Published by KermMartian on September 24, 2007 at 9:22:54 AM CST

The VUfan Sound Visualization System is a visualizer of sort built of computer case fans and assorted electronics. Using five LED-lit 120mm case fans, I built a digital VU meter (volume unit meter) that provides quite a light show. It is controlled by a WinAmp plugin called DiscoLitez via the computer's parallel port; for my setup, the computer is about thirty feet from the control board and fans, so I used CAT5e wire to connect the parallel port and control board. I adjusted the sensitivity values in DiscoLitez to make the bottom fan the most sensitive and the top fan the least sensitive. Even very soft music triggers the bottom fan and lights, and the sensitivity decreases up to the top fan, which only powers on for very loud sounds and notes. I used the fans initially mainly for the bright LEDs they contain, but I later decided I liked the fan effects, particularly in the upper two fans, which aren't triggered as often as the bottom three.

Edit: Greets to all our friends from Hackaday.

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View Project Page: VUfan Sound Meter

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