Sunday, 8 November 2020

EMS Synthi E - Using the keyboard

 The EMS Keyboard is not standard I think... I purchased mine separately in the hope it would work.
(EMS Rehberg .. Germany) 

http://www.emsrehberg.de/
And yes it did.
 

The 5pin din cable is very similar to a midi cable.
Plugs into the left (envelope follower section)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Make sure the slider is set to external.
and take a cable to  the VCO 1/2 F input.
 
 
The gates to trigger the envelope shaper are generated internally ... no patching is needed.
 

The keyboard is powered from the synthi e.
I probed the socket with my multimeter 



Saturday, 7 November 2020

Befaco Eurorack Power Supply - Lunchbus

 Some pics of the Befaco LunchBus

It's a super easy kit to build ... perfect for beginners.
The Befaco page is here:
 
I purchased a full kit . Befaco is located in Barcelona, Spain.

The power supply needs to be DC 9V to 18V.
(3Amps)
 
This is an old generic PSU from a laptop.
 


 The novel and cool design makes soldering the headers really easy.
The PCB is double sided ... half of the header is soldered on each side




tHERE  is on board +5V, along with the standard +/-12V



I decided to use an old school case.




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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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Thursday, 5 November 2020

Erica Syntrx & EMS VCS3 - The Putney (Part two)

 Part 2 of the Comparison demos between the Erica Synths Syntrx and the EMS Synthi models
(Synthi AKS and VCS3 - The Putney).



The video highlights some obvious differences between the two including the pin Matrix and controls.
There is a simple square wave, pulse width, filter and reverb test then we get into some experimental
 'Noisy' patches to compare the sound of the two.

This is not a musical comparison but aims to compare Sound and Timbre of the two synths based on
a few patches.

Decent headphones or speakers are recommended.

Part 1 looked at a comparison with the Synthi AKS - you can watch that here:
https://djjondent.blogspot.com/2020/10/part-one-of-shootout-between-erica.html


Nebula Awards - Best Novel -1980's

 Some good books to read during lockdown.

1980


Timescape by Gregory Benford

Publisher    Simon & Schuster
Publication date
    1980-81
Media type    Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages    412 pp
ISBN    0-671-25327-1












1981

The Claw of the Conciliator by Gene Wolfe

Publisher    Timescape Books
Publication date
    1981
Media type    Print (Hardcover & Paperback)
Pages    303 pp
Award    Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel (1982)
ISBN    0-671-41370-8










1982

No Enemy But Time
By Michael Bishop

It was included in David Pringle's book Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels. 


Publisher    Timescape Books/Simon & Schuster
Publication date
    1982
Media type    Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages    397 pp
ISBN    0-671-44973-7




1983


Startide Rising by David Brin
Publisher    Bantam Books
Publication date
    1983
Media type    Print (Paperback & Hardback)
Pages    462 (first edition, paperback)
Award    Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (1984)
ISBN    0-553-23495-1 (first edition, paperback)









1984

Neuromancer by William Gibson 
Publisher    Ace
Publication date
    July 1, 1984
Media type    Print (paperback and hardback)
Pages    271
ISBN    0-441-56956-0










1985

 Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card 
Publisher    Tor Books
Publication date
    15 January 1985
Media type    Print (Hardcover, Paperback & Ebook)











1986
Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card

Publisher    Tor Books
Publication date
    March 1986
Pages    415
Award    Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (1987)
ISBN    0-312-93738-5











1987
The Falling Woman by Pat Murphy

Publisher    Tor Books
Publication date
    November 1986
Pages    287
ISBN    0312854064












1988
Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold


Publisher    Baen Books
Publication date
    April 1988
Media type    Paperback
Pages    307
Awards    2014 Prometheus Hall of Fame
ISBN    0-671-65398-9















1989


The Healer's War by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough

Doubleday, New York, New York, U.S.A., 
1988. Hardcover. 

303 pages.
 



 ISBN 10: 0385248288ISBN 13: 9780385248280
 








Sci Fi Links
+  Asimov's (Isaac) Foundation
+ Asimov  - I, Robot -  - novels & Magazines
+ Dune - The Chronological order of the novels
+ Dune Universe Timeline

+ Hugo Awards Best Sci Fi novels of the 1950's
+ Hugo Awards Best sci fi novels of the 1960's
+ Hugo Awards Best Sci Fi novels of the 1970's
+ Hugo Awards Best Sci Fi Novels of the 1980's
+ Hugo Awards Best Sci Fi novels of the 1990's
+ Hugo awards Best sci fi novel of the 2000's (2000 - 2009)
+ Hugo Awards Best Sci Fi novels for the decade 2010-2019

+ Nebula Best Sci Fi Novel awards - 1960s
+ Nebula Awards SciFi Best Novel - 1970s

+ Red, Blue & Green Mars - Kim Stanley Robinson 
+ Star Wars 
+ vorkoisgan saga reading order - Lois McMaster Bujold

Monday, 2 November 2020

Happy Birthday George Boole.






































































































 
This is a old serge module that performs Boolean logic. It's a form of algebra that is centered around 3 basic operators: OR, AND, and NOT. The core of Boolean logic is the idea that all values are either true or false. ... on or off.... 0 or 1.  From this idea, computers were born.
 
George Boole was born on this day (2 November) in 1815.
Though he only lived for 49 years he accomplished so much.
His legacy lives on to this day.
 
 
 
I came across this add , the other day reading an old copy of a Sci-fi magazine.
It's for a Geniac kit.
 

It's a very basic analog electro-mechanical "computer" that uses 6 disks.
It can do basic Boolean logic. 
 
 
You need to physically wire connections between an internal battery, the disks and some lightbulbs.
It doesn't have any form of memory, so can't perform sequential equations.
I don't think it has any latching circuits.
 
Links.
 

Sunday, 1 November 2020

Burma - Boat Ride to Bagan

 Some pics of a boat ride on the Irrawaddy River. 

The Irrawaddy or, officially, Ayeyarwady River flows from north to south through Burma. It is the country's largest river. It is about 1,350 miles (2,170 km) long.
It is where they wash, drink, travel, and pray.

Its name is believed to derive from the Sanskrit term airāvatī, meaning “elephant river.”
It's source is the Himalayas.
 

Between Mandalay and Bagan.

Very relaxing... not much to do apart from watch the world go by.


 
It's a 12 hr trip
 
 















Wednesday, 28 October 2020

Testing out a MFOS Sound Lab Mini Banana Synth - Elk Electronics

 Thanks to Ed for testing out one of my old Banana Synths.
 
It's a MFOS Sound Labs Mini Synth.
I've had this for a decade at least and it still sounds great. 
 
Some pics 



This test is preparation for a future synth lecture & workshop teaching basic Modular Synthesizer concepts 
The class will be held on the 21st November at Elk Electronics (Crown St, Wollongong. NSW, AUSTRALIA)
 
We will also be using many other synths in the demo including Eurorack. 
 
This will be great for you if you are new to synths and would like to find out how the various components fit together. For more experienced synth users, it would be great to have you share your experience - maybe you have a synth you would like to bring along.
 
You are very welcome to bring along a synthesizer that you would be happy to have on display or demonstrate during the Session. We just ask that you please let us know what you are bringing so that we can coordinate these things.