Thread: Question with talking boris

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Ok, I have to say I have zero knowledge of electronics at all. But I've read through a lot of pages on hacking Boris and I think I can do it. Maybe. I bought a cheap MP3 player to use as my audio source. Do I absolutely have to use a capacitor ( this is the newer Boris) or can I just skip it? Will it really do anything to the MP3 player? It would be much easier if I didn't have to use one.

If you just want to hook it to your MP3 player, just cut the micro-bone off, take the two wires and solder on a mono mini plug. I did this to my first one and it worked fine.

The capacitor is for Boris, with or without will not damage your mp3 player.

The capacitor is to filter electrical power coming FROM Boris to your audio equipment. Boris sends voltage down the wires to power the original microphone.

I'd suggest installing it, but many people have not installed it and not had problems. It's dependent upon your audio source.

Craig

Ok, now this Boris thing is really driving me crazy. I bought one newer Boris that I hooked up without a capacitor. It went well and I liked it so much, I bought another one, but this time,the older Boris. The older one sounds so much worse than the newer one - lots of static. I tried it with and without the capacitor thinking it might make a difference - it didn't. I have a track with voices separated on both channels. The newer one works great and only moves its mouth when it is supposed to. The older one moves its mouth to the correct channel but also a little to the other channel. What am I doing wrong or is the old Boris so much worse than the newer one?

are you trying to keep the speaker in Boris intact ? Most people just disconnect it and install the resistor in it's place. Then just pipe the audio through a set of computer speakers.

I kept the internal speaker but hooked up computer speakers. I was trying to keep it easy so I just muted the internal speakers a little by taping the speaker holes with scotch tape. But the other problem is that it still moves to the channel it should be receiving no sound from.

How did you connect your audio input jack to Boris, and what kind did you use ? Are you sure that you don't have your channels crossing in or around that connection ?

did you mix your own audio track ? If you adjust your balance while listening to the track on a stereo, see if you can hear the other channel. This might help you troubleshoot where the problem is coming in....

Ebay. I lucked out and got the older style this week for a lot less than I paid for the first one two weeks ago.

I just went and doubled checked everything and it looks fine. I connected Boris to a 1/8 mono plug with screw connections. The audio track I edited in Audacity with silence in between the speaking parts.

If I turn down the volume it's a little better but why would there be static during those parts? I guess I should get a potentiometer but the first Boris works so well without these things. I'm kind of disappointed in the older Boris and wish I bought a second newer version.