27th-Dec-23, 09:39 PM
Hi Guys,
Sound for slot cars is nothing new. These days it’s generally driven by a Race management system on your PC generally connected to a single external speaker.
Problem 1: Car location and sound are generally in different locations making it unrealistic and maybe even confusing.
Problem 2: Sound is generally when a car crosses the finish line only.
Problem 3: Sound is generally mono generally from one speaker or small pair of speakers close together.
What if we could have location specific sound as the car(s) move around the track? ie a sound source physically located adjacent the sector each car is in? What if the car could talk directly to speakers without wires or software programs?
This would involve breaking the track into sectors. Scorpius already has this.
We also need a way of identifying these sectors and making this data available wirelessly. We can do that too.
Next we need a way of capturing the information (RF) and then using this data to trigger a number of sound channels using a number of 5V trigger wires. Scorpius also has this.
So we have all the hardware except for:
1. An MP3 sound module/card.
2. A speaker.
I found a good quality speaker for $$25 and a quality 8 channel MP3 player with amplifier for $25 also.
Add in the cost of the MPD receiver at $69AUD plus tax/customs/delivery and you have each unit coming in at $130AUD or 65GBP, or $85USD in a DIY kit.
Let’s mount both the MPD receiver and the MP3 audio module within the speaker. Done. Now let’s add a 12V power supply. Ok here we need wires. Oh well it happens. Wireless electricity is still a way off.
Next we need to build a surround sound network without burdening the existing wireless comms in any way.
And without burdening the RMS in any way. ie no additional dongles or processing.
We have a choice to use channel 25 (RF) or Bluetooth to transmit from car direct to speaker. Yet to be determined. Ok let’s use the cars existing telemetry which can be accessed by any device. Within the telemetry we can include the trigger for sound by each car as it enters each sector. Done.
The car decoder has a preferred lane change registry already for each Lane Brain (every lane changer). We can add sound preferences also. Up to ten sound choices are possible.
The choice is included in telemetry from 0-8 as it’s an 8 channel sound system.
The receiver, surprise surprise, another MPD captures and decodes this and sends triggers to the required channel on the MP3 audio module (with its own sound card) to access the required sound.
Each driver can have their own unique selection of sounds for each sector. Sound could be switched on/off and volumes for each station adjustable on the speaker itself.
You could just use certain sectors and ignore others so it doesn’t get too noisy.
So there you have it. The worlds first real time 8 channel true surround sound for slot cars.
Sound for slot cars is nothing new. These days it’s generally driven by a Race management system on your PC generally connected to a single external speaker.
Problem 1: Car location and sound are generally in different locations making it unrealistic and maybe even confusing.
Problem 2: Sound is generally when a car crosses the finish line only.
Problem 3: Sound is generally mono generally from one speaker or small pair of speakers close together.
What if we could have location specific sound as the car(s) move around the track? ie a sound source physically located adjacent the sector each car is in? What if the car could talk directly to speakers without wires or software programs?
This would involve breaking the track into sectors. Scorpius already has this.
We also need a way of identifying these sectors and making this data available wirelessly. We can do that too.
Next we need a way of capturing the information (RF) and then using this data to trigger a number of sound channels using a number of 5V trigger wires. Scorpius also has this.
So we have all the hardware except for:
1. An MP3 sound module/card.
2. A speaker.
I found a good quality speaker for $$25 and a quality 8 channel MP3 player with amplifier for $25 also.
Add in the cost of the MPD receiver at $69AUD plus tax/customs/delivery and you have each unit coming in at $130AUD or 65GBP, or $85USD in a DIY kit.
Let’s mount both the MPD receiver and the MP3 audio module within the speaker. Done. Now let’s add a 12V power supply. Ok here we need wires. Oh well it happens. Wireless electricity is still a way off.
Next we need to build a surround sound network without burdening the existing wireless comms in any way.
And without burdening the RMS in any way. ie no additional dongles or processing.
We have a choice to use channel 25 (RF) or Bluetooth to transmit from car direct to speaker. Yet to be determined. Ok let’s use the cars existing telemetry which can be accessed by any device. Within the telemetry we can include the trigger for sound by each car as it enters each sector. Done.
The car decoder has a preferred lane change registry already for each Lane Brain (every lane changer). We can add sound preferences also. Up to ten sound choices are possible.
The choice is included in telemetry from 0-8 as it’s an 8 channel sound system.
The receiver, surprise surprise, another MPD captures and decodes this and sends triggers to the required channel on the MP3 audio module (with its own sound card) to access the required sound.
Each driver can have their own unique selection of sounds for each sector. Sound could be switched on/off and volumes for each station adjustable on the speaker itself.
You could just use certain sectors and ignore others so it doesn’t get too noisy.
So there you have it. The worlds first real time 8 channel true surround sound for slot cars.
![[+]](https://slotracer.online/community/images/bootbb/collapse_collapsed.png)
