Here, we discuss the construction of a programmable sound box. All you do is close a switch, and it plays back the sound that you recorded ... loudly. We also have a page outlining a scream box that makes a single, simple, basic scream.

• Gallery of Hackable Equipment
  • Volatile Sound Recorders
  • Nonvolatile Sound Recorders
• Assembly
• Fixing Hair Trigger

Note: You can also implement recorded sound using MP3 players, but they tend to be harder to control, and not easily triggered by a switch.

This clunky little assembly records a message and plays it back when you press the little box on top. It looks like something that might be built into a huggable teddy bear. I got it from Marlin P. Jones.

This unit is intended to be a tag attached to a gift. You record your own voice message that plays when the tag is squeezed.

It can record a message up to 10 seconds long

I got this at Fry's. It is marked $9.99, but it was marked down to $7.99, $5.99, and finally on sale for $1.99 (January 2002).

This is the inside of a recordable greeting card. It's been a while since I played with it; I think it's volatile.

I believe I got it from Hallmark.

Nonvolatile Sound Recorders

This keychain has a memo recorder.

I got this one at Radio Shack.

This is prewired digital sound recorder from Radio Shack [~1999].

It can record a message up to 20 seconds long

Sometimes, Radio shack changes the design. As of this update, the current model is Radio Shack #276-1323, 9-Volt, 20-Second Recording Module, $10.49 [October 2004]

• Open up the gadget.
• Find out where the "play" switch is attached.
• Solder wires across the "play" switch and run them out to your triggering device.
• Find out where the sound comes out (the "loudspeaker").
• Solder wires across the "speaker" and run them out to whatever device uses the sounds. This can be a set of amplified speakers, a stereo, or mixer for more complex sound system.

If you used a volatile sound recorder, you will need to re-record your sound every time you get ready to use it - then make sure that the power stays on all the time. This is can be quite a pain in the neck. Volatile sound recorders are not recommended for canned sound.

This is the button that you have to press to make the Radio Shack sound board play. The original pair of red wires run off to the lower left. All you have to do to make the board play is to connect these two wires together - that's what pressing the switch does.

The red and blue wires come from the relay that triggers this prop. These new wires go in parallel with the original wires. Now, triggering the relay does the same thing as pressing the switch: it plays the sound.

I like leaving the original switch in place for testing.

This is the speaker that provides the output for the Radio Shack sound board. The original pair of red wires run off to the upper left. All you have to do to get the sound from the board is to tap into these two wires.

I like leaving the original speaker in place for testing.

The red and blue wires go off to the amplified speakers that will make the prop sound loud. These new wires go in parallel with the original wires. Now, triggering the unit sends the same sound to two places: soft sounds from the original little speaker, and loud sounds from the amplified speaker.

Here is the setup we used for the sound of giant spider in our year 2000 haunt:

The Radio Shack recordable sound board is in the center. The trigger relay is lower right with the X-10 module just above it. The wire from the sound board terminates in a 1/8" socket that connects to the amplified speakers.

Thank you for visiting. Your comments are welcome.
. . . . . .