MAKE: Noise — Discuss this article

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  Can the VCR feeder be used for more than one day? Let's say about a week?

  Posted by streetrunner007 on June 29, 2006 at 07:19:24 Pacific Time

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  Hi there! Do you have detailed instructions on
  how to make this work in reality?
  please email it to me: kwadade@gmail.com
  
  VCR Cat Feeder

  Posted by kwadade on October 23, 2005 at 16:38:09 Pacific Time

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  http://f17.aaa.livedoor.jp/~takotako/index.php

  Posted by jj1odm on November 09, 2005 at 17:35:14 Pacific Time

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  Posted by lisamacinnis on November 01, 2005 at 08:12:40 Pacific Time

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  Hi,
  
  I've got 3 VCR's to convert. Are there plans available?

  Posted by northernole on November 01, 2005 at 02:52:10 Pacific Time

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  Many thanks for you interest. The crux of the project is to think of your old VCR as a bunch of motors under timer control. Even with a faulty VCR, the timer and motor control systems usually have enough life left in them to be of use for cat feeding or some other form of home automation. Unfortunately, because there are literally thousands of different designs of VCR, the project had to be laid out in very general terms. Detailed, step-by-step instructions might have been nice but would have tied the project to one particular model of VCR and been irrelevant to most others. This is one of the reasons the project relies on the rotating video head; it’s one of the few bits of machinery bound to be present in all VCRs.
  
  In your particular VCR, you might find there are other motors or mechanical systems that could operate the auger mechanism (perhaps without the need for a gearbox). Moreover, using an auger is just one way of getting food from a closed container to your pet (you might also consider pre-filled bowls with lids that spring open when a motor turns).
  
  A good first step is set your VCR’s timer, open the case* and watch what happens when it fires-up and records a tape. I’m sure you will see lots of things in motion that, with a bit of ingenuity, could be harnessed for the purpose of dispensing cat food !
  
  Best wishes + good luck
  
  James
  
  *At all times beware of the power supply electronics and any line voltages that might be exposed when the cover is open

  Posted by RetroGeek on November 02, 2005 at 09:20:56 Pacific Time

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  hey, im about to start work on a project for a cat feeder like this is there any way you could send me some plans to help me out? email me at medawolf@hotmail.com thanks :)

  Posted by medawolf on May 26, 2006 at 08:52:59 Pacific Time

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  hi, im very much interested to make an auto feeder for my pets when im away, can i know in details how it can be done. Thank you.

  Posted by explo99 on February 06, 2007 at 18:18:51 Pacific Time