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!