I wasn't sure whether to put this in Chat or Projects but they are for projects and may need project support. Moderators please move this if needed.

I want to give away a few of these TalkBot talking PIC controllers;

to people who want to make a halloween project.

You can load .WAV files into the device, ie speech or horror movie sounds etc and connect a battery and speaker and it will play the sounds back. It also accepts serial commands for which sound to play. They are fully assembled and I can supply them ready programmed with any of the "Slave" software from this page;
TalkBotBrain.com Source Files

Basically there are 3 ways you can make a halloween project with it;

1. I'll program the PIC with the Slave software you choose, then you just load your halloween sounds in it (with a serial cable) and connect battery, speaker, buttons, tripwires etc.

2. You can put your sounds in and play sounds and move servos (up to 8 servos) under serial commands at 19200 baud. So you can control it with your PC or your favorite micro.

3. If you can program a PIC 16F628 in C (and you have an in-circuit programmer) you can modify the PIC source code to make it play sounds and move servos under the PIC control, to make a full project out of it (for an example see the talking thermometer project in the link above).

Note! The onboard amp is not very loud, it's ok for quiet indoors, but for a noisy outdoor environment you might need to connect a little 1W amp like a LM386 amp chip etc. I can help a bit with PIC software or amp circuit if needed.

I've got around 4 to give away, so if you have an idea for a project just say and i'll pick some people on Monday and airmail the devices out. They will take about 8-10 days for shipping so then that leaves 2 weeks before halloween to make the projects.

The only thing I ask in return is a picture of your project and a short description, and IF you want, your sounds and/or source code. These will be put up in the projects section of the TalkBotBrain.com web site so other people might like your idea and want to make their own.

So if you want a freebie for halloween just post below.

 

Hey RB, I'd probably be interested in making some form of pumpkin with arms thats talks spookey! :P

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Mike
My website: www.ElectroBird.net

 

sir, i'm working on a project which use microcontroller to control adc chip with pc , so basically we have to develop a library of functions beside the hardware part

 

(watching *this* thread intently)

I can imagine *all kinds of* projects someone could do with something like this! Picture a spider on a string that bounces up and down when someone walks near... Or a witch that does a fly-by and cackles and the poor frightened children... A mummy or zombie that rises from the grave...

Whoever gets one, make sure you put pictures and/or video up.

 

Sign me up for one.

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Bill
Smart Kits build Smart People
http://www.blueroomelectronics.com/

 

Mr RB

I would be interested in making a project if you could send me a unit.

Thank you

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"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on" - Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)

 

I would like to participate in this fun. Sign me up.

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Mike2545

 

I've been wanting to make "flame throwers" and floating head ( think Wizzard Of Oz ) For the flame, I've thought of CO2 and red lights. I've also been interested in trying to create flame using piezo-electric mist effect, and a pressuized air stream. That would require alot of mist, though. Damn! I always start thinking about these things too late.

A couple years ago, I re-created an effect I saw when I was a kid. It was a Wall Of Flame, that used a white sheet, hidden red light and a fan. The fan was positioned to make the sheet "flap" and produced an awesome flame effect.

For haunting sound, I use my karaoke machine the the "reverb" turned way up, and connected to my hi-power amp. I can do pretty good with this setup and just my own voice.

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You don't need a quadraphonic Blaupunkt -- you need a curve
ball.

 

Thanks for the interest guys, keep the ideas coming!

I've officially got 4 to give away but I can maybe squeeze a couple more freebies in, I'd hate to disapooint people. It helps make it easier to pick people if I know what you plan to make, otherwise I might have to pick based on people's forum posts ie people that I know have the skills and post good writeups etc.

Bill (Blueroom) I have a unit for you that I promised you ages ago during development, that unit won't count as part of the halloween givaways, to be fair to the other people.

 

Just bumping the thread because there's only a day left for people to get their entries in.

 

I don't have a project in mind just yet, but I would think a PIR device could be easily attached that would detect the presence of a "victim" and trigger your item. (Blowing compressed air around the feet of trick-or-treaters along with scary animal noises, i.e.)

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Creationists have a world of evidence

 

I'll do one if they're still going

On second thoughts, never mind. it sounds interesting but I don't have a specific idea in mind yet and others clearly do. I'll be interested in seeing the finished projects though.

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Good riddance, ETO .

 

Just to be clear, do the arms talk or the pumpkin?

It sounds like any kids foolish enough to be acquainted with anyone on this thread will soon regret it Allvol's compressed air idea sounds particularly devious.

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Good riddance, ETO .

 

Well it is halloween, perhaps both :O
I was thinking the pumpkin however, I did miss a comma.

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Mike
My website: www.ElectroBird.net

 

give the arms pumpkin-hands which can talk and argue with each other

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Good riddance, ETO .