Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[Martin (Admin)]

Via email to Mayhem...

Hello Martin,
 
I was at Wings and Wheels this year (2008) and noticed a gentleman with a motorised RC duck that was moving impressively around the water.

I did have a chat with the gentleman but never got around to asking his name, anyhow this gentleman appeared to have solved a problem that I have pondered and am trying to solve and which is 'where does one find a Piezo speaker with built in "Quack" sound?!' I plan to use such a device with a LiPo battery alarm which tells you when the battery is low (These produce the sound "Land Now" and are used for model flight) which would suit my model very well. I also notice a gentleman (John Picton) asking the same question on your superb site (which I have only just found tonight!) as he also has a model duck being used (the gentleman at Wings & Wheels had a Mallard Hen rather than a Mallard Drake though I think).

If either you or John has found the answer then would it be possible to  let me know, any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated.
 
Regards
Alec

[Reade Models]

JJC Electronics used to produce a 'quacking ducks' sound unit, though I don't remember selling any of them?  I don't know of any currently available similar products though?

I will mention this to RC Model Workshop - it may well be possible to introduce one.

Malc

[das boot]

Record a duck quack on a cassette tape, convert it into an endless tape, then use a small Walkman type cassette player, and play it back through an amplified waterproof speaker. That's how I did all the voices and sound effects on U-117.
Or you can use one of the more up to date CD players, record the quack as before and play it back via a waterproof speaker with an external amplifier.

Beware of randy drakes though, they will be on your duck like a rat up a drainpipe....

Rich

[Martin (Admin)]

How about adapting a recording toy....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2GB-MP3-Player-with-built-in-speaker-headphones-UK_W0QQitemZ310091013160QQihZ021QQcategoryZ73839QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Recording-Greeting-Frog-Croaks-if-anyone-walks-nearby_W0QQitemZ130247118490QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item130247118490&_trkparms=39%3A1|66%3A4|65%3A10|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

[malcolmfrary]

Cant remember just where, but I'm sure I saw a link to a vid of a brushless duck on one of the US sites.
Rather than a cassette or CD player, a cheap MP3 might be the thing.  Some have used a transmitter hooked up to a player in the operators pocket, with a receiver/amp/speaker in the boat.
Maplin used to sell a voice recording chip (ISDD1100 or thereabouts), but as ever, as soon as I found a use for it, they discontinued it.  It, and/or its descendants, are still available, but you you need to buy a small bucketful, so not much use outside the trade.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Dismantle a recordable greeting card, or find a memo recording device such as these...

http://www.qualitylogoproducts.com/tradeshow-promotions/20second-voice-recorder-pen.htm

http://www.electrokits.com/electronics/audio-sound/9.htm

http://www.worldwide-usa.com/two-channel,-20-second-message-recorder-p-31300.html

Maybe maplins has something similar?

The biggest issue is amplification and sound quality. These aren't made to
broadcast, and they often use the speaker as a microphone, so the quality
of the recording is usually degraded.

 

[malcolmfrary]

I've just been browsing at maplin's site and totally accidentally stumbled upon the ISD2560P chip, code NM52G.  This is a development of the one I used, has a longer record time at a higher Fi, and is pretty much pin compatible.
It lives on page 803 as is got at via the e-catalogue, but is totally denied by the site search engine, and trying to navigate to it as a normal customer all you get is a reference to a simple melody generator. 
Hopefully they will get themselves sorted, but in all the years that they have had a net presence I have yet to see signs of quality testing of their site, so they must be happy to send potential customers elsewhere.

As an alternative to electronics, how about a supply of compressed air and a duck decoy call worked by a servo?  Just thinking aloud.

[malcolmfrary]

I queried the discrepancy above, and muppetlins answer was that the item had been discontinued in August 2007.  So the chip really is no longer in the inventory.