Trying It Out

Okay, it’s time for Fluffy or Rover to meet his or her newest adversary in the fight over couch real estate.

Follow these steps to operate your Couch Pet-ato:

1. Slip in the batteries.

2. Flip on the on/off switch.

3. Press the recording button and hold it down while you speak your message or create a pet-annoying noise into the microphone.

4. Place the Couch Pet-ato on your furniture.

5. Drop your animal on the furniture (gently) and watch the fur fly!

Be sure that the Couch Pet-ato box is securely closed and latched. You don’t want Fluffy to get into the works and chew up the wires or a resistor and choke.

If nothing happens, here is the usual list of a few things to check out.

Check that all the batteries are fresh, are tight in the battery pack, and face the right direction.

Check whether any wires or parts have come lose.

Compare your circuit with the photos in this chapter to make sure that you got all the connections right.

If the phrase or sound that you recorded doesn’t scare your pet, experiment with different phrases or louder noises. Cats hate hissing type sounds, and dogs respond better to verbal commands. Good luck!

Taking It Further

Our Couch Pet-ato (patent pending) is so cool that you might want to try some variations:

If the sound isn’t loud enough, add an amplifier between IC1 and the speaker. You can find out how that’s done in an application note at the manufacturer’s Web site at www.winbond-usa.com/products/isd_products/chipcorder/

applicationbriefs/apbr06.pdf

We did something similar in the circuit for Murmuring Merlin in Chapter 7.

By adding the amplifier, the sound should be sufficiently dynamic to impress all but the most hard-of-hearing pets.

Feel free to spiff up the Couch Pet-ato box by applying potato (or other) decals, painting it, or sticking glitter all over it.

Try other uses for the Couch Pet-ato:

• Place it on top of your refrigerator and record a message like, “Remember your diet!” When somebody (who shouldn’t) opens the refrigerator door headed for the leftover cheesecake, the brandnew

 

Pot Belly-tato takes over.

• If you’re a teen who fears that your parents might invade your bedroom space, add a strap to the Couch Pet-ato and hang it on your doorknob. When somebody opens your door without your permission, you can give him a piece of your mind. The verbal or other warning that you use in this Back Off-tato is entirely up to you!