nebula

Hmmmm ... I took pics, and I started a new thread. See here. I will see this one to the end, because I really want rubber buttons in a custom arrangement for this project, however I have decided to prototype it first using ordinary buttons so that I can tweak the software and the panel layout. Then I'll attempt to mold a complete button membrane.

Firewire MIDI interfaces do exist, although most often it's as part of an audio interface. For example, the MOTU 828 series has MIDI and audio, and connectivity via firewire. Other offerings come from Behringer, M-Audio, and many others. Yamaha's mLAN (studio firewire) protocol provides for hundreds of virtual MIDI cables over Firewire. USB however is definitely the prevailing interface for MIDI. I think USB ended up being more popular because it started appearing on PCs first. Firewire was an expensive add-on for PCs, and you still don't see it everywhere, but you can't find a computer without USB. Even Apple, who pioneered Firewire, no longer includes it on the base MacBook. USB 2.0 later emerged, advertising a 480 Mb/second transfer rate, but it is still outperformed in every way by Firewire 400. I don't know enough about the two buses to offer more than an educated guess on this, but I suspect Firewire MIDI would offer less jitter than USB MIDI. But because all operating systems now have built-in drivers for MIDI over USB, plugging a keyboard controller or other MIDI-over-USB device right into the computer has become a no-brainer for many.

Hi Amp, I feel a need to clarify this old thread only because somebody may still use it to select switches. Although the datasheet refers to "stem height", this refers to the switch's height including the stem. 13 mm is indeed the total height of the switch as it stands off the board, i.e. not including leads.

MB-6582 vs. FatMan for the budding DIYer: The FatMan doesn't sound all that great, and it's a nuisance to calibrate. PAiA has some really weird ways of doing some things, too - like they've never caught on that nobody wants a bare PCB hanging in their rack, or a wall cube that's permanently attached to whatever it's powering. They provide oddball heat sinks for the regulators (which actually causes your finished product to be more fragile), and there is almost no nice way to tidily wire the FatMan front panel to the PCB (i.e. there are just wires everywhere). On the other hand it's truly analog, can be controlled with CVs and triggers, and it's easy and fun to mod. I found MB-6582 easier to build than the FatMan. MB-6582 puts the whole control panel on a nice PCB. It is a self-contained unit. It is a far more versatile synth. It lacks step-by-step instructions, but there are lots of people in this forum who want to help you succeed. And, unfortunately, you still have to source a lot of its parts yourself (even with Smash's baseboard kit, you still need encoders, tact switches, LEDs, display, PT-10 case, flex cables, power supply, panels ... Expect to pay quite a bit more to make MB-6582 with 8 SIDs than it would cost to make a FatMan. Regardless of what make first, if you think you might want to make a MIDIbox in the future, keep an eye out for the Bulk Orders here on the MIDIbox forum. I have bought knobs, encoders, x0xb0x parts, MB-6582 panels, PCBs, LCDs, and other stuff through bulk orders here. Watch the Flea Market too, as the spare parts that people sell off are often exactly what you're looking for.

Any thoughts as to when (in which release) something went wrong with the drums? I have been using RC26. I'll be upgrading next time I use it!

Very nice! My 16+ never saw an enclosure, unfortunately, and it is now in pieces, but I have since gotten much better than I was at electronics DIY.

Guys, the layout's pretty clear, and armed with that it should really not be rocket science to create a schematic for yourself. Why burden Seppo? Here are some schematics (and other resources) for SSM2044-based filters. Seppoman's design doesn't deviate really far from much of this: http://electro-music.com/forum/topic-15933.html&highlight= http://pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/view/96412/ETC/SSM2044.html http://www.analog-synth.de/synths/mod2/ssmlowpass/ssmlowpass.htm http://embeddedcookbook.com/parts/SSM2044/docs/ http://www.electricdruid.net/index.php?page=info.ssm2044 <--really interesting stuff! http://www.next.gr/inside-circuits/voltage-controlled-filter-ssm2044p-l5878.html These are from the first two pages I got from googling "SSM2044 SCHEMATIC".

The last thing I want to ever do is discourage somebody from building a MIDIbox, expecially one as simple as you describe, but I thought I'd chime in about John Pitcairn's software in case you aren't aware: http://www.opuslocus.com/lcxmu/ "LC XMU" allows an ordinary knob-laden MIDI controller box to act as a Logic Control. http://www.opuslocus.com/lcxview/ "LC XVIEW" gives you just the display, on screen, for "any hardware controller that can accurately emulate a Logic Control or Mackie Control"

I think it's safe to say he finished it. I re-nominate.

I am resurrecting this thread because I came across this little gem: --- EDIT: let's add this beaut:

Very impressive. Thank you for taking the time to make, and share, this amazing video.

I initially wasn't going to do this project because it doesn't incorporate the matrix, but I have changed my mind. I'm going to build this and add a matrix to it, or else realize my monster seq/matrix design as a separate project. So ... if you were to do a bulkie for just the pcb, I would definitely be in. I liked the way the MB-6582 evolved, with numerous folks offering bulks for various compatible parts. Wilba, while offering complete kits is admirable, it will be a nightmare to support. I'll admit I'd like to get in on bulk savings for the switches and caps, but I think I have almost everything else in my parts department. Oh and for what it's worth, bagging ICs and sockets on a piece of anti-static foam is way easier than using tubes.

Nice to see maybe sometimes you do get more than you pay for. I don't like most Behringer stuff, although I do like the build quality of the BCF/BCR 2000 controllers. I often find their stuff has underspecced power supplies that run too hot, which can lead to other problems.

The wirewrap tool strips the wire as it wraps. It's actually a very fast way to build stuff when size and lifespan aren't an issue. Wirewrap connections eventually oxidize and/or loosen, so it's not perfect, but it is reliable enough to make a prototype.

... and of course I still haven't gotten around to it. Sorry Sasha... it's still on my "to-do" list.

Does anybody have plans to do an order of PCB's that can hold these, along with encoders?

I've been pondering this for a while. There's got to be some sort of hardware solution for multiplexing analog outputs, that could probably work equally well with AOUT and AOUT_NG. Most vintage polysynths, which have dozens of internal CV targets, have only a single multiplexed DAC to handle the work. Certainly the best choice from an economy perspective would be to multiplex before we start to add additional AOUT* boards. Maybe it's not worth the effort, since it would probably be easier to extend MBCV code to support a second (or third or fourth) 8-channel DAC.

audacity

Dude, did you even look at what people are discussing in this forum? Well think carefully, that sounds really pricey.

looooooong. Stupid long. 5" or something like that. And I got them with female SIP on one end to mate with a right-angle header I put on the CS board. You probably want 2". If memory serves, I bought 10x 8-conductor (made sense with the price break) and 1x 2-conductor. I've just been too lazy to do anything about it. But forget about stripping those little ribbons. They are the length that they are.

Hi Max, Looking at your construction thread, I suspect that you could churn out a basic MB-SID (Core + SID module) in just an evening. Any enhancements you make to its design after that are after-the-fact tweaks. If you buy (or etch) the separate boards instead of going the MB-6582 route, you'll have extra modules you can experiment with, or troubleshoot your other project(s). The 6582 sounds sweet. Having completed an MB-6582, I can say it has exceeded my expectations, and I had a lot of fun building it.

Hi Tristan, I used those. They're good. Be careful not to buy them any longer than you need, or getting your case closed will be a nuisance. Mine are too long and I can't close the case.

Hey Phattline, Sweet panel, but did you mean "Klopfgeist"?

I'm planning on a PT-10 with 16 illuminated round step buttons, made of silicone. The buttons will be arranged in a circle, like that famous analog sequencer guy on Youtube (except with lit rubber buttons instead of pots and toggle switches). With a 16-step encoder dedicated to the "rotate" function, rotating a musical part will be very fun, as the lit buttons will follow the movements of your hand while it makes crazy changes to the beat. I've got a roughly designed panel, I've got silicone curing, and I've got a populated Ultracore.

I've got one in the planning stages. I've been dragging my heels a bit, which means I guess I don't get to be first!