julianf

I think that, over the years, you have spoken with me about nothing more than this... : (Your ongoing focus would certainly imply to me that you think that i am under obligation?(i know that this is the same question as i asked you in my last post, but you chose not to answer me then, so i must ask again) This is one of the times - http://midibox.org/forums/topic/18838-seq4-heidenreich-case-bulk-2014-2015/?page=2#comment-165055 In that instant, i was not only able to answer you, but also to link you to where i had supplied that information to others before you even asked. Then, as now, i think that most would assume that you did not want that information - that you were just checking to see if i would release it. Let me be 100% clear to you - There is no one here who has asked me for any work that is a derivative of these designs, and has not been supplied what they have asked for - including yourself! If you do choose to reply, i really would appreciate an answer to my own question.

As i understand it, i can not fail to supply any files that i hold that are derivatives of open source projects. Do you disagree with this?

Members of this group are about to be asked to "risk" money on an untested pcb, when a confirmed good copy of the same exists, and has existed, for years. I find this very confusing, given my (possibly inaccurate) assumptions as to the community benefit nature of the project. I find page 4 of this thread almost beyond description. You can, I'm sure, understand my concern. http://chipmusic.org/forums/topic/11096/midibox-swinsid/ Is there anywhere where i can clarify the exact terms of the licence / licences, such as there can be no errors made?

Ive been trying to pick up snippets, but am still left confused - The midibox code is open source, right? I assumed the hardware was also? Ie if i realise that there is an error in the mb6582 panel file, I'm not to just keep this to myself, but to publicise it, so as the rest of the community benefits, right? Indeed, i thought i was obliged to to this? Am i wrong here?

Lisa, Would you be happy to post your work to date, so as it can truly be open sourced, and we can hopefully get some movement? Again, i am happy to take some 'risk' - i would just like to see a project come to fruition! : )

In the past, where i have taken an item in for works, from outside of the EU, and customs have spotted the unit, i have had to go through a procedure where the import fees are wavered, but only for a set amount of time. The works have to be completed, and the item shipped back out again before the time is up, otherwise fees are due. This is for items coming into the EU for works - i guess a bag of parts would be the same as the items i have received (things like tb-303s). The process is very controlled, and i get an email every year to submit licence details etc - it seems once you are on the system it is difficult to get back off it again!

Both TK, and Wilba have approved of this. There are a whole load of people waiting and waiting on the CS pcbs. A confirmed good file exists, and has existed for years within the community. Why is it that it cant just be emailed to Lisa (who, again, has TK and Wilba's permission) for her to get some boards made up, and people to get on with building them?

I lost enough money (as did others) on Marco's deceit, in pursuit of a mbseq unit, that im happy to 'risk' a little on some honest boards that, i suspect, will be flawless anyhow.

Im happy to do whatever i can to make this happen. So many of us have been waiting on the CS boards for so long (as in years) and it feels that, thanks to Lisa, we are now so close... The boards are probably not huge money, so i think i would be happy to buy un-tested, if others were also.

Lisa Would it be an idea for me to loan you a panel for checking? Julian

lisa is working on getting a run of pcbs made (which seem to be the limiting factor in v4 building!) ive got a case sorted for low volume production (ie no need to do bulk orders from heinrich) ...so, it seems that, if you just wait a little bit on lisa, then things should come together for you :)

I cut at least three different formats. The panel will work with the first and the last (both 17"), but it will be too thin for the 19".

In what format? I ask, as it only comes up to 1.5mm, so would be no good for 19" units.

Just gotten around to taking a photo of this - Its a nice finish - probably nicer than the photo really shows. Ill see if i cant take another photo of it mounted to one of the pactec cases. Note - this material is brushed AND anodised. The anodising means that it wont stain or scratch easily, like normal brushed does.

Lisa - just wondering if you have a time scale in mind? Im wondering, both for myself (ive never managed to get hold of a pcb set so far!) and also if i shouldnt be trying to make some cases for people in preparation.

Ive been cutting some buchla panels recently, so i thought i would use some of the material that i purchased for them to cut a couple of mb6582 panel sets. This is the material, and the infill colour - Ill see if i cant take a photo of the mb6582s later, but, i think, they look pretty nice - just something a bit different from the usual black with white text! Thank you, Julian

So, after a decade or so, im finally getting the mb808 built... Id kind of rather not have a screen (some builds do, and some do not) but if not having one looses me a load of functionality, i guess i should have one? Im thinking i could always just not look at it, right?

Yeah, that would be cool. Can you attach it here for discussion?

Personally, i have no aversion to stainless steel allen cap heads, so, for a long time now, i have just cut the panels with through holes. ...so, yes, the screw heads will be visible, but i think that is a small price to pay for a stable build. I do not have a mbseq photo to hand, but here is a x0xb0x with allen cap bolts - I have no issue with them. The bolts on the sides of the mbseq case above are stainless steel, so, choosing some similar stainless bolts will just tie all the sections together visually also.

item is provisionally sold - i will update this thread when payment is received

I completed both the buchla style klee case and the midi box case, and posted them both on the internet together in the evening. By morning, the midibox case had received 11 views, and, i think, one comment. The klee case was on a facebook group, so i have no idea as to the views, but it had 40+ likes, and a whole load of comments. Things just are not busy here. I do not think there are that many lurkers either, or the forum "view" counters would go up faster. I dont know if this is desired or not. There have been times in the past where there has been poor feeling toward me here, i assume, because i am seen by some (one?) as parasitic, but i think the days are gone where a project can sustain in any real numbers at all whilst still being convoluted in its implementation. Take the euro stuff on muffwiggler - people sell pcbs, with a front panel, with a "click to purchase" mouser shopping cart. All the end user needs to do is get out their credit card to acquire all the parts in one go. The whole purchasing segment probably takes them less than 10 mins. And then the seqv4 - go on a group buy waiting list for the Heidenreich case. Buy panels from me, or FPD. Wait for Tim to have the pcbs in. Shop for components all over. And that is before even turning on the soldering iron. Its fine to think that the builder should have to sustain that - that its all part of the DIY experience. But, i think, the reality is that they simply wont - at least not in any significant numbers. I've done my bit - there is now a case option, all be it with a dated back panel (but, again, the case is modular, so that could be changed at any time) but, still, if someone wanted to build it from scratch, they would encounter other bottle-necks. It was sad to see a for-sale post the other day from someone who had built a device here, and was basically selling it as (rightly or wrongly) he felt the support so lacking. Busy projects with greater numbers of posts are great for support.

As per my thread here - Note - this is / was a test / prototype. It has not been used, but has some very minor imperfections.There are four things that i would certainly alter on production units - a) The base is made from a bit of scrap aluminium - a past engraving job that failed for some reason or another. It has marks on the *inner* face (ie, you wont see unless you take the case apart. The top and the rear are fresh metal.b) One of the wood ends has a small chip out of the outer edge. Again, nothing that you would be bothered about, but i like to be clear.c) There is a very very tiny mark on the top panel. It wont show up in the photos, but its between the morph and utility buttons. I mention it in the interests of complete disclosure.d) The case has not been fitted with boards. It has been designed to avoid the requirements to chop bits out (as is required with the Heidenreich unit), however, as i have not built up the unit, i can not bet my life on this!So there you have it. The asking price here is less than i would want to sell 'perfect' production units for, however, really, there's nothing above that is likely to bother anyone - i mean, how much does engraving on the inside of the base bother you? My price is GBP 140. This does not include delivery, nor does it include money transfer fees (use paypal personal to avoid them if you like) This item is *not* in my online shop, as i want any buyer to be aware of the points above. Please PM me to arrange any purchase. Note - Ive just checked, and Wilba's optomised top panel, from FPD, costs 167.37 euros (google tells me this is GBP 145.06). This is the top panel only. Not the rear panel. I think the last group buy for the Heidenreich was 127.28 euros per unit.

re: changing builds (v4+ or user customisations, etc) - After finishing up the case in the photos above, i realised that, once id got the build straight in my head, done the CAD, and run a few prototypes, i could adapt the case without so much bother. I'm currently building myself a Klee sequencer, so i thought i would use the design for that also. It took me less than a day to rework the CAD and cut new parts, to end up with this - In case its not clear, that is a 4u panel on the top. I forget, without looking at the files, if i altered the angle on the top or not, which would affect if the rear panel was the same height or not... ...but my point is that the design is flexible, for example, if someone wants custom I/O on the rear panel, different wood on the ends, different anodising, or infill on the top, etc. Or, if they want a 4u panel for one project instead of a 3u panel for another!