While kicked back on the sunny deck, the sound of inground sprinklers around the neighborhood can be kind of relaxing:

chik...chik...chik...a-chikchik-a-chikachicka

It would be even better if the sprinkler controller connected to and synchronized with your MP3 audio system, making a really cool audio / visual multimedia effect in your backyard. (The example above was Rolling Stones "Sympathy for the Devil" in case you didn't catch it).
-- spartanica, Apr 28 2002

I thought the reference was "Magic Bus"
-- thumbwax, Apr 28 2002


This could be used as an audio compression scheme! Compare the download time for the included example as opposed to an MP3 of the same song! Kind of lossy, though.
-- jester, Apr 29 2002


This is a cool Idea, not because of what it is , but rather because of the abstract principle it implies. The Idea of Tuning any facet of one's environment to music is a really cool cool one and I could see a whole series of products geared towards this sort of thing. But I think If I were to revise the idea, I would make it an MP3 player, set up to a pair of translucent luminescent color LCD glasses designed to project various existing "visualizers" en transparent overlay.

Another possibility would be combine the earphones with some microphones, and the goggles with some tiny digital cams, and to have a small CPU actually distort the stuff you hear and see so that it is distorted with the music, which would remain ambient.
-- Isaac, Apr 29 2002


I wonder if it would be possible to use the audio signal to modulate a partially opened solenoid control valve and induce sound waves in to the stream of water. Then the water would actually produce at least a component of the audio in addition to the beat of the electronically controlled sprinkler head. Don't know how well this pressure wave could survive the turbulence/white noise generated by the rest of the sprinkler system.

Or maybe this is what you meant and I'm not reading the idea correctly.
-- half, Apr 29 2002


I thought it was "Oh Yeah" by Yello.
-- waugsqueke, Apr 29 2002


Actually, [thumbwax] was exactly right - it was Magic Bus. I was already thinking this idea was awfully dumb when I realized I even had the song wrong! I was thinking about deleting the whole thing, until I saw [Isaac] so whole-heartedly endorse it "not because of what it is". I agree this idea should more be considered for what it is not.
-- spartanica, Apr 29 2002


Groovy!
-- DrBob, Aug 05 2003


So if the grass is greener on the other side, what does that say about the neighbours taste in music?
-- Brummo, Aug 05 2003


Reminds me of the opening scene to the movie "Caddyshack", where the sprinklers start up at the golf course in time to the song "I'm All Right" by Kenny Loggins.
-- Cedar Park, Aug 05 2003



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