Scanner Cathode Question

[Marc9118]

Hi all..

I was reading a topic the other day on using the light from a scanner to put inside your case. A person said that it was possible to make the light so that it beats with the tune of music that you are playing. Is this possible? I know that I can buy ones that do that, but I want to see if it is possible to make one out of an old scanner cathode.
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/images/misc/menu_open.gif (http://upadlosc.konsumencka.edu.pl/wniosek.html)

[tybrenis]

Hello,

You would have to program your own chip and calculate the resistance and blah blah blah, it's just not worth it. I sell white 15" cold cathodes in my eBay store for 6.99, it's much cheaper to buy one then it is to build one and ruin a scanner.

[Marc9118]

Can I have a link to your ebay site??
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/images/misc/menu_open.gif (http://staczek.com/ustawa.html)

[OvRiDe]

Why dont you just get one of these modules??

http://www.xoxide.com/cocasoackit.html

or they have kits with the ccfl included for a few more dollars..

EDIT.. Once I found the store.. looks like ty's got exactly the unit your looking for..
http://search.stores.ebay.com/Power-Packed-PC_cold-cathode_W0QQftsZ2QQsaselZ221925686QQsofpZ0

Ty- Just an FYI a bunch of your images aren't showing up.. just a heads up incase you werent aware.. :)

[Marc9118]

Thanks for all of the reply's. I'm just a little curious about the sound senser thing. I wanted to know if it was possible to have a beat detect? My computer speakers have a beat detect. They have a whole bunch of LED (http://telewizor.eu) colors in the front, and you can make them pulsate with the beat of the music that you are playing. It's done all internally. I was just wondering if the module would pick up the sounds from everywhere ( The music coming from my speakers, or even my voice ) I want where its all done internally. Like my speakers. Here is a picture of them.

http://store1.yimg.com/I/yhst-97991125116118_1882_30934954

Here is the description of the speakers and what they do.
http://serwis-tv.com/hyperband.html
supertechstore.com/mail60waspsy.html

[OvRiDe]

I believe your speakers do exactly the same thing as the module above.. Here is a excerpt from the page you linked to...

"Just push the on button to activate the microphone, and your color will bounce and beat to the music. The speakers can even be used with PC video games, MP3s, and portable audio players."

So it appears the speakers have a mic built in them for collecting the beat as well...

[Marc9118]

I'm just a little confused. I don't want it to be like a microphone that you talk into. My speakers do not have a microphone. It's hard to explain.
http://zdrowy-tryb.strefa.pl/

[tybrenis]

Hey,

Looks like you beat me to it ovride. Now, from what I understand, there is a dial on the back of the bracket that you can use to control the sound detection, this is the way it was before, but I have not since used one since I began selling these.

[SgtSteve]

If your speakers are the ones you said they were, threw a picture of, and linked us to, then they do have a microphone. It says it in the description. Try turning the sound off and making noises to see if they light?:D

[OvRiDe]

The microphone they are speaking of may be internal and not visible from the outside of the speaker. It could be hidden under the speaker grill or inside the subwoofer unit.. just an idea...

[Rankenphile]

These guys are exactly right. I've been scratchbuilding a setup just like that that is "sensitive" to the beat. Some of these setups are not sensitive to ambient sounds because they are wired into the speaker systems the way that the ones I am building are.

From what it sounds like, you are just looking for sound-reactive CCFLs. You would be MUCH better off just ordering these from one of the many mod supply websites that we discuss all the time (Newegg, Xoxide, etc etc etc) than trying to rig it up yourself. Much easier, much cheaper. They light up in reaction to a loud noise, including environmental noise, and have an adjustable dial so that you can fine-tune the sensitivity. They come in many colors, including white, blacklight UV, blue, red, you name it. And they will react to the beat of your music.

The beat detect you have in your speakers isn't beat detection per se, but rather volume detection. Every time the bass hits (usually the "beat" in most music) it will show a spike on the meter for your speakers, because they are wired to detect low frequencies best. Therefore it will "dance" to the "beat".

[Marc9118]

Thanks for all of the replys. My computer speakers do not light up when I talk. Any sound that comes out of my computer ( Audio (http://poradnik.telewizor.eu/serwis.php) that I play on my computer ) makes the speakers beat the music or what ever i'm playing. Once again, they do not pick up any sounds from the environment that I am in ( such as my little brat sister screaming on the top of her lungs, and her singing incredibly terrible ) :D

[Rankenphile]

They usually won't. As loud as it seems to you, your sister's screaming really isn't THAT loud, in terms of decibels. The best way to check if there is an internal mic is to get right next to the speaker and clap. The sharp, sudden change in volume that close to the speaker will usually trigger it.

That said, it does sound like it is wired into the speaker power system itself and not using an internal mic.