Exterior Volume Control - time limited


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Old 10-06-07, 08:00 AM
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Exterior Volume Control - time limited

Here's the vision:

My small company office is located in a street level retail-type location. I desire to put a Monitor in the window so that it can be viewed from the outside by passers-by (bypassers??).

I will be showing a combo of slide show presentations, dvd-based presentations, and other misc digital mpeg-type presentations that I hope might be interesting to folks on the sidewalk.

I am looking for direction for hardware for the following:
I would like the folks on the sidewalk to be able to hear the audio from the presentations. I therefore need an exterior speaker and volume control that will turn itself down (off?) after a 3-5 minute period. I want to avoid someone turning it up loud, walking off, and the sound continues to play loudly.
After I look at the suggested comments, I will see what direction my vision takes . Thanks for any insight you can provide.
 
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Old 10-06-07, 01:07 PM
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Why not just leave it on all the time? Otherwise you have a couple of options.

1. Use an outdoor motion sensor, or an adjustable range microwave motion sensor, attached to a timer relay. Set the timer relay to retrigger or extend every time it sees motion. Run one leg of your audio through the relay.

2. Use a button (with a sign) to trigger the timer relay. They press the button, it starts the timer for x seconds. Of course, person 'a' walks up and starts it, person 'b' walks up half way through, and it stops before they finished. Then the miss something.

(by the way; passers by is correct).
 
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Old 10-07-07, 04:47 AM
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I wouldn't install a volume control at all. It will get broken off, probably within 24 hours.

Use one overhead speaker in a security enclosure, mounted just out of arm's reach directly over the monitor. Aim it down at the sidewalk. This will minimize sound traveling to neighboring buildings.

Let the videos and slide shows play all day on a loop. After all, the purpose is to attract attention.

If you want to get fancy, you can install an ambient sensor that will turn the volume up or down automatically to keep it above traffic and other street noise, but under the point at which it becomes a nuisance to your neighbors.
 
 

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