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Building my own SSL Console PART 2


Meadow
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SSl Blog Post 02

 

 

Hello again,

Last time I wrote about the design process of my console.
In this post I want to focus on the electronic part.

In the last couple of weeks I searched for the right knobs, faders and pots for the project and I nearly found all I need.
The pots were the simplest part. I opted for the Alpha 10k Lin
https://www.musikding.de/Alpha-Potentiometer-16mm-10k-lin

 

Each channel will have one motorized fader. Here I choose the PSM01-082A-103B2.

https://www.mouser.de/ProductDetail/bourns/psm01-082a-103b2/?qs=MAZTpT1IVl8rvdecO07rRA==&countrycode=DE&currencycode=EUR

 

14,76€ when I buy more than 25 is a good deal I think. The ones from alps are very pretty, but with prices over 30€ per piece they are quite expensive especially because I need 33.

For the bus channels I opted for simple 60mm faders.

Also 10k lin, not very investing.

https://www.reichelt.de/schiebepotentiometer-stereo-10-kohm-linear-rs60n12-lin10k-p73870.html?&trstct=pol_1&nbc=1

 

The knobs where a little harder to find.
For the Solo Cut and Rec knobs I want to have knobs with Leds which I can connect to an DOUT module separately.

So I could press Solo on the console but deactivate it inside my DAW and the LED would follow my actions.
After quite a bit of searching and some phone calls with distributors I finally found these.

https://de.farnell.com/nidec-copal-electronics/cfpb-1cc-4w9/drucktaster-spst-0-005a-5vdc-panel/dp/3498758

 

The knobs inside the channel strip are still to be found.
The need to be snapaction knobs with a white cap with the measurements of 5mm per side.
I couldn’t finde the right ones even after quite some hours of searching.
Maybe I’m just searching without the right search terms?
Maybe someone of you knows the answer to that problem

I didn’t start the search for LEDs just yet. I think and hope these should be easy to find.

 

For the modules I chose STM32F4 for the cores, AINSER 64 for the pots and faders, NG MF for the motorfaders, DIN for the knobs and DOUT for the LEDs.

I especially need quite a lot of AINSER modules and I’m still figuring out a way to connect more than two to an STM32F4. I found some blogposts but could get the answer out of these. They suggested it should be even possible to connect more than three?

I obviously want to use as less cores as possible. This build will be huge either way.

 

I can connect the MF modules directly to a pc without a pc. Thats what is written on the website. But how do I connect these to the pc? Via midi? There is no USB port on these modules right?
And I also should cascade them. I need 5 modules. I want to use 33 motorized faders and that’s quite unfortunate because every mf module only supports 8.
How do I cascade these modules? Also via MIDI?

The last problem I ran into is the meter bridge.

This could be a whole blogpost of its own…

My plan was, or partly still is to use 10 7“ displays connected to a 10 times HDMI splitter, which tells the PC there is only one REALLY big screen. But after buying quite some displays to test out I figured out 90% of the screens for sale online are totally crap! Ok, I searched for quite cheep ones, but I need 10 of them and if I had unlimited money I would buy the original ORIGIN console…
But I don’t have access to unlimited amounts of cash so I need a cheap display which works.
The first one I ordered was the perfect size and easy to operate. But I only could see the image looking from one specific angle. Moving my head just a little bit the whole display would turn blue.
The second one was advertised to be 7“, but the one that were delivered to my was only 3,5“…are you kidding me?

Out of anger I searched for analog VU meters. I really like the looks of these and figured out these work with voltage.

Is it possible to drive VU meters with a midibox module?
Maybe with an AOUT module?

 

So many more questions but I already wrote a whole book here…sorry for that.

If you still reading in this point thank you very much!


Have a nice day!
Frederik

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https://www.reichelt.de/schiebepotentiometer-stereo-10-kohm-linear-rs60n12-lin10k-p73870.html?&trstct=pol_1&nbc=1

yes they are good ones (i use them live, and move them a lot!...)

The need to be snapaction knobs with a white cap with the measurements of 5mm per side.
I couldnt finde the right ones even after quite some hours of searching.
Maybe Im just searching without the right search terms?
Maybe someone of you knows the answer to that problem

picture? what is a snapaction knob?

There is no USB port on these modules right?

right!

since u use a couple of 32Bit cores anyway, you have enough Midi-IOs to connect this MF-NG-modules via Midi directly

you could cascade via Midi (this board have only Soft-Thru - so there are OUTs ). This 8/16Bit Dip Cores > i heard of something like a http://ucapps.de/midibox_network.html " but i never used that - and i am pretty sure it is not implemented in the mf_NG firmware!

so if you take only one 32Bit-Cores Midi-Out and connect it to the first MF-NG Midi in...and from its output you go to then Next MF-NG Midi-IN (a chain)... then you have to merge all Data...and at the end of the chain - there will be also the DAWs-CC-Command mixed with the MF-NG-Moved-Faders-CC-Command.... you end up having a midiloop.

so i would connect every MF-Module to a extra Midi-IO from a 32Bit core http://ucapps.de/mbhp_midi_io.html

Quote

Is it possible to drive VU meters with a midibox module?
Maybe with an AOUT module?

why not use LED-Matrices/VU-Meters for that topic (so only 74HC595 are needet instead of AOUT)? (design one 10x10cm PCB and reuse it the whole Meter-bridge side by side....)

the AOUG_NG uses a TL074 OPamp... depending on the VU-Meter - it cant deliver enough current for that task, you will need na a extra board with high current op-amps on it (some shematic like on the MF-Modules....) - but i really dont know how much Current a VU-Meter with Coils need...

 

 

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Thank you for your reply!

I’m sorry I meant switch.
A snap action switch is a switch which stays pressed until pressed again. I only searched for the German term „rastend“ but couldn’t find the right one.
I’m still not sure, if it would be easier so find very small switches and add my own button caps. The SSL EQ strip consists of four buttons and a LED next to everyone. I don’t want to add  more DOUT modules for the LEDS, I simply want to chain them after the switch so they will be on when the button is pushed. Therefore I need snap action switches These will be the only switches, which will be not controllable from the software side - for switching to another project, but I’m ok with this because otherwise I would need 416 additional DOUT outputs.

 

So you suggest because I will have several cores just connect one mf module to one core, which is also connected to for example AIN modules via this Midi IO module?

 

Ok and then control them via an additional DOUT module?
I calculated for 33 channels (32+Main) I need 660 DOUT pins. Is this practical?
And would you recommend to use cheap preaselmbled LED strips like this,

 

https://www.banggood.com/de/Mini-Dual-12-Level-Indicator-VU-Meter-Stereo-Amplifier-Board-Adjustable-Light-Speed-Board-With-AGC-Mode-DIY-Kit-p-1625594.html?utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=cpc_organic&gmcCountry=DE&utm_content=minha&utm_campaign=minha-de-de-pc&currency=EUR&cur_warehouse=CN&createTmp=1

 

or soldering your own LED strips?

 

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22 hours ago, Meadow said:

Thank you for your reply!

I’m sorry I meant switch.
A snap action switch is a switch which stays pressed until pressed again. I only searched for the German term „rastend“ but couldn’t find the right one.
I’m still not sure, if it would be easier so find very small switches and add my own button caps. The SSL EQ strip consists of four buttons and a LED next to everyone. I don’t want to add  more DOUT modules for the LEDS, I simply want to chain them after the switch so they will be on when the button is pushed. Therefore I need snap action switches These will be the only switches, which will be not controllable from the software side - for switching to another project, but I’m ok with this because otherwise I would need 416 additional DOUT outputs.   (you cluld use a button marix

http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_din_8x16buttons.pdf)

So you suggest because I will have several cores just connect one mf module to one core, which is also connected to for example AIN modules via this Midi IO module?   yes!

 

Ok and then control them via an additional DOUT module?
I calculated for 33 channels (32+Main) I need 660 DOUT pins. Is this practical? ...seee below..,,....,
And would you recommend to use cheap preaselmbled LED strips like this,

 

https://www.banggood.com/de/Mini-Dual-12-Level-Indicator-VU-Meter-Stereo-Amplifier-Board-Adjustable-Light-Speed-Board-With-AGC-Mode-DIY-Kit-p-1625594.html?utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=cpc_organic&gmcCountry=DE&utm_content=minha&utm_campaign=minha-de-de-pc&currency=EUR&cur_warehouse=CN&createTmp=1

definitv not...this may have ICs in it, and circuity we dont need, we need something like this: http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_dout_8x16leds.pdf

or soldering your own LED strips?..    i could design you  a pcb where alll 595 and led are on.... if it is prActical (in sense of dout pins and pcbfabcosts) depends on chan.strip spaacing and meterbridge height. and ammount of led segments,and type of led (smd or tht...)

 

 

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for example meterbridge

16 x 16Segment Meter - needs 4x 595 and driver Transistors ---if they where on the same PCB...but this is maybe not the case, so you have 8x 16Segment PCBs where you need 3x595  and this 4 times to get to your 32 channels - this is 12 595 which is i think not a big deal...

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