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[on:]

Attached is a photo of a device used in a toy. When you move the toy at all, a spring wiggles inside of its metal sheath and a sound plays.

Anyone know what kind of IC might be used to store the audio & handle the playback? It must be similar to the kind used in greeting cards. How would one flash the audio file onto it (any special equipment necessary)?

I ask because I keep coming up with ideas that could really benefit from knowing how to do this. For example, I'd like to make 100 of them and put them in a tree so they play a sound when the wind blows. I want each device to be small, low-power, and cheap. If not greeting card components, what other route would work well?

thanks for your advice,
Josh

[Reply #1 on:]

It's hard to tell from the picture if there is likely to be a programming interface or not.  Some sound chips include a mask-programmed ROM which cannot be re-programmed or a fuse-programmed PROM which cannot be re-programmed.

If you want to program that particular device you should remove the black goo and check the chip with a microscope to see if it has any identifying marks.

[Reply #2 on:]

Thanks John.

I found this instructables converstion on the "black goo," which is probably epoxy:
"Its there to reduce manufacturing costs. The IS no chip there, just a naked die. Its called "flip-chip" technology. The chip is bonded on tiny solder balls on the PCB, then gloop is applied. AIUI, concentrated formic acid will attack the package, but you won't be able to identify the underlying chip."

Thats ok. I may have come across sounding like I want to use this toy's circuit exactly -- I don't though. I just want to make my own circuit that performs a similar function, and I probably want to make quite a few copies. I want to be able to put my own sounds on there, so I need to be able to program it.

I have access to a board router at school. Mask-programming sounds out of reach, but a fuse-programmed device might work.

What kind of chip should I look for? Anyone know of a keyword that would help in my search? Also if anyone knows what those spring-switches are called...that would be awesome.

Thanks

links for people referencing in the future:
http://www.instructables.com/answers/Reverse-Engineering-how-do-you-get-to-the-chip-be/
http://www.tech-faq.com/prom.html
http://www.codepedia.com/1/Mask-programmed+ROM

[Reply #3 on:]

Mask-programming sounds out of reach,

This can only be used when the chips are being made.

a fuse-programmed device might work.

Yes but these are more expensive and are not used in these types of chips.

A typical sound chip is the Melody Generator M66T-01L (Jingle Bells) but it is not reprogrammable.

[Reply #4 on:]

Look for:  digital sound recorder chip

ChipCorder, made by Nuvoton
QuickVoice Digital SOund Chips, made by Eletech

[Reply #5 on:]

You can get some of these and hack em up to have the right activator ($3 ish in your quantities):
http://store.bigdawgspromo.com/product_info.php?cPath=490&products_id=12947&osCsid=f90fe8095fb80ca92ebdaece0c92500a
They also do pre-recorded units at about a 3rd the price.