smashtv

Hehe, BattleBox anyone? :) The DIY part of this is the great thing. I love watching the way that everyone chooses to house/setup thier box. Not having a plan causes great innovation, that inspires others to more great innovation, etc. Personally I won't rest until my lawnmower is running MIOS and my toaster has a SMPTE display for the countdown to toast. 8) So if you are far enough along to have the faders/knobs mounted to something, take some pics to put up on this site! Have fun! Smash

Hehe, BattleBox anyone? :) The DIY part of this is the great thing. I love watching the way that everyone chooses to house/setup thier box. Not having a plan causes great innovation, that inspires others to more great innovation, etc. Personally I won't rest until my lawnmower is running MIOS and my toaster has a SMPTE display for the countdown to toast. 8) So if you are far enough along to have the faders/knobs mounted to something, take some pics to put up on this site! Have fun! Smash

whoa! I can vouch for Dazzy.... Our email conversations have been on the anti-profit side of things from our first talk. He is just trying to make availability easy for everyone who wants to build one, even in places where local parts are non-existant and shipping/payment is a nightmare. I'll crawl back in my hole now and work on the boards.... ;) Long live the Thorsten The Great and his MB legacy! ;D Smash

whoa! I can vouch for Dazzy.... Our email conversations have been on the anti-profit side of things from our first talk. He is just trying to make availability easy for everyone who wants to build one, even in places where local parts are non-existant and shipping/payment is a nightmare. I'll crawl back in my hole now and work on the boards.... ;) Long live the Thorsten The Great and his MB legacy! ;D Smash

Hey all, sorry to be so off topic with this but I need to find some software that will allow me to press a key (or keys) on my keyboard instead of clicking an on-screen button that has no menu command or shortcut in my NC software. I need to make the PC think that I clicked the button when intead I hit a key. The button in the NC ware never changes position on the screen. Like what Quickeys on the Mac does. It's for the Win98 box that runs the cnc, and this simple function would greatly improve my quality of life. :) Any suggestions? Thanks! Smash

Hey all, sorry to be so off topic with this but I need to find some software that will allow me to press a key (or keys) on my keyboard instead of clicking an on-screen button that has no menu command or shortcut in my NC software. I need to make the PC think that I clicked the button when intead I hit a key. The button in the NC ware never changes position on the screen. Like what Quickeys on the Mac does. It's for the Win98 box that runs the cnc, and this simple function would greatly improve my quality of life. :) Any suggestions? Thanks! Smash

Yes. Full parts list with Mouser part numbers. I'm also looking at putting a link on my site that will feed a ready made BOM to Mouser's online ordering system for you. In other words, "Click here to put everything in the LTC parts list above in a Mouser shopping cart for you" type thing. I will also be offering parts kits in the near future that will be way less expensive than even very large bulk orders from Mouser. It takes extra time to realize that savings though. The least expensive parts mostly come from the pacific rim, and if the language barrier is not enough to slow down the specification process shipping sometimes takes around a month (some manufacturers I like are only setup to ship via boat). But the difference in pricing is amazing. The layouts that I use to produce boards will also be freely available, with construction tutorials etc. for those who want to make thier own boards, including specific methods/tricks I have used myself with all three available types of toner transfer paper. Have fun! (I am!) :) Smash

In the style of credit card TV ads I see all the time here in the US: Apple TIbook to design-$2300. Gateway PII for machine control-$25 at swap meet. Self built CNC-somewhere in the thousands. Firing up your CNC in bare feet (for the first/last time) and discovering the frame is hot to line voltage- priceless! :o Smash

In the style of credit card TV ads I see all the time here in the US: Apple TIbook to design-$2300. Gateway PII for machine control-$25 at swap meet. Self built CNC-somewhere in the thousands. Firing up your CNC in bare feet (for the first/last time) and discovering the frame is hot to line voltage- priceless! :o Smash

Yes it is built but waiting on a few more pictures. It won't be online until the boards/layouts are released though. Have fun! Smash

Yes. :) Smash

Yes. :) Smash

You did fine. Those RF people love those extra zero<s> for some reason. Smash

You did fine. Those RF people love those extra zero<s> for some reason. Smash

A blurb about in the latest Nuts&Volts mag. caught my attention http://standards.ieee.org/announcements/p1639app.html For working examples visit http://www.dmidi.org/mmmmmwireless MIDI standard.....;D SmashTV

A blurb about in the latest Nuts&Volts mag. caught my attention http://standards.ieee.org/announcements/p1639app.html For working examples visit http://www.dmidi.org/mmmmmwireless MIDI standard.....;D SmashTV

Anything but a carbide bit will dull within a few holes, causing tearout and de-lamination. The problem with carbide bits is that they are super brittle so they will shatter easily with ANY sideways force. The carbide chipbreaker routers that I use won't break as easily as a standard bit, but might be hard to find in your area. On the size you will want a #66 for a standard carbide bit, 1/32" (.0312) if using a router bit. Harbor Freight tools (retail stores all over the US) often have boxes of "re-sharps" that sometimes include the the bits you are needing at a terrible price <>$10 for the assortment, but at least they are available. If you need to do more than a few hundred holes dig up one of my old posts about bits from Drill Bit City, they are the cheapest I can find on new and re-sharps. Please Please wear protective eyewear8), when carbide bits shatter they fling off and embed "bit shrapnel" in everything, including you if your not careful. Have Fun! Smash/Tim

Anything but a carbide bit will dull within a few holes, causing tearout and de-lamination. The problem with carbide bits is that they are super brittle so they will shatter easily with ANY sideways force. The carbide chipbreaker routers that I use won't break as easily as a standard bit, but might be hard to find in your area. On the size you will want a #66 for a standard carbide bit, 1/32" (.0312) if using a router bit. Harbor Freight tools (retail stores all over the US) often have boxes of "re-sharps" that sometimes include the the bits you are needing at a terrible price <>$10 for the assortment, but at least they are available. If you need to do more than a few hundred holes dig up one of my old posts about bits from Drill Bit City, they are the cheapest I can find on new and re-sharps. Please Please wear protective eyewear8), when carbide bits shatter they fling off and embed "bit shrapnel" in everything, including you if your not careful. Have Fun! Smash/Tim

That would be me, but they are still in the testing phase (the layouts have been changed to reduce jumpers and between-pin traces, widen spaces/fatten traces (easier for those who etch) and most important to fit parts easily available in the US. They will be around $7 per board for the larger ones (SID/MF/Core) and a bit less for the smaller ones. I won't know exactly how much less on the smaller ones until I wear out a few bits edge routing them. :) All the info is ready for the site and as soon as they pass testing I'll make the announcement. It will be days, not weeks. Have Fun! Smash/Tim

That would be me, but they are still in the testing phase (the layouts have been changed to reduce jumpers and between-pin traces, widen spaces/fatten traces (easier for those who etch) and most important to fit parts easily available in the US. They will be around $7 per board for the larger ones (SID/MF/Core) and a bit less for the smaller ones. I won't know exactly how much less on the smaller ones until I wear out a few bits edge routing them. :) All the info is ready for the site and as soon as they pass testing I'll make the announcement. It will be days, not weeks. Have Fun! Smash/Tim

Don't give up on this yet, it makes sense to ship one big box instead of bunches of small ones. Let's see how the board/bulk thing plays out and then get with TK to let him set the rules. That said I will not compete with Mike on anything. If his not taking Paypal is -the- issue for anyone, wrap up the cash, send it off and cope with it, knowing that nobody has reported any problem using this payment method with him. The last thing I want to do is screw with Mikes business when I'm in this for the fun. I'm off to drill some boards.... ;) Tim/Smash

Don't give up on this yet, it makes sense to ship one big box instead of bunches of small ones. Let's see how the board/bulk thing plays out and then get with TK to let him set the rules. That said I will not compete with Mike on anything. If his not taking Paypal is -the- issue for anyone, wrap up the cash, send it off and cope with it, knowing that nobody has reported any problem using this payment method with him. The last thing I want to do is screw with Mikes business when I'm in this for the fun. I'm off to drill some boards.... ;) Tim/Smash

hehe.....sorry to growl a bit in that last post, but it needed said. :) The DMX module I'm working on will give the MB a standard DMX-512 output, that can be used to control stage lighting equipment. It's the standard used worldwide to control everything from fog machines to dimmer packs to automated lighting fixtures. It's not something the typical MB user would have a need for, but if you play live and use lights or DJ and use lights then you probably have use for this, and you probably want it. 8) It is still in a very early stage in development, borrowing heavily from work I have already done with designs for my production company's use. It is AVR based instead of PIC, but AVR's are easily self-programmed in circuit if you design the hardware right, with no programmer or even bootloader required. After the first rush on boards I plan on dividing my tinker time between the DMX module and full Mac support for the MB, assuming the board/kit issues are resolved. I would also love to do something with digital potentiometers on the MB, so all things analog with knobs can be controlled. I can see an old Bandmaster amp with full MIDI preset control, or a small motorfader box laying on my live mixer that controls the subgroup VCAs, the aux sends, AND the effects in my outboard rack......Sweeeet....;D Comments? Smash

hehe.....sorry to growl a bit in that last post, but it needed said. :) The DMX module I'm working on will give the MB a standard DMX-512 output, that can be used to control stage lighting equipment. It's the standard used worldwide to control everything from fog machines to dimmer packs to automated lighting fixtures. It's not something the typical MB user would have a need for, but if you play live and use lights or DJ and use lights then you probably have use for this, and you probably want it. 8) It is still in a very early stage in development, borrowing heavily from work I have already done with designs for my production company's use. It is AVR based instead of PIC, but AVR's are easily self-programmed in circuit if you design the hardware right, with no programmer or even bootloader required. After the first rush on boards I plan on dividing my tinker time between the DMX module and full Mac support for the MB, assuming the board/kit issues are resolved. I would also love to do something with digital potentiometers on the MB, so all things analog with knobs can be controlled. I can see an old Bandmaster amp with full MIDI preset control, or a small motorfader box laying on my live mixer that controls the subgroup VCAs, the aux sends, AND the effects in my outboard rack......Sweeeet....;D Comments? Smash

Ok, fine. It bothers me. I have spent countless hours working over the US layouts, buying parts that I don't even need for my MB projects just to make sure they fit the US layouts, talking with Mouser in order to get them to stock certain parts needed, all for a FREE project. Only for you to come along and ask me for my orderlist before it is released to everyone, so you can sell kits. And that's just me, not anywhere close to a fraction the amount of time Thorsten and others have in this FREE project. Dont you think Thorsten will think twice about releasing anything new when he knows someone is selling his work without his permission (profit or not)? I personally won't be working on the DMX-512 module again until this issue is resolved, I won't pour any more time into anything that is going to be SOLD by someone else, when I give it up for free. So your persistence in this has already had an effect on development. Take a step back, read the FAQ where it says: Enjoy this for what it is, the last free no strings attached really cool project on the net that is not completely infested with lamers. Don't ruin it. And yes, I'm selling boards and parts at slightly above cost. My costs fluctuate so I have to. Thorsten and I have agreed on all pricing. Thorsten won't accept any money (I tried!, but I totally understand why he won't) so that extra plus some money out of my pocket can pay for proto boards for new modules that others can design. (get your layouts ready, I want to sponsor new modules in development and send test/proto boards made at no cost to the designers after the initial rush on the MB boards when they release). And on that note, Thanks to everyone for the positive encouragement, I know everyone is anxious and I promise we are days away. The parts order lists are done, the proto boards are done, the ordering script is up, all that is left is a bit more testing to be sure that it works right when you build it. There is even a prototype USB board etched and waiting for me to drill and send to Thorsten. When the site opens my address will be there for you to send your PIC for free burning if you don't want to build a JDM. I'm hyped! Tim