Re: I need a good tinkerer who can help me with a project - Better Explanation

From: Sam Goldwasser (sam_at_saul.cis.upenn.edu)
Date: 12/27/04 

Date: 27 Dec 2004 11:18:01 -0500

"Avi Frier" <avi@noemail.com> writes:

> OK, based on the questions and apparent raised eyebrows from my post, I'll
> explain a little better. I was hoping to NOT have to do this; when you read
> my explanation you'll understand why.
>
> Yes, I do run a marketing company, but my first love is performing magic. I
> came up with this idea for the performance of a trick that has been around
> for years, but I think my implementation will improve the performance of it.
>
> The trick goes like this:
>
> A few days before the show, I mail a package to the client and ask that they
> keep it sealed and bring it to the show. At some point in the show, I call
> them on stage. A boom box is displayed. They pick any tape and play it in
> the boombox-- this shows that the boombox is "normal."
>
> Then, I ask them to read to the audience the postmark on the package and to
> tell everyone when they received it, and that they have kept it on their
> person the entire day. They open the package and it contains a tape. They
> put the tape in the boombox, hit play, and everyone in the audience hears my
> voice reading off today's headlines from the newspaper.
>
> When the trick is over, they can take the cassette home with them-- it will
> contain today's headlines no matter where they play it.
>
> SO, to answer the myriad of questions this topic brought on...
>
> 1. Yes, we can use tools to put in the microcassette, as I'll be doing this
> well in advance of the show.
>
> 2. No, it's not illegal, nor is it something I can buy at the local spy
> shop.
>
> 3. If we can disable the write protect circutry, that would make it even
> better, since the tape could be punched when it comes out of the package.
>
> 4. I don't have thousands of dollars to spend on this.
>
> 5. It can be a CD instead of a microcassette, as long as the CD player on
> the unit seems empty. The entire recording will be 2-3 minutes. Some
> shows, max 5.
>
> 6. For now, I only want one, but we may find a market within the magic
> community for more.
>
> If anyone has any other questions, please feel free to post or contact me
> directly at:
> http://www.visionburst.com/radio/
> or by calling 954-987-2720 ext 18

That could be fun if there are no electronic types in the audience!

Everything you want to do is very straightforward as long as you can
find space for the microcassette player inside the boombox. Large boomboxes
are mostly empty space so this shouldn't be a major problem.

The record protect is just a switch that can be removed or jumpered
as needed.

You could rewire any of the user control switches to select the magic
mode as long as your slight of hand is adequate so the audience doesn't
notice.

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