A very very easy build today.
Parts are cheap too.
It's built around a TL074 opamp.
Great is you have a tight space. Only 1U.
The assembly instructions are here:
http://www.synthrotek.com/kit-assembly-instructions/modular-circuit-assembly-instructions/1u-eurorack-module-assembly-instructions/1u-stereo-output-mixer-assembly-instructions/
You can purchase these from Matt at RhythmActive
or direct from the manufacturer
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For more Euro DIY builds click here:
http://djjondent.blogspot.com.au/2017/12/diy-index.html
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Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts
Tuesday, 14 June 2016
Monday, 13 June 2016
CellF - live performance, Sydney 10th & 12th June
I had the pleasure of seeing CellF again. The performance was held at the National Art School, Sydney.
This is cybernetics applied to synthesizers & electronic music.
Norbert Wiener defined cybernetics in 1948 as "the scientific study of control and communication in the animal and the machine"
Guy Ben-Ary who donated the original skin cells,
Nathan Thompson who designed the housing/incubator and
Andrew Fitch of NonLinearCircuits (NLC) who designed the synthesizer itself.
For more info, click here:
http://djjondent.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/the-cellf-project-university-of-western.html
Guy's skin cells were converted into neurons using stem cell technology.
These were then grown on an array of 60 electrodes which connect the cells to the NLC synthesizer.
The incubator/cells are housed in the glass cube:
These cells can both receive and send information with the outside world via these electrodes.
I think Andrew's synth is just as important.
Some pics:
It's the translator between the cells & the outside world.
So what does this all sound like? I've seen & heard CellF on a number of occasions and the sounds are always changing & developing.
Friday's performance used a fresh batch of cells which sounded very excitable & energetic.
It was at times hard to distinguish the synthesizer keyboard (Yamaha) from the cells.
Sunday's performance used a drummer, a double bass & a violinist.
I quite enjoyed this. The space between sounds allowed the cells to be better heard.
Maybe they were also tired after the last 3 days.
Sunday, 12 June 2016
Sega Master console
Some future hacking ahead of this wonderful piece of kit.
Thanks to Renee & Wonderboy
.
The sounds are classic 1980s chiptune.
...
Little-scale has some excellent info:
http://little-scale.blogspot.com.au/2008/06/how-to-make-32kb-sega-master-system.html
The Japanese Master System used the Yamaha YM2413, aka OPLL.
It's a cost-reduced FM synthesis sound chip manufactured by Yamaha Corporation and based on their YM3812 (OPL2). The FM sound generator uses an 8-Bit data bus to control all of the registers.
I don't have a Japanese version. This uses the following:
CPU
Zilog Z0840004PSC
This is an 8-bit processor running at 4 MHz.
I/O Controller
Sega 315-5237
RAM
NEC D4168C-15 or NEC D4168C-15-SG
VDP
Sega 315-5246
VRAM
2 x NEC D4168C-15 or 2 x NEC D4168C-15-SG
Video Encoder
Sony CXA1145P
It has 8 kB of ROM, 8 kB of RAM and 16 kB of video RAM. Video is provided through an RF switch and displays at a resolution of 256 × 192 pixels.
Sound is provided by the SN76489 PSG (Texas Instruments) chip. The Japanese version also integrates the YM2413 FM chip, which had been an optional feature on the Mark III.
The PSG (programmable sound generator), or PSG, is a sound chip that generates sound waves by synthesizing multiple basic waveforms, and and combining them into more complex waveforms.
The game cartridge slot.
The SN76489 Digital Complex Sound Generator (DCSG) is a TTL-compatible programmable sound generator chip from Texas Instruments. It contains:
https://moddedbybacteria.wordpress.com/sega-master-system-2-sms/
The above link is very useful.
Audio is tapped off the sega 315-5246 at pin 15.
The pinout info re the rest of the Sega 315-5246 seems to concern video rather than audio.
So attempting to mod this console would probably end in tears for me.:-(
Maybe a better option is to purchase a SN 6849 and build a synth around this.
They are literally "cheap as chips". I bought 5 for under $3.
Some SN76489 synth links:
http://little-scale.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/how-to-build-sn76489-usb-midi-module.html
http://www.instructables.com/id/Squareinator-A-SN76489-Monosynth/
https://github.com/cdodd/teensy-sn76489-midi-synth
http://www.atkinsoft.com/soundgenerators.html
Thanks to Renee & Wonderboy
.
The sounds are classic 1980s chiptune.
...
Little-scale has some excellent info:
http://little-scale.blogspot.com.au/2008/06/how-to-make-32kb-sega-master-system.html
The Japanese Master System used the Yamaha YM2413, aka OPLL.
It's a cost-reduced FM synthesis sound chip manufactured by Yamaha Corporation and based on their YM3812 (OPL2). The FM sound generator uses an 8-Bit data bus to control all of the registers.
I don't have a Japanese version. This uses the following:
CPU
Zilog Z0840004PSC
This is an 8-bit processor running at 4 MHz.
I/O Controller
Sega 315-5237
RAM
NEC D4168C-15 or NEC D4168C-15-SG
VDP
Sega 315-5246
VRAM
2 x NEC D4168C-15 or 2 x NEC D4168C-15-SG
Video Encoder
Sony CXA1145P
It has 8 kB of ROM, 8 kB of RAM and 16 kB of video RAM. Video is provided through an RF switch and displays at a resolution of 256 × 192 pixels.
Sound is provided by the SN76489 PSG (Texas Instruments) chip. The Japanese version also integrates the YM2413 FM chip, which had been an optional feature on the Mark III.
The PSG (programmable sound generator), or PSG, is a sound chip that generates sound waves by synthesizing multiple basic waveforms, and and combining them into more complex waveforms.
The game cartridge slot.
The SN76489 Digital Complex Sound Generator (DCSG) is a TTL-compatible programmable sound generator chip from Texas Instruments. It contains:
- 3 square wave tone generators.
- A wide range of frequencies.
- 16 different volume levels.
- 1 noise generator.
- 2 types (white noise and periodic).
- 3 different frequencies.
- 16 different volume levels.
https://moddedbybacteria.wordpress.com/sega-master-system-2-sms/
The above link is very useful.
Audio is tapped off the sega 315-5246 at pin 15.
The pinout info re the rest of the Sega 315-5246 seems to concern video rather than audio.
So attempting to mod this console would probably end in tears for me.:-(
Maybe a better option is to purchase a SN 6849 and build a synth around this.
They are literally "cheap as chips". I bought 5 for under $3.
Some SN76489 synth links:
http://little-scale.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/how-to-build-sn76489-usb-midi-module.html
http://www.instructables.com/id/Squareinator-A-SN76489-Monosynth/
https://github.com/cdodd/teensy-sn76489-midi-synth
http://www.atkinsoft.com/soundgenerators.html
Thursday, 19 May 2016
Roman 208 build pics - Version 2
Some pics taken during the build of this wonderful module.
It's not a Buchla Module, but should be compatible with most Buchla modules.
It follows the same size, format & the circuits used are I understand based on Don's schematics.
I'd say it took about 40 hours to put this together. It's more difficult than the TTSH (ARP 2600 clone).
I just finished it last night and couldn't believe that it worked first time.
So excited !!! I just had to post some pics.
There are 12 daughter boards which plug into the main motherboard.
The cards are very tight to plug in.
One of the main difficulties was sourcing rare components from all over the world.
The partly populated front panel.
The original Buchla used plastic slider pots (above module). For this new version, I've substituted modern metal pots.
Almost finished.
The LEDs are a bit tricky to install.
You can buy the PCBs for this project from "The Electric Music Store".
ModularSynthesis.com is another very useful site - awesome build notes.
Tuesday, 17 May 2016
Crystal Oscillators
You will often find these used with microprocessors & microcontrollers.
Its an electronic oscillator circuit that uses the mechanical resonance of a vibrating crystal of piezoelectric material to create an electrical signal with a precise frequency.
(Wikipedia)
They are a type of linear oscillator made of quartz.
This is a 16 Hz quartz crystal. It uses a HC-49/S package.
This is also a 16Mhz crystal . The package is a HC49/U
These oscillators are not to be confused with your usual analog VCOs.
The crystal oscillator provides a fixed frequency. They often are the clock for a microprocessor, UART, etc.
Through Hole Crystal (THD)Package types vary.
They include HC49, HC50, UM, AT26, AT39
Model Frequency Range Mode of operation
HC49/US 3.0 MHz ~ 54.0 MHz Fundamental 36.0 MHz ~ 150.0 MHz 3rd-overtone
UM-1 UM-5 UM-4 8.0 MHz ~ 70.0 MHz Fundamental 35.0 MHz ~ 200.0 MHz 3rd-overtone
AT26 6.0 MHz ~ 27.0 MHz Fundamental
The AT packages are cylindrical in shape.
THey of course also come in SMD packages.
This is a ABLS7M2-12.288MHZ-D-2Y-T -
Crystal, 12.288 MHz, SMD,
7mm x 4.1mm, 30 ppm, 18 pF, 20 ppm, ABLS7M2 Series
Its an electronic oscillator circuit that uses the mechanical resonance of a vibrating crystal of piezoelectric material to create an electrical signal with a precise frequency.
(Wikipedia)
They are a type of linear oscillator made of quartz.
This is a 16 Hz quartz crystal. It uses a HC-49/S package.
This is also a 16Mhz crystal . The package is a HC49/U
These oscillators are not to be confused with your usual analog VCOs.
The crystal oscillator provides a fixed frequency. They often are the clock for a microprocessor, UART, etc.
Through Hole Crystal (THD)Package types vary.
They include HC49, HC50, UM, AT26, AT39
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
HC49/US 3.0 MHz ~ 54.0 MHz Fundamental 36.0 MHz ~ 150.0 MHz 3rd-overtone
HC49/U
HC-49/S package.
UM-1 UM-5 UM-4 8.0 MHz ~ 70.0 MHz Fundamental 35.0 MHz ~ 200.0 MHz 3rd-overtone
This is a UM-1 low pass filter
A UM-5
AT26 6.0 MHz ~ 27.0 MHz Fundamental
The AT packages are cylindrical in shape.
THey of course also come in SMD packages.
This is a ABLS7M2-12.288MHZ-D-2Y-T -
Crystal, 12.288 MHz, SMD,
7mm x 4.1mm, 30 ppm, 18 pF, 20 ppm, ABLS7M2 Series
Sunday, 15 May 2016
Voltage regulators (series)
These are really useful in synths where we need reliable, stable voltages.
They come in many packages
Here is a transistor regulator
It's a TO-92 package
Here is one with a IC package
In synths common operating voltages are 3.3V, 5V and +12V, -12V.
The most common series of voltage regulators is the 78XX series.
the 7805 is a 5V regulator
The 7812 is a 12V regulator
For negative voltages use the 79XX series
The 7912 is a -12V regulator
For building a +/- 15 PSU you will need a
LM7815 +15V Voltage Regulator LM7815
LM7915 -15V Voltage Regulator LM7915
LM7815 +15V Voltage Regulator LM7815
LM7915 -15V Voltage Regulator LM7915
This is a pic of a NLC eurorack PSU.
It uses two regulators
The 7812 is a 12V regulator
The 7912 is a -12V regulator
These can handle up to 30V on the input and depending on the package, up to 1A output current.
Arduinos, and many other microcontrollers use 3.3V
The LD1117V33 voltage regulator, is a low drop positive regulator with a 3.3V fixed output voltage.
Making a 5V regulator is very useful in the Euro world.
It's easy too.
Below is a LM7805 voltage regulator.
Notice the two decoupling capacitors:
The capacitors are placed between the power line & ground.
Notice the two decoupling capacitors:
The capacitors are placed between the power line & ground.
The 0.33uF helps to smooth out any low-frequency changes in an input voltage.
The 0.1uF helps to smooth out any of the high-frequency noise at the output.
Combining these two caps helps to deliver a smooth uninterrupted voltage to your circuits.
The 0.1uF helps to smooth out any of the high-frequency noise at the output.
Combining these two caps helps to deliver a smooth uninterrupted voltage to your circuits.
The decoupling capacitors are connected between your power source, whether that’s 5V or 3.3V, and ground. (Generally it's recommend to use a 100nF
ceramic capacitor and a larger 0.1-10uF electrolytic capacitor for each
integrated circuit).
-------------
Shunt Regulators
The other type of voltage regulator they you may come across is a shunt voltage regulator.
The main difference between a series and a shunt is how they are connected to the load.
A series regulator is connected (as the name implies) in series with
the load to stabilize the regulator's output voltage.
A shunt
regulator, on the other hand, is connected in parallel to the load.
This is a TL431 shunt regulator.
It's used along with a series 78L05 voltage regulator in a Midi to CV converter.
The TL431 acts almost like a
Zener diode except for that the voltage rating of this IC is
programmable.
Friday, 13 May 2016
Modded DJ decks
What to do with your old CDJ decks.???
If you're like me, you probably have lots of old CDJs lying around in the garage.
As technology moves on, the old decks become yesterdays gear that nobody wants.
This is a awesome idea. Time I got a 3D printer.
This is a modded Nexus 2000. It's fully functional.
It's a beautiful job. Such attention to detail.
And Chewbacca loves it too.
As do the rest of the crew on the Millenium Falcon.
They can't wait to get their decks modded.
If you're like me, you probably have lots of old CDJs lying around in the garage.
As technology moves on, the old decks become yesterdays gear that nobody wants.
This is a awesome idea. Time I got a 3D printer.
This is a modded Nexus 2000. It's fully functional.
It's a beautiful job. Such attention to detail.
And Chewbacca loves it too.
As do the rest of the crew on the Millenium Falcon.
They can't wait to get their decks modded.
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