VCA at a lower frequency

Ring Modulation would add the metalic saw tooth sound to the output voice.

I'd gladly help out with this but I don't have to time to do this myself. I can consult no problem
[/b]

I dont think a vocoder would give you a Vader type voice. It would make you sound robotic - like a cylon or battle droid. Matter of fact, I use an 18 band vocoder for my cylon and battle droid Vortex changer. So did the old cylonix software you could run on your PC.

And ring modulation gives you another AM (or comm traffic) effect. For example, all the comm traffic on the new BSG series uses a ring modulator. And the droid 9D9 from ROTJ used a ring modulator. Hardly what you need to sound like Vader IMO. But YMMV.

 

[tk8456]

Your right dude, I'm on about the principle not the chip. Sorry

'modified vocoder'

I think if the input frequencies were multiplied it may help with the replication bands, output side. That's why you sound robotoic due to the gaps in the range.

I'm just thinking out aloud but my other suggestion of FM receivers unravelling the input as in phased lock loops circuits maybe helpful?
That's totally analogue so you should lose nothing?

And the ring modulation was suggested to help give that faint metalic sound if also mixed in at a low volume?

 

[hyperdyne]

ok, if I got that right you basically are trying to do a wet mix with a dry mix of the input? Hence mixing some percentage of the voice input with a second percentage of the vocoder output. If that is correct it may help the effect some, I agree there.

Not sure how it would sound compared to Vader. I usually test these types of theories with pre-recorded vocals to get an idea of the effect. I've done that in that past myself, that is actually how I figured out the best trooper, Fett, and Guyver type voice effects way back when.

 

[tk8456]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hyperdyne @ Mar 28 2007, 05:28 PM) [snapback]1450091[/snapback]</div>

ok, if I got that right you basically are trying to do a wet mix with a dry mix of the input? Hence mixing some percentage of the voice input with a second percentage of the vocoder output. [/b]

Bingo.

I'd love your job dude but changed course a few years back. Money's great but it's boring

 

[asok]

I like the idea of a voice amp like the Radio Shack one. If it had a static burst that would be cool but, I would like to be able to turn it off. That way I could use it in my TK and Jango helmets. And have it powered by 9volt.

 

[Java]

Come on....anybody who has ever put a Vader helmet on their head automatically changes their voice to sound like James Earl Jones.

Its the breathing and amplification that is needed.

 

[bagpus3]

javamonkey, you are part of the rebel alience & a traitor , but you do make a very good point

 

[Darth Lars]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(supa troop @ Mar 27 2007, 04:07 PM) [snapback]1449113[/snapback]</div>

Judge Dredd Lawgiver sound bound

something that could repeat Double wammy, Grenade etc etc oh and dont forget the Moving LEDs too up the side of the gun
[/b]

Perhaps the "Blaster" sound board idea could be extended into a
reprogrammable gun/blaster sound board that could be used for many different props.
Then you could use the same board for, say a Lawgiver, a Stormtrooper blaster or a phaser, but with different settings/control program and sounds loaded in flash memory (or a memory card).

* Up to three input lines would be used to select "mode". With a digital dial, this would allow up to 8 modes.
(on the Lawgiver, you switch mode using a dial, right?)
* Maybe up to eight programmable output lines for driving various LEDs and/or lasers.

Edit: Fixed formatting.

 

[IGNITERS]

How about a simple power up power down effect for Blaster/ray guns....maybe something with a sequence like a camara flash that when the whistle stops lights go on ...

 

[SethB6025]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(oldken @ Mar 27 2007, 03:50 PM) [snapback]1449388[/snapback]</div>

If he can do a cheap AND accurate TK...

word.
[/b]

Copy..clk shhht

 

[NEKROFANATIC]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SethB6025 @ Mar 28 2007, 09:24 PM) [snapback]1450507[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(oldken @ Mar 27 2007, 03:50 PM) [snapback]1449388[/snapback]

If he can do a cheap AND accurate TK...

word.
[/b]

Copy..clk shhht
[/b][/quote]

I'd be in for a coupla at least.

 

[Darthmagpie]

The interest here is absolutely incredible, daunting even. I hope others run with this information.

The 2 projects he was interested in is the (TK) voice amp and the multi sound thing that TK409 initiated and others expanded on.
Just to be able to get something finished I pushed him towards the voice amp, so as of now the project looks like it is going to be the storm trooper amp. If successful the other to follow.

These are the/my target specifications (which he says is doable):

Compact size
"Mega phone" amplification
Voice activated static burst at end of speech.
On/off switch for static burst
Connecter for speaker/s
Connector for microphone.
On/off switch for power
Feed back elimination
Optional speaker and microphone
Low cost

Unfortunately I am more of just a middle man here as well as the person helping him and keeping the project Star Wars. What I mean is that he wants to improve the technology I have to keep him more sound accurate.

He knows the ball is in his court and is going to start the breadboard. I will keep all updated. Thanks guys

 

[defstartrooper]

I'm glad to see the issue of feedback is something thats being tackled thats something that is usually a problem with the cheaper voice amp options available :thumbsup