www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Church bell app?

I'm not sure where to put this . . .

We're looking at spending $6,500 for a new bell system (and that is reusing the speakers!)

I am baffled as to why this isn't a task for a dedicated iPod. It seems such a trivial app to write. All it needs to do is turn on the amplifier (by bluetooth?), play a sound, and turn it off, both on schedule and when tapped to do so for the Anaphora or other special occasion.

hawk

hmm, moved this to here, thinking it seemed a logical spot but just realized how barren this subforum is - so, if no commentary results within a couple of days, I'll reposition it elsewhere.

Many years,

Neil

ok - moving this back to Town Hall, to see if it gets some discussion there.

Many years,

Neil

And to answer my own question . . .

The answer seems to be,

1) Buy a mac mini ($600).

2) Download a bell mp3 or whathaveyou.

3) Make an itunes playlist with that song.

4) Use built in Automator program to create an application that chooses that itunes playlist and starts it

5) Go into calendar, create an new reminder for when they should go off (9:57 A.M. Sunday) that opens a file (the new application created in 4)

This has the mac singing bells at the appropriate time. But not quite all the way there . . .

6) Buy an amplifier. Seems we'll need at least 100 Watts/channel, maybe 200, given the volume from my old stereo receiver last week.

7) buy a USB controlled power strip and install software. And plug the amp into it, and connect to speakers.

8) re-record the app from 4 so that it turns on the script, waits a couple of seconds, and then runs the app, and then powers off the strip.

9) make another app that opens itunes, turns on amp, selects playlist, waits an hour, and powers off the amp. Set this to run maybe half an hour into liturgy.

10) at Anaphora, press "play" button on the $15 apple remote.

Savings: About $5000, as this is less than $1000, assuming you already have speakers.

We spent over $50,000 having 5 additional bells cast in The Netherlands to go with our existing 1926 vintage 1800-pounder. The insurance company told us our tower was the highest point in the area and because of potential lightning strikes, they wouldn't insure a digital system. As our associate pastor says, "Nothing is too good for God." If you possibly can, give him the good stuff and it will still be usable to the next couple of generations.

That would not be an option here . . .

We need what exists ringing, and to have been ringing quite a while, before the new church builds. I think ground now breaks next year.

If a new church starts ringing bells, neighbors complain . . . with a church that has been ringing a while . . .

Now, once *that* is established, real bells could be an issue.

But then, we're just under half a mile from the airport. Tall towers are probably not an option . . .

And a lot more churches are going to be able to come up with $1k than $50k . . .