Clump - NLC - Build notes

 These are my build notes for the CLUMP module.

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Its a NLC eurorack module

Its a 4x4 CV controlled matrix mixer

This means there are 16 VCAs on-board along with 4 mixers.

Each VCA gets a 1k trimpot to remove any offset voltages,

 each input gets a switch to 

turn off or invert the incoming signal and the pots act as gain pots 

with no CV patched in and as attenuators when CV is patched.

Its DIY

 

 

 

Links

+ Wiki

+ BOM

I'm using these Transconductance Amplifiers 

Mfr. Part No.
LM13700M/NOPB

Mouser Part No
926-LM13700M/NOPB

 

 The ICs have arrived.

TL072 x 10

LM13700 x 8

BC857 x 16

16 trimpots

1K OHM TRIMMER POTENTIOMETER

purchased ebay

yes - arrived.

code is 102

Getting as many caps and resistors on while I wait parts to arrive.

 

Waiting on some parts ......To be continued ....

• Clump - build notes 2 - NLC - COMPLETION

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You can find more NLC builds here.

http://djjondent.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/non-linear-circuits-ncl-index.html

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Korg Kaptivator - video sampler effects mixer

 The Korg Kaptivator dates from the 1990s

This is a mix between a Roland Edirol video mixer and an Akai MPC style sampling playback machine except its for video clips. 

They are pretty rare so I am luckly to have scored one the last time I was in Japan.

 

Its a mixer, a sampler and a FX all in one.

 Very useful if you have a limited amount of space.

 

My basic video set up usually is either a 

Korg KrossFour (4 channel Mixer and effects)

and 

Korg Kaptivator (sampler, effects & mixer)

with cameras & the odd video synth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

or a  

Korg Entrancer (effects)

and

Edriol/Roland P10 (Sampler)

and

1 or 2 cameras for live feed and a video synth.

 

 

each system has its strengths and weaknesses.

The edirol P10 uses SD cards , so is easier to connect to a PC.

The Kaptivator does have a firewire connection which Ive never tested.

 

Combining both is a awesome  way to go, though ,maybe a bit overkill ??

Anyway, the reason for this post....

I was having trouble last night getting my cameras to input a live feed into the Kaptivator.

They just wouldnt sync.

 

 

 Notice the right screen  is divided into 4.

The lower right corner is the video input... its blank

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Page 14 of the manual is the important bit to read:

 

To select an external video source
Press the INPUT key to select one of the external video sources connected to the kaptivator.

 

The VIDEO INPUT indicator shows the status of the selected input.
Input 1 Lit: Currently selected
Blinking rapidly: No connection, or wrong signal format
Blinking slowly: Copy-protected signal was detected

Input 2 Lit: Currently selected
Blinking rapidly: No connection, or wrong signal format
Blinking slowly: Copy-protected signal was detected

DV Input Lit red: Currently selected (DV set to input)
Blinking rapidly: No connection
Blinking slowly: Copy-protected signal was detected
Green: Indicates that the DV connector is set to “Out”
dark (unlit) Input is off (black screen), or Main Out Capture is selected

For some reason it all works fine today.

The important thing to look for is the red lit numbers 1, 2, DV as you press that green input button

If its Blinking rapidly: No connection, or wrong signal format

You need to see a solid RED 

This is how everything should work if your routing is 3 Layers

This is setting 31

 

There is only one pot  for mixing 3 inputs.

This mixer setting mixes between the two clips 1st then adds the external input last.

This can be changed.

For the record,

the cameras I've successfully used with the Kaptivator for live feeds are:

 

 Panasonic SDR-H80

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sony HDR-XR260VE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a standard CCTV camera

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PAL setting (as I'm in Australia)

 

The Kaptivator's input 1 is a composite.

Input 2 is S-video

I used a simple composite to S-video cable for this input as both cameras are 

only composite out.

 

Frolic - NLC Build notes - part 1

 These are my build notes for the nonlinear circuits "Frolic" module.

Its Eurorack format.

DIY

This module is an 8 stage sequencer/sequential switch. 

The stages can be controlled by CV or by gates and triggers or both. 

Links

+ Wiki

+ BOM

ICs:

TL072 & TL074

CD4516

CD4028 or HEF4028

CD4532

DG408 or DG508

I'll use a s1JL for power protection

I ordered all these from mouser.

--------------------------------

 

 There are 2 PCBs

 

Amyl and the Sniffers , the Chats & The Cosmic Psychos are Australian pub rock and punk rock bands

 

https://youtu.be/hrkuo0y8gMU

...

 

Get the ICs on first

DG508

CD 4028

CD4532

CD4516

opamps.. then the rest of the caps and resistors

BC847 trannies

 

Ive used rectifiers SL1 rather than schottky diodes

 

 

LL4148 diodes

To be continued ...........

 fROLIC build notes part 2
 

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You can find more NLC builds here.

http://djjondent.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/non-linear-circuits-ncl-index.html

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Krak des Chevaliers - Syria

 Krak des Chevaliers is approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) west of the city of Homs, 

close to the border of Lebanon.

 

This pic was taken from a bus on its way to Homs from Damascus.

 

 

This is one of the most important preserved medieval castles in the world.

Well, at least it was until the recent war.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-26696113

 

 

The Crac des Chevaliers was built by the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem from 1142 to 1271. With further construction by the Mamluks in the late 13th century, it ranks among the best-preserved examples of the Crusader castles.

 

..

The inside of the krak de C..

 

 

..

i CAME across some more recent pics of the Krak De C recently.
So sad to see this damage. The Syrian war has been so hard on people and history

                               1999                                                                        2016??

..

A few quick sketches from the taxi. Magnificent place !

MVW - MVIS Australia Equal Weight Index

 MVW

2026 aug

https://www.vaneck.com.au/etf/equity/mvw/snapshot/

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Chart

If the ave 2015 price was $20 and the ave 2026 price is $40 , 

one can extrapolate that it doubled in roughly 11 years.

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The VanEck Australian Equal Weight ETF (ASX: MVW) is an exchange-traded fund launched in March 2014 that tracks the MVIS Australia Equal Weight Index. Unlike standard index funds heavily weighted toward mega-caps like banks and miners, MVW holds over 60 large and liquid ASX stocks in equal proportions, charging a management fee of 0.35% p.a. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Key Features

Equal Weighting Strategy: Every company in the fund accounts for roughly the same percentage (around 1.4% to 1.6%) of the portfolio.
Reduced Concentration Risk: Limits heavy exposure to top-heavy sectors like the big four Australian banks or BHP and Rio Tinto.
Mid-Cap Tilt: Provides more balance toward mid-sized and growing companies compared to standard market-capitalisation weighted funds (like the ASX 200).
Distributions: Pays dividends semi-annually (twice a year). [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Fund Profile

Inception Date: March 4, 2014
Management Cost: 0.35% per year
Asset Class: Australian Equities
Number of Holdings: ~60 to 70 large/liquid ASX stocks [1, 2, 3, 4]

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While there is no dedicated pure-play small-cap-only equal-weighted ETF on the ASX, the closest and most popular equivalent is the VanEck Australian Equal Weight ETF (ASX: MVW), which mixes large, mid, and small caps to naturally tilt exposure away from giant mega-cap stocks.

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ARGO vs MVW - buffett style

Comparing Argo Investments (ASX:ARG) and the VanEck Australian Equal Weight ETF (ASX:MVW) through a long-term, Warren Buffett-style lens reveals a choice between a classic conservative Listed Investment Company (LIC) focused on smooth dividends and a smart-beta ETF engineered to beat market concentration. [1, 2]

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Quick Comparison Table

Metric	Argo Investments (ASX:ARG)	VanEck Equal Weight ETF (ASX:MVW)
Structure	Listed Investment Company (LIC)	Exchange Traded Fund (ETF)
Strategy / Index	Internal bottom-up blue-chip stock picking	MVIS Australia Equal Weight Index
10-Year Return (Total)	~9.0% p.a. (in line with ASX 300 accumulation)	~76.6% total return (~61%–76% depending on exact start window, beating cap-weighting)
P/E Ratio (Approx.)	~27.1x–27.5x (trailing)	Varies by underlying holdings (~15x–18x typical value-core mix)
Management / MER	~0.14% (low internal cost via company structure)	0.35% p.a.
Dividend Yield	~4.18% (100% Fully Franked)	~3.44% – 3.86% (Partially/Fully franked mix of underlying top stocks)
Dividend Growth	Slow & steady (~2.7% p.a., smoothed via profit reserves)	Lumpy / variable distribution growth tracking underlying turnover/equal-weight rebalancing

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1. Long-Term 10-Year Growth

ARG: Historically tracks the broader large-cap Australian market closely because its portfolio mirrors traditional blue chips (heavy in big banks and major miners). Over a 10-year span, its total shareholder return (including dividends) has hovered around 8.5% to 9.0% annualized, closely matching the S&P/ASX 300 Accumulation Index. [1]
MVW: Employs an equal-weight methodology across ~72 large and mid-cap ASX stocks, quarterly resetting weights back to equal proportions. This forces a continuous "buy low, sell high" discipline—selling outperforming giants and buying beaten-down mid-caps. Over the long run, this structural mechanism has frequently outperformed standard market-cap indexes (like the ASX 200) by avoiding extreme banking/mining concentration. [1, 2, 3]

2. Price-to-Earnings (P/E)

ARG: Trades at a trailing P/E of roughly 27.1x to 27.5x, which reflects its mature, high-quality large-cap holdings. Crucially for value investors, ARG frequently trades at a discount to its Net Tangible Assets (NTA)—sometimes widening out to historical discounts near 15%–16%, meaning you are buying dollar-worths of assets for roughly 84 cents. [1, 2, 3]
MVW: Because it holds an equal proportion of mid-caps and smaller large-caps alongside the top tier, its aggregate P/E is generally lower or more diversified away from the stretched multiples of the top 5 mega-cap companies on the ASX.

3. Dividends & Dividend Growth

ARG (The Dividend Stalwart): Argo has paid uninterrupted dividends since 1946 and franked every dividend since 1995. Buffett values economic moats and shareholder reliability; ARG uses a unique corporate profit reserve structure to stockpile earnings in good years so it can smooth out and maintain dividend payouts during market downturns. Its raw dividend growth is modest (~2.7% annualized over 10 years), prioritizing safety and 100% franking stability over aggressive payout expansion. [1, 2, 3]
MVW (The Equal-Weight Cash Flow): Distributions fluctuate more directly depending on the realized dividends and capital gains churned out during quarterly equal-weight rebalances. While its trailing yield sits lower (~3.4%–3.8%), its equal-weight tilt into cash-generative industrial and mid-cap sectors has historically delivered strong multi-year distribution growth patterns when smaller companies scale up. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

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A Warren Buffett-Style Verdict

Argo Investments (ARG) appeals more to the classic Buffett/Graham mindset of buying dollars for 84 cents. Buffett appreciates an operator with rock-solid balance sheet integrity, ultra-low internal costs (0.14%), an unbroken 80+ year dividend track record, and the ability to buy the LIC at a wide discount to its underlying NTA. It is built for a permanent "ownership mentality" of living off stable, fully franked cash flow. [1, 2]
The VanEck Equal Weight ETF (MVW) appeals to a quantitative Buffett approach—removing human emotional bias via a structural rulebook. Instead of letting market caps get bloated by a handful of over-concentrated banks, MVW relies on mathematical rebalancing to relentlessly recycle capital into cheaper parts of the domestic economy. It trades away some dividend consistency for superior structural indexing growth.

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