DJ Chumby

[Mondo]

I'm toying with the idea of taking a Chumby and integrating it with some speakers for a boombox. I want it to be small and easily portable, so I was thinking about taking the overnight sensations and making them taller. On one speaker I'll place the Chumby, and on the other I'll place the amp and volume control. I also might build a normal pair of overnight sensations, then build a box to go between them housing the amp and Chumby.

A few questions, will the Dayton DTA-2 amp be enough to power the overnight sensations? I may spend more and just go for the DTA-100. It should look really cool flush mounted.

Does anyone have one of these Chumbies? It looks really cool, just wondering how the sound quality might be coming out of the headphone jack. The Logitech Squeeze Box Touch looks VERY nice, but it's more than twice the cost of the Chumby. I'm really only looking to wirelessly stream Pandora.

If I build the overnight sensations as in the drawing below, will the normal crossover work even though I've made the speakers taller? Is the baffle width all that matters or is it the the height as well? I won't be changing the enclosure volume as the Chumby section will be sealed off.

(DJ Chumby was inspired by DJ Roomba)

[goertzm]

I'm new to these parts, but I just had to register to post about the Chumby.

I bought a Chumby One just before the new year and really enjoy it. I bought it for all the widgets, but in the end it's just my clock that I use for Pandora!

I think the sound it great. I have it hooked up to a Denon AVR-2310 with a pair of Tannoy Reveal 6P monitors. I don't hear any electrical noise from the headphone jack that I am so used with other devices.

The doing the electrical design on the Chumby is a sharp and they have done a great job.

The biggest downside seems to be the poor RF performance on the Wifi. It's only about 25 to 40% the signal strength of my laptop in the same location. That can be resolved by using a different USB Wifi dongle, but that's kind of a hassle.

[Mondo]

That can be resolved by using a different USB Wifi dongle, but that's kind of a hassle.

Very interesting. I would assume you could also use a USB sound card if you needed to as well.

[goertzm]

The guys in the Chumby forum are pretty helpful. If you are interested in using an external sound card, they will help choose one that will be supported by the Linux kernel running on the device.

It's a very open platform.

BTW, I think your idea is a pretty neat use of the Chumby and in the real spirit of DIY.

[djg]

Chumby forum, whoda thunk?

[Mondo]

I went ahead and got the DTA-2.

I only want one power cord coming out of this. The amp needs 12V and the Chumby needs 5V. Someone suggested I use a LM7805 voltage regulator. Do I have the wiring correct?

[Paul Carmody]

I originally wanted to do a version of the Overnight Sensations in a single box, so they'd be portable. The shape is a bit hard to describe, a bit of a pentagon. I did a sketchup model of it. I know I have it around here somewhere; give me a bit of time to dig it up.

[Mondo]

Thanks Paul, that'd be great!

[Paul Carmody]

This is a very rough sketch, but it should get you the idea. I played around with the original OS on their side (but-to-but) found that I got the best imaging with the "two baffles" tilted away from each other, as in the picture.

[Mondo]

Thanks! I think that'd be way beyond my tools and experience, though, with all the non 45 degree angles I'd have to cut.

I think I'll end up with something like this and use some heavy duty velcro to attach the speakers to the center piece. This way it's portable, but I can still detach the speakers.

[Paul Carmody]

Thanks! I think that'd be way beyond my tools and experience, though, with all the non 45 degree angles I'd have to cut.

I think I'll end up with something like this and use some heavy duty velcro to attach the speakers to the center piece. This way it's portable, but I can still detach the speakers.

Wow! That looks really freakin' cool! Do that! I'm not sure about the velcro, though. The Overnight Sensations are light, but they still weigh a few pounds apiece.

[jonpike]

Wow! That looks really freakin' cool! Do that! I'm not sure about the velcro, though. The Overnight Sensations are light, but they still weigh a few pounds apiece.

Freakin cool indeed... There exists out there a few flavors of industrial strength velcro that probably would work, though I'd guess eventually it would wear out or come loose from the boxes. Would be nice to come up with a locking notch/tab/something that would be a bit more permanent. I'm not having any brainstorms at the moment, though...

Looking forward to seeing this "in the grain" so to speak!

[Thomas Brown]

I went ahead and got the DTA-2.

I only want one power cord coming out of this. The amp needs 12V and the Chumby needs 5V. Someone suggested I use a LM7805 voltage regulator. Do I have the wiring correct?

really cool idea! didn't even know what a chumby was till i read this thread.

what about a computer power supply, has 12v and 5v, one cord, one main power switch, dirt cheap if not free? just a thought.

[Wolf]

Cut some miters to slide them together, and place a stop on the bottom of the miters on the main-cabinet so you won't slide them all the way through.

Wouldn't be that hard,
Wolf

[arlis_1957@yahoo.com]

yeah thats a cool idea. use a couple of keyholes on each speaker and a couple screws on each side of the box. might need to use a litle aluminum plate to make it strong enough.