Quantum Touch Slider (linear position sensor)

[RTurner]

Just wondering if anyone has tried to use these:

http://www.qprox.com/products/qslide_qt411.php

I'm asking because it could be a replacement for the co$tly motorfaders from Alps.  It could be used as a sort of linear encoder.  I know, it uses SPI. 

[goyousalukis]

Looks pretty interesting - $3.51 at digikey. From the picture it appears that the touch pad is split into 18 different zones - is that high enough resolution for a mixer? Regardless it looks like a nice add-on to the midibox platform.

Justin

[RTurner]

The documentation says that it has a resolution of 128 (I think it can generate that by comparing changes in capacitence in the adjacent... Ummm.. electrodes).  128 isn't great, though just as good as 99% of the midi-able sliders out there, but I don't see why you couldn't have (for example) 2 units stacked lengthwise to create 256 positions and resolve the value in software....  Unless the sensors will interact with each other badly..

Just some thoughts...

[rokeros]

The Qwheel they have looks quite interesting as well. Wonder if they are the ipod suppliers....hmm..

[pappajackson]

They are seriously cool. I'm gonna have to get me some, and only £3.51? It's too good to be true!

[stryd_one]

You guys do realise that that's only the IC that drives the slider, but not the slider itself?

[RTurner]

Ok, I guess this is an old thread that was sort of left on a cliffhanger...

Stryd:

  Yeah, it's just the IC, but if I remember right it requires very few external components to drive it, and the slide surface is one that you specify, and of course, you'll have to etch PCBs for the electrodes...