reincarnate

Peshay, Hello again! Well, I suggest that you go to Maplin (or another electronics shop) and by an IC extractor. These are like tweezers, but with 90 degree hooks at each end. They sell for 80p in the UK (so probably about 1.2 Euro). So far I pulled out 4 SID chips, all easy and no damage. I was glad I did because you are right, you do have to pull quite hard. Here's a picture of a toolkit - it's the item on the right next to the screwdriver: http://www.maplin.co.uk/images/catalog/pictures-all/LargeImages/ModuleImages/33780i0.jpg Think about how much a SID chip is worth to you, and how much one of these tools is. Steve.

Sure, they are expensive, but they are half the price of everything I have found so far. Thanks for the link. Steve.

Smash, I'm not in the US, but I had to look after the comments you had here. You've done one hell of a job with that site - even more repect due than before!! Steve.

I've got one of the aluminium knobs from Maplin (as in the above link). Hmmm....OK, but still haven't found better alternatives. I think they might be good with my overall design, it's hard to judge a knob on it's own. Here's a link to Reichelt - slightly different again: http://www.reichelt.de/index_direkt.html?KNOPF%2029-6%20AL+PwFsn9S4AQ4AAESeCZc+B27 Steve

You can get joysticks at Farnell, and some other places. The bad news is that they range from £40 to £105 here in the UK. Luckily for me I bought an analouge joystick with 100K pots when I was 14 for about £5, which didn't fit it's intended purpose so will be going in my Midi box. As for alternatives - I have taken apart a non-functioning Radio Control Unit which has two joysticks in. The pots were the wrong types, but the assemblies are plastic and can take replacement pots. When considering ripping apart joysticks from games machines and computers, bear in mind that a lot are not analogue (e.g. old Atari, Sinclair Spectrum, most old Commodore) but are digital (i.e. moving the joystick in a certain direction just opens a switch inside). Digital joysticks will only give you on or off values, analogue ones are the ones you'll need for things like smooth filter sweeps. Looks like we're at similar stages of MidiBox development and have similar ideas on User Interfaces, Peshay! Steve.

Hey Smash, You're exactly right about the package. Now I've had some sleep, I'm thinking a little more straight. I'll get the right package and save the TO-3 package in case I ever want to build a MidiBox-Kettle ;) Thanks for your help! Steve

I got all my parts from Reichelt and I have two very large power regulators. Perhaps I ordered wrong, perhaps they substitued, but they are sure not going to get their legs in those tiny holes on the board. They are designated UA7805KC, and have large round bodies, approximately the size of a 50cent (European!) piece. On the side nearest the legs there is a flat plate with screw holes. I was going to pop down to my local shop to get the parts that fit, but I was wondering, does anyone know If I can use them? They only have two legs, but I thought perhaps the body also acts as one of the connectors since both legs are insulated from it. If I can use them, I really don't think I'll need a heatsink, although perhaps a bigger box! ;) Bye the way, gotta tell you all because I'm really happy - I built my first JDM last night. Programmed my first PIC today...then hit out with core and two LTC modules.....core waiting on voltage regulator, LTCs require me to sleep before finishing. Got pics of the core and LTCs throughout the build, so going to write a tutorial when done. Must say, I've got a tiny amount of soldering experience, but the boards are brilliantly designed, as are the board diagrams and pics so far on the site. If anyone is wondering whether they are up to this or not, I say, GO FOR IT!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Steve

Hey, thanks Peshay ;D I think they look pretty good....still haven't ordered any knobs yet, but I've been building my JDM tonight....won't be long now! S.

Your array of beams idea sounds like Jean Michel-Jarre's lazer harp, where he breaks a lazer beam with his hand to play a note. Of course he has to wear asbestos gloves. I guess infra red detectors/emitters might be safer and cheaper but I don't think the light from LEDs is coherent enough to prevent overlap of light from adjacent LEDs to the detectors. Steve.

Wicked....can it get any better???....looks like I'll be getting an Oakley Equinox then....

thanks for the info ffuzz, and the maths correction :-[ I think mounting it deeper in the box is a good idea (except not sure I've got 3cm spare in mine!). These sensors will say anything under 3cm is 60cm away (example), so it won't convert from 0 to 81, but will convert to 400-500 or something similar (I'm not risking accurate maths again!!!) Look forward to your results ffuzz. LOL :D Midi box olympics anyone??

I think the guys in this thread were talking about something very similar to this - check it out: http://www.midibox.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=concepts;action=display;num=1055567988;start=11#11 The doepfer looks neat, but I would bet money that a better one with MIOS could be built :D Steve

I get a lot of debug errors on the page. Also the links want to display as HTML (is this deliberate because of your service provider??) Well, I downloaded it and saved as MP3 and played OK. The vocals are a little too swamped for my taste, but I think that's how you like it ;) Steve

Ha ha! Nice :D :D especially good synchronisation on this page..... Sorry...I've gone very off-topic.

Or maybe "Brownouts caused by 1000 midiboxers draining the last of Bagdad's electricity" ;)

Smash, I'd love to add that to my signature too, since there are a lot of people that haven't read that thread, and it is a really good idea. At least I'd like to do it for a while to increase the awareness of it. Would you tell me how to do it...and then can I copy. I guess it's just putting the URL in my signature...I'm not worried about that fancy movement you've done (I'm happy to let you be the flash one with this, especially since the map was your idea ;) Steve.

Doh :-[

You should really send it to Future Music demos - I reckon it would get on as one of the three demos of the month. Love that phaser/flanger or whatever it is. I play bass and sax, bit of keyboards and write...where do you live??? I'm in London weeknights and Giessen in Germany at the weekends. Check this out...from another thread: '>http://pub30.bravenet.com/guestmap/view.php?usernum=2503882551 I'll post a URL to a track or two next week. Steve

I don't, but could you post some pictures when your box is complete?...would really love to see how it looks. Steve.

TK, you're an inspiration, so respect to your privacy but if you want to answer, I'd love to know too! Steve.

Well...I just might make the motorfader module after all...just means I'm going to have to upgrade my software...my motherboard...processor.... Damn this place is like nicotine.... ;) Steve

;D ;D ;D I'd like to say it was original ;)

If it's going to be in the middle of the planet for equal access for everyone, how about Iraq  ;)

OK, a couple of things I've found out.  There are a few variants, and one of them produces 8 bit serial data.  To get this to work, the input line has to be lowered, then the PIC will have to wait 70ms, then the detector has to be clocked 8 times (I guess once for each bit) to read the data.  I guess that's how Roland are doing it and why the latency isn't great.  I think it would be different with the analogue one, since MIOS will be handling everything in microseconds (amazing TK!!!) There are two other things to bear in mind with the IR sensors.  First, within about 3cm the sensor will output a voltage as if the distance detected is far away.  Secondly, the output is non-linear.  But to be honest, waving your hands around is not exactly an accurate way to control anything anyway.  Certainly I've found that it's very hard to accurately repeat any movement for a consistent sound with my Handsonic. Thats a limitation of my arms and brain rather than the sensor. The real point is that people think it's really cool to see someone controlling a sound by waving their hands around.  It's not a way to be controlling a space shuttle, but it is fun.  Taken from this point of view, none of these things should be an issue. However, whilst I was on this site I've had another idea for a crazy controller.  First check this out: http://www.acroname.com/robotics/parts/R40-PG2033.html Guess what I'm thinking?  How about a handheld controller (or two!) with 3 gyros in each - yes, really expensive, but fancy filter sweeps in response to your dancing, rather than the other way around??  I think this would be COOOL.  Mind you, I think I can dance  ;) It's like being at school again....I'm learning all the time....THIS SITE IS SOOOOOO COOOOOOL!!! OK, I'm just gonna get one, since it's part of the design of my Midibox, then I'll experiment.  ;D ;D ;D

Hey Pay, If theres a routine to handle the deadband for joysticks, why shouldn't the same routine work for IR? Surely it's a deadband too?? S.