L.I.K.E.!.!.!
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L.I.K.E.!.!.!
Here is an expanded version of the minimal circuit, with connectors to plug in the contestant boxes and a beeper that chirps when a response is latched. The plugs and jacks for the cables can be anything. 1/4" phone plugs are larger than necessary, but easy to install. The large capacitor C2 determines how long the chirp is, so its actual value depends on the piezo beeper being used for X1.
SW9 is shown in the operate position. When it is in the reset position, any button press is indicated by its LED and not latched. You can use this to test the connections before use.
C1 is the decoupling capacitor for U1, and should be located as close as possible to U1 pins 10 and 20.
This circuit works because AC (Advanced CMOS) parts have particularly robust output stages. Other 573 variants might not work in this circuit.
Having different beep patterns for the two teams means that internally the system is now two separate discriminators plus a combiner. This is not as complicated as it might sound, basically two 4-bit latches instead of one 8-bit latch.
Where are you located?
ak
SW9 is shown in the operate position. When it is in the reset position, any button press is indicated by its LED and not latched. You can use this to test the connections before use.
C1 is the decoupling capacitor for U1, and should be located as close as possible to U1 pins 10 and 20.
This circuit works because AC (Advanced CMOS) parts have particularly robust output stages. Other 573 variants might not work in this circuit.
Having different beep patterns for the two teams means that internally the system is now two separate discriminators plus a combiner. This is not as complicated as it might sound, basically two 4-bit latches instead of one 8-bit latch.
Where are you located?
ak
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Making up the connecting cables is a pain. Another option is to buy them. Audio extension cables are cheap on ebay. This changes the connectors on the controller; use whatever matches the cables. On the other end, cut off the connector and solder the wires directly to the switch.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/new-Belkin-...467032?hash=item2a46bdc018:g:qKAAAOxydlFS1LCk
Or, get a 25' cable and cut it in half:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Steren-RCA-...181262?hash=item463bdf010e:g:Ga0AAOSwAuNW7asE
ak
http://www.ebay.com/itm/new-Belkin-...467032?hash=item2a46bdc018:g:qKAAAOxydlFS1LCk
Or, get a 25' cable and cut it in half:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Steren-RCA-...181262?hash=item463bdf010e:g:Ga0AAOSwAuNW7asE
ak
Here is a two-wire version of 73's de Edd's. Also a version of the original design I referenced in post #14. There is an LED on each contest's switch, and a buzzer when anyone buzzes in. It's simple and infinitely expandable.. It can also be daisy-chained (parallel). Originally I had long wires on each player's switch. Then I made extension boxes. One for each team, with shorter wires on the player switches. The master unit on mine is a bit more complicated. The Questioner has a button to indicate when they have completed the question. If some one buzzes in before the question is complete, a different sounding buzzer sounds.
I think the the first one will do what you want, with the exception of identifying the team.
Ken
I think the the first one will do what you want, with the exception of identifying the team.
Ken
I'll have to see if I can find it tomorrow to answer your questions. It's wandered around campus for years. I originally made it for a Biology Professor to make finals prep fun for their classes. It isn't exactly set up for two teams. They would group three students per button, with up to 8 buttons...so the brainiacs didn't dominate.
Ken
Ken
Agreed, 5 bucks or so is cheap---until you multiply it by eight. Then $40 is a substantial percentage of the $200 cost Belle is trying to avoid.
Belle, I worked for decades in the alarm industry and collected a lot of stuff I couldn't stand seeing thrown away.
I can offer a donation of lots of leftover cable segments that I salvaged, anywhere from 6 to 20 feet, that were discarded after a job. They are 4-wire ("quad") cable with 22AWG wire, more than adequate to handle the voltages and currents you'll be using and strong enough to withstand a little clumsiness. They're the size and strength of common household telephone cable/wire, in white sheathing. I'd be willing to ship a few dozen feet in useful lengths to a good cause.
I can also offer you some nice white project boxes, which are salvaged unused housings for PCBs in my industry. They are about 7.25 inches X 4.25 X 1.75 inches, if you want to put your push buttons in a nice housing. It's possible that it might be big enough to house the controller board. I have a surfeit and can spare, say, 10 of them without a problem.
I can probably find you a suitable low-voltage buzzer or two with a little rooting around, to ameliorate the cost of your project. If you teach in a public school, it's a fair bet that you're underfunded.
Unfortunately, I'm about to leave in a few hours, for several days and don't have time to compile these items, so I won't be able to follow up until the weekend. I'll be traveling light and won't have internet access, so I probably can't check back into this site until Thursday or Friday.
If you're interested, leave me a PM and let me know where to send you a package. I assume I can ship it to your school, c/o "Science Dep't" or something, and it will get to you; so you won't have to divulge personal details over the internet.
Time passes quickly for me too but I think it is more of memory loss. LOL Why did you connect the handheld boxes into another box then to the main controller? Why not just connect them to the main box? Is the red handheld button your reset and lock out buttons. I don't know if I like the reset and lockout on a handheld so the "quiz Master" could stand away from the main box or have the buttons on the main box.
Why did you connect the handheld boxes into another box then to the main controller? Why not just connect them to the main box?
Originally the cords for the handheld buttons were ~25' long and plugged into the 8 coaxial power connectors on the side of the master box. This was for use in a small lecture hall, with the button strung out to the audience. Then the thing started to be used on a stage with tables on one side or on both sides of the Quiz master. Speaker wire is a pain to unroll and roll back up. So short cords are a plus. The three-output extension boxes allowed for much shorter cords on the handhelds. The two-wire parallel system allows for a lot of flexibility.
Is the red handheld button your reset and lock out buttons. I don't know if I like the reset and lockout on a handheld so the "quiz Master" could stand away from the main box or have the buttons on the main box.
The button on the top signals the end of the question (Lights the white light.). The button the side resets the lockout. The three-wire cord on that can be any length. Or you could configure it any way you like.
Ken
Originally the cords for the handheld buttons were ~25' long and plugged into the 8 coaxial power connectors on the side of the master box. This was for use in a small lecture hall, with the button strung out to the audience. Then the thing started to be used on a stage with tables on one side or on both sides of the Quiz master. Speaker wire is a pain to unroll and roll back up. So short cords are a plus. The three-output extension boxes allowed for much shorter cords on the handhelds. The two-wire parallel system allows for a lot of flexibility.
Is the red handheld button your reset and lock out buttons. I don't know if I like the reset and lockout on a handheld so the "quiz Master" could stand away from the main box or have the buttons on the main box.
The button on the top signals the end of the question (Lights the white light.). The button the side resets the lockout. The three-wire cord on that can be any length. Or you could configure it any way you like.
Ken
Belle, I apologize for taking so long to get back to you. I'm away from home now and internet access can be sporadic.
On Tuesday morning (May 2nd) I shipped you a package of wire scraps, 8 of which are at least 8 feet long, plus a few short segments for whatever connections you need to make. I included a couple of the housing/project boxes I mentioned, to see if you can make use of it/them. I'm sorry I don't have any smaller boxes handy for your button stations. I also threw in a Sonalert piezo sounder and a miniature electromechanical buzzer, just in case one might work for your practice horn.
It should reach your school by Thursday. I apologize for the sloppy packaging and note scribbled inside, I was in a hurry packing all my other stuff, and had to throw it together fast.
If the wire lengths aren't quite long enough, don't hesitate to let me know how long you need them. I'll be back home next week sometime, not sure which day yet.
EDIT: Almost forgot: I tossed in a pair of extra wire strippers I had lying around. I didn't think about it at the time because I was hurried, but I also have a surfeit of solder I could send you in another package, which would probably be sent sometime after May 14th. I might be able to find a spare soldering iron if I root around enough. I take it you aren't planning to get started actually building the system in the next two weeks or so?
On Tuesday morning (May 2nd) I shipped you a package of wire scraps, 8 of which are at least 8 feet long, plus a few short segments for whatever connections you need to make. I included a couple of the housing/project boxes I mentioned, to see if you can make use of it/them. I'm sorry I don't have any smaller boxes handy for your button stations. I also threw in a Sonalert piezo sounder and a miniature electromechanical buzzer, just in case one might work for your practice horn.
It should reach your school by Thursday. I apologize for the sloppy packaging and note scribbled inside, I was in a hurry packing all my other stuff, and had to throw it together fast.
If the wire lengths aren't quite long enough, don't hesitate to let me know how long you need them. I'll be back home next week sometime, not sure which day yet.
EDIT: Almost forgot: I tossed in a pair of extra wire strippers I had lying around. I didn't think about it at the time because I was hurried, but I also have a surfeit of solder I could send you in another package, which would probably be sent sometime after May 14th. I might be able to find a spare soldering iron if I root around enough. I take it you aren't planning to get started actually building the system in the next two weeks or so?
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Oh great ChosunOne,
I will not start putting this together until the first week of June. May is extremely busy at school. Thank you, thank you for all you sent. I must be a geek at heart for getting so happy over a box of electronic parts. I will have brush up on my soldering. I have not soldered anything since shop class in middle school.
I will not start putting this together until the first week of June. May is extremely busy at school. Thank you, thank you for all you sent. I must be a geek at heart for getting so happy over a box of electronic parts. I will have brush up on my soldering. I have not soldered anything since shop class in middle school.
ChosunOne, I was practicing my limited electrical skills today with the parts you sent. The buzzers are great. I think the push buttons I bought will work fine. I wired the a button to trigger a buzzer and LED. I know it is simple to do but was fun to see it work.
I still need to get small boxes to house the push buttons and maybe LEDs. I opted not to have handheld buttons because I want the system to be the same as what they will be playing on. Does anyone about what size box I would need to hold the push buttons and maybe a light ot LED? Maybe 2x3x1.5 approx.
I still need to get small boxes to house the push buttons and maybe LEDs. I opted not to have handheld buttons because I want the system to be the same as what they will be playing on. Does anyone about what size box I would need to hold the push buttons and maybe a light ot LED? Maybe 2x3x1.5 approx.
Belle, Glad the buzzers work for you. I have more if you need them.
I hadn't thought about this by the time I sent the wire and stuff, but I have some small casings/housings that measure about 15/16" high/deep ( I think ~13/16 on the inside) x 1.25' wide x 2.75" long. They're slightly rhomboidal, smaller at the top than at the bottom (1.5x3.0). They're white but slightly yellowed by age and may need a light spray-painting, but otherwise in good condition: They have a mountable flat base with (slightly) rhomboidal cover that snaps on. You'd need a small flat-head screwdriver to unsnap it, so middle-schoolers are unlikely to pop the covers off "accidentally".
Alternately, I'm pretty sure I have some larger housings *somewhere* that I can dig out of my stuff in the next few days, slightly smaller than a cigarette pack, also white-ish with a snap-on cover. I can give you the dimensions when I locate them. It may take a couple of days, I'm away from home tomorrow.
BTW, please call me Phil. "ChosunOne" sounds narcissistic, but it's actually a pun on my Korean ties (and no, it's not misspelled).
I hadn't thought about this by the time I sent the wire and stuff, but I have some small casings/housings that measure about 15/16" high/deep ( I think ~13/16 on the inside) x 1.25' wide x 2.75" long. They're slightly rhomboidal, smaller at the top than at the bottom (1.5x3.0). They're white but slightly yellowed by age and may need a light spray-painting, but otherwise in good condition: They have a mountable flat base with (slightly) rhomboidal cover that snaps on. You'd need a small flat-head screwdriver to unsnap it, so middle-schoolers are unlikely to pop the covers off "accidentally".
Alternately, I'm pretty sure I have some larger housings *somewhere* that I can dig out of my stuff in the next few days, slightly smaller than a cigarette pack, also white-ish with a snap-on cover. I can give you the dimensions when I locate them. It may take a couple of days, I'm away from home tomorrow.
BTW, please call me Phil. "ChosunOne" sounds narcissistic, but it's actually a pun on my Korean ties (and no, it's not misspelled).
You could carefully bend the switch terminals at a right angle to require a little less room.
Ken
