The TKTalkie v4 - Press 6 for the Imperial March

Upgrading - the Path from v3.15 to v4.0

(Note: I had started this draft last year but never finished it, due to personal issues and cutting down on troops to spend more time with family. I finally finished the draft, especially after finally getting a layout that works and is easy to wear. As always, mad props to Lerxstrulz of the Star Garrison for designing the TKTalkie system from the ground up. You can see more at his website at http://www.tktalkie.com/, which I have NOT been paid to endorse.)

I've had the TKTalkie since v2.0. With v3.0, I modified my 2.0 device with the BLE module, which the app needs to connect to the box and make profile adjustments.

Originally implemented in firmware v3.15, firmware v4.0 fully realized something that Lerxstrulz originally envisioned - being able to program up to 6 buttons buttons attached to the TK-Talkie for a number of different functions, whether that be for Push-To-Talk, playing a sound or two, adjusting gain, etc. Each button can have up to two functions, for a total of 12 sounds or operations.

With v3.15 with beta button setup, the process was all very manual for setting up sounds and couldn't be changed in the app. Plus, with this old setup I only had 4 buttons (see my previous blog post).

When I upgraded to v4.0, I redid my sound glove design to be in-line with the official TKTalkie version, with two sets of 3 buttons, so 3 buttons for each hand. Included were the mini connectors for the buttons, so buttons could more easily be replaced if broken or removed if I just didn't want to use them for a troop (ex. only use the PTT button). Besides the buttons and connectors, the rest of the cable is 4-conductor 3.5mm audio cable of 8', cut in half, with the button harder soldered onto each conductor, using the same common ground for all three buttons.

Basically, two of these 3-button harnesses.

Running the cables through the undersuit is most effective but takes practice. For ease of use, I may switch to some black elastic loops to secure the cables at my joints while just running the remainder under the armor.

The app was also upgraded by Lerxstrulz. The original TKTalkie helper app for Android and iOS wasn't up for the task of programming the buttons, so Lerxstrulz redesigned the app from the ground up, also making the user interface easier to work with to adjust gain and change folders for various effects for different profiles.

I went through quite a few beta firmware for 4.0, and found (inadvertently) new and unexpected ways to break it. It was frustrating at times, but that's the nature of beta testing in general - you'll probably find bugs that you have to report to get fixed.

The trickiest things was getting the configuration and profiles to work:

• When the TKTalkie can't read the config, it typically wouldn't play any startup noise or produce anything
• When it could read the config but not the profile to which the config is pointed, it will look for the DEFAULT config and use that instead

Eventually, I just decided to start from scratch (due to bugs in the firmware not reading my profiles correctly, which have since been fixed), using the default config and profile from the TKTalkie site. Then, I saved as a new profile and started dialing everything back in.

Since then the app and software have come a long way and you won't need to fiddle with it too much unless, like me, you're upgrading from an older version of the firmware to the newer one. Lerxstrulz has:

• A dedicate page for upgrading from previous versions, along with web tools for converting configs and profiles. 
• A  troubleshooting page should you have difficulties
• A  Facebook group for any questions

Also of note are the two videos he created for becoming familiar with the TKTalkie v4:

Personal notes on configuration

My default setup is voice activated, but if the PTT button is installed, I can easily switch between vox and PTT using that button.

An important note is that some pins on the Teensy board are analogue, and others digital. For the PTT/ Sleep button, it's important that a digital pin is used. The main and most important reason is that digital buttons are still active during sleep mode; ergo, you can wake the device up by hitting the PTT/ Sleep button if it's on a digital pin. If you did like I originally did and put the PTT/ Sleep button on an analogue pin, you can put the TKTalkie to sleep, but won't be able to wake it back up without physically power cycling it (what I call "coma mode") - which is an issue once you're fully kitted up.

Here are a list of digital pins on the Teensy board that aren't used for other functions:

2, 4, 16, 21, 26, 30, and 33.

Reference: http://www.tktalkie.com/support/v4/config

Unused analogue pins include (to my knowledge): 3, 5, 8, 15, and 16.

You can only use up to 6 buttons per TKTalkie, so ultimately you'll only need 6 pins. Besides the PTT/ Sleep button, it shouldn't matter if you use an analogue or digital pin for sounds, volume/ gain adjustment, etc.

For sounds, I use some stormtrooper soundbites ("Move along, move along!") and have some blaster sounds for my trigger finger, meaning I don't have to deck out m blaster with expensive electronics if I just want some sounds. I even some music bits and the first few bars of the Imperial March when the troops need morale. It makes even the most menial tasks, like line duty at WonderCon, a laugh as people get ushered in.

The nice thing is that the buttons can also be used to turn gain up and down, if you're having trouble being heard or maybe are getting more feedback than expected after you armor up; or to turn the background loop on or off. All the capabilities of the button programming in the new app can be found on the  TKTalkie site.

Physical Setup - In the Bag, Concealed Carry

I don't use the wireless mic much at all these days. Not only is it one more thing to worry about charging (two actually, between the mic/ transmitter and receiver), but with the cheap mics there's a good chance that, especially at larger 501st gatherings, that you'll have somebody cut into your frequency (or worse, have CB or emergency services get picked up by your receiver and come out of your armor).

Recently, instead, I swapped to a microdot mic that sits really close to my face.

All I do is run the tiny cable through my neck gasket when I throw it on, and run it to much chest. There's so much slack that I have to wind the end where I connect it to the PA (I colored part of the cable that might be exposed above my undersuit with a black permanent marker). The only issue is that the male end for the PA is threaded, so I made a small in-between cable with a 90 degree male end for the TKTalkie end, and a threaded female end for the mic input.

Fabricated from solid-core wires for bendiness.

But with everything in the loop now, including my Pyle Pro, the TKTalkie with all its connections (mic, audio cable between the TKTalkie and the PA, USB battery, and optional 2x sound gloves), and the USB battery for the TKTalkie, things in my chest plate were... messy. The old way of mounting the gear into the chest plate and then hooking up the mic while I was finishing getting suited up was arduous, especially with two sound gloves. Plus, there was always the chance of a wire falling out mid troop with all the USB, mic, and sound glove cables.

For a troop or two, I dabbled with Velcro-ing everything to the Pyle Pro, and breaking out the old neck strap for the Pyle Pro and going at it that way. This too proved cumbersome. Although it was easier to get everything connected and sound checked before putting the armor on, it didn't improve the cable management. The USB battery would often become unsecured and start flopping around in my chest plate. Also, a couple of USB cables ended up breaking as they came out of the TKTalkie perpendicular to everything else and getting bent between my ab and chest plate. Also, bending over with this setup would cause the Pyle Pro et al to drop into my chest plate and drop it down. It looked something like this:

And it was... terrible.

Finally, I decided to go with a chest-mounted walkie talkie pouch from Amazon, along with audio and USB cables that terminate at 90 degree angles. Here's what my current setup looks like:

Containment. Contentment.

The only challenge with this setup is that it takes some fiddling to get it just where you need it under your chest plate, and that it takes up a lot of chest plate space. Somebody like me can get away with this, but troopers with large busts or pectorals might have issues more so than a typically chest-mounted PA setup. For me, I almost have to have the pouch at neck level, or rather an inch or so below that. But otherwise, I can leave it mostly set up before troops instead of having to piece and connect the components together every troop. When I use it, I connect the mic, sound gloves (optional), and then turn on the PA and plug in the USB battery. Then it's just a matter of adjusting gain/ volume and then throw on the armor.

The first time I tried this setup was for a fan film, and it went OK, although I should have spent more time tweaking the chest bag placement and armor fit. Plus, waaaayyyy back when I first built my armor, I threw in some ABS loop straps in my chest piece to aide in chest-mounting the PA, but I haven't used these in ages.

Once friends, now irritants...

I had them still installed for the fan film, but afterwards I removed them and it now don't have to worry about the chest piece being farther out than need be while I fight for every fraction of an inch of dead space between my own chest and the TK chest piece for the comm system.

Even though the bag adds some extra bulk, it's nice to have a totally adjustable carrying system for the vox when I need it, easy to throw on, plug in, and adjust before I throw on the armor.

As of right now, I don't have any plans to troop again until Celebration 2019 in Chicago, although that could change if WonderCon still needs help with personnel. I'll write about my Celebration planning in my next update. Until next time...

Sound and Fury(ious Repairs and Overhauls)

BACK FROM THE DEAD A****LES!!!

I'm just kidding, I love you guys! But seriously, I'm FINALLY UPDATING THE BLOG WITH NEW INFO.

Happy belated May the 4th!

It's been too long since my last blog post. But like many, I'm never done working on my armor, and never done fiddling around with things, especially with people enabling me.

Armor Repair

Anovos armor is dainty in that it is thin in many places and likes to crack. Higher CRL approval requires some edge returns on torso armor to give the appearance of thick armor; lamentably, this often leads to cracking, which is especially true with the thin Anovos pulls.

As I mentioned in a previous blog, I reinforced the kidney plate with epoxy and fiberglass mesh to keep it from cracking, but the return edges just want to crack anyhow, especially near the ridge portion that runs up the back. Because the previous work prohibited me from repairing it on the inside of the edge, I had to work on the outside instead.

Although not as desirable of a repair, after sanding and polishing it's not terribly noticeable, especially when assembled next to the back plate.

Also thin are the ammo belt pieces for the main belt and thigh ammo pack.I reinforced these with thin, long scraps of ABS, CA glue, and much clamping. For the main ammo belt, I'll need to go back later and fill in some small cracks before they grow larger.

For the thing ammo pack, it had been cracked near the rivet hole during a photo shoot.I had to grind out the rack, fill with ABS paste, sand and polish; I also reinforced from behind with ABS strips and CA glue.

During the course of may troops the right cheek of my bucket developed a bend line. So I sanded it lightly, added some ABS paste, shaped, smoothed and polished. The ABS paste left some very tiny bubbles that I may fill later.

I had some tabs on the edge return of the butt plate that kept the armor from popping out too much compared to the kidney plate. Lamentably, this only caused the edge return to crack a lot, even with reinforcement. Thankfully, there was still plenty of inside edge return to apply a copious amount of Scrap ABS and ABS paste. I had to thoroughly paste the top as well due the edge return becoming uneven after cracking and repairs, to smooth the surface back out.

And... I got another crack in my chest plate, just past where I did all the reinforcement, of course. If what I did for the kidney plate pans out, I might due that to the chest plate as well, especially with a sanding block to help smooth and mold. Some edges of the chest plate have become uneven during past repairs, so I might just kill two birds with one stone, and thicken up that edge return for the entire edge.

But that's a topic for another blog post.

Fans/ Bucket

My bucket was a mess. I overbuilt it and it was hard to don and take off because the opening was narrower due to the oversized bracket. For reference:

I decided to move away from a bracketed design and instead use tape and hook & loop straps to secure fans and wiring directly to the inside of the bucket. Some of this had already been added, so there was plenty of fuzzy loop tape at strategic spots in the bucket. Hearing assist leads to the mics are held in place with copper tape, although it's admittedly not as resilient against EM noise from the wireless mic - but more on that in a moment.

I also (finally) replaced the wonky Anovos helmet harness and went with pads. Because my head is long, the top of my head needs to rest directly against the top of my bucket for me to see correctly through the eyes. however, placing pads front, back, and to the sides offers a lot of stability without compromising stability.

(Later I removed the forehead pad since it was causing my forehead some pain during my second May 4th troop. I'll need to troop without it, but so far the bucket still seems pretty stable and more comfortable without it.)

I'm also messing around with alternative fan methods. like using micro-fans instead of big blowers. Two micro-fans don't move as much air as a big blower, but they kept my bucket cool enough in the warm WonderCon main hall and made so little noise that I didn't need to use my hearing assist at all.

Even during 89 degree heat that I was in on May 4th, the mini fans did pretty well, but the analog speed controller I'm trying out is somewhat wasted upon them since they don't blow much air except at max speed. I'll be adding modular disconnects between the fans and controller so I can swap with the big blower fans and experiment between speed, noise, and cooling. Without the bracket, I can swap fans whenever I like.

As for the aforementioned wireless mic, I actually don't use it too often. The main reason, as I discovered at Comic-Con last year, is because in large groups it's possible that one's mic will pair with another's receiver, or vice versa. Nothing irritates me more than another person's voice cracking wise form my chestplate. Running a corded mic into my chest plate is the only way to guaranty that the voice coming out of my amp is MY OWN. Plus I need to run the cable from the sound glove anyhow, so it's a necessary evil.

Speaking of which...

TK-Talkie Sound Glove+ Update

Back in December of last year I started playing with TK Talkie firmware v3.15, a beta firmware that supported... a sound glove. Of course, the case (which I received from TK-Talkie) wasn't designed to support a sound glove, so I improvised by adding an RJ45 female jack to the case as a dongle, after wiring all the necessary pins on the Teensy board.

The sound glove itself is just a series of buttons attached to the hand, underneath the normal glove, using elastic straps. For my glove, I used four microswitch buttons and Cat5 cable, with each pair soldered to a button. Of course it connects to the TK-Talkie with an RJ45 male end.

I might change this design later to go with the TK-Talkie fashion of connecting sound gloves, which is 4-conductor 3.5mm jacks. v4 supports up to 6 buttons total, so typically 3 per glove (3 + ground = 4 conductors).

Initially, I had some issues with the buttons breaking off the wires, so I CA glued them onto scrap ABS backings, which I then sewed onto my elastic finger loops, for extra reinforcement.

My setup is slightly different, but here's Mr. TK-Talkie with his own sound glove for reference. I keep my buttons on my first knuckle on my left hand, whereas he puts them right on the fingertips of his right hand. It's just a matter of personal preference.

 

v3.15 was a beta version and worked well enough for the Hollywood Christmas Parade and our troop for an Anaheim Ducks game, but couldn't be configured with the app being a beta implementation (more of a proof-of-concept). Sound files had to be specifically named in a specific folder to work, so it was possible to change sounds, but couldn't be controlled per profile.

v4.00 on the other hand, paired with the v2 assistant app, adds those features and more. Sounds can be swapped on the fly. A button can be set to use the PTT/ Voice Activation/ Sleep function, used for two sounds, or used to adjust levels for various sounds on the box, like effects, voice, loops, etc. You can read more on TK-Talkie v4 here.

I was able to play with the v4 firmware and v2 app on May 4th, during troops at a children's play center and a wedding. It was endlessly fun to play the Imperial March on a whim, to tell people to "Move along, move along," or to inspect a wedding gift and verify that "These aren't the droids we're looking for."

There are endless possibilities, especially when one considers multiple profiles you can create on the TK-Talkie and then swap on a whim with the app. Look out San Diego Comic-Con! So even a basic TK can have some fun with the sound glove, on top of the other functions that the TK-Talkie supports and adds with v4 firmware - which I'll probably discuss at length in the next blog post.

Until next time, carry on troopers!

NOW SELLING - TKSnake's 5V Systems

It's been awhile since my last update.

The armor is still holding up, although I had to reinforce the butt plate and kidney plate with epoxy and fiberglass mesh, much like I did with the chest plate. I like to keep a bigger return edge on these pieces to make the armor look thicker, but the price for that is a higher chance of cracking. So the reinforcement was necessary to ensure that the armor would last for many years.

A while back I discovered how to lessen or eliminate EM noise in my USB-power Hearing Assist by using a DSL filter, which I published in a blog. Now, I don't mind sharing my info, but a later discovered that it was being used in a commercial venture, without even any acknowledgement.

Edit: For information about my offerings, please visit my Sales page!
(https://obsidiustk.blogspot.com/p/tksnakes-5v-systems.html)

Ordering

If you like what you see here, send an email to TK76235 (at) gmail (dot) com (I've broken the email address here to prevent spam bots from reading it). From there we can correspond and I can send you PayPal instructions to start your order.

My pal Brent at TK Talkie is also offering his system for sale if you aren't technically inclined to build your own. If you're interested in purchasing, tell him I sent you :)

So that's what I've been up to lately. I've already started building these for people in the Southern California Garrison, so now I'm offering my services to my first brotherhood, my fellow Anovos armor builders. If things go well I might start competing directly on whitearmor.net.

As an aside, TK Boots is sadly going out of business, so what they have in stock is up for grabs. If you like their boots, hit them up while you can.

Until next time...

Upgrade: TK Talkie v3 - Can You Hear Me Now?

Disclosure: I haven't been paid to promote any items in this post or been given any free samples for blogging.

A couple of months ago I built my TK Talkie v2, a device one of our 501st members in the Star Garrison devised using off-the-shelf Teensy Arduino hardware and some clever programming. He put his design and tutorials on his site at tktalkie.com.

Recently, TK Talkie came out with the v3 iteration of the device, which adds a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module on top of the v2 design, and overhauled the file structure on the SD card, allowing integration with a phone app supported by iOS and Android. This allows the v3 device to use the following, powerful features:

• Saving, editing, deleting, and switching between multiple profiles, allowing for multiple setups or costume profiles on a single SD card an a single device
• Altering gain levels (Line In, LIne OUt, Mic, master volume, etc.) and equalizer settings on the fly (without the need of a computer as with the v2 device)
• Switching between the Line Out or Mic outputs on the fly (for example, if you need to switch to your wired mic because your wireless mic is dead or broken, or cross-talking with another wireless mic)
• Selecting a background loop, or turning it on or off on the fly

Previously many of these things could only be done with the TK Talkie connected to the computer while using the Arduino serial mode to make adjustments. Multiple profiles weren't possible without multiple SD cards. So this upgrade was a major improvement for ease of use and utility.

This video does a much better job of demonstrating it than I could put together.

With all these incentives, I decided to upgrade my v2 device to v3 using the online tutorial. I recommend reading the tutorial to better understand the build and my personal take on it.

To upgrade my current v2 to the v3 wasn't too hard, although there was a slight learning curve on the software side. Before that, though, I'll talk about my take on the v3 hardware.

Hardware

The key to the v3 build, really the only hardware difference from the v2 hardware, is the BLE module. TK Talkie's own design adds the BLE module to the Teensy board using 3.5mm jacks to make it removable. However, the BLE module shouldn't be disconnected while the device is powered on. Add this to the fact that the case I happen to use with my v2 device had plenty of room for the additional BLE module, and I decided to directly wire the BLE module to the Teensy without using a male/ female 3.5mm jack since I don't feel the need to disconnect it with all the space in my case anyhow.

One of my personal pitfalls with this design was the wiring and female pin connectors I used between teh Teesny board an dthe BLE module. Although they only require crimping, they should also be soldered to make a better, more dependable electrical connection. This was also exacerbated as I used small-gauge telephone conductors to have flexible wire between the BL and Teensy, since each piece is installed on a different half of the hinged case. Because I had a loose connection on one of my RX / TX conductors, the app would often connect, but not be able to pull up the profile or present the settings screen. I ended up removing the old ends and replacing them with modular female ends (with a touch of solder for good electrical contact) in a casing. Once this was fixed, I had zero issues using the app. This means that you can connect the BLE pretty close to the Teensy without any worry about Bluetooth connection.

Before and After pictures of fixing my BLE wiring

Software

With the hardware ready, it was time to load the software using the Arduino software and the Teeensy plugin. This was fairly straightforward, although I found that Windows didn't download the files correctly, typically saving tham as web pages with markup instead of as the .txt, .h, or .ino files required for the various directories. In fact, it was much easier for me to make my own files and structure with the proper names and extensions, and simply copy the text from the sketch sources and then paste them into those files.

Once the new files were uploaded, I was able to start personalizing things. One thing to keep in mind is that all files should be 8 or less characters in length, including profile names and sound names. This name size was done to make file access as fast as possible. Any filename longer than eight characters won't be read by the program. This affected a profile I created off-app and caused me to not be able to use it.

One thing to keep in mind is that you can change the background loop on the fly, but you must ensure that the effects_dir, loop_dir, and sounds_dir point to the correct directories, as there's currently no way to adjust these on the app (to be added in a future release). With the v3 file structure, these sounds are stored in their own directories, typically on the root of the SD card, so the sounds can be used by multiple profiles. All your sound files should be loaded to the SD card beforehand, including any background loops you may want to use, and referenced by the profile before loading the SD card into the TK Talkie (just edit your profiles with any basic text editor). Really, the only limits are your desired sound and the storage space on your SD card.

The App

The app is supported on iOS and Android. So far, the app works OK. Typically, I have to connect to my TK Talkie twice to communicate with the hardware, but this may because of my integration of the BLE close to the Teensy board and audio riser, whereas the reference design places the BLE module on its own dongle away from the other boards.

However, once it is connected (and with my wiring and pin connectors fixed), it's now terribly easy to make changes on the fly. For example:

• If I'm at a troop with mingling, I can set my device to use the profile with the background loop.
• Alternately, I can turn it off when it's not appropriate, or apply a saved profile without the background loop.
• If the loop is too loud, I can turn the volume on it down compared to my Line In/ Mic gain.
• I could make a new profile with less bitcrusher distortion for a cleaner sound.
• If there are too many troopers with wireless mics and I get cross-talk with another trooper, I can switch to the profile for the wired mic and use that instead (and adjust the loop as necessary).
• Turning off the mic volume but using voice activation to launch random Jawa sounds (and saving it as its own profile for your Jawa costume).

There are a lot of possibilities.

I can make these changes while wearing the armor too, which helps if I need to turn off a loop or swap out profiles after I've suited up. I have to fiddle with my chest plate far less with the app interface, unless I need to adjust my Pyle Pro's main volume.

Speaking of volume, one thing to keep in mind is the Line Out Volume with the current app, which actually works in reverse (to be fixed in the next update): that is, the lower the number is, the higher the volume. This threw me for a loop the first time I took the unit out in the field, as I had the volume set to 3 and was easily getting feedback. I've suggested that the interface be changed so that the volume is a negative number, like many home theater receivers (that measure output in -dB), going from -3 (highest) to -31 (lowest). With my Pyle Pro already amplifying, I set the TK Talkie to 31, the lowest setting, and adjust the main volume on the Pyle Pro.

Now that I have the basics down, I'm going to learn how to adjust the equalizer and bit crusher settings so I can dial them in some more. The fact that the app allows you to toy around with these advanced settings, without needing to go through a console connection, truly helps add to the utility of the app.

Final Thoughts

If I had to rate the system, I would give it a 4.5 / 5. The app is still slightly rough around the edges, but it's certainly a contender with other systems out there. The TK Talkie site has a comparison between itself and other systems, and although you may need to consider author bias, it's a decent comparison in features and considering your options.

Beyond my thoughts above, when you build or upgrade, definitely give yourself time to build and acclimate to the system. I rushed mine a bit to use it on an upcoming troop and it didn't go so well. Now that I have things fixed and a better understanding of the device, it's an invaluable part of my kit.

Above is the TK Talkie inside the upper right of my chest plate. The input is my wireless mic receiver to Line In on the TK Talkie. The output is Line Out to my Pylo Pro. A small USB battery under the Pyle Pro powers the TK Talkie for many hours. Everything's secured with H&L tape, which is your friend.

(One note is that I tried to feed the TK Talkie from the Pyle Pro power source by using a step-down transformer and a power switch, and although the TK Talkie got power from it, the power had far too much noise on it to be useful, even with a filter or two in place. I may reinvestigate this later, but for now a simple $10 USB battery is the best option (although just one more thing I have to worry about charging).)

If building your own TK Talkie is out of your comfort zone, you can now order them through the TK Talkie web site at http://store.tktalkie.com. Personally, I may build a few for my garrison to order when time allows, but now there's an alternative for those who might not be as comfortable with a soldering iron and development software as others.

That's it for the blog for now. Once my troops in May or finished, I may clean up the armor and finally submit for EIB status with FISD. Until next time, carry on troopers!

Upgrade: Sound off! The TK Talkie SFX Box and Non-Canon Accessories

Disclosure: I haven't been paid to promote any items in this post or been given any free samples for blogging. I'm just a user reporting on some neat items purchased out-of pocket by either myself or my wife :)

So since I found out about the TK Talkie system, I've been interested. The iComm and RomFX systems have always been cost prohibitive, and the idea of building a sound FX box from scratch was appealing. And in the end, it was much easier than I expected.

TKTalkie is a system that was put together by TK81113 using a Teensy 3.2 microprocessor board, a Teensy audio board, and Arduino software. Once assembled and programmed, the system runs off of any old USB 5V battery bank. Input comes from a wired or wireless mic, output goes to your PA system or helmet speakers. Here's a video from TK81113, the guy who created it.

This project required the following:

• Teensy 3.2 USB Development Board
• Audio Adaptor Board for Teensy 3.0 - 3.6
• Two or three 3.5mm audio jacks (female)
• Lead wires (red, white, black). Solid core works best for through-board soldering
• Soldering Supplies (iron w/ fine tip, solder, flux, wicking braid (in case of mistakes))
• Small diameter shrink wrap (for the wire ends on the audio jacks)
• A small non-conductive box in which to mount the system (personal preference - you could always just shrink wrap it)
• A USB battery or other 5V 1A power supply with a micro USB connector.
  -> Some have run power from their PA's battery using a step-down voltage limiter, but in the mean time I'm using a Patriot Fuel Active USB Battery (2000 mAh).

Overall, I think I spent perhaps $65 or so total, including the boards + shipping, the USB battery, the plastic box, and the mic jacks, but not counting the 2GB MicroSD card or PA system and wireless mic that I already owned.

Thanks to his tutorial on the TK Talkie site (tktalkie.com), doing this project was a breeze. I used two 3.5mm jacks for the Line In and Line Out (I had a third for the Mic lead to use for a backup wired mic, but running the leads from the board to the mounting spot in the box was awkward and I removed it for now). Since I use a wireless mic, Line In is better suited for a non-amped input. The Line Out delivers a non-amped output to my Pyle Pro, wherein I can connect to the Pyle Pro's Mic or Aux jack.

On the software side, for getting files onto the SD card (namely the starting config and the sound files) I used a MicroSD USB reader for my computer, and then installed the card into the Teensy once finished. The Teensy software work is all done by USB cable from the Teensy to your computer.

Although I've yet to purchase a 3D printer (some day, I hope), I was able to purchase a small box from my local Orvac and attach a hobby box hinge (you can get these at craft stores like Michael's or Hobby Lobby) to it to access the MicroSD card that stores the board's config and sound files.

That little circuit board in the middle is the TK Talkie.
So small, so simple, so awesome.

At first the system didn't work out so well. I believe it was because of the default config's bitcrusher settings (the bitcrusher is the part of the program that makes one's voice sound tinny). Later I ended up using the config posted by TK81113, and besides turning up the effects_gain to 0.5 to help make the radio static pop out more, it suited me fine. I've reprinted TK81113's config here for reference:

        # Set overall output to about half
        [volume=0.5000]
        # Line-In level. Valid values are 0 to 15
        [linein=7]
        # Line-Out level output. Valid values are 13 to 31
        [lineout=27]
        # Plays when TKTalkie starts up
        [startup=STARTUP.WAV]
        # Background loop
        [loop=CHATTER.WAV]
        # Background loop volume
        [loop_gain=0.010]
        # Voice channel gain on the mixer
        [voice_gain=0.3500]
        # Trigger level to turn on speaker when I start talking
        [voice_start=0.1700]
        # Limit to turn off the speaker when I stop talking
        [voice_stop=0.020]
        # Amount of time to wait (in milliseconds) before playing a sound effect
        [silence_time=350]
        # Not using a PTT
        [button_pin=0]
        # Sound to play when PTT is pressed
        [button_click=TKT_CLK3.WAV]
        # Button sound effect volume
        [button_gain=1.0000]
        # 1 = Microphone, 0 = Line-In
        [input=0]
        # Not used since I'm using Line-In
        [mic_gain=15]
        # Volume level of the sound effects on the mixer
        [effects_gain=0.2500]
        # Equalizer: 0 = off, 1 = Bass/Treble, 2 = Parametric, 3 = Graphic
        [eq=3]
        # 5-Band equalizer since I'm using graphic. Values are -1 to 1.
        [eq_bands=-0.75,0.00,-1.00,0.00,-1.00]
        # Gives the voice a tin-can sound
        [bitcrushers=16,41000,16,8096]
        # Background noise level for when I'm talking
        [noise_gain=0.1500]
        # This is only used when using a serial interface to program in real-time
        [debug=0]

The fun thing about this system is that you can make adjustments on the fly using the Arduino software's built-in serial console which runs over the same USB connection you use to program it (for you old-school types, no need for an additional terminal emulator or USB to serial adapters). This was especially helpful in making my adjustments in real time to drill down the system. Running the calibration command was also useful in dialing in the voice_start and voice_stop parameters. If you use the console commands, remember to use the save command to commit your changes to the SD card's config file.

I also replaced the default "too short to be a stormtrooper" startup sound (no offense Carrie, Requiescat in Pace) with a custom sound. It's pretty easy to do: just find or make a WAV file you want to use, rename the old startup sound file (best not to delete in in case you want to use it again), and save your new sound file to the SD card as STARTUP.WAV.

Another note is that the sketch (source code) and Teensy board are very customizable. Although some of the pins are in use by the audio board, other analog and digital pins on the Teensy can be used for additional buttons and dials. For example, one could make a dial to turn the volume on the background loop up or down, or maybe just a button to start and stop/ pause it. KMan and I were scheming up making a daughter board/ control riser connected to the teensy with a modular connector, so that controls could be surreptitiously placed in an easy-to-reach place, like near the edge of the chest plate, so settings could be adjusted on the fly through buttons, dials, or other human interfaces. I may have to experiment in the future, although   TK81113 has stated that he'll also be coming out with his own set of updates in the future.

Props for non-canon troops

For non-canon props (like these and the orange pauldron I sometimes sport), 501st members should check with their garrisons for what's allowed. For LFL (official LucasFilm Limited) troops these props aren't allowed, but otherwise each garrison has their own rules for what to wear with a costume.

Going back to background loops, another piece I recently received from my awesome wife for the holidays was the Bluetooth Star Wars Comlink from Episode 4. Here's a YouTube unboxing video of the comlink.

The white clip that ships with it, as you might be able to discern from the video, is a bit crap, especially for TK duty where an errant arm swipe could easily knock the thing off one's belt. So I fabricated a holder for it using some scraps from an old belt and four rivets. I used about 8" for the belt loop (3" for each side plus an inch on each end to fold over and for rivet overlap) and a small but to fit around the comlink with enough overlap for rivets. The trick is to soak the belt loop piece in water until it's saturated, then clamp it onto shape until it dries out. This give the crisp belt holder shape to the leather so you can rivet the overlapped ends together, and then rivet the comlink holder loop to that.

My phone (to which the device links) sits in a cheat pouch also attached to the right side of my belt.

Comlink and leather holder shown here during a recent troop

Close-up if the comlink holder. Two scraps of old belt + four rivets.

Overall, the comlink worked well. It isn't very loud but loud enough to give some atmosphere. The main problem is that it's essentially a Bluetooth headset (yes, you can make and receive calls with it) and only has a 1.5 hour talk time (especially with the volume turned all the way up). For longer troops, that might be an issue. In the future, I'm hoping to run a background loop through the TK Talkie, either as-is or with a volume dial or on/ off button.

I'll have to add a photo of my phone pouch, but it's essentially just a gloss 3" x 6" (approx) black leather pouch with a triangle closure and a single snap. I riveted a belt loop onto the back to attach it to my belt for non-canon troops. It could also be used for bin/ car keys, trading cards, etc.

That's it for now. I'm always fiddling with things, so I'll post more when I have something else to talk about. Until next time :D