Game Show Buzzer Lockout System

Introduction

Looking for a cheap alternative for a GAME SHOW BUZZER LOCKOUT SYSTEM. In this project we use construction helmets for the fun factor instead of a box type console and create a very affordable game show buzzer system. The total cost will be about $50-$70 depending on what materials you find around your house. Check out the demonstration video.

Comment if you have any questions or if I missed anything.

Step 1: Materials/Tools/Cost

Materials:

• 3 Construction Helmet
• 3 Momentary Switches
• 3 Flashlights (or just use regular LEDs)
• 3 AAA batteries (came with flashlights)
• 4 Phone jacks (pulled them out from old phones)
• 4 Bolts & 4 Nuts
• 1 Arduino Uno Board
• Lots of Wires (I took apart and used left of ethernet cables)
• 1 ON/OFF Switch (any on/off switch will do)
• 1 Buzzer (RadioShack 6VDC Mini Buzzer)

Tools:

• Drill
• 1/4" & 1/2" drill bits
• Marker
• Sharp Kni fe
• Dremel
• Cut off bit for Dremel
• Sanding bit for Dremel
• Hot Glue
• Soldering Iron and Solder
• Electric Tape

Cost:

• 3 Construction Helmets @ $7.88 ea (ebay.com) = $23.64
• 3 Momentary Switch @ $5.49 for 5 (ebay.com) = $3.29
• 3 Flashlights & AAA batteries (HarborFrieght) $1 ea = $3
• 4 Phone jacks $3.16/old phone (Goodwill x 2) = $6.32
• 4 Bolts & 4 Nuts = FREE (had some)
• 1 Arduino Uno Board (amazon.com) = $27.97
• Wires = FREE (use ethernet cables or any other cable)
• 1 ON/OFF Switch = FREE (had some, can take it off an old device too)
• 1 Buzzer (Radio Shack) = $3.99
  
  My Total Cost: $68.21

Step 2: Programing the Arduino Uno Board

Program Basic Set Up

So the way the Arduino program is coded is as follows:

Switches: S1 = Pin 2
S2 = Pin 3
S3 = Pin 4

Lights: L1 = Pin 5
L2 = Pin 6
L3 = Pin 7

Buzzer: B = Pin 8

Arduino Code (feel free to copy and paste)

// define pins to be used

int S1 = 2; //switch 1
int S2 = 3;
int S3 = 4;
int L1 = 5; // light 1
int L2 = 6;
int L3 = 7;
int B = 8; //buzzer

void setup() { // initialize the digital pins. // assume switches will wire from ground to input pins
pinMode(S1, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(S2, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(S3, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(L1, OUTPUT); // leds wired from output pin to ground }
pinMode(L2, OUTPUT);
pinMode(L3, OUTPUT);
pinMode(B, OUTPUT); // buzzer wired from output pin to ground }

void loop() { if (!digitalRead(S1)) { digitalWrite(L1,HIGH); // turn on lamp 1
digitalWrite(B,HIGH); // turn on buzzer
delay(500); // wait 2 seconds
digitalWrite(B,LOW); // turn off buffer
delay(5000); // wait 28 more seconds
digitalWrite(L1,LOW); // turn off lamp 1 }
if (!digitalRead(S2)) { digitalWrite(L2,HIGH); // turn on lamp 2
digitalWrite(B,HIGH); // turn on buzzer
delay(500); // wait 2 seconds
digitalWrite(B,LOW); // turn off buffer
delay(5000); // wait 28 more seconds
digitalWrite(L2,LOW); // turn off lamp 2 }
if (!digitalRead(S3)) { digitalWrite(L3,HIGH); // turn on lamp 3
digitalWrite(B,HIGH); // turn on buzzer
delay(500); // wait 2 seconds
digitalWrite(B,LOW); // turn off buffer
delay(5000); // wait 28 more seconds
digitalWrite(L3,LOW); // turn off lamp 3 } }

Step 3: Actual Building/Wiring Schematic

For actual building instructions see the attached youtube video.

Attached is the wiring schematic that I used to set up the arduino board.

I don't have the phone jack in the wiring schematic since they act just like connectors from one helmet to another. If need any assistance comment below.

Comments

[PBengineering]

Thanks Hrttele for your work. I actually made one and it worked great. I have since modified it to work with 5 users and it works just as great. I used pins 2-6 for my pushbuttons, pins 7-11 are for my LED's and pin 12 was for the buzzer. here is the code for 5 users. it's basically the same code with some minor changes to reflect the 2 extra players. I will try to post pics of my build when I get a chance.

// define pins to be used

int S1 = 2; //switch 1

int S2 = 3;

int S3 = 4;

int S4 = 5;

int S5 = 6;

int L1 = 7; // light 1

int L2 = 8;

int L3 = 9;

int L4 = 10;

int L5 = 11;

int B = 12; // buzzer

void setup() {

// initialize the digital pins.

// assume switches will wire from ground to input pins

pinMode(S1, INPUT_PULLUP);

pinMode(S2, INPUT_PULLUP);

pinMode(S3, INPUT_PULLUP);

pinMode(S4, INPUT_PULLUP);

pinMode(S5, INPUT_PULLUP);

pinMode(L1, OUTPUT); // if using leds please remember to use series resistors with them

pinMode(L2, OUTPUT);

pinMode(L3, OUTPUT);

pinMode(L4, OUTPUT);

pinMode(L5, OUTPUT);

pinMode(B, OUTPUT); // buzzer wired from output pin to ground

}

void loop() {

if (!digitalRead(S1))

{ digitalWrite(L1,HIGH); // turn on lamp 1

digitalWrite(B,HIGH); // turn on buzzer

delay(500); // wait 2 seconds

digitalWrite(B,LOW); // turn off buffer

delay(5000); // wait 28 more seconds

digitalWrite(L1,LOW); // turn off lamp 1

}

if (!digitalRead(S2))

{ digitalWrite(L2,HIGH); // turn on lamp 2

digitalWrite(B,HIGH); // turn on buzzer

delay(500); // wait 2 seconds

digitalWrite(B,LOW); // turn off buffer

delay(5000); // wait 28 more seconds

digitalWrite(L2,LOW); // turn off lamp 2

}

if (!digitalRead(S3))

{ digitalWrite(L3,HIGH); // turn on lamp 3

digitalWrite(B,HIGH); // turn on buzzer

delay(500); // wait 2 seconds

digitalWrite(B,LOW); // turn off buffer

delay(5000); // wait 28 more seconds

digitalWrite(L3,LOW); // turn off lamp 3

}

if (!digitalRead(S4))

{ digitalWrite(L4,HIGH); // turn on lamp 4

digitalWrite(B,HIGH); // turn on buzzer

delay(500); // wait 2 seconds

digitalWrite(B,LOW); // turn off buffer

delay(5000); // wait 28 more seconds

digitalWrite(L4,LOW); // turn off lamp 4

}

if (!digitalRead(S5))

{ digitalWrite(L5,HIGH); // turn on lamp 5

digitalWrite(B,HIGH); // turn on buzzer

delay(500); // wait 2 seconds

digitalWrite(B,LOW); // turn off buffer

delay(5000); // wait 28 more seconds

digitalWrite(L5,LOW); // turn off lamp 5

}

}

[TonyK29]

You can try this if you want the buzzer to beep the number of button pressed. Based on your code.

https://pastebin.com/RthC9BhK

[TonyK29]

I modified PBEngineering's (commenter bellow) version of this code to make the buzzer beep relative to what button is pushed. First button once second button twice and so on up to the fourth button. Didn't do the fifth since my project has four and #lazy. I'll try and remember to post a link to the final build in a couple days.

Code below
https://pastebin.com/RthC9BhK

[colinhayward21]

Hi there
I have copied and pasted the code but i'm getting this error:
exit status 1
a function-definition is not allowed here before '{' token
Unfortunately I don't understand the programming side of this project, so I don't know how to fix it.
Any help would be much appreciated

[DionW2]

Hello! I am looking to make this in a 12 player system. Is there a single arduino that could handle a system of this size, and if so, what would be a sample code. Greatly appreciated in advance for anyone's response.

[robosensei]

Arduino Mega would be able to handle this. over 30 I/O pins available on this board, however it is nearly 2x the size of the Uno. You could buy a knock-off version from china for fairly cheap (roughly $10-12)

[hrttele]

I'm not sure if there is but I think you might be able to use maybe multiple uno boards but not sure. Never played with a lot of them. Hope you can find it some where online.

[ssellery]

Could you make for 4 buzzers and integrate a different light? Maybe use an LED strip?

[hrttele]

I'm sure it's possible. But probably be setup a little bit differently.

[james_urry]

dont you need 1 board for each helmet and if not which helmet do you put the board in

[hrttele]

one board is fine. And it doesn't matter which one you put it in as long as you wire them all toghther.

[SandyC66]

Hi,

Thanks for this, it's very cool.

By the way, how do i change the code if I need 4 switches to work?

thanks again.

[hrttele]

I might have an extra { in there. But play with it. This should work for 4 as long as you wire light 4 into pin 9 and switch 4 into pin 10. Let me know if it works.

[hrttele]

// define pins to be used

int S1 = 2; //switch 1

int S2 = 3;

int S3 = 4;

int S4 = 9;

int L1 = 5; // light 1

int L2 = 6;

int L3 = 7;

int L4 = 10;

int B = 8; // buzzer

void setup() {

// initialize the digital pins.

// assume switches will wire from ground to input pins

pinMode(S1, INPUT_PULLUP);

pinMode(S2, INPUT_PULLUP);

pinMode(S3, INPUT_PULLUP);

pinMode(S4, INPUT_PULLUP);

pinMode(L1, OUTPUT); // if using leds please remember to use series resistors with them

pinMode(L2, OUTPUT);

pinMode(L3, OUTPUT);

pinMode(L4, OUTPUT);

pinMode(B, OUTPUT); // buzzer wired from output pin to ground

}

void loop() {

if (!digitalRead(S1))

{ digitalWrite(L1,HIGH); // turn on lamp 1

digitalWrite(B,HIGH); // turn on buzzer

delay(500); // wait 2 seconds

digitalWrite(B,LOW); // turn off buffer

delay(5000); // wait 28 more seconds

digitalWrite(L1,LOW); // turn off lamp 1

}

if (!digitalRead(S2))

{ digitalWrite(L2,HIGH); // turn on lamp 2

digitalWrite(B,HIGH); // turn on buzzer

delay(500); // wait 2 seconds

digitalWrite(B,LOW); // turn off buffer

delay(5000); // wait 28 more seconds

digitalWrite(L2,LOW); // turn off lamp 2

}

if (!digitalRead(S3))

{ digitalWrite(L3,HIGH); // turn on lamp 3

digitalWrite(B,HIGH); // turn on buzzer

delay(500); // wait 2 seconds

digitalWrite(B,LOW); // turn off buffer

delay(5000); // wait 28 more seconds

digitalWrite(L3,LOW); // turn off lamp 3

}

if (!digitalRead(S4))

{ digitalWrite(L4,HIGH); // turn on lamp 4

digitalWrite(B,HIGH); // turn on buzzer

delay(500); // wait 2 seconds

digitalWrite(B,LOW); // turn off buffer

delay(5000); // wait 28 more seconds

digitalWrite(L4,LOW); // turn off lamp 3

}

}

[18ocram]

The code appears wrong. Can someone please upload the correct code in full?

It keeps failing while using circuits.io

[hrttele]

Someone said that there was an extra } at the end of the code. Try removing it and see if it works. Sorry about that. Something must of got lost in coping and pasting the code to here.

[PhilipS30]

Are resitistors needed before the LEDs?

[hrttele]

I didn't use any because I got the leds from a flashlight and applied same current as the flashlight and it was fine.

[Clapoti]

Yes they are... if you send too much current to an LED, it will burn.

[moppyking]

hey... could someone tell me how to mke this for 8 people?