air-ship
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Posts posted by air-ship
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Hi Troopers,
Well I thought I would make a professional lead and here it is on the forum:
Cheers,
Rees.
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Mmmm. processing.......
I've tried Bluetooth but v.2 protocol is not fast enough because of the codec and compression. There is a delay of around 20 milliseconds. Roll on affordable Bluetooth v.3 dongles and speakers. Then I can build amps that use this technology.
Your nirvana is interesting but my guess is that it would all have to be housed in your armour with a wireless link to your helmet. I'd like to think that's what a Stormtrooper would have had.
802.11 would work but the power requirements are very high. Also, it's a difficult technology to make into an affordable solution.
Yes I agree, PTT is a problem but done correctly I'm sure it could work. I like your suggestions but the blaster holding / balancing is still an issue while pressing the button.
Still processing......
Here would be my Nirvana:
* Speakers mounted behind the hovis. Personally I find they can be loud enough and the feedback problem solved, and I like the idea of sound coming from the helmet.
* No wires between the helmet & armor.
* A tongue switch or something I can reach with my hand at the base of my helmet to toggle between
-- No vox
-- helmet speakers
-- FRS
-- Cellphone
I think the main problem with PTT is...PTT. For the most part with helmet speakers or cell phone, there is no PTT, so it's really an FRS issue, no? Ideally the throat mike or similar when registering you talking would in essence "push" the FRS PPT feature, then "release" when you stop. Honestly I think a PTT on the belt seems the least obtrusive. Also, I'm wondering if using the back of a drop box as a control panel might not be an option. Or, just using a comlink as a PTT device - I mean it will look film canon at least
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Excellent idea. I guess you could mount the sensor on a velcro strap (attach to the bottom of your middle finger) and stick a thin round magnet inside the end of your thumb (in your gloves that is).
Mmmm. Got me thinking has this. The sensors are usually quite large though. I have one here and it's pretty bulky.
Check out my response to a---------------
On 10/21/2010 at 7:33 PM, gh05ty said:If anyone wants a cheap magnetic switch for their helmet elec's get hold of a cheap WIRED cycle computer, you will need the sensor and the magnet that attaches to the wheel ... hey presto cheap switch.
I have one here ive been testing as a PTT switch for my voice amp and it seems to work ok just have to get the magnet on target, but maybe another strong magnet could work and be less bulky too.
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I've been doing some R&D on a multi-pole plug and wire system that will run between your helmet and armour. It's designed to pass a signal from your mic, a signal to Hovi tips, a signal to a back plate mounted speaker and also to power a helmet mounted fan. All power packs and amps etc. are mounted in your chest plate. Is anyone interested in this sort of thing? Just two plugs and a wire. It's also large enough to unhook with your gloves on and is mounted on an elastic mount so it pops back into your chest plate.
It would be very neat and professional like all the gear I make.
They are quite time consuming to build but the solution is good. I just have to work out if anyone is interested – let me know if you are please.
Also, I made a really nice PTT unit. It has a microswitch and a slide switch. So, you can have it PTT or always on using the slide switch. It's very small but I had the same problem as noted in these threads. It's not that easy to operate with a blaster in your hand. I did attach a Velcro strap and looped it around my finger. This enabled me to press it against my thumb to operate or press against my blaster. Both solutions worked but I'm sure there is a better way to hold / mount it. It's made from the volume control you get on VOIP headsets – I've got loads of them from the microphones I adapt for my amp kits. The connector is a 2.5mm DIN type that works really well.
I've come across blaster mounted switches, chest plate switches, glove inserted micro switches etc. I still don't think this problem has been solved yet.
I need to think on it a bit more and any development suggestions are welcome.
Cheers,
Rees.
About three years ago, a few troopers in the Nordic Garrison, myself included, got a chance to buy TrooperComs. We only started using them last year, due to the rather complicated setup process. I think that´s the real reason why they don´t get a lot more mileage. Because, as far as I can recall, the TrooperCom itself was pretty cheap, actually. No more than GBP £25-30, IIRC.
However, there´s a lot of stuff you need to cram into your helmet; A radio, the TrooperCom chip, microphone, headphone, battery pack - not to mention all the wires...You have to connect your microphone to the TrooperCom, the TrooperCom to the ROM/FX and the radio, the radio to a speaker or a headphone. Not counting adapters, in case, eg., your radio doesn´t have the same plug for the headset and microphone (like mine does), or splitters, in case you have a single pin radio (like I do...), or audio extension cables, and so on.
There´s also the wire with the red LED, which goes under your one eye (to let you know when the TrooperCom is activated), and the second wire with the magnetic reed switch, that I have hidden under the "ear"-cover on my helmet.
You also need to find a radio that´ll work with your setup, specifically your microphone and headset.
It took me the better part of two-three days to get everything to work right, and I still run into a few issues at troops every now and then. If you have the radio too close to the ROM/FX, for instance, you´ll get interference. Or the back of your head could be pushing the PTT button on the radio, blocking everybody´s comms, etc. And, sudden malfunctions could be due to any number of reasons; Low battery in the radio, the TrooperCom or the ROM/FX, bad connections between one or more of the 5-6 plugs and sockets, electrical short outs due to humidity...
All in all: The TrooperCom system is just too complicated for most troopers to bother with. It´s amazingly fun, and really useful once everything is hooked up and running smoothly. I´ve been to events where we´ve needed to time our appearance on stage from four different entrances, something that would´ve been a lot more complicated, if not impossible without the TrooperCom. Knowing that you can call on your fellow troopers if they should disappear in a crowd, or call for backup if necessary, is also a great plus. But getting it set up right, and make sure it´s running smoothly, does take some time and dedication. Thankfully, a number of the regulars at troops in our Garrison are as enamored with it as I am, so I´ve gotten some great use out of it. But I can see why other troopers would have a TrooperCom, but opt not to use it on a regular basis.
What would be really great, though, is a small, self-contained comm system that´ll work out of the box, taking minimal time to set up and service. Anyone up for the challenge?
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On 10/28/2010 at 6:01 PM, Smally said:
Great set up there Jim!
Can you paste a link to the speakers that you used please mate? I'm trying to search for an equivalent that's available here in the UK.
Cheers,
Smally.
You can get them from me Brad. All wired up and ready to go. Check out these links and my other gear:
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Cheers,
Rees.
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Good point Vern.
I've carried extensive (50 hours plus) R&D with FM and Bluetooth short range comms and there is always a hitch. FM (any wireless FM/AM system) seems to suffer from latent interference and Bluetooth v.2 has codec issues (a time delay). With FM the issue is the power of the transmitter. If it is too close then it causes interference.
Have you got any insights into this? I know the wireless mic kits are FM based. Does yours work well? Are you using this system?
Most FM wireless mic kits have a trimmer tuning screw so you can adjust the kit.
Hi Damian,
I'm working on a production system right now. It will take some time to get right though and I don't expect it to be ready for a few months.
Basically, the reed switch is operated by a magnet (as you already know). This enables you to switch (flip / flop) between a PMR (Private Mobile Radio) and your comm / amplifier system (ROM/FX, TKVox, Voice Core etc). In principle it all sounds really easy. To do it well and make it totally reliable, lightweight and power efficient is not that easy. The other thing is, your helmet will be stuffed full of electronics and batteries etc. Of course you can mount the electronics in other parts of your armour. Unfortunately you then have wires trailing out of your helmet. My TKVox amps keep everything inside your helmet.
Keep me posted if you make any progress. I'll subscribe to this post to see if anything happens.
Cheers,
Rees.
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Oh! Thanks!
So, you control the parts of the system with that.
I've read somewhere that they switch from a ROM FX to a TrooperComm, but I can't find any info on the TrooperComm. I don't know if the TKVox is similar or not. And in any case, how is the whole system arranged?
Any idea?
Hi Damian,
I'm working on a production system right now. It will take some time to get right though and I don't expect it to be ready for a few months.
Basically, the reed switch is operated by a magnet (as you already know). This enables you to switch (flip / flop) between a PMR (Private Mobile Radio) and your comm / amplifier system (ROM/FX, TKVox, Voice Core etc). In principle it all sounds really easy. To do it well and make it totally reliable, lightweight and power efficient is not that easy. The other thing is, your helmet will be stuffed full of electronics and batteries etc. Of course you can mount the electronics in other parts of your armour. Unfortunately you then have wires trailing out of your helmet. My TKVox amps keep everything inside your helmet.
Keep me posted if you make any progress. I'll subscribe to this post to see if anything happens.
Cheers,
Rees.
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My garrison mate was able to get his entire Rom set up including batteries in his TE2 bucket. I'll see if I can convince him to take pix and share.
Paul, my mate Dave Marsden has been transplanting his ROM/FX into his lid. I've pinged him on FB to take a look at this thread. He is another talented guy and produces very neat installs.
R
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On 3/7/2010 at 10:55 PM, Daetrin said:
Alas, you can't see the details, but here are his innards :
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Good stuff Paul. Carsten and myself are currently working together on a project. He's a seriously talented guy and a pleasure to work with.
R
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My garrison-mate has a full RomFX with aerator speakers and solved the feedback issue with blue tak, IIRC.
You're right Paul. Blue Tac does the job beautifully. It's worth working it in your fingers for a minute or two to get it really hot and sticky. Then it will make an excellent seal. I did this with one of my lids when I was researching and it did a great job. I covered up all the Blue Tacked areas with a couple of ABS discs to match the inside of my lid.
The frown vent trick does work really well though.
R
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can i put motorola walki talki speakers in my helmet?
Okay Tony, the simplest way to do it is to use small caps to encapsulate your speakers. Drill a hole behind your aerators (and hollow out the aerators with an 8mm or 10mm drill bit. I suggest using smaller drills first and then work up to a bigger hole). Then use something like a kids toothpaste cap if your speakers are below 25mm. If the speakers are bigger then use a bigger cap. They key to getting it to work is to mount the speakers in acoustic deadening material (used for car doors) or white tac. Then make sure every edge and hole of the lid is sealed and airtight within you lid. The lid or cap should not be too big and it will resonate and help amplify the speaker.
Okay, so you probably know all this already and it's been a technique used for a long time.
Next comes the funky bit. Your microphone must be perfectly centred between the speakers with a gap of around 20mm between the mic and the front of your lid. A unidirectional mic is essential because it receives sound in only one direction. The XYZ position is critical and should be carefully and patiently experimented with until the feedback is eradicated. But, read on...
Then the little bit of magic. Your frown vents should open, e.g. filed or drilled through to enable airflow. This airflow really helps to reduce feedback. I understand why but it would require a very lengthy description so I'll leave that one out.
I spent a long time working out how to do this using various techniques. As I mentioned in my previous reply, you can't eradicate feedback completely but you can use some simple tricks to reduce it. I also have my FRT / FRS but I'm keeping that one under wraps because it took a lot of R&D to make it work.
Let me know how you get on. Patience and some minor innovation really works.
Cheers,
Rees.
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Thanks for all the info! I was looking at the trik toys one but in te sound demos the static burst dosnt sound that great, does have alot of promiss though.
Hi there. Feedback logic? Mmmmmmmmmmmm. Not sure about that one.
I make very nice ultra compact Trooper amps and feedback is as old as the universe. It is a very difficult thing to deal with based on good old physical laws.
However, there are some tricks to combat it. I make Hovi mic tips over here in England (as well as helmet amp systems) and I build in a system to reduce feedback. The main issue is to do with with mic position versus position of speakers versus airflow. I kid ye not! Yes, airflow, it makes a difference. PM me if you need any more info.
Cheers,
Rees.
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can i put motorola walki talki speakers in my helmet?
Hi Tony,
I worked out the feedback problem.......... You can't stop it but you can work with it!
I created a set of comm systems that help to defeat feedback. I call it FRT that's short for FART, sorry, no, I meant Feedback Reduction Technology also occasionally called FRS, Feedback Reduction System. I much prefer the FRT – much more fun. Seriously though, it does work with Hovi mix mic tips (I make them over here in Europe - Stomper makes them in the USA).
With regards to digital walkie speaker. Well yes, they would work. However, you would have to shield them to an airtight level. Then, guess what, you still get some feedback. Sonic Dymanics is a weird old thang.
If you need any help just PM me.
R ;-)
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Guys,
I've looked on Parts of Star Wars but couldn't find the info so here it goes ...
I've received my Power Cylinders for my E11 and they're great (tx again Tony)!
Can someone tell me:
1. Are the wires canon? Should I use them from the counter to the ?Cylinders?? And if so, are they really supposed to enter the back of the cylinders?
2. The Cylinders themselves, where exactly should they be fitted on the ammo clip? Is there good reference pics of this?
Yeah, I know I'm being picky, but I thought I'd ask before fixing them permanently ...
Hey all on this thread. I'm going to stick a big greasy spanner in this works. I much prefer an E-11 ANH without a Hengstler or Mag Tubes. The lines are cleaner, the scope looks better and it is far better balanced in your hand.
I only build E-11's with a Hengstler (and Mag Tubes) to house ancillary electronics.
I did a lot of research (many hours) to work out how the wires work. My educated guess as a designer type is that the wires would definitely enter into the back of the Mag Tubes. Where else would they go considering the idea that it was a targeting system.
Any comments guys?
R ;-)
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Hey Ben,
Checkout my gear:-----------
I produce constant runs of specialised active amps and other trooping electronics gear. I'm across the big pond in the UK but I've supplied loads of kits to troopers around the world.
Cheers,
Rees.
Kind said:so im tring to gather everything i need/want befour i start my build and i had ordered some stuff from tirk toys, witch for some reason hadent been shiped 2 weeks later, and is now offering me 15% off the mic, amp with static, board, and speakers kit. but im not likeing that company thay much atm since i had to email him to find out other stuff i ordered hadnt been shiped.any how is the tirktoys a good one ? i have also seen the skullworx that has amp and fans in the kit. and a few others that r out of my price range.
if anyone could point me where i need to be that would be great
thank you
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Hi Dominic,
I remember something like that a while ago. Thing is, I thought it ran from 9v batteries. Most fans run slowly from AA's.
Anyway, you wish to take a look at my kits. The fans are of the highest quality and the kits are built to a high standard.
I do good postage discounts for troopers from my own site. They are also available on Ebay but cost more on there because of Ebay's high fees!
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Cheers,
Rees.
tktrooper24 said:Does anyone remember who was selling the helmet fan kit that had two fans wired up with 4 aa batteries and a circuit board. I can't seem to locate it. -
subtrooper said:Hi, can anybody recommend a good sound system, I've seen loads now but not sure which to go for. Thanks
Hi Mark. Not sure if I'm allowed to post this on the forum but I make a range of TKVox custom comm kits. They are very very small, especially the NanoAmp and the soon to be launched even smaller PicoAmp. I make Hovi speaker tips which are supplied with the amp kits and all the mounting equipment, microphone, powerpack and instructions are supplied. The sound is excellent and the Nano and Pico can also output to a secondary speaker. I've been experimenting with a Linx B-Tube (Google it) – cheap as chips, rechargeable and very versatile. The B-Tube also makes it really loud! I'm mounting the B-Tube in my back plate to provide ambient sound and having the Hovi speakers providing forward projection. Because the B-Tube is self powered, it doesn't put much power drain on my amps, so, they still run for ages!
My kits make a great sound which is very similar to the Moss Eisley effect. There is no static burst but you can do the old forced air trick or not bother with it at all. Feedback is also reduced using a system I created, grandly entitled FRT (add an "a" and it's a giggle).
I've sold loads of the kits and not had one back (30 plus kits)! They are built to last and will run for 12 hours plus from 1 x PP3!
I'm very proud of the gear I've created and it's a different offering to the other guys out there. I didn't want to compete with them but rather offer an alternative to troopers.
I try to create something new every month. I've been working on a compact magnetic connector for speakers and microphones for a few weeks now. When it's perfected, it will enable troopers to whip their helmet off without worrying about unplugging jack plugs etc. When you put your helmet back on, you just offer up the connector and it instantly attaches! They are difficult to make though and would cost about £35.00. Do you think is too much?
Check out my kits if you have time. Also, my blog has a blaster feature. It was for a new TK who asked me to build a sound and light array.
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I'd love to hear back from you on what you think. All garrison members also receive an additional discount. Just PM me for your unique code.
I plan to get my armour finished for the UKG and GK's in the winter months so I can get out and troop! I had to postspone the build due to family commitments.
Cheers,
Rees.
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Hi Stomper. Can you help?
My UK supplier for Hovi tips has dried up right now. I'm after all black, non-speaker versions bored out to 20mm at the back end so I can fit my own 20mm Mylar's.
I'm looking for quite a few but would rather not discuss it on the forum. Any chance of a PM - I read your notes on this.
Cheers,
Rees (air-ship).
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Does anybody here have a skullworx system? I find that I can't turn up my volume very loud without feedback. Anybody know how to correct this?
Hi there. I've been conducting endless experiments (in my mad professor's lair i.e. the kitchen table) with different speaker mounted in aerators, caps and other strange arrangements.
I've found that 20mm Mylar speakers mounted in 25mm toothpaste caps (kids toohpaste) works well with white tack mounted behind the speakers. I use a powered directional microphone which has a very small field of pickup. My Radio Shack mini amp is also modified to power the input jack. Now, I can get the sound quite loud but it just isn't loud enough to really project. So, I had a shower and a think. I now use a break out wire from my 20mm speakers and drop this down to another Radio Shack mounted in the chest plate. You now get good volume and sound from the lid. But, and this is a big but, you still end up with that extra amp mounted elsewhere, two lots of 9v batteries and evil feedback if you don't get it set correctly.
Another experiment was with 40mm Mylar speakers mounted in squeezy mayonnaise caps. I made various cut-outs and modifications to fit the speakers and the final result is very neat and tidy, almost like it was designed for the lid. However, even though they are air tight with a resonance cavity (a gap) at the back of the cap, I get satan's feedback and can't get them as loud as the 20mm speakers! Incidentally, everything is in series. I've still to try different configurations with this set up - no giving up!!!
I also bored out some Hovi's to take 20mm speakers - a very delicate job I can tell you. I then mounted caps behind a 15mm hole in the helmet. This works quite well but the boring out of the hovi's is not easy. At £5 a shot for resin Hovi's I don't want to make too many mistakes. It also takes ages to do.
I've tried white tack and self adhesive acoustic deadening and white tack seems to work more effectively.
I will persevere with the project and work out a solution. In my experience though, the feedback loop will prevail. The only thing to do is to get a configuration that has a happy balance. I want to create a magnetic connector from the helmet lead to a chest amp. This way, I can just whip the lid off and the lead comes away easily. A 9v power clip with magnets may work.
Watch this space for Professor Kenyon's experiments into TK sound and feedback (that damn feedback). I'll try and get around to posting some pics.
Rees.
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you should always use a resistor. I don't know about this specific mod show above, but make sure you are actually getting the 1.5 volts you need. I think most power mics require that much. I've seen some mods on the boards which are actually wrong and do not provide almost any voltage. Alas I don't recall which ones are wrong and which ones are right. FYI the power must be applied to the TIP of the input plug. You could just run the volt line directly from the input pad of the battery to the jack's tip line (using a resistor of course).
I tried it with a wire directly from the tip of the input jack to most of the capacitors on the circuit board. They vary in volume and they all seem to defeat the volume control. I'll get hold of a some resistors and try that. However, back with my old solution of a powered mic seems much better. More stuff in your bucket but it does work well.
I did try a 1.5 AAA battery on a mic and this seemed to work. A bit noisy though. I don't think matters to most TK's though. I'm going to give this another whirl with a AAA battery holder and a capacitor to clean things up.
I'm also experimenting with 20mm and 40mm Mylar speakers to get the best possible output. I may also run an amp in the bucket with 20mm Hovi tips and drop a lead down to another amp in the chest plate. That way I get sound from the lid and boosted volume from the chest. I'm thinking of creating a magnetic jack / connector so I can just whip my lid off and the connection will come away easily. I know it can be done with FM wireless stuff but this poses a problem with frequencies if a lot of TK's are using them.
I welcome any thoughts on this subject. I personally enjoy tinkering with electronics (although my knowledge is basic).
Rees
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air-ship said:Hi all.
Comm system mod.
Does anyone know about the Radio Shack amp wiring modification to power the input socket? I've experimented with adding a AAA battery onto my Mic feed which does work. A bit noisy though. I also saw a comment about a resistor mod.
I'm currently using a powered Mic which is no problem apart from an extra battery and an extra box. This is a good solution in that the mic signal is very clean. I would prefer to dispense with the extra box and battery and use a passive Lavalier mic.
Any enlightenment would be greatly appreciated.
Rees.
If anyone is interested in this topic, I now have the pictures of the modification courtesy of TK4205:
I'm going to try this without a resistor. I'll check the voltage being fed to the input jack. I suspect it may be too high but I'll give it a whirl. Thanks to SuperTrooper for getting me on the right track with this topic.
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air-ship said:Hi all.
Comm system mod.
Does anyone know about the Radio Shack amp wiring / resistor modification to power the input socket? I've experimented with adding a AAA battery onto my Mic feed which does work. A bit noisy though. I also saw a comment about a resistor mod.
I'm currently using a powered Mic which is no problem apart from an extra battery and an extra box. This is a good solution in that the mic signal is very clean. I would prefer to dispense with the extra box and battery and use a passive Lavalier mic.
Any enlightenment would be greatly appreciated.
Rees.
If anyone is interested in this topic, I now have the pictures of the modification courtesy of TK4205:
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I'm going to try this without a resistor. I'll check the voltage being fed to the input jack. I suspect it may be too high but I'll give it a whirl. Thanks to SuperTrooper for getting me on the right track with this topic.
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Hi all.
Comm system mod.
Does anyone know about the Radio Shack amp wiring / resistor modification to power the input socket? I've experimented with adding a AAA battery onto my Mic feed which does work. A bit noisy though. I also saw a comment about a resistor mod.
I'm currently using a powered Mic which is no problem apart from an extra battery and an extra box. This is a good solution in that the mic signal is very clean. I would prefer to dispense with the extra box and battery and use a passive Lavalier mic.
Any enlightenment would be greatly appreciated.
Rees.
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That's great. I have the same pump and was wondering where to install it on my armour. Great solution!
Cheap magnetic switch
in Electronics for Helmets / Blasters
Posted
Hi Rob,
Many thanks for the compliment and yes, it's good to bring fellow troopers' ideas to fruition. Hopefully it will be taken up because it's simple, elegant and really easy to use.
Get in touch when you move down and we can hook up – my location is near Launceston on the Devon side. I'm always happy to help with whatever I can.
Cheers,
Rees.