Hi!

As I only started blogging, but work on this controller for about a month (plus some planning time), I have to close up to my current status, which I will do today.

So the controller is called mothership, because it is rather big :rolleyes: . It will be around a metre to half a metre to fifteen centimetres.

It holds controls for four decks inclusive jogwheels, four-section (midi)mixer, an effectsection plus loop-recorder controls. And some other stuff I found very funny, like infrared distance sensors and touchpads. If I can I will try to implement four moto-faders for pitchcontrolling. Additionally I planned a 2x20Lcd to show the selected effect and four Lcd to show some extra info from traktor (traktor has a display-size issue: it will keep its size by "sacrifing" some boxes, so if you use four decks in expanded-mode on a widescreen-display, master volume and other info will not be displayed).

The exact layout is done on the frontplate, but I used freeCAD for tests.

The idea behind the desing is, despite being desinged for traktor, the overall look of the controller should still be modular, so that it could also be used for other purposes. So for example the upper part of the decks could be used as a step-sequencer (for DAWs), equalizer as pot-matrix and so on.

I will use three sorts of buttons: seimitsu-Buttons for exclusive controls, mini-arcade Buttons ( http://www.conrad.de/ce/de/product/701104/DRUCKTASTER-R13-507A-05-SW-TASTE/SHOP_AREA_17384&promotionareaSearchDetail=005 ) and buttons from marquard. Sadly, the mini-arcadebuttons cannot be iluminated, but the have a great feel and are rather cheap for arcadebuttons.

Faders and pots are from alps, and I will also implement eight membrane-pots, so I hope that I can supply a calibration-code (in some time).

The coloursheme for the leds will be yellow with blue accents.

For the electronics I am giong to use three Core17s, with 12DINs and DOUTS and two AINSER64, so I will be busy soldering the next time =). The CORE-PCBs are/will be from SMASHTV, the DIN/DOUT are from MIKEs PCB-Shop (Germany), thanks for the support!

I have a USB-hub to connect the cores and for external power (EXSYS EX-1177).

I plan to write my own software, but in the meantime I will use the Midio128 one.

The controls will be mounted on a aluminium frontplate. I am going to drill it myself, as a custom frontplate would be way to expensive and would not allow me to change the layout along the way. So I will be busy on this part to, I already marked most of the holes, I will use a "Kegelsenker" for the big holes, already tested it it, works good!

Most of the buttons can be screwed directly in the aluminiumplate, only the marquard-ones need a PCB, which will be screwn in the plate.

The frontplate will sit in an wooden box, I made. For this I doweld four boards on a 1mx0.5m wooden plate. After that sanded the box, doweling more precise means less sandening, I should have paid more attention there... ...so I sanded for hours and hours. I made the corners round and drilled two holes in the back for the USB-hub. The box will be threatened with "Dekorwachs" for a teak-shade.

So this is my "current status" and from now on I will give "realtime" updates...

Greetings geth

PS:Making a mess at home with the midibox electronic stuff...