I had an interesting request from a restaurant client that wants to cue the wait staff to the kitchen with bell ring (1, 2 or 3 rings). The layout doesn't work well to just have a big bell in the kitchen (his first thought) so the idea was brought up to play it across the music system.

I've found plenty of MIDI boxes that can do this when attached to a PC but I don't want the complexity. I've been searching for something self contained with mic/line outputs to accomplish this with no luck yet. I don't have time to build anything too custom beyond wiring in some external momentary buttons.

Thanks.

I'd call Gilderfluke, and thank you for asking something that lets me type that name. It's the coolest.

They make all sorts of things that can play audio files and one of these that plays a chime sound upon receiving a button push sounds like it's well within their reach.

I've used one thing from them to give a client background Buddhist chant in the foyer when someone enters and stays on for fifteen seconds after everyone exits the foyer. It uses .wav files on an SD card. I'll bet they have exactly what you need, though you may have to invent the way to control it.

I'd go for a recorded sound -- your chime -- that plays when a button is pushed -- you design the interface to their product -- that goes into the house amp as a paging sound. This requires the person to use his brain and hit the button the required number of times with an appropriate time between button pushes. You might be able to automate this with several audio files, each with different numbers of chimes, but that's a quantum step of complication above telling the guy to count how many times he hits the button.

Since you said "restaurant" I assume you are not using consumer gear, but some gear that allows injection of a second audio source into the amp.

Depends on the audio system in the place, but it certainly very doable with parts from a number of vendors. My favorite supplier can easily assist.

Ernie: thanks for the recommendation. They make some unique equipment and I need to call them to discuss the application. Then I could use an industrial style button for the greasy kitchen area too. Yes, definitely no consumer gear as I'm happily removing the old HT receiver and CAT3 telephone cable they used for speaker wire (new owners now).

Fred: I was actually going to use my favorite supplier for the most of the gear. My control processor would be a DBX ZonePRO 640 so I could have the sound effect cues mixed in with the house audio based on the matrix setup. I'll try and call you later today to discuss.

I can't vouch for what this thing sounds like, but it is an approach. One would mix its output with the music.

Or buy a server paging system and not disturb the music....

[Link: centralrestaurant.com]

dbx zone pro gives you the ability to auto mute signal in programmed zones...

This would be a great idea. Now, if only they had a file online that would let us hear whether we think this sounds right! I've submitted a request for such a file.

buzz,
I see you have a cool and fancy way of putting a link into a post. However, this method has a couple of drawbacks:

1.It's to a Velleman site but the method you used to construct the link conceals that from us. If I were already working with Velleman stuff, I might choose not to click on it. This link method makes us click or open to quote so we can see where you're taking us.

2.The link does not open in this tab, so we can't go back and forth from one page to another. Imagine how difficult it would be to use your information if you had provided three such links!

To provide links that are easier to use, please just paste the URL into your text. Remotecentral will only show the home page of the URL, and when we click on these links, the pages open in new tabs.

I'm putting the link [Link: vellemanusa.com] into a sentence to show that this method reveals the company, opens the same page, and uses a new tab to do so. (The first time you go to Velleman, you may have to answer on a splash page, telling what area you're in.)

Thanks.

Like I said, I like Gilderfluke ([Link: gilderfluke.com]). Talk to Doug Mobley there.

Their SD-10 can store and play LOTS of files, from something as simple as one chime (you provide the sound file) to hundreds. It comes with two inputs but they have units with more inputs. This can also be controlled by RS232.

These guys are serious about cool little things like this!

[Link: frightideas.com]

Ive used this in a bar with a DBX in place... and outboard amps...

though you could use this with just a small amp and speakers in the kitchen.

I triggered it through the RTI system and had a rally song, home run song, and 1 other fight song played for the local team when certain things happened. Otherwise you can utilize motion sensors or door opening/closures.

Easy to program, easy to trigger...

It was nice.

CI

If you can get away with only two- [Link: nilesaudio.com]

More options for controllable players. Including one built into a picture frame!

[Link: id-al.com]

Another option:

[Link: rdlnet.com]

You've complained about this before. There's nothing "fancy" here, I just click on the Link tool in the message edit box. And I'd rather not have a new tab or window open when I click on a link. I use Firefox and it will display the link location as I hover over a link. Coming back to this site is a simple key sequence and I don't need to take a hand off of the keyboard.

If everyone else feels as Ernie feels, I can use his style in this forum.

Using the Chrome browser, the address shows up in the lower left portion of the window, when hovering the cursor over the link.

I think either method of linking is fine, no difference to me.