[Powercat]

I could use some help with determining where I need to look -- a need
a relay that will enable a PC to power up (and then off) an external
amplifier.

If you are wondering, this is to replace a church carillon with a PC
that has a timed program to play MP3 files.

[Richard Crowley]

"Powercat" wrote ...
I could use some help with determining where I need to look -- a need
a relay that will enable a PC to power up (and then off) an external
amplifier.

If you are wondering, this is to replace a church carillon with a PC
that has a timed program to play MP3 files.

There are LOTS of computer controlled power relays out there.
Here is just the first one the Google returned for: usb relay
http://www.j-works.com/jsb281.html

There are relays controlled by serial, parallel, USB, BlueTooth,
etc. etc. etc. There is also the X10 stuff. Wireless and inexpensive.

[Melodious Thunk[_2_]]

On Nov 12, 6:12 pm, Powercat wrote:
I could use some help with determining where I need to look -- a need
a relay that will enable a PC to power up (and then off) an external
amplifier.

If you are wondering, this is to replace a church carillon with a PC
that has a timed program to play MP3 files.

What a shame, though, from a musical point of view. Oh sure mp3 can
sound alright... but a real CARILLION! Not 'just' an organ?

What a great opportunity for a "steampunk" project: to drive that
carillion w/PLC controllers & stepper motors...

[Richard Crowley]

"Melodious Thunk" wrote ...
Powercat wrote:
I could use some help with determining where I need to look -- a need
a relay that will enable a PC to power up (and then off) an external
amplifier.

If you are wondering, this is to replace a church carillon with a PC
that has a timed program to play MP3 files.

What a shame, though, from a musical point of view. Oh sure mp3 can
sound alright... but a real CARILLION! Not 'just' an organ?

What a great opportunity for a "steampunk" project: to drive that
carillion w/PLC controllers & stepper motors...

Or at least the one with little metal bars which were amplified
for the speakers. Did they do pitch shifting (1/2, 1/4?) or use
sub-harmonics to get the low bell-sounding tones?

OTOH there is a company out there that is making digital
"ranks" for real pipe organs. They apparently use terriffic over-
sampled waveforms and they even use sensors on the real
pipes to keep the electronic ranks tracking in tune (with natural
changes due to temperature, humiditiy, etc.)

One was recently demonstrated to me by an old-school organist
(who also has specified many pipe organ installations around
the world). The pipe ranks were impressive enough, but even
the chimes were impossible to tell from the real thing. And I
would have bet my life that the Zimbelstern was real, but it was
also "Memorex"! I should try to discover what drivers they used.

http://www.rcrowley.com/Rieger/SSDAReiger2.htm
http://walkertechnical.com/
http://walkertheatreorgan.com/

[Arny Krueger]

"Powercat" wrote in message
oups.com
I could use some help with determining where I need to
look -- a need a relay that will enable a PC to power up
(and then off) an external amplifier.

If you are wondering, this is to replace a church
carillon with a PC that has a timed program to play MP3
files.

We just leave the amp turned on all the time.

[Scott Dorsey]

Melodious Thunk wrote:
What a shame, though, from a musical point of view. Oh sure mp3 can
sound alright... but a real CARILLION! Not 'just' an organ?

What a great opportunity for a "steampunk" project: to drive that
carillion w/PLC controllers & stepper motors...

I believe Guilderfluke and Company still makes commercial microprocessor
controller for carillons. No need to hack up a bunch of ladder logic to
play Rock of Ages.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Powercat]

Thanks for all your help. Our current "carillon" is basically an
eight-track player! I'm trying to avoid an amp that is on all the
time.

[Scott Dorsey]

Powercat wrote:
Thanks for all your help. Our current "carillon" is basically an
eight-track player! I'm trying to avoid an amp that is on all the
time.

Skip the computer and the amp. Call Gilderfluke and Company and order
an electronic carillon. Easy to program different tunes into, sounds
better than you'd expect even if it doesn't sound much like the real
thing, and not too expensive.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Arny Krueger]

"Scott Dorsey" wrote in message

Powercat wrote:
Thanks for all your help. Our current "carillon" is
basically an eight-track player! I'm trying to avoid an
amp that is on all the time.

Skip the computer and the amp. Call Gilderfluke and
Company and order an electronic carillon. Easy to
program different tunes into, sounds better than you'd
expect even if it doesn't sound much like the real thing,
and not too expensive. --scott

This Gilderfluke and company?

http://www.gilderfluke.com/

Don't see any carillons there.