B.jamin da Bass

Hi Everyone, My encoders arrived last week in California, USA. ;D Thank you again, Wilba, for organizing this group buy. -b'jamin

Ok, I think we all need to take a deep breath and try to stay focused. I'm sure right about now Altitude is feeling assaulted from all sides and I'm pretty sure that is not anyone's intent here. He did go through a lot of work on everyone's behalf for free and did his very best. So, 1) Thank you again Altitude for all of your hard work and perseverance! 2) I'm perfectly happy with the panel I received. Really. No, it's not perfect, but I'm happy enough and it's way better than anything I could have done on my own, and let's face it, it was very, very inexpensive. 3) If we can negotiate refunds or re-dos from the manufacturer (with or without shipping charges) for those that are unhappy, that would of course be wonderful, and I'm sure something that Altitude is attempting right now. However, I don't think Altitude should pay himself for anyone's return shipping. 4) There's a certain amount of risk assumed in these group buys (hey, I waited two months for my $400 worth of ALPS faders to arrive from Europe with no guarantees), and that's offset by the potential savings and/ or getting something much better than you could achieve on your own. We're all trying our best to make MIDIBox.org work, but I've gotten the F.U. from printers in my day job involving much, much larger orders ($$$$$$) with the resultant mess (and usually under severe time pressure). 5) Since there are several new arrivals to the MB-6582, if you're really unhappy, I'm sure you could sell your panel to someone here for the price you paid, probably including shipping, if the manufacturer stiffs us. 6) Lastly, I'm not saying this is the best option, but someone could investigate a lexan overlay (used on quite a few commercial and DIY products) that could be group-bought and added to your completed MB-6582 at any time to make it look more pro and or durable. -Peace, B'jamin

Hello Everyone, Got my panels as well ;D . Very clever how you taped them to the center of the packing box -- I'll remember that trick the next time I need to ship something flat and protect the corners in transit. Thank you again Altitude for all of your research and hard work in organizing this bulk order. Now my MB-6582 will look so much nicer than if I had to make my own panels (you should see my hand writing :-\ ) -B'jamin

Got my displays ;D Thank you again Nebula for putting this bulk order together. It'll take me a little while to build the giant control surface (!) I have in mind (and I want to finish my MB-6582 first), but I'll be sure to post some pictures once I've made some real progress (which won't be until 2008, unfortunately). Thank you again, -B'jamin

Got mine ;D Thank you again, Jimp, for doing this bulk order. -B'jamin

Can't wait to receive that email from SmashTV. I've got most of my gaggle of ducks lined up in a quasi-row to start putting this project together. Pretty much all I'll need is the base kit w/ PICs and some rotary encoders. (Hope this doesn't count as a double post -- I'm not greedy; I just want one kit ;) ) -b

Well, a few months later :o , and I've finally received my order. The shipping box had some damage, and a few of the metal pins on the faders were bent, but I think everything will still work. Not sure why this package took so long to get to me (I've received other packages from Hong Kong, Australia, and France while waiting), but I'd suggest a different shipping method to the USA for the next order :-\ Me, I'm just happy that all of this waiting is finally over. :) Thank you again for putting together this bulk order, and I'll be sure to post some pictures once my controller is presentable (not until 2008, I'm sorry to say). -b

Oh boy, this thread's topic is running away from us :P And it almost goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) that I'd like to buy a baseboard kit with PICs from SmashTV. And maybe a panel kit, too, depending on what color LEDs are included/ not included and what Wilba wants to ultimately sell as far as rotary encoders and switches. I already have the LCD and am now waiting impatiently for the group-buy front panel to ship :). -b

Hello Everyone, Even at $5 each I'd still be in for quantity 20 :) Mentally adding up the replies in this thread (I know, I know ;) ) I'd say we have almost 100. Of course there's a big difference between that and having the $$$ in the bank (especially since the price will go up) but please keep that number in mind when you decide on a final order quantity. And Thank You nebula for taking charge of this bulk order and signing up for all that extra work and grief just so the rest of us can have a great display at a great price. -b'jamin

Wow. Mine came today (along with some SID chips) and it completely made my week. ;DThank you, thank you, thank you.;D And my LCD fits perfectly into the front panel pcb. Now the big challenge will be to wait and NOT fire up the soldering iron before I've organized all of my components (and received the front panel). SmashTV, if you're listening, I certainly would much rather order the remaining components (minus the parts Wilba wants to sell) from you rather than DigiKey. Any chance you'll be putting together a kit in the near future? The world (well, some of us anyway ;)) awaits your answer, -b'jamin

That sure is a pretty sight ;D "Can't hardly wait" to get my mittens on a few of them, but I'll try to be patient as I know it'll take a while for them to cross the ocean and get to me. Thanks again for all of your hard work organizing this group buy for us. -b'jamin

Sounds great. For that price I'd be in for quantity 20. I also agree that we'd better not wait too long, or we'll all be paying DigiKey's price :'( -b'jamin

I'm also in for one set (whichever design wins). Shipment to California, USA. -b

Hi Everyone, For what it's worth, for that kind of pricing (< $50 for both panels), I would be extremely flexible about the panel art work or it's composition.;D I do, however, really like the .pdf panel sample posted earlier in this thread by Wilba. Just my 2 cents. -b P.S. I don't know about everyone else, but I'm really excited about this project! I've already stripped a few SID chips from old, non-working C64s and can't wait to fire up the old soldering iron. P.P.S. But please enjoy and take your time with your vacation, Wilba. Don't work so hard the week before that you spend your vacation merely recuperating. We'll all wait for you to get back.

Please count me in for one display, too. I'd prefer blue, but am pretty flexible. -b