Push Cart Stereo
 

I need help with my push cart for the teams robot. :) I want to put sound into the cart. :D I have limited underspace because we had to buy a small cart to work from. :( I have about 12 in by 6 in by 4 in high to work with. :eek: Does anyone have sound system suggestions or do you know if i can hook speakers up to a portable cd player?:confused:

FIRST asked teams to not have stereos, etc. in the pits this year ...

- Katie

Again, they said no LOUD music, although I suspect the rule was directed towards those on carts. If you really want a specific song to play for your entrance, request the DJ play a specific song.

not allowed
 

In a response to a question on the Official FIRST Forums, someone asked if you could request music to be played when you enter the field. Their reply:

Sound
 

You can get some amplified speakers at Radio Shack. They can run off of batteries or AC. They can hook up to a cdplayer via mini jack. Or you can run 12 gauge speaker wire to a homemade amp connected to a 1000 watt subwoofer and get some real power out of it. You would probably want to use a car battery for that though :)

Unless you want to be tethered by AC. You will need amplified speakers, discmans dont put out enough power to go loud enough.

The best way would just be get a mini boombox that can run off a bunch of batteries.

Just get a CD player and hookup some small speakers to it. I have a setup like this at home, and it is plenty loud, loud enough that if you turned it full blast, youd definitely be violating the music rules.

Cory

A CD player with car speakers hooked up to it would be like turning your cd player up half-way and using crappy headphones as speakers. It's not very loud :)

Speaking of carts in general--that's the biggest thing we should've done last year, comfort wise. Who would've guessed we'd have to carry the thing two hundred yards across the stadium anywhere. The worst part has to be that the 1/2" aluminum plate was frikkin' sharp--and painful with 70lbs. behind it on the side I carried...

hook up your computer speakers to a discman. i have my old comp speakers hooked up to a like 20 discman in the bathroom( i sing in the shower) and it is super loud. u crack the cd and hte spakers up, you will violate the rules. enjoy.

john scans

You could make your own 12 by 6 box with both speakers and woofers in the same box!

You could make a speaker out of old hard drives. You can be certain it won't get taken away by FIRST :D But it is pretty cool to watch.

Heheh.. i saw that somewhere.. i tested it myself also out of old crappy harddrives, it works semi-decently, but maxes out at around 60dB

If you can fit them, car stereo components would probably suit this setup best. I don't think you can fit the battery in there, though. However, car stereo equipment is designed for this type of use, so go with it if you can. You could even use an old robot battery for your power.

Can you point me to something that teaches how to do this? It sounds interesting...

My advice: don't make your own box unless you know what you are doing. You may get away with making a sealed enclosure, assuming you get the dimensions right on the money, the holes are properly drilled, the glue works, and the screws actually stay. Sounds simple, but it really isn't. Attempting to make a ported enclosure as an amateur is simply out of the question.. what is the result of messing up either type of enclosure, you ask? Your woofer eases into distortion effortlessly, much like the PA system on a school bus. Also, don't combine a speaker and a sub woofer in the same enclosure, unless you know what you are doing.. again, its just asking for more trouble.

I suggest you find a pre-assembled enclosure. In such an enclosure it would be a good idea to have the following types of speakers: sub woofer, midrange, and tweeter; but it doesn't matter much in this case. In addition to your enclosure you generally want an amplifier, and some source from which your music will originate (an old/new head unit from a car, most portable CD-players, etc). That should be a good starting place.

PS: if you don't want a system thats too loud ::breathes in:: you can get some decent computer speakers from any store that sells them. Please shy away from that though ;).

I have an old Hard drive on my desk . . . I would appreciate some linkage. please?

Push cart you say...

:p

Frank(Aflak): http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/~hsakr/hds...hdspeakers.htm

What is it with the uncontrolled responses to everything said anywhere that disagrees with you in anyway? Are you thinking GEE people are trying to learn how to do something new, lets slow everything down by throwing in some unnecessary opinion, or one that has been beaten to death continuously.. thats it: I tried to emulate your style, but can't keep it straight.

Putting any sort of sound system on one's cart doesn't necessarily segue into a violation of FIRST's rules. And attempting to learn how to put a sound system on a cart doesn't violate FIRST's rules.. until the sound system placed on a team's cart is played in the pits, I have no problems. If we--team RAGE--ever puts a sound system on our cart, then we will fully comply with FIRST's rules..

BTW: I do understand where you are coming from. :)

Easy Fix
 

Go to Wal Mart and buy a cheap 10" speaker and some speaker wire, and build a custom box for it. Might I say though most teams look down on teams who "show off". This compatition is for learning not being arrogant, act your age and be respectful.
I dont have a problem with music as long as the song isnt over played (Ex: Who let the dogs out), or if the music is being played at a blairing volume. Just be respectful and dont go overboard, thats just my thoght and Im sure some of you agree with me on this one.

Um.....Last time i checked, you can't fit a 10" circle into a 12" by 6" rectangle. Even if you did manage to do that.... somehow, you would still need an amplifier to power it. Unless Wal-Mart sells their own proprietary speaker size, that 10" speaker is really a subwoofer, which means there will be no words to the music. So, unless you want to hear some random thumping - this solution will not work. Maybe 5.25" speakers would get the job done, but that tiny space is really pushing the limit.

Re: Push Cart Stereo
 

Buy a car deck and use it as an amplifier. Find smaller speakers then?

Re: Push Cart Stereo
 

for the size you said probably your best bet is to take apart an old boombox and make it fit and run it off all thoes D size batteries.