Now THIS is a controller!!!

Macrostructure · Post by **Macrostructure** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 10:24 pm

Work in progress

Probably going to cost about 700 UKP & yes, I might make a few if it goes well.

Vercengetorex · Post by **Vercengetorex** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 11:02 pm

Macro, were you planning to use analog knobs, or rotary encoders?

dirtystudios · Post by **dirtystudios** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 3:12 am

am i crazy, or did the picture change?

and...

are you using the midibox64 platform for this?

k

LiveLong · Post by **LiveLong** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 4:34 am

Keep it rotary

The digital Urei

Noematus · Post by **Noematus** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 7:09 am

let me know if you would like a reviewer when it is done.

B

www.noematus.com

Macrostructure · Post by **Macrostructure** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 8:34 am

Vercengetorex wrote:Macro, were you planning to use analog knobs, or rotary encoders?

All rotary encoders, from Doepfer, can't see the use of standard knobs in Live without associated signal processing for 'catch' etc like the Bitstream 3x

Macrostructure · Post by **Macrostructure** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 8:35 am

dirtystudios wrote:am i crazy, or did the picture change?

and...

are you using the midibox64 platform for this?

k

I added a spotlight to the picture

No, Doepfer gear so far, ordering some today, but will check out midibox64 one more time before I do

hambone1 · Post by **hambone1** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 9:09 am

700 GBP! Gold-plated motorized controls, I hope.. and it carries my PA to the gig!

Looks cool, though.

AlexB · Post by **AlexB** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 10:11 am

Hey there macrostructure.

Thats a pretty nifty looking controller. I'm making one too at the moment. 700 seems pretty expensive though, what drove the cost up so high? maybe the buttons?

I had real trouble sourcing some decent buttons at reasonable cost. Everything else wasn't too hard though.

also, I was curious to know what software you used to draw that picture, could a novice use it? a 3d picture like that would be pretty useful to me at the mo...

thanks!

Macrostructure · Post by **Macrostructure** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:57 am

I haven't really added up the cost yet but that's my feel for it.

I need three doepfer Pocket Electronics kits which cost 130ukp each and one CTM64 kit, cost unknown, 60ukp? The aluminium case was 40ukp.
Buttons are a nightmare, currently testing loads, cost ranging from 1ukp to 5ukp each. I need over 50 of them. Any advice on getting good ones at decent prices would be appreciated

Add in breadboards and all the other junk - 30-50ukp min

Never mind making it USB

I can save money by dismatling two Pocket Dials I have already and re-using the pots, might save 98ukp.

So yeah, its somewhere between 475 and 800 ukp approx

i'm using Doepfer not midibox64 because it's faster to reach an end product and less tekky, I think.

Unit modelled on Rhinoceros 3d, pm me and I we can talk about it. It's easy to use. One of the cool things about Rhino is you can unroll the surfaces and plot out templates for drilling, or even produce CAD/CAM outputs for machining.

700 quid is dear for a controller but when you look at the breakdown you see where it comes from. Makes you realise the economies of scale M-Audio and people achieve. Also makes you realise the thousands some people spend on their controllers - check out the midibox64 site!!!

AlexB · Post by **AlexB** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 2:13 pm

thanks for the reply macrostructure!

what sort of buttons do you need, and do you need pcb mount or panel mount?

illuminated? momentary or locking?

I'm not sure I can help too much, i had a real problem finding some, eventually settled on some. maybe I can point you to something you may have missed tho.

I've used schaffer's front panel designer to do the actual front plate design, otherwise I've just drawn all the other stuff by hand. actually, my dad is going to call schaeffer to check they're still going as he sent them an email over 2 weeks ago and hasn't heard back. eek! hope they are still there, the whole design is based around this, and we're ready to order now!

I agree re the doepfer, seems easier etc. thats the way we're going too. 1 x ctm64 and 2 x pocket electronic I think. also, we're just going to use midisport 1x1 for the usb thing as its pretty neat and also reasonably cheap.

I've gone for all real top quality stuff, not skimped on anything really (except maybe the buttons a little) alps pots and sliders, alloy control knobs, lovely alloy box etc etc blah blah and I think it will come in just under the £500 mark. it will be worth every penny though, and every second I've spent on it, I cant wait to get my hands on it.

Macrostructure · Post by **Macrostructure** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 2:19 pm

I'm wrestling with the switch situation. I will probably go momentary, non illuminated, PCB mount, although I'm waiting for some panel mounts to be deliveed from RS to test.

Have you got any good website for switches apart from RS and Maplin?

What's this Schaffer thing? Never heard of it...links?

Yeah, I'm using exactly the same Dopfer configuration you are but probably one more PE.

I'll would be great to see some photos of your unit once its made, very exciting! Best of luck. The swiches are the surprise cost for me.

ms[/quote]

AlexB · Post by **AlexB** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 2:28 pm

ahh, well, if you're using pcb mount then you get a whole world of opportunities that weren't open to me!

so, you could try http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/home/homepage.jsp for starters!

hmm, other places, not too sure as I just googled away as much as I could. I ended up going round in circles really a little.

here's the schaffer link: http://www.schaeffer-apparatebau.de/English/index.htm

also, I got loads of useful info from this thread!

http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12655

indeed, buttons were what pushed the price right up for me too. I will DEFFO post a picture up when its done, I reckon around 6 weeks or so now! can't wait that long, but never mind : )

just out of interest, which panel mounts from rs did you go for to try out?

Macrostructure · Post by **Macrostructure** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 2:51 pm

Testing these from RS, they're okay...

417-8567

331-758

AlexB · Post by **AlexB** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 3:21 pm

ah yes, I had a look at those too.

I think a) size and b) cost were the two main problems I had, and in the end I had to compromise a little. all worked out well though and I'm 100% happy with how its worked out.

I went for a combo of illuminated locking and normal momentary in the end.