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Unmute Audio Button


Stacks

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I want a way for people to be able to hear my show outside 1) without a radio if they don't have one and 2) only playing audio when someone is watching and wants to hear it.

 

I got to thinking and I thought it would be good if I could setup something like this:

 

1) Someone presses a button outside that unmutes the computer's audio

2) The computer mutes again after a specified time or before the next show starts

 

I was able to download a shell program called nircmd.exe from nirsoft.net that will mute the audio whenever I run the command "nircmd.exe mutesysvolume 1", so I can mute after a show and also mute 15 minutes before a show.

 

The only thing I can't find is a good way to unmute audio via a USB button or something of that nature.  Anyone have any ideas?

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I am gathering that you run the audio to a FM transmitter and also want the speakers switchable. Assuming that's the case you would not want to mute the computer audio in the computer as that would also mute your FM. However muting the audio either between the computer and amplifier or between the amp and speakers is easy. That just takes a dumb switch. Either open the audio lead or kill power to the amp. If I was going to do that high tech I would use a proximity switch that would power up the amp when someone was on the sidewalk. For a lower tech solution, get one of the wind up timer switches to power up the amp.

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Agree wit Jim, if you mute the computer audio, you're going to silence your show for EVERYONE, including those listening on their Vehicle or portable radios.   If I were going to put a switch on the speakers, I'd use a timer/relay circuit that when the button was pressed it would turn the speakers on for x amount of minutes, then automatically shut off after that duration.   I'd probably set the timer circuit for a minimum of 10 to 15 minutes before it resets back to turning the speakers off.   Which I'd just use an FM radio to power the speakers and have the radio  plugged into the timing circuit.

 

Or an easier method would be to cut the speaker wire on the ground side, connect both to one side of a SPST {Single Pole Single Throw} switch, then make a small mounting for it with a sign, "Please Turn On Switch to Hear the Lights to Music" and also "Please Turn Off Switch whendone listening, Thank You".    Only issue here would be if folks didn't bother to turn off the switch afterward. 

 

But the SPST switch would be the cheapest solution, a SPST switch can be had in some cases less than a couple of dollars, whereas the electronic timed switch may cost you $6 or more depending on what, if anything, you have on hand to use to build it or need to buy to do it.

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That is cut the ground wire to the speaker, connect both the left and right ground to one side of the SPST switch, the other side of the switch then goes to each each speaker {left and right}/

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Thank you for your input guys!

 

I didn't mention that the nircmd.exe program can actually mute only specific channels within windows (line in, microphone, etc), so I would be able to only mute the outside speakers and not the FM transmitter.

 

Also, I use bluetooth speakers, so there really is no way to wire up something to cut the audio (easily).

 

I may have to rethink my setup.

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I am going to climb way out on a limb here. LOR can execute dos commands using the shell.  if you have the advanced version I think you can setup an input switch from the front yard.  Maybe an on and off? if the switch is detected have lor run a shell command to turn it on or off?  I am just thinking out loud here.

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