Comments on: Wacky: Real Fire, Fake Krackle http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/ All tools. All the time. Your source for news, information, and reviews of hand tools, power tools, and tools of all kinds. Fri, 16 May 2008 05:07:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Nate Bezanson http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124565 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 06:54:14 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124565 What Ted said. The designers of the LED-based fake candle project in Circuit Cellar 147 used a mathematical model to describe what portion of the time the flame spends at various brightness levels, and the speed at which it varies between them. Then they used a long pseudo-random number generator to generate an unpredictable sequence, along with inputs from a resistively heated thermistor so the "flame" responds to breezes. If this thing is based on a "recording", I guarantee it gets annoying after a while. Research into "ambient" cellphone ringers has proven that humans are good at recognizing subtle environmental noises if they're in a repetitive sequence. But perhaps "recording" is just an oversimplification by marketers, and the box actually generates a random series of noises, each of which is based on a real noise sampled from a recording of a real fire. That, I could get behind. Because throwing sappy pine on the fire to make it noisy also makes it throw embers onto the rug every once in a while, and drawing the chain curtain to catch those ends up eating all the heat. Now, y'know what would be awesome? If it powered itself from the heat of the fire, like those Peltier-based woodstove fans! I'd buy one just on principle, were that the case. That would also allow it to start up and shut down automatically. Without that feature, wouldn't it be goofy to wake up to the sound of a crackling fire that ran out of fuel during the wee hours? What Ted said. The designers of the LED-based fake candle project in Circuit Cellar 147 used a mathematical model to describe what portion of the time the flame spends at various brightness levels, and the speed at which it varies between them. Then they used a long pseudo-random number generator to generate an unpredictable sequence, along with inputs from a resistively heated thermistor so the “flame” responds to breezes.

If this thing is based on a “recording”, I guarantee it gets annoying after a while. Research into “ambient” cellphone ringers has proven that humans are good at recognizing subtle environmental noises if they’re in a repetitive sequence. But perhaps “recording” is just an oversimplification by marketers, and the box actually generates a random series of noises, each of which is based on a real noise sampled from a recording of a real fire. That, I could get behind. Because throwing sappy pine on the fire to make it noisy also makes it throw embers onto the rug every once in a while, and drawing the chain curtain to catch those ends up eating all the heat.

Now, y’know what would be awesome? If it powered itself from the heat of the fire, like those Peltier-based woodstove fans! I’d buy one just on principle, were that the case. That would also allow it to start up and shut down automatically. Without that feature, wouldn’t it be goofy to wake up to the sound of a crackling fire that ran out of fuel during the wee hours?

]]> by: Patrick http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124552 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 06:36:33 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124552 I know that "major university" and I've been to that kegger. VT, buddy. VT. I know that “major university” and I’ve been to that kegger. VT, buddy. VT.

]]> by: Ted http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124419 Sun, 30 Sep 2007 20:36:49 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124419 How long is the recording? Hearing the same "pop" every 15 seconds would get annoying. I would think that you'd want at least 10 minutes. How long is the recording? Hearing the same “pop” every 15 seconds would get annoying. I would think that you’d want at least 10 minutes.

]]> by: Daniel Rutter http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124349 Sun, 30 Sep 2007 14:53:03 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124349 It needs something that'll go "Pop!" now and then, and simultaneously extend a stick to poke the cat snoozing in front of the heater. It needs something that’ll go “Pop!” now and then, and simultaneously extend a stick to poke the cat snoozing in front of the heater.

]]> by: PutnamEco http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124323 Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:23:25 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124323 Boy, that would be fun to hide under someones bed or in their desk drawer. Boy, that would be fun to hide under someones bed or in their desk drawer.

]]> by: Eli http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124288 Sun, 30 Sep 2007 09:56:54 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124288 That's wack. Have a fire, or don't have a fire. Don't have a real fake fire. I think this would only be good for a firetruck themed roller coaster. That’s wack.
Have a fire, or don’t have a fire.
Don’t have a real fake fire.
I think this would only be good for a firetruck themed roller coaster.

]]> by: Brau http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124261 Sun, 30 Sep 2007 07:06:40 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124261 [realistic] Ah, that must mean "realistic" like the inventors were (not) when they put a whole bunch of money into developing this thing? [realistic] Ah, that must mean “realistic” like the inventors were (not) when they put a whole bunch of money into developing this thing?

]]> by: Don http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124121 Sat, 29 Sep 2007 19:16:51 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124121 While I agree this is a very odd little noise maker, I non-the-less think you need to know that NO fireplace sound would be in stereo, unless the fireplace was VERY large, or the speakers are set very close together, the average fireplace being about 26 to 30 inches across. Hi Fidelity would be the appropriate way to deliver the best rendition of the sound of a real fireplace. Surround sound might be OK, if your goal was to know what it sounds like to be trapped in the middle of a forest fire, with no avenue of escape... And no, I have nothing to do with this company, I just followed the link here from my Toolmonger RSS feed. While I agree this is a very odd little noise maker, I non-the-less think you need to know that NO fireplace sound would be in stereo, unless the fireplace was VERY large, or the speakers are set very close together, the average fireplace being about 26 to 30 inches across.

Hi Fidelity would be the appropriate way to deliver the best rendition of the sound of a real fireplace.

Surround sound might be OK, if your goal was to know what it sounds like to be trapped in the middle of a forest fire, with no avenue of escape…

And no, I have nothing to do with this company, I just followed the link here from my Toolmonger RSS feed.

]]> by: Fred http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124110 Sat, 29 Sep 2007 18:27:48 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/29/wacky-real-fire-fake-krackle/#comment-124110 There's a Nobel prize in here somewhere. There’s a Nobel prize in here somewhere.

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