Idea, but don't know how to do it

[Guest jimminy]

I was thinking it would be cool to have an extension for my MB64 that would be like a break out box with a couple (or more) buttons that could maybe control some of the transport functions.  it would just be a box with buttons and a cable back to the MB64 that could be unplugged when I didn't want to use it.

It sucks to be recording guitar, make a mistake and have to use my hands to reset everything, and go back and forth that way.  and punching in with my foot would be great too.

I'm sure this isn't really that hard, but I don't really know how to wire it.

[LO]

real easy; just make a box with a "din" in it and some buttons on it then connect to yout core (or chain it on the end of another "din") via a removeable plug

(only a 5 wire connection that way!) my design uses a similar idea to this refer the gallery.

peace

[Guest jimminy]

is there any way to do it without another DIN module?  For example, could you double up say 5 of the inputs on a DIN with another 5 buttons (the buttons on the footswitch) so either button would activate the input?

I do see what you're getting at though and I think it would be a great idea on a more extensive foot controller, but I just want a few buttons  max.

thanks!

[SexyBeast]

Hi,

in fact I'm planning something similar for my Midibox SID, but I'm not shure how I will be doing it.

Anyway, regarding your problem I think I have a solution:

first: you will need a plug with at least as many contacs as controls you need plus 1 extra contact (for ground connection)

The plug must have a switch, so that everytime you plug it in the switch gets closed (or maybe opened).

Last part is the "control", something that switches between the controls of your MidiBox and those of your breakout box; it could be done with relais for example, but I'm pretty sure there is some logic IC that can do the job more elegantly.

Got the point?

The switch on the plug triggers the control, so anytime you plug it in, the control part gets triggered and connects the break out box controls to your midibox instead of its own controls.

Sounds difficult perhaps but can be done very easily I think.

regards, SB

[Guest Ryan]

another way to implement this (and probably the simplest) is to use 9mm mono headphones jack and plugs, a pair for each button you want to use. wire it so that when you plug your breakout box, the line gets transferred to the buttons on the break out box and returns to the on-board buttons when you unplug it. this should be really easy, just look at the back of the mono jacks and try to figure it out. it works like the headphone jacks on your tv, notice how the sound is transferred to the earphones and the tv speaker is diconnected. hope i didn't confuse you... just tell me thou, i can draw you a schematic if you want. no need for additional logic circuits or relays:)

Regards,

Ryan

[arumblack]

but you would only get one button per jack, or two if you used a stereo jack. if that's all you need though, definitely a good solution.

[Duggle]

guys,

why not use a low cost DB9 plug/socket which would carry the switch common plus 8 switch wires. Simply connect the switch wires to 8 (or 5) of the existing midibox switches and loop them to the DB9 socket.

If you want 8 new midibox buttons why not mount a single shift register IC (same as used in DIN) on a tiny piece of matrix board and mount that in in your pedal board and wire it with five conductors back to the midibox (as suggested earlier).

[pleasuredungeon]

As Duggle said a DB9 would be a good connector to use.

Rather than share switches, though these could be wired straight to a spare DIN.

[smashtv]

Hey all!

Just a suggestion:  You should probably use shielded wire for the remote connections, as proximity to other electrical stuff might cause false switch closures, noisy switching (rapid on/off), etc.

Have fun!  ;D

SmashTV

[Guest jimminy]

Is there any reason why 2 buttons can't be connected to the same input since these are momentary buttons?  As long as you aren't hitting both buttons at the same time it would seem to me there would be no difference as far as the DIN IC's are concerned.  

Then again, I thought the buttons connected to the AIN module 'til a few days ago, so who am I to say...

[arumblack]

so far as I know(which may not be far enough) as long as you want the two switches to have identical functions, then yes.

[Guest jimminy]

groovy, unless someone else has a reason this won't work, i'm doin' it.

[Duggle]

yes it will work, make sure you identify the switch common wire (gnd), wire it to one side of your expansionbox switches, take the other wire for each switch from the existing switches you wish to "mirror".