comparator lm339 - convert anolog to square wave

[redepoch7]

I have a toy keyboard that I want to run into a lm339 comparator to turn the signal into a square wave.

I tried it and it didn't really work. You could hear some resemblance of a square wave but It was pretty quiet.

My question is...

Is this even possible?
Should I do something else to the 339 to get a better output?
Does it hurt the lm339 to just run the keyboard out into it?

My end goal is to create an octave down by running the comparator output through some frequency division.

Is that even possible?

Thanks!

 

[MikeMl]

Did you have a 5K or 10K pull-up resistor between the output pin of the **broken link removed** and the positive supply?

Post your circuit.

 

[redepoch7]

here is the schematic.

**broken link removed**

 

[MikeMl]

As I said, read the data sheet I posted a link to. Look at the suggested circuit. NOTICE THAT THERE MUST BE PULL-UP RESISTOR added to the output pin!!!

 

[redepoch7]

Yeah, I tried that... Didn't do anything... I'll keep pluggin away at it.

Thanks for the help.

 

[audioguru]

The reference input at pin 5 should be biased at half the supply voltage with two resistors in series.
An LM393 has only two of the same comparators and is in an 8-pins case.

 

[Hero999]

There should also be a decoupling capacitor too.

Please post a schematic using the correct symbol for a comparator, rather than a box which is meaningless.