Gadget Freak Case #128: Syncing Music and Fireworks
Design News Staff -- Design News, October 19, 2008
Deane Williams fixed up his PC to synchronize fireworks with music. He used his PC's parallel printer port to connect the circuit controlling the fireworks. He fanned out the port with a 16-line decoder which allows for up to 225 firing devices. Since the parallel port is difficult to control directly in the newer versions of Windows, such as XP, Williams worked with a software whiz to write an ActiveX control module called HWinterface to control the synchronization. The software was written in Agilent VEE 8.0 but Williams says it could have been written easily in Visual Basic 6 or any similar language that can use ActiveX calls.
| Amt | Part Description | Allied Part # |
| 3 | Fairchild CD4514BCN 4 to 16 Line Decoder IC | 735-2460 |
| 1 | 7805 5V Regulator | 735-3008 |
| 1 | 220 uF Filter Capacitor, Electrolytic | 613-0657 |
| 30 | IRLZ44N Power Mosfet, 55V, 47A | 273-0263 |
| 30 | LED, Red, T-1 | 679-9981 |
| 30 | Resistors, 10K 1/10W, (Gate Pull-Down) | 895-1379 |
| 30 | Resistors, 2.2K, 1/10W (LED Current Limit) | 895-1220 |
| 3 | 25 Pin D-Shell Connector, Female, Right Angle, PCB Mount | 360-0014 |
| 3 | 25 Pin D-Shell Connector, Male for 3 Cables | 810-0036 |
| Additional parts required: | ||
| 15 4 Terminal Speaker, Quick Connectors for 3 Slats | ||
| 360 Ft, 12 Conductor Cable, #24AWG or Larger Conductors for 3 Slats. | ||
|
Get Build Instructions | ||
Talkback
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G'day
Would appreciate copy of the software.
Jeff Thomas - 2009-6-7 18:35:57 EDT -
How do open the build instructions? My word for XP has cannot open it.
tj gendo - 2009-4-7 18:54:03 EDT -
Please e-mail me a copy of the software and circuit board layout. Thanks!
Daniel A. Chatelain - 2009-1-7 20:22:00 EDT -
Please email me for a copy of the software or the
circuit board layout.
My address is pyroartist (at) sbcglobal.net
Deane Williams - 2009-14-5 09:01:54 EDT -
Where do I get the software?
Jim Anselmo - 2008-20-10 11:55:04 EDT
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