Where to get lights that pulse to sound?

[unclet]

I am in the planning stage of making a jukebox cabinet.   Trying to formulate and figure what will be involved and what hardware I want to include.   I am thinking that adding some lights which pulse to the music would be real nice.  How do people do this?   It is some sensor thing I just need to buy and then wire it up to lights somehow?

Now, instead of light bulbs or something similiar, it might be nice to have light strips which outline parts of the jukebox ..... but maybe this is a bad idea .... do not know.

Please explain my options and what you think would be nice.

** I am going on vacation for 4 days very soon but thought it would be ncie to start this thread before I left town

[shardian]

I believe WalMart has some cheap speaker rings that bounce to the music.

[somunny]

Would it be possible to hack an idog to obtain a similar result?

[unclet]

shardian
I just looked for speaker rings but found nothing.   Perhaps you can find a link for me?

PS:  I just sent you a PM regarding your IPAC2.....

[shardian]

I've seen them in-store before - blue ones more specifically.
Have no clue about online availability - I would recommend you swing by a Walmart some time and look in their car audio section.

[Flip_Willie]

  I believe Thermaltake sells some lights that pulse to sound.

http://www.thermaltake.com/accessories/perfectLight/caselights/soundAct.htm

  I haven't used them, but they look promising.  They run off 12volt from PC powersupply. Hope this is helpful!

Just as it is,
Flip Willie

[unclet]

Those fluorescent tubes seem like they might break when my kids get aroudn them, but they are an option ... thanks.   

Does anyone know of a fiber-optic light which pulses to sound?   I could bend the light cabling and install it however I wish.

On the other side of things ..... what are those big circle lights called which look like static electricity circles, but are really pulsing to sound.  It is a big circle which looks like it has lightning strikes inside of it ......   is this even remotely a good description   

[NickG]

On the other side of things ..... what are those big circle lights called which look like static electricity circles, but are really pulsing to sound.  It is a big circle which looks like it has lightning strikes inside of it ......   is this even remotely a good description

there are some at thinkgeek (link)

Does anyone know of a fiber-optic light which pulses to sound?   I could bend the light cabling and install it however I wish.

Not me, but here is some electroluminescent wire (el wire) that has a sound actived switch included (link)

[unclet]

Those look nice .... I am thinking I want my jukebox to be a nice blue color so those might look great on it.  I wonder how long those lights last and whether someone makes bigger ones.  Those are 6" in diameter only, which might be fine .... just looking around right now

[BobA]

If you look in the electrical dept Walmart also sells light rope that pulses to sound.  Simply a reg rope light that plugs into an adapter box that sets the level and has a mic to respond to sound.  They may call them party lights or something like that but got mine where the rope lights were sold in electrical.

[unclet]

Cool .... thanks .... seems like I need to get to Walmart ...



If anyone has a "Blue Lumiglass lightning bolt party light" which reacts to sound (see photo) then how is the reaction time.   I mean does it pretty much keep up with the music?    Also, is the reaction small little pulses or does intensity get real high when a lot of "bass" from the song is being heard?

I like these things, but not sure I want to buy one if they do not really pulse nicely with the music.

[polaris]

I like these things, but not sure I want to buy one if they do not really pulse nicely with the music.

theyre quite random really, sound will make them move but it wont seem like its pumping with the bass,i quite like the effect personally, youll be lucky to properly acheive the effect ur going for as the sound sensor will probably react to the louder bits assuming that that would be the beat, even in very expensive lighting products the sound to light is rubbish..
having said that you may get a project/hobby module that will be a sound to light activator that you could attach to leds

[MajorHavoc]

I think you are looking for a device called a "color organ"  They were the rage in the '70's but can still be had if you don't mind digging a little.  More common is a kit version which is easy to find and are not too difficult to assemble and won't break the bank.  (Soldering is required and a little electronics theory is helpful but not a necessity).

Just do a yahoo or google search for "color organ" or "color organ kit".

Have fun.  I was planning on incorporating one of these in my juke project.

Mike

[polaris]

I think you are looking for a device called a "color organ"  They were the rage in the '70's but can still be had if you don't mind digging a little.  More common is a kit version which is easy to find and are not too difficult to assemble and won't break the bank.  (Soldering is required and a little electronics theory is helpful but not a necessity).

Just do a yahoo or google search for "color organ" or "color organ kit".

Have fun.  I was planning on incorporating one of these in my juke project.

Mike

just googled it and found a plan

[MajorHavoc]

I was going to mention that there several schematics scattered around the web. I didn't mention that option because I think the expense of buying the individual components and then etching your own circuit board would be far pricier than picking up a decent kit with instructions,pictures, theory of operation and the ever popular troubleshooting guide.  There are several options out there.  Multi channel color organs with separate bass, mid-trebel and upper trebel ranges, Color organs which must be wired to your speakers and color organs which use crystal microphones as an input source and as a result do not have to be wired to your speakers.  Each type has it's own advantages and disadvantages only you can decide which flavor color organ will best suit your needs.  Homework time!  Do some research and have fun!

[unclet]

Ok, this stuff seems difficult for me .... since I am electronically challenged....

Perhaps I should just get the Blue Luminglass just for looks and thats it.  Anyway, I have some time before buying stuff for the jukebox cabinet so I will think about this. 

Thanks for the input

[Hildy_42]

I have been doing a little research on this as well.  Not so much to pulse it to music but to light up the track on a poker table.  I did find this site that seems to have a controller that can control rope lighting.  Might give you some ideas.  It says it flashes to sound.

https://ssl.adhost.com/noveltylights/merchant.cfm?pid=57&step=4

[NickG]

maybe you could run a second display instead of the luminglass, just cut a round bexel or custom shape in front of it.  Then you could run visualizations from your computer on it and tweak the beat detection/spectrum analysis via software. 

[DigitalFusion]

Cool .... thanks .... seems like I need to get to Walmart ...



If anyone has a "Blue Lumiglass lightning bolt party light" which reacts to sound (see photo) then how is the reaction time.   I mean does it pretty much keep up with the music?    Also, is the reaction small little pulses or does intensity get real high when a lot of "bass" from the song is being heard?

I like these things, but not sure I want to buy one if they do not really pulse nicely with the music.

where did u find that?  googling doesnt come up with anything

[BobA]

Google luminglas

[JMB]

Just bug RandyT to get us this  http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=57699.0 (not to mention the new and improved 49-ways )

[tba]

talk about bad timing for reading a thread, i just threw out the color organ i built in electronics 12 class 2 weeks ago.... i had it in a box for 17 years then threw it out 2 weeks ago... 

ah well. if you have a Car audio store in your area check that out, they have a TON of stuff that flashes to music. I don't know where you live, but if you have a decent sized China Town, you might check that out too, i have had good luck finding stuff like that here in Vancouver. all this stuff runs on 12v but it isn't hard to grab that in a cab. you computer or most game power supplies output 12v. all the malls around here have store dedicated to "pimping out" your Honda/Toyota again lots of little blinky lights.

last suggestion, if you have a "Spencer's gifts" in your area, check the back of the store... tons of stuff like that, go into the store and keep walking until you think, "geez, have i timewarped back to the 70's?" STOP, your there.
http://www.spencersonline.com/

good luck i your hunt!