Voice recording with push-button playback application?

There may be other options, but you can buy battery operated recordable sound modules with push button playback through a small speaker, but you would need to buy one for each station/area that you intend to use it for.

I have several mounted underneath my layout at various locations and play the sounds (gas station, industrial sounds, farm animals, etc. ) as I show the layout to guests and visitors.

They are available on the big A and probably other sites as well.

Randy: Yes. What you need is an audio editor such as "Audacity". It allows you to record different audio tracks, move them around, splice in new content and mix it down to a final version; and it's free. Just look it up! And there are other options in this area as well.

Seems to me @gunrunnerjohn just developed a module that performs this task.  Can’t locate the thread, but he may respond here.

Did you look at this board?  It allows you to play up to five unique sound clips of any length from seconds to days.  You can trigger them with discrete buttons, inputs from track sensors, or using the RF keyfob.

Finally, the Universal MP3 Sound Board Has Arrived

MP3 Universal Sound Module at Henning's Trains

@Randy Harrison posted:

... Is there a computer or other platform application that will allow the recording of multiple passenger station train announcements and has a selector for playing the appropriate announcement at the appropriate station through a speaker in that station?

...

Appears you envision this as a "centralized" system with a single computer (tablet/laptop/whatever) and multiple speaker cables going to individual stations.  I'm not sure such exists for the application at hand.

As others have suggested there are many products that are individual sound modules that record a sound and then play it back when triggered by a push-button switch.  Prices are all over the map based on features.  Think of those audio greeting cards where you can record a 10-second (or whatever) custom message, "Happy Birthday Grandma, we love you!".  The speaker is tiny, the  volume is tiny, the battery is tiny, the audio quality is so-so, the length of time is short, etc.  But it fits in a greeting card!  This would be "free" if you re-cycle one, or they can be purchased for a few dollars.

I'd say the "sweet spot" in these recordable sound modules is in the $30 range with a larger speaker, longer sound recording time, and so on.  But this would be one module per station.  There have been many OGR threads on these modules.  If this configuration works for you we can identify specific examples if you share a bit more about the requirements... how many stations?  how long are the announcements?  do you already have the sounds and in what form (MP3 file, on a cassette tape, on a vintage Noma talking-station record, etc.)?  do you need to adjust the volume? 

Note that the Universal Sound Module described in an above post can be triggered wirelessly!  It's a bit more expensive and you'd still need 1 module per station which can add up the $ if you have a gaggle of stations.

And there are variants in-between...especially if you're willing to do DIY wiring and such.

@stan2004 posted:

Appears you envision this as a "centralized" system with a single computer (tablet/laptop/whatever) and multiple speaker cables going to individual stations.  I'm not sure such exists for the application at hand.

As others have suggested there are many products that are individual sound modules that record a sound and then play it back when triggered by a push-button switch.  Prices are all over the map based on features.  Think of those audio greeting cards where you can record a 10-second (or whatever) custom message, "Happy Birthday Grandma, we love you!".  The speaker is tiny, the  volume is tiny, the battery is tiny, the audio quality is so-so, the length of time is short, etc.  But it fits in a greeting card!  This would be "free" if you re-cycle one, or they can be purchased for a few dollars.

I'd say the "sweet spot" in these recordable sound modules is in the $30 range with a larger speaker, longer sound recording time, and so on.  But this would be one module per station.  There have been many OGR threads on these modules.  If this configuration works for you we can identify specific examples if you share a bit more about the requirements... how many stations?  how long are the announcements?  do you already have the sounds and in what form (MP3 file, on a cassette tape, on a vintage Noma talking-station record, etc.)?  do you need to adjust the volume?

Note that the Universal Sound Module described in an above post can be triggered wirelessly!  It's a bit more expensive and you'd still need 1 module per station which can add up the $ if you have a gaggle of stations.

And there are variants in-between...especially if you're willing to do DIY wiring and such.

A centralized system would be great because, as you say, the expense of having separate modules quickly builds up and can become cost prohibitive.

Let's say I have five (5) stations (playground, farm, gas station, yard and roundhouse) and need a separate sound clip for the typical sounds for each station - no problem.

However, the five stations are physically located 5-10 feet apart from one another, so one or two speakers connected to a single module is not going to cut it because the applicable sound clip will be coming from a speaker too far away from the appropriate station and won't make sense.

I'm envisioning a module that, a) has provisions for multiple speaker connections; say five - one for each sound clip stored, and b) where you can assign a particular sound clip to a particular speaker (or vice-versa) and c) where a particular sound clip/speaker can be individually selected from the wireless transmitter.

If the USM, above, could be modified to do that, I'd be all in - even at a slightly higher price point.     

@Richie C. posted:

If the USM, above, could be modified to do that, I'd be all in - even at a slightly higher price point.     

Hmm, let's see...  If you used my 4-channel relay remote board and the USM board, you could do what you are suggesting.

Program both receivers to respond to the same keyfob.  Wire each of four remote speakers through the 4-channel relay board.  Program the remote relay board receiver in "Interlock" mode, that insures only one relay is on.  If a different relay is turned on, all other relays are turned off.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Hmm, let's see...  If you used my 4-channel relay remote board and the USM board, you could do what you are suggesting.

  

Program both receivers to respond to the same keyfob.  Wire each of four remote speakers through the 4-channel relay board.  Program the remote relay board receiver in "Interlock" mode, that insures only one relay is on.  If a different relay is turned on, all other relays are turned off.

Ask and ye shall be rewarded - I have your e-mail !

Here you go, a connection diagram.  This services four speakers, one at a time, using one Universal Sound Board and one 4-Channel Relay Remote Receiver.   You'd trigger the sounds using one of the keyfob controls.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Program both receivers to respond to the same keyfob.  Wire each of four remote speakers through the 4-channel relay board.  Program the remote relay board receiver in "Interlock" mode, that insures only one relay is on.  If a different relay is turned on, all other relays are turned off.

Out of curiosity, let's say the application called for 5 (or more) stations. 

Using the 4-channel relay board in interlock mode, do you know of a method to pair or daisy-chain multiple 4-channel receiver modules so they behave in the interlock mode?  This would be a configuration where two separate 4-button fobs are required to access/activate (up to) 8 sounds.

And/or, in a cousin configuration, if one has an 8-channel transmitter fob (rather than two 4-channel fobs) can the receiver modules used in your MP3 board and your relay board be "taught" (when in Learn mode) such that one board responds to buttons 1-4 and the other board responds to buttons 5-8? 

@stan2004 posted:

Out of curiosity, let's say the application called for 5 (or more) stations.

Using the 4-channel relay board in interlock mode, do you know of a method to pair or daisy-chain multiple 4-channel receiver modules so they behave in the interlock mode?  This would be a configuration where two separate 4-button fobs are required to access/activate (up to) 8 sounds.

And/or, in a cousin configuration, if one has an 8-channel transmitter fob (rather than two 4-channel fobs) can the receiver modules used in your MP3 board and your relay board be "taught" (when in Learn mode) such that one board responds to buttons 1-4 and the other board responds to buttons 5-8?

I think you might be stuck with using additional configurations.  I don't see how you'd have multiple boards cooperate in interlock, from the functionality I'm familiar with for these boards, that can't happen.

I also don't think the 8-channel transmitter and two receivers will react like you are speculating, but I don't have an 8-channel transmitter to actually test.

I believe if you wanted more stations, you'd just repeat the above configuration from my diagram.

I searched "jw&a" on the Hennings site and it brought up a variety of your widgets but didn't see the relay board?  Is it meant to be available there?

Stan, I'm still working on the documentation for the remote control stuff, I have five different boards to document.  It will be offered on the Henning's site soon.  I put the current state of the remote control project here.

The Universal Wireless Remote Control Topic (Progress to April 26, 2021)

I also detailed my first use of the 4-channel relay board here.

Remote Control for Lionel Sound Boxcars