intellijel

I need to get 33 switches like this: http://ca.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?qs=sGAEpiMZZMvxtGF7dlGNpgQRst%2ftFpqQ9OkJJfqOt%2fo%3d Or from Reichelt: http://www.reichelt.de/?ARTICLE=7248 They are for the MB-808 project and I missed out on the group buy of them. The price is very steep, especially since I need 33 of them so I was wondering if by chance anyone has some extra stock of either of these buttons from a larger order they made in the past?

It has now been a long time and no case options have materialized. I am not putting any blame but it is time to move on and find different options. I am currently using mfg.com to source quotes for panel/enclosure work. If the pcb is released along with panel info then I will draw up the mechanical diagrams for an enclosure in soldiworks and I will be happy to share the files.

I should clarify that yes indeed I am trying to design midi controller modules not an actual mixer. I just want the layout to look like a mixer. The mb64 is definitely what I would expect to use for the brains per limited set of modules (e.g. one core supports a max of 4 modules).

My quest to find a digital mixer that has analog style interface (e.g. lot's of knobs for eq and aux sends) that can be used as a midi controller is not turning up any good options. So the next step is to build my own with ucapps stuff. I think the smartest way to do this is to design a midi controller channel strip onto a PCB that would be vertically mounted. This would mean that all the pushbuttons, pots and fader would be right angled but then they could all be on one pcb and their heights adjusted properly to fit with the front panel. The design probably work with a Midibox 64 configuration with a certain number of pcb modules (channels) supported per midbox core. Maybe it would be good to have three separate pcbs: 1. channel strip (looks like a mixer: fader, mute/solo, 4 pots for eq with sweepable mid, 1 pot pan, 2 aux sends). This would total 8 pots so a single midibox core would support 8 channels of this module. It would also be good to have some DAW controls too like a launch/stop clip button for ableton users.` 2. synth control strip (mixture of knobs and buttons and status leds but still a volume fader, mute/solo buttons. 3. master section strip (for aux returns etc.) This could possibly be the synth strip as well. Users can make their own master volume pot or any other additional controls. If the pcbs are designed to be connected with ribbon connectors and possibly have the DIN/AIN/DOUT modules integrated into them then the build time for these would be very quick. I don't think these would be too complicated to do but I do not have any experience making PCBs. Has anyone already built something like this that is ready to go? (i.e. willing to share their pcb designs so I can get some boards made) Something we could collaborate on as a group to get bulk pricing for the pcbs?

I really want a midi controller that has the same layout and UI as a 16 channel analog mixer like a mackie 1604 or A&H mixwizard. Older models of 1604's are really cheap on the used market (<$500) and the behringer rip-off versions are even cheaper. Has anyone ever taken a behringer mixer and gutted it to use it as the enclosure for their midibox? As long as it had panel mounted pots you could replace all of them with your own 10k pots. The fader+mute/solo switch section might be tricker...it may be possible to hack up the pcbs in there and mod them so you can re-use them. Maybe even the whole channel strip can be re-used if you cut traces and replace some of the pots. This would save a lot of money on the UI elements such as an enclosure, front panel and knobs.

I am one of the guys Ralf gave the files to and he was also really helpful about answering questions. He is definitley supportive of the midibox/diy community! I have also been following the LiveAPI project for quite a while and was able to make some interesting prototypes but I gave up on the project for the exact reasons that Ralf stated. I was too worried that something would get broken on subsequent Live releases and the whole time I was pretty much waiting for the MFL features to be implemented. That being said I found the APC40 to be a disappointing controller but it at least demonstrates some of the new potential. It is definitely encouraging me to finish my own custom controller in time for when MFL gets released. Looking at how the APC40 integrates with live gives me some insight as to what my controller should be able to do as well (since it can use the same functionality/protocol via MFL). I look forward to more details about the MFL objects so that I can plan even more functionality but I guess for now I should be patient. I see Ralf's invitation to suggest features and changes as golden opportunity to help the DIY community, not as a means to increase Abelton revenue. Part of the reason the DIY community exists is as a reaction to the fact that most corporations don't listen to their users or create documented, open API's. For once there is a company that is doing this so we should encourage it...I think it will help the DIY community more than it will help them.

I am at work right now but I am realising that I loaded the main.hex but NOT MIOS!!! I think when I go home and load MIOS I may see the results I was expecting :P cheers Danjel

yeah I just checked the lcd module on an old core module that I know it used to work with and it doensn't. This means the cable or the module has been damaged. cheers, Danjel

I have a smashtv core module with the latest bootloader and MB64 loaded onto it. The MIOS studio is showing a steady stream of sysex messages received so I assume the board is operating. However the LCD screen only displays a row of white squares. I tried sending text to it via MIOS studio with no luck. It also displays no text on startup, just straight to squares. I tried adjusting the luminence and contrast of the lcd but only the contrast pot seems to have an effect. Do I need to have any of the input pins grounded on the core to test the LCD? Possible fault in my core? lcd cable? I hope I am missing something obvious because this LCD screen+cable worked on another one of my cores. cheers, Danjel

Is 2mm aluminum ok for a frontpanel? What is an ideal thickness for a durable panel (e.g. does not dent too easily)

using different pcbs is not an option for this design. On the datasheet for the panasonic pots there is one that is 7.5mm tall: EVUF2K If I used this and reduced my front panel thickness I could make it work. Trouble is that it is not available at digikey.ca or mouser.com

I am making a controller with pcb mounted pots, sliders and tact switches. The problem I am having is with making sure everything will protrude through the frontpanel at an appropriate height. The problem component is the pcb mounted pots. All the ones have bodies that are slightly too tall (or just on the borderline) relative to the height of the tact switches with caps. I have looked at a bunch of different combinations of different pots with different switches+caps but with the same issue. These are the parts I would like to use: http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=SW801-ND tact switch http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=SW255-ND switch cap http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=PP1045SB-ND slider http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=P3E5103-ND pot the body height of the pot: 8.5mm the height of the tact switch with cap is 10mm and it need to protrude by 1mm from the front panel. If I have a 2.5mm front panel then that means the max height the pot can be is 6.5 mm. So my two choices: 1. Find nice tact switches+caps that are much taller 2. Find pots that are shorter bodied Any tips for this? I made 3d models to see how everything lined up and this is where I really noticed I had a problem. Maybe my real question is: What is a good low operating force, inexpensive, reliable tact switch that has colored cap options and is greater than 12mm in height ?

thanks for the nkk tip (I had seen them there before but wasn't sure). These are illuminated type: http://www.nkkswitches.com/pdf/M2100.pdf Could be cool but freakin' expensive! I still stick to my illuminated omron switches for now

I am looking to source switches like the ones used on the Korg Zero 8 for the mute/solo I think it is a form of three position toggle but has a really smooth a durable feel: http://www.korg.com/Zero8/Zero8_kh2.jpg basically something I can flick quickly like I would on a DJ mixer. Any ideas?

That cross pattern would be bad for the rgb led (hard to spread out the leads like that). I need something like this: http://www.richco-inc.com/group_details.asp?seccode=500&grpcode=L1060 I already checked digikey mouser and did the google thing. Most of them don't even stock rgb leds to begin with...not sure why this would still be considered such a specialty item that you need to buy it from ebay or led stores. cheers, Danjel

here is an example: http://www.richco-inc.com/browse_group.asp?seccode=500 http://www.rapidonline.com/netalogue/zoomed/Large/38033601.jpg Just something to raise my led from the pcb.

I can't seem to find anywhere that sells spacers for my rgb leds which have 4-leads. The best I could find is a 3 lead one. Any ideas? I guess I might have to go for the tube solution. cheers, Danjel

I had seen those documents before but I simply forgot them :P Thanks a lot for the help guys!

I tried it but it does not help. The problem is that the light needs some space to blend. I just wish I could find a creative source for tiny semi-translucent discs. There has to be something out there!!!!

hmmm well it is already diffused plastic (they are not clear). I also tried putting a piece of semi-transluscent material directly on them but this was too close so the colours did not blend still. I will try sanding and see if that has a magical optic effect!

heheh EASY for you! ;) Those pins (from port C) are being used by the AIN module no? (J6 on the core). What other pins could I use as GPIO? With something like Arduino it is so clear what one has assigned to each pin and how those pins will be used. I guess with MIOS I am still getting lost between what has already been pre-allocated in MIOS and what I can override or assign with my C apps. Still hazy on elements of the big picture... Also I don't know what LATC and TRISC are. I assume "shared with other outputs" means that two of those pins can use a port/pins that will also be used for other purposes (they take turns) but the CS pin needs to be dedicated. I may be missing something really obvious or simple about how to integrate this into MB64 or simmilar app that has AIN, DIN and DOUT modules attached to it. thanks!

I was looking at ways to hook up a max7221 to the midibox. I am always thinking in terms of retaining the functionality of a midbox64 but being able to change how certain things are done. I know there was a max72xx driver created as part of the Stribe project in the repository However I am not sure how to hook this up to core if I am using it for DOUT, DIN and AIN modules as well. I am also trying to avoid re-inventing the wheel or writing too much new code since the BLM project already exists and works well. I was wondering if I could just connect a max7221 chip in place of where two 74HC595's on a DOUT module would be and then used the normal MIOS code for writing to a dout module to control it? (as long as I read the max7221 data sheet and sent the appropriate values to control it.... e.g. I may have to write a few of my own functions for it) I could also do all this stuff with just the standard DOUTs but then I lose the ability to easily control the broghtness of each led matrix I drive. I want to use three cascaded max7221 chips to drive an rgb led matrix of 8x8. It is nice that each one only needs a single resistor value to set the brightness of the whole colour. I could also do this with the 74HC595 by pwm the chip enable pin BUT how do I program this into mios? what pin do I use as the pwm output? Should I get a dedicated square wave generator to do this? If so, how do I control it with software?

The leds I have already have flatops (no need to sand them). I am well aware that you can buy diffuser lens caps for leds that will protrude from your front panel (they also have a fernel type lens rigdes on them) but these will not achieve the effect I want at all. I have attached some photos to show better what I want to do. Here are the led's: Next to it is a typical LED holder (similar dimensions to the tube I wanted.) So I decided to try putting on the led but not snapping it in place so the top of the led is sunken relative to the top of the holder. All I need to do is put some shrink tube on parts of the tube that are allowing light through. This photo shows it at a better angle with the light on: This last photo shows the desired final effect. I took a piece of a thin plastic label/tape and put it over top of the led+holder. It produces a nice colored disc that is perfectly diffused. If I mount all of my rgb leds on standoffs (so they are equal height) and then glue an rgb holder onto each one, there will be an array of tubes all at the same height. I can just glue pieces of simmilar plastic to each one and then design my frontpanel holes for the leds to be smaller than the discs. However what I would really like to do is find thin, 5mm semi-translucent disc that I could just stick on top of or into each one. This way I could have them poke through the front panel and be flush. It would look cool and have a wide viewing angle.

sure thing TK! I looked in the repository and was pleased to see a driver for using the MAX7221! I will definitely be trying that out too (so much nicer for RGB leds to have a single resitor to set brightness and to have built in pwm and matrix scanning) cheers, Danjel

I got some great rgb leds that have flat tops and a diffused (frosted) plastic. They are almost ideal except for the fact that the lighting elements are too close to the surfaces and so they do not blend into a uniform light. When I take a piece of 0.25" wide tape and wrap around them to make a little tube and then I put a sheet of paper on the top it makes a perfect colored circle. because the leads are flat topped, it does not take too much distance from the top of them to diffuse the light (just a couple of mm). Is there an off the shelf solution for this? e.g. an opaque tube about 0.25" long and with a 5mm ID and a translucent top? Or is there a tiny 5mm diameter translucent disc that I can use and then just buy black nylon tube with 5mm ID and cut it into equal lengths? The best solution of all would be if I could just epoxy something in place (again some sort of translucent disc) Any ideas? cheers, Danjel