Looking for a switch...

urban79

Active Member
I'm in the middle of a production of The Giver, and working on a design for the apple. If you're unfamiliar with the story, the apple is supposed to turn from gray to red in mid-air. I'd like to make it LED, but ideally, I'd want a button push to delay turning on by half a second or so, and last only a second or two. I've read that others have done it with a remote-controlled circuit, but I'm worried about mistakes... Any suggestions, or perhaps other ideas? I'm completely open - High School theatre, though, so the cheaper the better!

Chris
 
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/13342
This with some LEDs soldered around it. An hour or so of programming. If you only need it to work briefly you could probably get away with some button cell batteries but would probably go with a standard 9V. If you get a big enough apple you could use a cell phone charger for less work building it.

Get one of these (or similar, first thing I found on google) https://www.tintoyarcade.com/apple-...6zHJUA63lcEcAC6nanqxTudq_CgIZuSkaAoJqEALw_wcB

Spray paint the inside with frost and place the LilyPad inside. Drill a small hole for a button and good to go.
 
And @Amiers goes and finds the exact thing on Amazon! May still have to tweak the control but judging from the remote it looks like a standard RF system that is all over the place and easy to hack.
 
Np, just a little couch Google fu. I mean don't get me wrong building it from scratch would be a fun teaching project for the kids but for time and effort that premade is right up your alley.

Maybe buy 2 cause you know the things are going to be the cheap Chinese guts. Most likely the same controller as the 50/50 tape that comes outta Amazon too.

If two is to expensive then buy the 50/50 controllers incase you do need to gut it and rewire it due to failure.

Not sure of the color without color it's prolly going to be milky white so you might have to gray it down to get it to your color.
 
Just as another option, When we did The Giver, the apple was simply thrown through the beam of a tightly focused red light that was pointing off into the wings.
 
That would be pretty cool. If you can spare special.
 
Funny. Many years ago I built "Sting" for a production of "The Hobbit" I built the pommel out of an acrylic ball and hid a couple small, blue dyed, "wheat lamps" inside it. I built a circuit that, when activated would slowly bring up the current and make the pommel glow Blue when the orcs were nearing. Had to hide all the circuitry, battery and micro switch on the cross guard. < which was easier as I built Sting to look like a Roman Gladius> Now, you just Google it. God, I'm old.
 
Anyone that played D2 knows what a gladius is.

That I would love to see in action.
 
And @Amiers goes and finds the exact thing on Amazon! May still have to tweak the control but judging from the remote it looks like a standard RF system that is all over the place and easy to hack.
No Actually cheaper than that. They use an IR transmitter w a tiny led in the remote. With a IR receiver on the driver board inside the apple, It is so common with inexpensive Chinese designs. My concern is will your ambient light on the set at that time the apple changes over power the IR receiver in the apple? I use these modules quite frequently and spotlights, high amount of ambient light will overpower the circuits until it can detect the IR again also distance from remote to apple is another variable. Amiers has found a simple answer to your apple set piece. This my help you control the apple at a greater distance or with more ambient light around the apple.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AMTRR5K/?tag=controlbooth-20 .
 
Ok, so my props master ordered 2 clear apples, and the battery operated, remote controlled string lights. When it didn't work reliably, I have now ordered the IR repeater and we will see if that helps! I'll post pictures when we're done!
 
If you are in to doing a little electronics project, google the "555 timer chip" It can become your best friend!
 
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Ok, so my props master ordered 2 clear apples, and the battery operated, remote controlled string lights. When it didn't work reliably, I have now ordered the IR repeater and we will see if that helps! I'll post pictures when we're done!

So they didn’t like the premade Apple I suggested huh :/

Hopefully the IR booster helps
 
So they didn’t like the premade Apple I suggested huh :/

Hopefully the IR booster helps

Among other things, concerns over the apple being dropped (it needs to be thrown between two cast members). JD - I would love to, I just don't have the expertise, nor the time before production to fake my way through it! I also love the arduino idea but have the smae troubles!
 
So the arduino was the backup plan and worked beautifully with the help of some community members and students! Unfortunately my pictures did not come out so well, but it looked cool!
 
Well let’s see.
 

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