Saturday, 15 August 2015

Bools - NLC build notes

These are the build notes for the nonlinearcircuits Bools Eurorack module.
It's of course, as the name implies, a Boolean Logic module

Very useful for generating gates, envelopes, and CVs that can be sync'd with everything going on in your patch. You can patch lots of things into the bools --- audio signals, LFOs, CVs from sequencers & envelope generators, etc etc. The inputs can be any signal crossing 1V.


The outputs are 5V gates that are all related to each other.
The different combinations of gates will depend on the chips you use.

Suitable chips are
4001 NOR
4011 NAND
4071 OR
4081 AND
4077 XNOR
4030 or 4070 XOR

 "AND and NOR gates tend to create sequences with gaps of silence especially at the beginning of the song and get far more active later in the song.  It’s the opposite for NAND and NOR gates, and XOR and XNOR gates tend to be active all the time, with no gaps at all or very few" (Reinventor).
The 4 inputs drive the chained logic gates.
The gate outputs give the boolean logic result of the signals on inputs 1&2, 2&3, 3&4 and 4&1.
There is also a additional resistor ladder (R/1, R/2.R/4/R/8) which feeds into a sample & hold circuit and a slew to give a smoothed CV out.

To use Bools as a EG, you need to first choose an input to determine the height (1 = low, 4 = high), then set the slope with the slew & feed the S/H input with signals to vary envelope shape.
Andrew's BOM & Build Guide are here:
http://www.sdiy.org/pinky/data/BOOLs%20BOM%20guide%20vers1.pdf


There are SMDs to solder on both sides of the PCB
Do the SMDs first. They are all passive components- caps & resistors.

Headers next:
For this build I'll use a 4011 NAND gate
     Links:
1. Muffs thread
2. 4x4 logic manual - NLC panel
3. Boolean sequencer basics
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Thursday, 13 August 2015

Hugo Awards for Sci Fi 1950s

This is a list of the best novel award.
The Hugos have been awarded since the 1950s.

My personal favourites:   
Fahrenheit 451, The Demolished Man, Double Star, 
Foundation - Isaac Asimov.... not on this list but can't ignore 
CHILDHOOD'S END (1953)


1951

Farmer in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein [Boy’s Life Aug,Sep,Oct,Nov 1950; Scribner’s, 1950]

 A condensed version of the novel was published in serial form in Boys' Life magazine (August, September, October, November 1950), under the title "Satellite Scout".

The Book:
 Publisher    Charles Scribner's Sons
Publication date 1950
ISBN    0-345-32438-2







1953

The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester


 Publisher    Shasta Publishers (first edition)
Publication date
    1953
Media type    Print (Hardback)
Pages    250







 
Demolished Man first appeared in Galaxy Magazine. : Jan,Feb,Mar 1952***
 
***

1954

Fahrenheit 451 (alt: The Fireman) by Ray Bradbury [Ballantine, 1953]

 Published    October 19, 1953 (Ballantine Books)
Pages    256
ISBN    978-0-7432-4722-1 (current cover edition)

Shortly after the paperback, a hardback version was released that included a special edition of 200 signed and numbered copies bound in asbestos.

The novel was serialized in the March, April, and May 1954 issues of  Playboy magazine
 
The picture on the left is the first edition hardcopy .
The first edition paperback is below. It's really the first true copy.



First edition paperback.
Also contains THE PLAYGROUND & AND THE ROCK CRIED OUT.

Illustrator: Joseph Mugnaini

Originally, Bradbury wrote two early short stories, "The Pedestrian" and  "Bright Phoenix.". These were combined into a Novella: The Fireman.
This novella was published in the February 1951 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction. 
Bradbury's publisher later suggested that he expand the novella into a novel, which became Fahrenheit 451.




 

1955

They’d Rather Be Right by Mark Clifton and Frank Riley [Astounding Aug,Sep,Oct,Nov 1954]

They'd Rather Be Right was first published as a four-part serial in Astounding Science Fiction from August 1954 to November 1954. It was published as a book in 1957, and a heavily cut version was released the following year under the title The Forever Machine


 Publisher    Gnome Press (1957 novel)
Publication date
    1954 (as a serial), 1957 (as a novel)
Media type    Print (Hardcover)
Pages    189


Astounding Science Fiction magazine. Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov 1954 ***

+ They'd Rather Be Right - The Forever Machine by Machine by Mark Clifton & Frank Riley (review)

1956

Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein [Astounding Feb,Mar,Apr 1956]

 Publisher    Doubleday
Publication date
    1956
Media type    Print (hardback & paperback)








These are the front covers of the Astounding Sci-Fi magazines.... the first true printings of this story.
Feb,Mar,Apr 1956 ***

1957
Best American Professional Magazine 
Astounding Science Fiction ed. by John W. Campbell, Jr.

1958

The Big Time by Fritz Leiber [Galaxy Mar,Apr 1958]

Publisher    Ace Books (1961 book edition), Gregg Press (1976 first hardback edition)
Publication date
    1958 (as a serial), 1961 (as a novel)
Media type    Print (hardback & paperback)

The Big Time was published originally in two parts in Galaxy Magazine's March *** and April*** 1958 issues, illustrated by Virgil Finlay.







These are the covers of the original March and April 1958 Galaxy Magazine issues.... the first true printings of this story.***


1959

A Case of Conscience by James Blish [Ballantine, 1958]
 *


Published    1958 (Ballantine Books)
Media type    Print (paperback)
Pages    192
ISBN    0-345-43835-3 (later paperback printing)

The novel is the first part of Blish's thematic After Such Knowledge trilogy and was followed by Doctor Mirabilis and both Black Easter and The Day After Judgment (two novellas that Blish viewed as together forming the third volume of the trilogy).

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

Sci Fi Links
 


+ Foundation - Isaac Asimov's
+ Dune - The Chronological order of the novels
+ Dune Universe Timeline
+ I, Robot - Isaac Asimov - novels & Magazines
+ Star Wars 
+ vorkoisgan saga reading order - Lois McMaster Bujold

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

sci Fi Index

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

Monday, 10 August 2015

Hugo Awards - Best novels of the 1970's

This is a list of the best novel award for the 1970's
The Hugos have been awarded since the 1950s.

My Personal Favourites: The Left Hand of Darkness & The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin,
Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke. 
Lord Foul's Bane (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant) by Stephen Donaldson .. a personal fav, though it didn't win a Hugo.
Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy  ...  .. a personal fav, though it didn't win a Hugo.
Kindred, by Octavia E. Butler (1979)
A Scanner Darkly, by Philip K Dick (1977)


1970
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin [Ace, 1969]

 Published    1969 (Ace Books)[2]
Media type    Print (paperback original; hardcover also 1969)
Pages    286 (first edition)

***












1971
Ringworld by Larry Niven [Ballantine, 1970]

***

 Publisher    Ballantine Books
Publication date
    October 1970
Media type    Print (hardcover, paperback), audiobook
Pages    342 pages
Awards    Locus Award for Best Novel (1971)
ISBN    0-345-02046-4








 1972

To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip José Farmer [Putnam, 1971]


 Genre    Science fiction
Publisher    Putnam Publishing Group
Publication date
    June 1971
Media type    Print (hardback & paperback)






Note: The short stories "Day of the Great Shout" (Worlds of Tomorrow" magazine Jan-1965) and "The Suicide Express" (Worlds of Tomorrow" magazine, Mar-1966) were edited and combined into the first published Riverworld novel "To Your Scattered Bodies Go" (1971)
***




 

1973

The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov [Galaxy Mar/Apr,May/Jun 1972; If Mar/Apr 1972]

***

 Publisher    Doubleday
Publication date
    1972
Media type    Print (hardback and paperback)
Pages    288
Awards    Locus Award for Best Novel (1973)
ISBN    0-385-02701-X



The book is divided into three main parts, which were first published in Galaxy Magazine and Worlds of If as three consecutive stories.

 
+ The Gods Themselves - Isaac Asimov - summary & review


galaxy magazine march 1972 ***
Worlds of If magazine April 1972 ***
galaxy magazine may 1972 ***


 

 

 

 

 

1974

Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke [Galaxy Sep,Oct 1973; Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1973]
***

 Publisher    Gollancz (UK)
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (US)
Publication date
    Jun 1973 (UK)
Aug 1973 (US)
Media type    Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages    256 (UK)
69,048 words[3]
Awards    Hugo Award for Best Novel, Nebula Award for Best Novel, John W. Campbell Memorial Award, Locus Award for Best Novel, etc.
ISBN    0-575-01587-X (UK)

Review:  Rendezvous with Rama - Arthur C. Clarke

Rendezvous With Rama also appeared in Galaxy magazine
  Sep1973



Oct 1973; Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1973]


















1975
The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin [Harper & Row, 1974]


 Published    1974 (Harper & Row)
Media type    Print (hardcover and paperback)
Pages    341 (first edition)
Awards    Locus Award for Best Novel (1975)
ISBN    0-06-012563-2 (first edition, hardcover)











1976
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman [St. Martin’s, 1974]

Publisher    St. Martin's Press
Publication date
    1974
Media type    Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages    236
Awards    Nebula Award for Best Novel (1975)

Locus Award for Best Novel (1976)
Hugo Award for Best Novel (1976)
ISBN    0-312-29890-0






1977

Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm [Harper & Row, 1976]

Publisher    Harper & Row
Publication date
    1976
Media type    Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages    207
Awards    Locus Award for Best Novel (1977)
ISBN    0-06-014654-0

***







1978

Gateway by Frederik Pohl [Galaxy Nov,Dec 1976,Mar 1977; St. Martin’s, 1977]

Publisher    St. Martin's Press
Publication date
    April 1977
(serial from Nov 1976)[1]
Media type    Print (hardcover)
Pages    313 (first ed.)
Awards    Locus Award for Best Novel (1978)
ISBN    0-312-31780-8
OCLC    2862581

Awards    Locus Award for Best Novel (1978)

                1978 Hugo Award for Best Novel,
                1978 John W. Campbell Memorial Award 
                         for Best Science Fiction Novel

It is the opening novel in the Heechee saga, with four sequels that followed (five books overall). 

 

***
Gateway
was serialized in Galaxy prior to its hardcover publication.
November 1976, (Book 1, Part 1), 
Dec 1976, (Book 1, Part 2)
March 1977, (Book 1, Part 3)
 




1979

Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre [Houghton Mifflin, 1978]

Publisher    Houghton Mifflin
Publication date
    1978
Media type    Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages    277
Awards   

    Hugo Award for Best Novel (1979)
    Locus Award for Best Novel (1979)
    Nebula Award for Best Novel (1978)

ISBN    0-395-26470-7 




A portion of this book originally appeared in ANALOG Science Fiction/Science Fact.(february 1978 ?? serpent's death )

"Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand"  by Vonda N. McIntyre. which was first published in Analog Science Fiction and Fact in October 1973, formed the first chapter of McIntyre's 1978 novel Dreamsnake

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sci Fi Links
+ 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
+ Foundation - Isaac Asimov's
+ Dune - The Chronological order of the novels
+ Dune Universe Timeline
+ I, Robot - Isaac Asimov - novels & Magazines
+ Star Wars 
+ vorkoisgan saga reading order - Lois McMaster Bujold

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

sci Fi Index

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

 

4SEQ - NLC Sequencer - Build Notes

The NonLinearCircuits Bindubba 1 & 3 are some of my favourite sequencers.

The 4Seq eurorack module combines aspects of both. It has just 4 stages but the direction can be controlled by a gate to go forwards or backwards, so you can end up with some very complex patterns. It also gives CV outputs that are the reverse of each other, if outX is counting 1,2,3,4 then outY counts 4,3,2,1. The gate outputs are /2, /4, /8 & /16 divisions of the incoming clock signal.

Here are some pics of the virgin PCB & panel:
Most of the components are through the hole but there are 32 resistors & 3 caps that are SMD. These passive SMDs can be 1206 or 0805
This is a great project if you need to get your SMD soldering skills up to scratch. All ICs are thru-hole.
so it is a very easy build.

Andrew's BOM & build notes are here:
http://www.sdiy.org/pinky/data/4SEQ%20BOM%20&%20build%20vers1.pdf

The Bindubba 1 was a 4 stage shift sequencer. (A cross between a ASR & CGS sequential switch)

The Bindubba 3 was a 16 stage vertical/horizontal, bi-directional matrix sequencer.


First solder those SMDs. The solder I used was a standard 0.7mm thickness.

Next, IC & the power headers:
The ICs are a CMOS counter (4029), a dual 4 channel multiplexer (4052), and two op-amps (TL072 & TL074)


Resistors, diodes & trannies. The transistors are all NPN BC547s. Diodes are standard 1N4148s

These are the three "d" resistors... they are 10K.
c = 100K
1 = 1K

The four 100k pots: (B-type)

And the jacks:

Finally, install the LEDs.
You're done :-)
  

Links:
1. Muffs thread.

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Saturday, 8 August 2015

Intellijel Metropolis meets 303

 The Metropolis Sequencer is uber cool. Inspired by the Ryk M-185 (a Roland System 100m sequencer)
Each stage has slides and a pulse count in the range 1-8. It should provide very interesting results.


The Luna Modular VC 303 bass synth is according to the manufacturer (Somatic Circuits) an exact clone
of the TB 303 minus the sequencer.
I don't think it sounds exactly like a 303 (due probably to the same rare componentry issues x0xb0x and other 303 cloners owners face), but I still reckon it sounds great, especially the filter. It's very flexible and anyway, do we really want another 303 clone??? I think it's better if each manufacturer finds a way to add their own new flavours to that acid bass line we all love.

The nice thing about the VC 303 is that you can plug external oscillators in or use a different filter.

The Doepfer A-143-2 Quad ADSR is a useful addition for the metropolis, as is a LFO (Doepfer A-145)

Paired with the Intellijel Metropolis there are so many possibilities.

Wednesday, 5 August 2015

ADSR 312 - NLC Build notes

The Nonlinearcircuits ADSR312 module is based on the Aires 312 envelope generator.


Aires was a Massachusetts based synth manufacturer from the 1970s & early 80s.
They produced many of their modules in kit form as well as pre-assembled systems such as the Aries 300.

There are no CMOS chips or op-anps in this circuit, and only 4 components are SMD.

 First the 100K SMDs

Diodes & Caps.

Transistors:

Next insert the pots & jacks. I usually attach the jacks to the faceplate & then solder.

Don't forget to solder the ground lugs of the 3.5mm jacks

Almost there.
The LED needs to be mounted.
My LED isn't super bright so I'm using a 330R resistor

You're Done :-)

Links:
1. NLC blog
2. NLC build notes
3. Vintage synth Aires 300 modular
4. Muff Wiggler - Aires Modules
5. NLC - more Schematics, BOM, build notes
6. ModularSynthesis.com - Aires AR-312 EG restoration
7. ModularSynthesis.com - General Airies Module restoration
8. Modular Synthesis.com - PDF - AR 312 schematics, pics, etc
9. Switched On video - A Hybrid Digisound & Aries Modular Synthesizer
10. Muffs & more

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