<p>This set includes a single novel element, <a href="https://rebrickable.com/parts/102723c01/sound-brick-4-x-4-with-random-talking-sorting-hat-sounds/" rel="noreferrer">102723c01 Sound Brick 4 x 4 with Random Talking Sorting Hat Sounds</a>, that does all of the hard work:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/8od8r.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/8od8r.png" alt="Element render" /></a></p>
<p>That element is integrated into the hat so that Technic elements are able to activate it by pressing its button:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/mPWeu.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/mPWeu.png" alt="Instruction page 102" /></a></p>
<p>This is then connected to the top of the hat to activate the sound brick along with motion of the mouth and eyebrows:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/X6wvz.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/X6wvz.png" alt="Instruction page 142" /></a></p>
<p>The element can be disassembled by removing two screws:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/cNO5g.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/cNO5g.png" alt="Element internals and back cover" /></a></p>
<p>This makes it simple enough to replace the 3 LR44 batteries. We can also remove the PCB:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/tDwoP.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/tDwoP.png" alt="PCB top" /></a></p>
<p>This shows the speaker attached to the PCB along with a button, a single capacitor, and an unmarked 8-pin <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_in-line_package" rel="noreferrer">DIP</a>. There is nothing on the back of the PCB:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/wrCKR.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/wrCKR.png" alt="PCB bottom" /></a></p>
<p>Following the tracks on the PCB, the circuit seems to be as follows:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Y8zxX.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Y8zxX.png" alt="Circuit diagram" /></a></p>
<p>(The indentation on the DIP marks pin 1. The switch connects to one of pins 1-4 via a track underneath the DIP which is not fully visible, so pin 3 is a guess. Pins 1,2,3,4,5 and 7 are connected to pads on the PCB surface)</p>
<p>The inscription &quot;OTP&quot; on the PCB suggests a <strong>O</strong>ne-<strong>T</strong>ime <strong>P</strong>rogramabble chip, and the contact pads on the PCB are most probably used to program the chip with the sounds during manufacture. The DIP pin-out and OTP characteristic suggests a <a href="https://waytronic.ca/otp-voice-chip/" rel="noreferrer">Waytronic OTP voice chip</a>, or one electrically compatible with it.</p>
<p>There doesn't appear to be an easy way to repurpose this part to produce any sound other than the 31 pre-programmed phrases.</p>
<p>It <em>should</em> be possible to desolder the DIP and solder a new one then program fresh sounds, but there is no (known) way of ordering a hobbyist-sized amount of compatible sound chips.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-04T01:26:16.140Z
The fact that there's "OTP" written on the PCB suggest a One-Time Programmable sound chip (which should tell you that new sounds cannot be added). In a DIP-8 package, with pins 1-4 on contact pads (for programming) and pins 5-8 having GND/VCC and audio output, a possible candidate would be the waytronic series (https://waytronic.ca/otp-voice-chip/). It *might* be possible to de-solder and solder a new one, then program fresh sounds.
IvanSanchez
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-04T12:37:05.737Z
Interesting how there's a (c) 2022 on there! Does this imply that the sound bricks were already produced back then, and that the set has been in development since at least that year?
Tuzi
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-04T18:50:37.633Z
More likely that's just when the PCB was designed, having no bearing on production schedules. With a circuit this simple, there was probably very little in the way of iteration on the design. However, product development and the go-to-market process can be pretty slow.
JakeRobb
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-05T10:17:45.073Z
@JakeRobb under two years from PCB design to go-to-market would often be considered blindingly fast.
Cylindric
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-06T14:11:49.880Z
Yep. And yet, seems feasible in this case.
JakeRobb
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-03T22:56:39.650Z
2024-04-04T15:17:28.410Z
2024-04-04T15:17:28.410Z
jncraton
<p>I've seen the <a href="https://brickset.com/sets/76429-1/Talking-Sorting-Hat" rel="noreferrer">Talking Sorting Hat</a> set:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/i7TzV.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/i7TzV.jpg" alt="Back of box" /></a></p>
<p>How are the sounds for this hat produced? Could it be used to produce other sounds?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-04T15:39:02.153Z
Before I saw that this was about bricks I thought "What a dumb question, obviously through magic!" :-)) And in a way, [it is ...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarke%27s_three_laws)
Peter - Reinstate Monica
<electronics><harry-potter>
How are the sounds from the Sorting Hat produced?
jncraton
# How are the sounds from the Sorting Hat produced?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-04-03)

I've seen the [Talking Sorting Hat](https://brickset.com/sets/76429-1/Talking-Sorting-Hat) set:

[![Back of box](https://i.sstatic.net/i7TzV.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/i7TzV.jpg)

How are the sounds for this hat produced? Could it be used to produce other sounds?

**Tags:** electronics, harry-potter

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Before I saw that this was about bricks I thought "What a dumb question, obviously through magic!" :-)) And in a way, [it is ...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarke%27s_three_laws)  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2024-04-03. Score: 17

This set includes a single novel element, [102723c01 Sound Brick 4 x 4 with Random Talking Sorting Hat Sounds](https://rebrickable.com/parts/102723c01/sound-brick-4-x-4-with-random-talking-sorting-hat-sounds/), that does all of the hard work:

[![Element render](https://i.sstatic.net/8od8r.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/8od8r.png)

That element is integrated into the hat so that Technic elements are able to activate it by pressing its button:

[![Instruction page 102](https://i.sstatic.net/mPWeu.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/mPWeu.png)

This is then connected to the top of the hat to activate the sound brick along with motion of the mouth and eyebrows:

[![Instruction page 142](https://i.sstatic.net/X6wvz.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/X6wvz.png)

The element can be disassembled by removing two screws:

[![Element internals and back cover](https://i.sstatic.net/cNO5g.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/cNO5g.png)

This makes it simple enough to replace the 3 LR44 batteries. We can also remove the PCB:

[![PCB top](https://i.sstatic.net/tDwoP.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/tDwoP.png)

This shows the speaker attached to the PCB along with a button, a single capacitor, and an unmarked 8-pin [DIP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_in-line_package). There is nothing on the back of the PCB:

[![PCB bottom](https://i.sstatic.net/wrCKR.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/wrCKR.png)

Following the tracks on the PCB, the circuit seems to be as follows:

[![Circuit diagram](https://i.sstatic.net/Y8zxX.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/Y8zxX.png)

(The indentation on the DIP marks pin 1. The switch connects to one of pins 1-4 via a track underneath the DIP which is not fully visible, so pin 3 is a guess. Pins 1,2,3,4,5 and 7 are connected to pads on the PCB surface)

The inscription "OTP" on the PCB suggests a **O**ne-**T**ime **P**rogramabble chip, and the contact pads on the PCB are most probably used to program the chip with the sounds during manufacture. The DIP pin-out and OTP characteristic suggests a [Waytronic OTP voice chip](https://waytronic.ca/otp-voice-chip/), or one electrically compatible with it.

There doesn't appear to be an easy way to repurpose this part to produce any sound other than the 31 pre-programmed phrases.

It *should* be possible to desolder the DIP and solder a new one then program fresh sounds, but there is no (known) way of ordering a hobbyist-sized amount of compatible sound chips.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: The fact that there's "OTP" written on the PCB suggest a One-Time Programmable sound chip (which should tell you that new sounds cannot be added). In a DIP-8 package, with pins 1-4 on contact pads (for programming) and pins 5-8 having GND/VCC and audio output, a possible candidate would be the waytronic series (https://waytronic.ca/otp-voice-chip/). It *might* be possible to de-solder and solder a new one, then program fresh sounds.  
> **username_3**: Interesting how there's a (c) 2022 on there! Does this imply that the sound bricks were already produced back then, and that the set has been in development since at least that year?  
> **username_4**: More likely that's just when the PCB was designed, having no bearing on production schedules. With a circuit this simple, there was probably very little in the way of iteration on the design. However, product development and the go-to-market process can be pretty slow.  
> **username_5**: @username_4 under two years from PCB design to go-to-market would often be considered blindingly fast.  
> **username_4**: Yep. And yet, seems feasible in this case.  

---

