Outside Speaker Control

[Wayne K]

Is anyone controlling there outside speakers with a push button in front of there display? I live in town and I run my outside music from 6:00 to 9:00 pm and then shut it down so the neighbors don't get mad. The trouble is that I live on a main street with a lot of traffic and I have to have the volume up fairly loud so it can be heard when there is a lot of traffic. But if there is no traffic it is fairly loud. I was thinking about putting a button panel in front of the display and control the sound on for x-minutes thru turning my amplifier on and then time off after so many minutes. I am thinking I am going try to use Alexa to do this. I don't think I could do it with an input pup into a controller. Anyone have ideas on this? Anyone have pictures of your interactive button panels you could post to see what you have done?

Wayne

[TheDucks]

Put a L-pad on the Speaker (set to desired low level )

Shunt it out, with a time delayed on release relay (TD relays come  in 2 ways, Delay before ON, or Delay before release) for full volume

Or use a LOR output on a relay that is appropriate to the output used

Either way, the button can be wired to your non-enhanced mode controller

[k6ccc]

Yes, you could do this via LOR with an input (MUST be on a non-Enhanced network that is triggering an interactive sequence, but the reality is that there is very little reason to tie up a LOR channel.

Here's another idea.  Have your audio feed two amps.  One is always on and is somewhat low level.  The other is higher power and is powered by one of the wind up timer wall switches.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westek-30-Min-In-Wall-Countdown-Timer-Stainless-Finish-TMSW30MS/203675436

Person walks up and cranks the timer around for a while and the sound gets louder until the timer runs out.

 

[Wayne K]

Thanks for the couple of ideas guys. I just got time to check back on here. After I posted this I done a bunch of searching for a smart dry contact module. Could not really find a stand alone module but in my searches I came across a smart overhead door operator. As I refined my search towards overhead door modules I found several that have magnet switches on them for the door status. Then the wheels got to turning. Since I use an alexa smart plug now to turn my amp on / off. So I settled on this module to experiment with:  https://www.amazon.com/Garage-Controller-Compatible-Assistant-Control/dp/B096ZY3GYL/ref=asc_df_B096ZY3GYL/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=532785758796&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11635857654405554651&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016295&hvtargid=pla-1385519192356&psc=1

So for $18.00 i decided to order one and and see if it will work to create a routine in alexa to monitor this point and turn the amp on/off. If it works I will cut the magnetic switch off and put a normally open switch on it.

Wayne

[Wayne K]

Update, could not get this device to work with alexa as advertised even after 2 hours of tech support, so back looking at other models of these.

Wayne

[Little_b]

Here's how I did mine, although I understand it's not for everyone.  When I ran Data cables from my show computer in the house outside to the controllers, I also ran a line for outdoor speakers.  I have a cheap amp that sits next to my computer on a timer.  So that the speakers weren't always on, I used an old Arduino Uno, a push button, and a relay.  The speaker cables went from the amp to the relay, then to the speakers.  I programmed the Arduino so when the button was pushed the music would come on for about five minutes at a time.  I built a simple stand for the button.  I used a 4" white pvc pipe and taped a spiral using red duct tape to make it look like a "candy cane stick."  I then used a toilet flange mounted to a board staked to the ground to hold the pipe. I used an illuminated Big Red Button on top https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9181 .  Worked great for the few years I used it.  The Used speakers I bought finally gave out and I just haven't replaced them.

[tlogan]

11 minutes ago, Little_b said:

When I ran Data cables from my show computer in the house outside to the controllers, I also ran a line for outdoor speakers.  I have a cheap amp that sits next to my computer on a timer.  So that the speakers weren't always on, I used an old Arduino Uno, a push button, and a relay.  The speaker cables went from the amp to the relay, then to the speakers. 

I do basically the same thing. Except the old receiver I use to power the speakers remembers the last FM station you were tuned to, so I just use a regular old light timer to power on the receiver about 5 minutes before the show starts and 5 minutes after it ends. Also, I had a ton of bulk Cat5 cable and use it to make the speaker cable. I pair up the wires in groups of two to get four pairs (+/- L and +/- R) . I just had to remember to write down the color combinations so that all of the connections match up. And I had some old  outdoor rated speakers that I use, which works out fine because I only keep the outside volume up enough for when someone is walking by, as most people listen in their car.  

[Wayne K]

Thanks guys for the added info.

Little_b is that button weatherproof?

Wayne

[Little_b]

17 hours ago, Wayne K said:

Thanks guys for the added info.

Little_b is that button weatherproof?

Wayne

I don't remember how waterproof it is, but I haven't had any issues with it and it was out in rain and snow those few years.  Still works,

[lightzilla]

I do not turn on my Dewalt job site radio on very often these days as I get less walkers now than I did between 2007 - 2015. I keep the volume down. Can be faintly heard on the sidewalk. Folks drive more so the FM transmitter is all I need & no outdoor speakers. I saw folks bring their on radios to hear.

[Wayne K]

On 12/7/2022 at 9:08 PM, lightzilla said:

I do not turn on my Dewalt job site radio on very often these days as I get less walkers now than I did between 2007 - 2015. I keep the volume down. Can be faintly heard on the sidewalk. Folks drive more so the FM transmitter is all I need & no outdoor speakers. I saw folks bring their on radios to hear.

Yes, that is the same for me. But I still get family's that come down and spend time watching and listening. So that is why I am working on this button deal.

Wayne

[Wayne K]

Update

I got the outside music button to work like I wanted. When someone pushes the lighted button, Alexa turns on a ac power cube to my amplifier and they get 10 minutes of music. I also had Alexa give me a notification when it was pushed. I found this Yolink device with 1/4 mile range to the hub. I snipped off the reed switch and wired it straight to the button and it worked good. I was worried about the non show hours and getting notifications. Turns out you can set the active time when you want notifications from it. 

https://www.amazon.com/YoLink-Longest-Waterproof-Outdoor-Notifications/dp/B08TGBJ4QH/ref=sr_1_58?crid=35ZNCIB266T9Y&keywords=yolink&qid=1673312573&sprefix=yolink%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-58