Introduction: Fiber Optic Audio Visualizer (Wiimote Controlled)

About: Electrical Engineer


This instructable shows you how you can make a fiber optic lamp flash it's lights to whatever music you plug in. If you have an Android device you can also control it with a wiimote. I was inspired by a product found here. Continue to the next step for a list of parts and have fun!

Step 1: Parts List

  • Fiber Optic Lamp: Many Colors Available
  • TIP31 NPN Transistor: Radioshack
  • A bit of Wire
  • Andoid Device
  • Speaker
  • 9v AC-DC Power Supply Adapter OR 9V battery+hookup: Adapter
  • Power AC/DC Female Jack Connector Plug Adapter: Female Connector
  • Soldering Iron
  • Hot Glue Gun
  • Round File
  • Wifi
  • Wiimote
  • Y-Cord Stereophone Splitter: Radioshack
  • Screwdriver
  • Headphones
  • Lighter

Step 2: Assembly (Lamp)

First unscrew the battery holder and have a look inside. It SHOULD accept 4.5 volts (3 AA batteries). You need to figure out where to solder on your positive and negative wires and then close the base back up so that the wires protrude from it.

Step 3: Assembly (Headphones)

Preparing the headphones can be a little tricky. You need to find a pair of headphones that you don't mind destroying first. After that cut off the ear buds and remove about 1 inch of the plastic cover from the ends. You should have two wires protruding from each side. On one wire, you will have a copper-colored wire and a blue/green wire. On the other you will have a copper-colored wire and a red wire. Twist the copper wires together and then twist the red wire with the blue/green one. Burn off the ends to reveal the inner wire and solder the twisted groups together. Refer to the picture.

Step 4: Assembly (Circuit)

After you finish creating the circuit either mount it on a base with hot glue or solder it onto a permanent circuit board. Then cover the wires (especially the fragile headphone wires) in hot glue to make it permanent (ONLY DO THIS AFTER YOU HAVE TESTED TO MAKE SURE IT WORKS). Read the annotations for explanations.

Step 5: Finish Assembly

Now you need to file down notches in the base for the wires to extend from.

Step 6: Hook It Up!

Here's the final step in the assembly process!
  1. Connect the 9v power supply to the circuit.
  2. Connect the headphone output from the circuit to the first female headphone connector on the y-splitter
  3. Connect a speaker to the second female headphone connector on the y-splitter
  4. Connect the 3.5mm jack from the splitter to the music playing device

Step 7: Make It WIIMOTE CONTROLLED

To do this you need either a jailbroken apple device OR an android device.
First go to the play store and download two apps
  • Wiimote Controller
  • Music Wiimote
Then open your settings and enable Bluetooth. After you have done that you can open the Music Wiimote app.
Press the button that says "Activate Music Controls". It will prompt to connect a Wiimote. Press "Yes".
When a white screen shows, press the button at the top that says "1. Init and Connect". You will then need to quickly press both the '1' and '2' buttons simultaneously on the Wiimote. The screen should now show that the Wiimote has connected. Press the back button on the android device. After you have done this you can exit the app and open your music player.
The Controls for the wiimote are the following:
A-Play/Pause Music
Down-Back one song
Up-Forward one song
B-Half volume
Plus-Volume UP
Minus-Volume DOWN
Home-Mute/Unmute

Step 8: HOW TO CONTROL THE SENSITIVITY OF THE LIGHTS TO THE MUSIC

In order to change the sensitivity of the lights, changing the speaker volume will not work. The light will only change sensitivity with the volume of the output of the android device.

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