DIY White Noise Generator

Just like fighting fire with fire, you can combat noise with noise. White noise, sound frequencies spread equally across a given bandwidth, can be used to block out everyday sounds. Conversations or the television in the next room can be masked with the sound of white noise. Special white noise generators are commercially available and are used as sleep and privacy aids. White noise is also used for masking the symptoms of tinnitus, a medical condition defined by the National Institutes of Health as "hearing noises in your ears when there is no outside source."

The Easy Way

• If you would like to take advantage of the benefits of white noise but don't want to buy another piece of electronic equipment, you can do it yourself.
  Chances are good that you have a white noise generator in your house already. An FM radio will generate white noise if tuned to an empty frequency. Tune your FM radio to a frequency without an assigned station, adjust the volume and tone to a comfortable level, and you've created a white noise machine.

Online Option

• You can use your computer to generate white noise without buying a program or writing a single line of code. Numerous Internet sites will stream white noise to your desktop. If your computer is in a convenient location and has speakers and a sound card, you can open up the website and start the noise generator.

Free Downloads

• Your MP3 or CD player can also be used to generate white noise wherever you go. Several sites also offer free MP3 downloads of white noise. These can be played on your computer, transferred to your MP3 player or burned onto a CD. The resources listed below are good places to start if either online option appeals to you.

Homemade

• For a completely do-it-yourself portable solution, you can always record the FM static from your radio and make your own MP3 or CD. Putting your player in loop mode will play the recording until you're ready to turn it off.