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Registered:
June 2003
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My Switching Speakers Box-Typed Thingy (TM)
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Wed, 08 December 2004 08:21
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I will start off by anticipating any questions and comments:
1) Yes, I was very, VERY bored.
2) Yes, I am aware how unimpressive this is.
3) No, I will not make you one.
4) I said NO!
5) Yes, I am aware how shithouse my soldering is.
The scenario:
I have 3 different speaker devices. My big fat amp and floor stands for cranking it out, a nice set of headphones so I can still enjoy music without waking up the missus, and my bodgy little headphones with a microphone built in, so I can scream obscenities at people while I play Counterstrike: Source.
The problem:
I am quite possibly the laziest person on earth. This in itself is not so much of a problem - however, my cheaparse soundcard on my pc only has one speaker output. This means I have to grovel under the desk, challenging spiders and old socks alike, everytime I want to switch between say headphones & speakers.
The challenge:
I only have $3.85 in my wallet.
The Solution:
Make something, preferably with minimal effort, that will mean I no longer need to face the spiders under my desk.
First stop, Jaycar: Refuge of the geeky and paranoid. SCORE! I just found 2 bucks in the carpark. My budget is now $5.85.
Now, the solution was not as ridiculously simple as I first anticipated, seeing as I need a switch to not just turn something on and off, but to switch positive and negative from both left and right channels, from three separate sources. I managed to find a nice chunky adjustable trimpot to do the job. I wanted it to look semi-respectable, so I found a little box to house it all, and I also picked up 4 minijack sockets. 3 for my different speakers, and 1 for the source.
trimpot: $2.45
4 x stereo minijack sockets: $0.31 x 4 = $1.24
cool little box: $1.10
Total: $4.79
Sweet! I get a mackas soft-serve on the way home.
I only needed a soldering iron and a drill to put it all together, along with some scrap wire to hook it up. 45 minutes and 1 burnt hole in the carpet later, and we have a winner:
The money-shot:
The "Box-Typed Thingy" (TM):
The "Box-Typed Thingy" (TM) in action:
The box even came with cool little rubber feet so it doesn't slide around on my desk when I switch inputs.
I am lord of the forum geeks.
[Updated on: Wed, 08 December 2004 08:24]
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Australia
Registered:
November 2003
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Re: My Switching Speakers Box-Typed Thingy (TM)
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Wed, 08 December 2004 08:40
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| joorsh wrote on Wed, 08 December 2004 16:21 |
ISCORE! I just found 2 bucks in the carpark. My budget is now $5.85.
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Buahahahaahah, nice work.
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Location:
Kellyville, Sydney
Registered:
June 2004
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Re: My Switching Speakers Box-Typed Thingy (TM)
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Wed, 08 December 2004 09:55
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i made this to switch my main stereo speakers off just leaving the surround sound ones one (which are located on eather side of my pillow). good for listening to music/watching dvds late at nite without my sister bitching every 2 seconds. cost me $0.00, i made it with crap i had lying around (that computer thing was actually a floppy disk storage thing). you got me on style but i win on value for money. 
chris
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Location:
Somewhere on a dirt bowl ...
Registered:
August 2004
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Re: My Switching Speakers Box-Typed Thingy (TM)
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Wed, 08 December 2004 14:33
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| joorsh wrote on Wed, 08 December 2004 19:21 |
I just found 2 bucks in the carpark. My budget is now $5.85.
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How about the ashtray in the car.
Ya bum
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Location:
Potts Point, Sydney
Registered:
October 2003
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Re: My Switching Speakers Box-Typed Thingy (TM)
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Wed, 08 December 2004 19:48
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| joorsh wrote on Wed, 08 December 2004 19:21 |
The challenge:
I only have $3.85 in my wallet.
First stop, Jaycar: Refuge of the geeky and paranoid. SCORE! I just found 2 bucks in the carpark. My budget is now $5.85.
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greatest line ever
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Registered:
June 2003
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Re: My Switching Speakers Box-Typed Thingy (TM)
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Thu, 09 December 2004 03:06
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| Quote: |
How about the ashtray in the car.
Ya bum
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Where do you think the original $3.85 came from?
It WAS in the ashtray - I put it in my wallet 
I just know it's gunna bite me in the arse next time I go to cross the harbour bridge tho...
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