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Conference 7.286::home_work

Title:Home_work
Notice:Check Directory (6.3) before writing a new note
Moderator:CSLALL::NASEAM::READIO
Created:Tue Nov 05 1991
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2100
Total number of notes:78741

927.0. "Wanted: white-sound generator" by ANT::MORRISON (Bob M. LMO2/O24 296-5357) Mon Nov 03 1986 14:44

  I have a device called a Sleep_mate which generates "white noise".
It is a cylinder the size of a coffee can and consists of a blower
inside a housing. It is used to create a background sound similar
to a fan to drown out noise when sleeping or resting. I bought one
from Sears 7 years ago and can't live without it. It is getting old
and I have to oil it every 3 months or else it continually slows
down and speeds up. Eventually it will "die" completely, but I have
already gotten my $40 worth out of it.
  Anticipating the need to replace it, I looked for it in the latest
Sears catalog and couldn't find it. In case it is hidden in the cata-
log under a heading other than "sleep", I am planning to call Sears
HQ to see if they still carry it. But I have a feeling they don't
and I will have to get it elsewhere. 
  Sears, of course, takes other vendors' products and puts their
brand name on them. I don't know who the actual vendor is. It could
be that this product is no longer manufactured because the same job
can be done by electronics at less cost. I'll settle for an elec-
tronic unit IF the noise is similar to a fan and I can control the
volume.
  Do you know where I can get such a device, either motor or elec-
tronic, for less than $50? Does anyone else use such a device and
agree that it is an effective way to mask noise?
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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927.1OOLA::OUELLETTERoland, you've lost your towel!Mon Nov 03 1986 15:1812
I've seen such a toy.  It uses a high beta transistor to amplify
thermal agitation.  It comes as a kit with earphones, but it
could be modified to play through a speaker (or a blaster box
with input jacks like a neighbor at MIT did).  It's sold by some
company in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  I may be able to find the
company name...

Otherwise, remove the antenna from your FM tuner and make a tape
of the noise between stations (on a bad night for reception).
Then play the same tape back on an auto reverse blaster box.

R.
927.2JOET::JOETMon Nov 03 1986 15:245
    re: .1
    
    Might the company be PAIA?
    
    -joet
927.3Try Sharper ImageSAVAGE::LOCKRIDGEMon Nov 03 1986 16:5111
    A friend of got one and loves it.  She lives in a rather noisy part
    of town (Nashua) and can't sleep without it.
    
    I think she got it from the Sharper Image for about $49.00 plus s&h. SI
    is a yuppie hi tech mail order outfit (most of their products are very
    high priced and somewhat absurd for common folk).
    
    If I can find their catalog, I'll look tonight and see if they still
    carry it and its price.
    
    -Bob 
927.4OOLA::OUELLETTERoland, you've lost your towel!Mon Nov 03 1986 16:584
< Note 526.2 by JOET::JOET >
    Might the company be PAIA?
    
Yes!
927.5MARSONA 1200 SynthesizerCSCMA::PINARDMon Nov 03 1986 19:5513
    A peson I know bought a sound machine that made rain and wind etc,
    
    and got it at Speigels, its the same one as in Sharper image, but
    I think it runs for $100+ and was on sale at Speigels at the time.
    I'll get the info tonight, I have both books I believe...
    I just found the Spiegel's catalog she ordered it from here at work,
    that I brought in, It's called a MARSONA 1200 sound conditioner
    and was on sale in spring of 85 for $99 down from $139
    All sounds synthesized from solid state electronics, adjustable
    tone and rate...
    I'll check for Sharper image price.
    Jean
    
927.6I have a copy of Sharpe Image catalogGYPSY::SMOLINSKIMon Nov 03 1986 19:577
    I have a copy of the Sharper Image ctalog, if you give me your mailstop
    I send it over to you.  There is a Sharper store in Boston in the
    Quincy Market area.
    
    
    
    Dave
927.7Quiet now kids,Dad's going to bedSARAH::SMOPRWed Nov 05 1986 07:5014
    I've been working nights for six years,so the fan and air conditioner
    come in handy during the Summer,however,Winter is a different story.
    I have tried putting the F.M. radio in between stations to create
    a light hiss,but can't get used to that,so the good old fan has
    been getting plenty of use lately; I too must have something to
    drown out the noisy kids. Edmund Scientific has cassette tapes of
    rain showers in the forest and ocean sounds,which I might try.I
    know what you mean about getting used to having it,can't sleep
    without it.
    I even cover up the windows with cardboard so I can sleep during
    the day (my wife thinks I'm nuts),but it works.
    
    	Steve McWilliams
    
927.8Don't have tape deckANT::MORRISONBob M. LMO2/O24 296-5357Thu Nov 06 1986 17:507
I don't have an auto-reverse home tape deck and don't want to buy
one just for this purpose, so I need something other than a tape.
  I have heard of the Marsona 1200; Sears used to carry it too.
Do you have an up-to-date Spiegel catalog, or have the address to
order one from. I think it would be less expensive from Spiegel's
than from Sharper Image. I read a Sharper Image catalog a few
years ago and I agree, it is oriented toward the yuppie trade.
927.9Kill two birds with one stone...SUPER::KENAHO frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!!Fri Nov 07 1986 13:256
    Get a humidifier... DeVilbliss (sp?) makes a cool mister that, 
    besides increasing the humidity, makes a semi-quiet hissing 
    noise.  As I recall, it isn't very expensive, either (less 
    than $20).
    
    					andrew
927.10POP::SUNGAl Sung (Xway Development)Fri Nov 07 1986 14:235
927.11MarsonaCSCMA::PINARDFri Nov 07 1986 14:465
    I checked sharper image and forgot to bring it in, it was $129 in
    there. I'll see if I have an up to date Spiegels also, and try to
    remember for Monday!
    Jean
    
927.12About that Devilbis (sp?)CSCMA::JOHNSONCSC/MA Advanced Technology Systems SupportMon Nov 10 1986 10:389
    One note regarding the Devilbis (sp?) humidifier: if it's under
    $20 then it's probably the one with a spinning disk that shoots
    droplets out into the air.  We came upon one of those free and tried
    it once.  When we found a VERY wet area around the front of it the
    next morning, we stopped using it.
    
    Again, you get what you pay for.
    
    Pete
927.13pointerBINKLY::WINSTONJeff Winston (Hudson, MA)Mon Nov 10 1986 20:021
note:  there is a discussion of white noise for offices in HUMAN::DIGITAL
927.14Vaporizer not the best solutionANT::MORRISONBob M. LMO2/O24 296-5357Wed Nov 12 1986 20:5910
  I discovered I "needed" white noise 10 years ago. I had been running the
A/C at night (mostly blowing, not cooling) and when it got too cool to run
it I missed the sound. I had a vaporizer and used it all winter. However,
I had two problems: there were some days when it was too humid to use it
and when it got old it started rumbling loudly. I then got the idea of
looking in Sears catalog to see if they had any sound conditioning devices.
I was lucky; they had the Sleep-Mate; this was 8 years ago.
  I almost forgot; I also had the problem of a wet spot on the floor
under the vaporizer.
  
927.15Too close to the floor...HARDY::KENAHO frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!!Thu Nov 13 1986 13:329
    > ...When we found a VERY wet area around the front of it the
    > next morning, we stopped using it.
      
    I have a DeVilbliss humidifer, and on the first day I used it, had
    a somewhat damp spot on my carpet in front of the device.  I raised
    it up, so that it was further from the floor (from approximately
    6" above the floor to 40") and the dampness problem disappeared.
    
    					andrew
927.16NOTIME::SACKSGerald Sacks ZKO2-3/N30 DTN:381-2085Thu Sep 29 1994 13:252
The last reply is almost 8 years old.  Where can I get a white noise generator
these days?
927.17QUARK::LIONELFree advice is worth every centThu Sep 29 1994 14:184
Radio Shack or any one of dozens of mail-order catalogs.  Marsona is the
most popular brand name.

					Steve