Sound Events - balloon pops, loud collisions, bursts

 

The SK2 sound trigger is one of our easiest circuits to build on a breadboard. (Watch a video about building and using an SK2.) The trigger uses a piezoelectric element that detects loud, sharp, sudden sounds like a hand clap or snap. That makes this trigger ideal for capturng balloon bursts, glass breakage, and bullets.

 

If you need a more sensitive trigger that will respond well to thuds like those in collisions of tennis balls and footballs, try the SK3 model. The SK3 comes with a dedicated PC board and enclosure for durability and convenience of use.

 

Our most sensitive sound trigger is the Amplified Sound Trigger (AST). This trigger can respond to the sound of a drop of water falling onto a solid surface.

 

We offer sound triggers with or without a delay unit. The delay unit isn't needed in many situations, because delays can be adjusted by placing the microphone at different distances from the source of sound. A delay unit is useful if you need particularly long delays for which the microphone would otherwise have to be moved a long distance away.

 

	Trigger only		Trigger + Delay Unit
Click for description	Model	Price	Model	Price
Parts only	SK2	$7.25	SK2-DU	$14.00
Parts and breadboard	SK2-BB	$12.50	SK2-DU-BB	$19.25
Assembled circuit (breadboard)	SK2-A	$19.50	SK2-DU-A	$37.50
Sound trigger (with PCB and enclosure)	SK3	$35.95
Assembled SK3	SK3-A	$95.00

 

Movement Events - drops, splashes, sports, animals

 

We offer two kinds of photogate sensors with our triggers. The first kind (SPG1) has a variable separation up to about 12 inches (30 cm) between emitter and detector and is useful for photographing events like water balloon collisions and ball deformations. The second kind (SPG2) is an integrated photogate called an interrupter with a fixed separation of 5/8 inch (1.6 cm) and is convenient for photographing liquid drops and splashes.

 

Our photogates are available with or without a delay unit, although a delay unit is almost always needed. The delay unit allows you to photograph different stages of a repeatable event, such as a splash.

 

Click on the descriptions within your choice of variable-width or interrupter Photogate to learn more about the trigger.

 

Variable-width Photogate (up to 12 in or 30 cm)

 

Variable-width Photogate	Trigger Only		Trigger + Delay Unit
Click for description	Model	Price	Model	Price
Parts only	SPG1	$7.25	SPG1-DU	$14.00
Parts and breadboard	SPG1-BB	$12.50	SPG1-DU-BB	$19.25
Assembled circuit	SPG1-A	$30.00	SPG1-DU-A	$47.00

 

Interrupter Photogate (fixed 5/8" or 1.6 cm)

 

Interrupter Photogate	Trigger Only		Trigger + Delay Unit
Click for description	Model	Price	Model	Price
Parts only	SPG2	$7.25	SPG2-DU	$14.00
Parts and breadboard	SPG2-BB	$12.50	SPG2-DU-BB	$19.25
Assembled circuit	SPG2-A	$30.00	SPG2-DU-A	$47.00

 

Specialty application - Crossed-beam photogate

 

The Crossed-Beam Photogate kit is a special-purpose photogate used to capture photos of flying birds and insects. The crossed-beam application uses two intersecting infrared beams. Both of these must be broken by the subject in order for the circuit to trigger. This requires that the subject be at the intersection of the beams, thereby allowing the photographer to prefocus on the specific location where the event will occur. We have both breadboard and project box versions of the kit.

 

	Trigger Only
Click for description	Model	Price
Crossed-beam circuitry (breadboard kit)	CBP-O	$16.95
Crossed-beam frame kit	CBP-F	$12.95
Crossed-beam project box & frame kit	CBP2	$39.95
Crossed-beam project box & frame, assembled	CPB2-A	$139.95

Sound and Movement - with the option to switch between triggers

 

The HiViz Multi-Trigger comes in several versions (breadboard, PCB, project box). It includes the equivalent of a sound trigger, photogate, and delay unit. The breadboard kit is the most economical way to go if you want to get the most in function for your money. The project box kit provides the same functions in a more convenient a package but costs almost three times as much. A compromise solution is the bare PCB version, the MT-PCB3.

 

Click for description	Model	Price
Parts only	MT	$20.25
Parts and breadboard	MT-BB	$25.50
Assembled breadboard circuit with sensor cables	MT-A	$75.50
Multi-Trigger Enclosure Kit (for breadboard)	MTE	$45.95
PCB for Multi-Trigger Kit	MT-PCB3	$39.95
Multi-Trigger 2 Kit	MT2	$72.95
Multi-Trigger 2, assembled	MT2-A	$275.00

 

Simple Triggers - great for science fairs and beginners' projects

 

These are a selection of our simplest triggers to build. They do not include a delay unit, but much can be done without one. Move the sound trigger closer to or farther from a sound event to adjust the delay time. The photogate trigger will set off a flash when its invisible beam is broken. The light-activated trigger will set off a flash when a bright light source is directed at its sensor. A common application for the light-activated trigger is as a light slave. You can use the light from one flash unit to set off another flash unit simultaneously.

 

Click for description	Model	Price
Sound trigger with breadboard	SK2-BB	$12.50
Transistor photogate trigger with breadboard	TPG-BB	$12.50
Light-activated trigger with breadboard	LAT-BB	$12.50

 

 

back to top

 

---