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Trying to construct a talking clock... need advice :/

Former Member

Hi All,

 

I have been on a struggle to make a talking clock as a family gift for quite some time now, similar to the idea of the one sold here:
http://www.amazon.com/Message-In-Time-Recordable-Clock/dp/B0006NHCW0

 

That is, a clock that plays a recorded message every hour.   This I think was a great gift idea.
The problem is, the company that sells these went on the cheap, and now the clock they offer only plays the same message every hour, not 12 different ones like it originally did.

 

So I wondered if I could make my own.  I ended up looking around online, and found a chip that can play recorded sound files if they are converted into the right format (the soundfile conversion I can do).  I purchased a few parts after talking to an electronics store on recommendation, including an Arudino, and I'll list them here. The first part listed was what started me thinking it could be done.   So now I have 4 parts altogether:

 

SoundOut audio module
http://www.embeddedadventures.com/soundout_wtv020_module_mod-1007.html

 

Voltage power supply
http://www.embeddedadventures.com/level_translator_module_mod-1003.html

 

realtime Clock
http://www.embeddedadventures.com/real_time_clock_module.html

 

I also have an Arudino Micro "without headers". 

 

The company I bought all this from claims it should be a rather simple thing, involving connecting them with some jumper wires and then I assume hooking up a speaker and power source, like a battery.   They said the whole project should 'only take an hour or so'.

 

The problem is, its been over five weeks and they still have to get around to telling me how to connect the parts.  The birthday I was making this for is already three weeks gone and I'm still left hanging.
Can anyone lend a hand with advice?   I have basic electronics knowledge, my understanding is the sound files would be turned into .ad4 files, like  0000.ad4 0001.ad4 etc., put on the sound chip and then go.  Some kind of language instruction would have to be put in (??) but I don't know where.
In any case I'm up to about $75 in parts, which is more than I expected.   Could this have been done more cheaply?   If I could just get some pointers I could probably complete this......... thanks for any help or advice.

 

jeffpas

Parents Reply
  • 0 in reply to mandeep255

    Mandeep-I have some programming background including C, but am completely new to electronics and Ardunio programming.
    At this point, I have an Arudino Micro which I have wired up with the parts I first described, and have hooked up a speaker.   I have created 12 .ad4 sound files and with a bit of wiring manipulation I can get the files to play.
    I also have the Ardunio software loaded, the ardunio and other chips hooked up the computer via usb and I assume I can compile and 'import' sketches into the Ardunio to make this work.   So it looks like I'm close :/ .

     

    All I'm looking for is basically a short block of code example which would keep track of the time and play an ad4 file every hour.   I've checked the web and the bookstore but really finding it hard to get started.
    I think it has something to do with this excerpt:


    >>>

    Commands are 16 bit words.
    0x0000 => Starts playback of 0000.ad4
    ...
    0x01FF => Starts playback of 0511.ad4
    0xFFFx => Sets volume: 0xfff0 mute to 0xfff7 loud (default)
    0xFFFE => Play (or pause if already playing)
    0xFFFF => Stop playback

     

    So to playback 0000.ad4, send 0x0000. To start playback of 0001.ad4, send
    0x0001 and so on. You can send volume commands whether playback is occurring
    or not.

    >>>>

     

    and possibly part of this code would be involved:
    http://arduino.simpson.edu/index.php?chapter=steam_punk_clock&lang=en

     

    How would you do it?   I just can't see it as being too complicated or long code, perhaps a loop with a time counter and then calls to play the sound files.
    Then all I would need is a way to set the time.   Or do you know anywhere where such a code sample would be.

    I'd much appreciate any example,.... thanks

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