The strangest thing ever.

Jordan · Post by **Jordan** » Fri May 12, 2006 7:52 pm

Although this has little to do with a bp6 or computers at all, it's worth looking at. I am amazed googling for it doesn't bring up anything.

I've been working on my hovercrafts again, trying to build a small one.
So far it's going well, i've got a 12 inch wide styrofoam circle hovering properly so all that's left is adding a remote control drive system.

However, that's not the point. The craft is powered by a 3 volt DC motor which spins a propeller to blow air down and make the craft float. I figured i'd try to make another lift motor like that for my bigger, better hovercraft.
That one is controlled by the RC components of a snowmobile, That snowmobile had a speaker in it which made hideous loud engine noises so i removed the speaker.
Now, as i was fiddling with the RC unit for the snowmobile which is now on my big hovercraft i though i'd try using all the different light connectors to see which had the most power output, hopefully enough to run a lift fan.
I thought, okay this won't work but why not test the speaker connections?
So i did. And the results surprised and horrified me.
As soon as I pressed the button to make sound, rather than turning the propellor, the motor made noise. Not just static, but the actual noise the original speaker made!
I tested other motors, all did the same thing! I even tried the motors on the audio out from my PC, and it all made semi-clear audible sound!

Has anyone ever heard of DC motors emitting proper noise?
Hopefully this isnt' old news that everybody knows, but even if it is it's incredibly strange and i hope people find it as interesting as i do.

LunaticFrige · Post by **LunaticFrige** » Sun May 14, 2006 12:05 am

hehe nice, so is this what you are after ?
Afrotech's Hard-disk Sound System

Jordan · Post by **Jordan** » Sun May 14, 2006 11:50 am

Brilliant! That is exactly my point!
Also you can use LEDs. Their low power needs make plain sound output light them up. It can make for freaky displays!

davd_bob · Post by **davd_bob** » Fri May 19, 2006 1:44 pm

KOOL !!!

I bet anything that you hear when electricity is applied would work simularly.

I think its the same variation in voltage that causes the vibration in speakers...causes vibration in electric motors. You hear the vibration against the air.

I can't wait to try it out on different things around the house like...incandecent light bulbs and stuff. My grand son will be so impressed.(he's 14 months old)

Jordan · Post by **Jordan** » Fri May 19, 2006 9:26 pm

I'm pretty sure the audio output has to do with the magnetism in the speaker device. I tried using a small lightbulb in my audio experiment and it didn't work. Even if it did make noise I couldn't hear it. So it looks like you'll need some magnets for an incandescent buld to make sound. Regardless, getting a lighbulb to make sound would be amazing. Perhaps i'll give it a try this weekend.

swampwater · Post by **swampwater** » Sat May 20, 2006 12:36 am

I made a set of these a couple years ago, when afrotechmods first published the article. It actually didn't sound as bad as I had originally expected. Imagine listening to an AM radio.

davd_bob · Post by **davd_bob** » Sat May 20, 2006 10:33 am

At work during breaks in the action I scoped out Afrotech's whole website.

Im glad no one was around because some of that stuff made me laugh spontaniously.

Most of his ghetto mods are great.

Dave Rave · Post by **Dave Rave** » Sun May 21, 2006 3:49 am

I loved his web page on a piece of cardboard
and his hand

davd_bob · Post by **davd_bob** » Sun May 21, 2006 11:16 am

And if Kuun ever sees that BLING BLING HONDA he will be die with envy.

Jordan · Post by **Jordan** » Tue May 23, 2006 3:20 pm

Yay! I made my very own hard drive sound system like the one from Afrotech! However, mine has lights and is more fun to watch. It could be called a 2.1 stereo setup because i've got a western digital drive in the center making low noise, a gutted WD with no platter that makes fun jigglings and normal pitches, and a laptop drive making high pitches. Great fun, pictures might show up soon.

I even got an incandescent bulb to light up, but not make noise. I didn't use it on my HDs though, it is too slow to light.

Post by **Derek** » Tue May 23, 2006 3:53 pm

Jordan wrote:Yay! I made my very own hard drive sound system like the one from Afrotech! However, mine has lights and is more fun to watch. It could be called a 2.1 stereo setup because i've got a western digital drive in the center making low noise, a gutted WD with no platter that makes fun jigglings and normal pitches, and a laptop drive making high pitches. Great fun, pictures might show up soon.

I even got an incandescent bulb to light up, but not make noise. I didn't use it on my HDs though, it is too slow to light.

Didn't anyone tell you that a video clip is required when posting about modifications?

Jordan · Post by **Jordan** » Tue May 23, 2006 3:53 pm

I'm working on it... Just wait!

Post by **Derek** » Tue May 23, 2006 4:02 pm

Since Hyperspace isn't here to say it:

xcellent!

Jordan · Post by **Jordan** » Sat May 27, 2006 9:56 pm

Sorry i haven't responded sooner, I've got video of the speakers on google video now.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... pr=goog-sl

There it is. It's horrid quality but it gets the message across. Someday i might make a better movie, but try be satisfied with this one for now.

hyperspace · Post by **hyperspace** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 12:46 pm

Derek wrote:Since Hyperspace isn't here to say it:

xcellent!

That's:

Xcellent!

headspirit · Post by **headspirit** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 3:47 pm

i connected a small motor to the headphone socket of my walkman when i was about 7 years old , i wanted to see if i could create some sort of sound to movement device

i discovered exactly the same thing , the sound coming from the motor

i had compleatly forgetern about it till i read this post

i have no idea why it works but it does, and it came in handy

my mum dident like my listening to my walkman when i was supposed to be in bed sleeping and if i used the headphones she could quite ofter hear it , but with the a motor stuffed in the corner of my pillow and the walkman down the side of the bed she couldent hear it even in the same room, but i could with my ear on the pillow .... hehehehe