CD Tray advice

Selfbondage software and other kinky developments

Moderators: Riddle, Shannon SteelSlave

Post Reply
User avatar
itami
*
Posts: 11
Joined: 09 Sep 2019, 19:54

CD Tray advice

Post by itami »

Hello! It is no secret that the use of CD trays is getting lower nowadays but as a release method for selfbondage it is really convenient.
Right now I only have a laptop without CD tray but I'm thinking about buying an external one.
Can somebody recommend any reliable models? It is important that it should have an auto-eject mechanism to release the keys.
I'm afraid to buy blindly since some of the models only have a manual ejection.
KinkInSpace
*****
Posts: 2141
Joined: 24 Dec 2015, 16:11
Location: Netherlands

Re: CD Tray advice

Post by KinkInSpace »

As far as I know, almost all external cd players have a manual eject button.

But maybe you should take this opportunity and go into a different route. Its not too hard to use an arduino to control an electro magnet. You need a long powercable (speaker wire will do nicely), an electro magnet that you can secure on a high place, an arduino with some controls and you're good to go.

The keys would hang on the electro magnet, and you could use the arduino to release them after a certain time is elapsed. If the power fails, the keys will always drop, so you automatically have a fail safe in place. Of course, you do need to ensure that the keys will drop within reach. Another option is to create a small cage with electro magnet as locking mechanism, though if you go that route, just get yourself a kitchen safe.
Formally known as Slave_L.
I'm not yet very comfortable expressing my love for kink from my private life. I will therefor hide behind my username KinkInSpace and not allow any connections to who I really am. I'm sure you'll understand.
User avatar
kinbaku
*****
Posts: 5052
Joined: 10 Jan 2020, 20:26
Location: Belgium

Re: CD Tray advice

Post by kinbaku »

KinkInSpace wrote:But maybe you should take this opportunity and go into a different route. Its not too hard to use an arduino to control an electro magnet. You need a long powercable (speaker wire will do nicely), an electro magnet that you can secure on a high place, an arduino with some controls and you're good to go.

The keys would hang on the electro magnet, and you could use the arduino to release them after a certain time is elapsed. If the power fails, the keys will always drop, so you automatically have a fail safe in place. Of course, you do need to ensure that the keys will drop within reach.
For this I use an extra wire on the key of a length from the magnet to just touching the ground. When the magnet stops, the key falls down on that string to the ground just below the magnet.
That way the key can't jump off and fall under a cupboard.

You can then decide with your program when the key should fall, or whether it randomly falls between a minimum time and a maximum time.

For the Arduino Uno Rev3, it is sufficient to buy a clone (~$10 instead of $28) and a cheap electromagnet (~$10).
But if you intend to do something more with the Arduino, you can purchase a starter kit so that you immediately receive a number of other items (breadboard, cables, resistors, LEDs, ...)
User avatar
Riddle
****
Posts: 1135
Joined: 24 Sep 2008, 08:37
Location: Oregon, USA
Contact:

Re: CD Tray advice

Post by Riddle »

Personally, I prefer the full-size 5 1/2” internal dvd drives in an external enclosure and have 2 of them now. The tray eject mechanism is much stronger than the slim external drives. I bought mine from NewEgg several years ago, but I can’t find any from there now.

I have not used this release method and only know about them from normal use cases. My preferred release method is an Arduino and an electromagnet.
Resident timer maker. :hi:
Let’s make timers together!
User avatar
itami
*
Posts: 11
Joined: 09 Sep 2019, 19:54

Re: CD Tray advice

Post by itami »

Thank you for the replies, it seems that my hopes of getting a CD tray were too optimistic. I have always been afraid to go to arduino because it seems much more complicated than just using a CD release. Honestly I don't even know where to start. Are there any guides for dummies?
User avatar
Shannon SteelSlave
Moderator
Posts: 6531
Joined: 03 Feb 2019, 19:49
Location: New England, USA

Re: CD Tray advice

Post by Shannon SteelSlave »

It really doesn't cost much (probably less then $100 US dollars) for a refurbished computer with DVD RW optical drive that should serve your purpose.
Bondage is like a foreign film without subtitles. Only through sharing and practice can we hope to understand.
A Jedi uses bondage for knowledge and defense, never for attack.
I am so smart! I am so smart! S-M-R-T!....I, I mean S-M-A-R-T!
👠👠
User avatar
Riddle
****
Posts: 1135
Joined: 24 Sep 2008, 08:37
Location: Oregon, USA
Contact:

Re: CD Tray advice

Post by Riddle »

itami wrote:Thank you for the replies, it seems that my hopes of getting a CD tray were too optimistic. I have always been afraid to go to arduino because it seems much more complicated than just using a CD release. Honestly I don't even know where to start. Are there any guides for dummies?
The Arduino route is much more complicated than the CD route, but it can be done by you easy enough. The Arduino board is a very simple and small computer that runs a very simple program called a “Sketch” that runs on repeat as long as it has power. There is no worries about shutting it down before removing the power and it can run on batteries just fine. When it gets power again, it automatically restarts its program and does its thing again. You load the program into it with a computer and it will remember the program until you give it a new program. The program can do whatever simple tasks you want and you can write the program yourself. However, you can also use programs from other sources like members here. I would be happy to help you make the program work exactly how you want your release to be.

At Arduino.cc , all of the information you need is available and they sell the hardware as well. I would recommend starting with an Arduino Uno with the replaceable microcontroller just in case a wiring issue happens to damage the processor. This is rare especially when the user is very careful about the wiring and current limits of the device. However, it is recommended because replacing the processor will cost about $5 instead of the entire $20+ board. I recommend the official Uno version made by Arduino because it is guaranteed to work perfectly with the Arduino software IDE by default. After getting started with it, you can purchase other hardware from other, less expensive manufacturers and should be able to get them to work as well. Some of the other hardware is labeled “Arduino Compatible”, but requires special software changes and additional downloads to make it work.

If you want to learn a lot about electronics and programming the Arduino devices, then the Arduino Starter Kit is an excellent choice. It comes with a bunch of additional components and an awesome printed tutorial that covers a whole lot of different things you might find useful. At the very least, it will be educational and interesting.

If you just want the bare minimum for a self-bondage release, then you only need the Arduino Uno board, an Arduino compatible MOSFET switch board, an electromagnet, and some wire. It is recommended to have a good variety of different wire insulation colors available to make it easier to connect everything together and then trace the wires to double check that they are all connected correctly. It also makes troubleshooting easier if there is a problem. Pre-cut wire bundles with the wire ends nicely finished and many different colors are readily available and inexpensive. Then again, I have a tendency to purchase a single spool of wire in whatever color is on sale and then create a wiring nightmare that no one else will even consider troubleshooting or even touching.

Depending on what you want, there are a lot of different ways you can assemble the timer. It is possible to purchase an Arduino Motor Shield (circuit board that just plugs into the Arduino Uno) and then the only wires you need to worry about are the 2 wires for the electromagnet. This is really easy, but more expensive.

Please take a look at the Arduino.cc website and take a look at the beginner guide. After that, please start a new thread in the DIY section here so that we can help you out with your project questions and concerns. We will be happy to help you figure this out and get you a new release mechanism up and running. Just remember, here, there are no stupid questions, just people wanting answers.
Resident timer maker. :hi:
Let’s make timers together!
User avatar
kinbaku
*****
Posts: 5052
Joined: 10 Jan 2020, 20:26
Location: Belgium

Re: CD Tray advice

Post by kinbaku »

Riddle wrote:Please take a look at the Arduino.cc website and take a look at the beginner guide. After that, please start a new thread in the DIY section here so that we can help you out with your project questions and concerns. We will be happy to help you figure this out and get you a new release mechanism up and running. Just remember, here, there are no stupid questions, just people wanting answers.
And after a year of sitting still with the Arduino, I'm trying to make an easy manual - especially for BDSM and related.

I just hope it won't be more than a year before I get it done :facepalm: , but rest assured we're working on it at BoundAnna.

At the moment I am using https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJWR7dB ... EP&index=3 to get ideas.

A short overview in 90 minutes is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLrHTHUjPuw.
User avatar
itami
*
Posts: 11
Joined: 09 Sep 2019, 19:54

Re: CD Tray advice

Post by itami »

Thank you all for the kind feedback and useful links. I will study them carefully and maybe even hop into Arduino train myself :D
Post Reply