MIOS + AOUT, New possibilities emerging?!

[moebius]

Hi there, Control Freaks (tm;)!

I saw this thread from the forum:

http://www.midibox.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=concepts;action=display;num=1061679353

And started to wonder what to expect from AOUT module and what should be expected. As more into a synth-diy side of things I think this might be a breakthrough for building homebrew instruments with MIDI control AND patch storage. Pheww!!

So before Thorsten makes his miracles again ;) I think those with interests in using midibox for MIDI to CV or other similar things (midi controllable modular synth anyone? With patch storage?!) should throw some comments in to make it as easy as possible to interface AOUT module to the world of analog synths!

t. Moebius, Samppa Tolvanen

p.s. I hope that some analog electronics wizard starts designing that "Universal Voltage Controlled Pot Replacement" ;)

[stryd_one]

Hey that's a really good idea... Modular kit could be made to patch and repatch itself via the switch/patchbay that's in the works (see some other thread started by rowan)... Imagine, a real life analog modular synth, which you can save patches on... nice one moebius!

[moebius]

Yes, but not only patch matrix, also VCO, VCF, (VC)ADSR, VCA ect. ect. controlled by AOUT dac.. Midiboxes Pots, switches ect. as control surface, providing Control Voltages and Gates ect. to each module. :) This could provide full control of analog synth, with memory storage and automation :)

But back to original request for comments:

Maybe Thorsten could provide some information what he has on his mind?!

Things that I have in mind:

dac resolution:

What is suitable resolution, so control of analog modules would be smooth?! (and is data type supported by MIOS?)

dac latency:

How long dac conversions are going to take?

voltage levels:

What is going to be voltage range? How easy is it to adapt to, for example 0-10v range to control VCO's with note data with precision?

Anyway, comments welcome!!

moebius

[Duggle]

hi,

"

p.s. I hope that some analog electronics wizard starts designing that "Universal Voltage Controlled Pot Replacement" "

caught my eye

1)  A low cost FET transistor and a couple of resitors can provide a variable reisitance controlled by CV. There are articles on the web re this.

2) There are various flavours of "digipot" out there that could be interfaced in large arrays via a familiar 3 wire serial interface that could come off the Core or Dout.

There are design and application issues with either of these approaches, the biggest job is software/app integration, imho.

cheers

[DrBunsen]

Well this is what I'd like:  a MIDIbox SEQ with as many CV and gate/trig (switchable) outs as it can handle.

The patch matrix would be useful in a 4-SID box, combined with the 4-way mixer IC mentioned in another thread.  Picture four mono inputs, four mono outs, a stereo mix out, all routeable to/from the ins/outs on the individual SIDs.  

[TK.]

I will use the MAX525, a 4 channel DAC with 12 bit resolution. Latency is no issue (only limited by the transfer time, less than 5 uS (microseconds)).

These DACs can be cascaded in a chain like the DOUT registers for a nearly unlimited number of channels.

The driver will be embedded into the application and will be written in a way which allows to reuse the code for other DACs from other manufacturers - the adaption will be your job...

Best Regards, Thorsten.