My Zoo Needs Help!

[IG-88]

OK, so this may not be the typical arcade forum question but I think someone here may have the solution.

The problem is our local Children's Zoo, which is run mostly on donations, needs some hardware additions/updating/maintenance. What they have are these "Boxes" for lack of a better word at some of their animal displays that are basically a push-button and a speaker that when hit, play a recording describing each animal, it's habitat, eating habits etc. etc.

Well they are in dire need of some help. What I would like to do is find an economical way to build new "boxes" for the animals with some of the spare parts I have lying around or can scrounge up. And then keep them up and running on my volunteer time.

What I have is alot of old computers, buttons, speakers, switches, wire, whatever.

Do any of you think there is an easy, somewhat inexpensive way to do this?

All it has to do is play recording over and over. The "boxes" are outside but/will be weather tight.

I had even thought of adding joysticks or extra buttons for "options" but who knows.

Any suggestions or help?


(Peale feel free to put this wherever you think appropriate)

[GoPodular.com]

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=52799.0

Simple pushbutton sound file player?

http://www.chrismoyles.net/mw/soundmachine.shtml

Thats what you want, you will just need to make some new sample banks for it etc.. I think it will do what you want.

Thanks to all. I did download the soundmachine program and it worked perfectly! I'll just grab an IPAC and git-r-done!

Sounds like the same thing.

[Brax]

That would require a computer at every box?!

Why not just use an animatronic style sound board?
http://www.bpesolutions.com/asoundeuip.html#anchor1341681

This is just an example, I'm sure there are cheaper versions around. Maybe even hack digital answering machines?

[IG-88]

That would require a computer at every box?!

Why not just use an animatronic style sound board?
http://www.bpesolutions.com/asoundeuip.html#anchor1341681

This is just an example, I'm sure there are cheaper versions around. Maybe even hack digital answering machines?

This is more like what I was thinking. Those boards are a bit expensive especially if I need 20 or more.

I like the hacked answering machine idea. I wonder if they would be loud enough or not? Should be a way to boost the volume a bit.

[SOAPboy]

That would require a computer at every box?!

Why not just use an animatronic style sound board?
http://www.bpesolutions.com/asoundeuip.html#anchor1341681

This is just an example, I'm sure there are cheaper versions around. Maybe even hack digital answering machines?

This is more like what I was thinking. Those boards are a bit expensive especially if I need 20 or more.

I like the hacked answering machine idea. I wonder if they would be loud enough or not? Should be a way to boost the volume a bit.

Digital answering machines speaker can be ripped out and the speaker wire ran to any other source such as a reciever..