Making alarmclocks great again

[Supercharged]

Im currently working on a Nixie clock, creative i know  , and i dont want to just use a booring buzzer for the alarm function.
But i also want it to be reasonably simple, i thought about using a 8-Bit sound chip, but they are not too easy to find.
My current Plan is to use a "DFPlayer" Mp3 module, which seems easy to implement into the design, but seems overkill.

Does anyon have a better idea what to use?

[NiHaoMike]

Encode the audio to a bitstream, save it into a SPI Flash chip, then use a microcontroller to clock out the audio. Note that the microcontroller doesn't need to do anything with the SPI data - just bit banging a read whole chip command followed by continuing to clock it would be enough.

[Ian.M]

You can still get cassette recorders new, so get a cheap one, gut it for the mechanism and build a tape loop player.   Splice a short piece of clear leader into the loop and use a photosensor to trigger stopping it in the right place.

[BrianHG]

Since you are going Nixie, I would say go for a few mechanical bells, at a different pitch each with their own single shot solenoid, & program a chime.  Like a 2 chime door bell.  In fact, go to a hardware store and just buy and old fashioned multi-chime door bell.

Or, if you must wake someone up, buy a fire alarm bell. 

[Supercharged]

Since you are going Nixie, I would say go for a few mechanical bells, at a different pitch each with their own single shot solenoid, & program a chime.  Like a 2 chime door bell.  In fact, go to a hardware store and just buy and old fashioned multi-chime door bell.

Or, if you must wake someone up, buy a fire alarm bell. 

I had considered that as well, but i thought it might annoy the neighbours

edit: I like the idea of a solenoid chime though.

[Supercharged]

Encode the audio to a bitstream, save it into a SPI Flash chip, then use a microcontroller to clock out the audio. Note that the microcontroller doesn't need to do anything with the SPI data - just bit banging a read whole chip command followed by continuing to clock it would be enough.

Interesting idea, i have to look into that.

[Supercharged]

You can still get cassette recorders new, so get a cheap one, gut it for the mechanism and build a tape loop player.   Splice a short piece of clear leader into the loop and use a photosensor to trigger stopping it in the right place.

Nice idea, but it'll probably take up too much space for what i'm doing

[Zero999]

Perhaps a miniature gramophone? Those were popular for voice effects in toys, before ROM became large and cheap enough.

[Twoflower]

If you use a espressif ESP32 you might have enough CPU power to fire up a I2S interface. Even the small predecessor had some capability to do so (it has a dedicated I2S interface). So you actually could run 16 Bit not just 8 Bit sounds with reasonable power consumption with normal audio DACs. The Wireless capability also allows automatic setting of the time.

How about mounting bass shakers beneath your bed. I had another idea, but you mentioned neighbours. So a train horn is out as well ;-)

[frozenfrogz]

Maybe you can go all-tube for the signal generation? http://www.tubebooks.org/Books/vto.pdf

[Ian.M]

Perhaps a miniature gramophone? Those were popular for voice effects in toys, before ROM became large and cheap enough.

However you then have the problem of constructing a recording lathe to cut a disk with the desired sound clip, and it will wear out pretty quickly.

Another option would be to use a mechanical music box mechanism.  They are compact and cheap, but unless you get the sort that plays from a paper tape, you are pretty much stuck with what's on the supplied cylinder(s).   You'll also need a really quiet gearmotor to drive it.

[Supercharged]

Maybe you can go all-tube for the signal generation? http://www.tubebooks.org/Books/vto.pdf

Interesting idea, but my powersupply doesn't have the power to drive the cathode heater for the tubes

[Supercharged]

If you use a espressif ESP32 you might have enough CPU power to fire up a I2S interface. Even the small predecessor had some capability to do so (it has a dedicated I2S interface). So you actually could run 16 Bit not just 8 Bit sounds with reasonable power consumption with normal audio DACs. The Wireless capability also allows automatic setting of the time.

How about mounting bass shakers beneath your bed. I had another idea, but you mentioned neighbours. So a train horn is out as well ;-)

I have already selected a MCU, and that module seems not to be the thing i was looking for.

[Gyro]

What about a small low power mobile phone vibrator motor. Attach it to a flexible upright bracket supporting a bell or gong. A loose center hole in the bell would provide the 'clapper' action. Damp it to taste.

[frozenfrogz]

Interesting idea, but my powersupply doesn't have the power to drive the cathode heater for the tubes

Another option would be the re-enactment of the Sputnik beep via discrete parts
Fran has made a video about that and also provides corrected schematics. Looks pretty neat too!

[Supercharged]

Interesting idea, but my powersupply doesn't have the power to drive the cathode heater for the tubes

Another option would be the re-enactment of the Sputnik beep via discrete parts
Fran has made a video about that and also provides corrected schematics. Looks pretty neat too!

Might take a look at it, at least it'll be a interesting video

[frozenfrogz]

Here is a screenshot from another of her videos on the sputnik beeper model circuit.
There might be an actual schematic file floating around the web, but this should also just do fine.

[NivagSwerdna]

i thought about using a 8-Bit sound chip, but they are not too easy to find.

That's not true.  eBay auction: #181787542441

[Supercharged]

i thought about using a 8-Bit sound chip, but they are not too easy to find.

That's not true.  eBay auction: #181787542441

lets just say, i didn't know what to search for

[ebastler]

Another vote for a mechanical bell. One tone or two pitches, and not a jarring "rrrring!", but a nice, discrete "ping, ping, ping". (Or "ping, pong, ping, pong..." if you have two different pitches...) 

The two-tone bells from an old phone should work nicely, and sound much more civilized than they did in the phone if you discretely "ping" them.

[NivagSwerdna]

lets just say, i didn't know what to search for

Fair enough.
I'm playing with old arcade PCBs at the moment and they have an abundance of AY-3-8910 for a circa 1980 sound.
also... you can search YM2149F

 
Rather than sound... it could make you a cup of tea/coffee....? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teasmade

[Cyberdragon]

Maybe you can go all-tube for the signal generation? http://www.tubebooks.org/Books/vto.pdf

Interesting idea, but my powersupply doesn't have the power to drive the cathode heater for the tubes

How much power do you have? Directly heated battery radio tubes don't take that much power.