Monthly Archives: February 2009

I like it when I finish a project

  By glacial23 | 2/8/2009 - 7:52 pm | electronics, synthesizers 4 Comments

That SN76477 noisemaker I talked about last time? It’s done.

Take a look:

Is it done? There might still be a bug or two to deal with, and there is tons of room for expansion- both on the panel and on the protoboard that the circuit lives on. Filter? Bitcrusher? LM567 modulator? Crazy banana plug patching scheme amongst these things? Who knows?

SDIY progress report – 2/2009

  By glacial23 | 2/6/2009 - 1:32 am | electronics, General, synthesizers 1 Comment
  • SN-Voice: Primered the front panel (not sure how well that’s going to work. I’m using spray primer and it’s 17 degrees F outside. It may get a coat of white latex paint if it doesn’t). Figured out an easier way to do pcb->panel connections instead of making my own cable rigs. Still need tempco, but going to work around it at first (putting in headers, and just using a regular 2k resistor for now)
  • MPS: Most of the way there. Still need a couple of caps (the polystyrene ones) and panel components.
  • Tried to build Rene Schmitz’s 4069 VCO. Thus far not successful. Not sure where the problem lies.
  • The new rack chassis: Figured out the existing panels will need widening if they are to accomodate 1/8″ jacks. Given the material is some kind of reasonably study metal (steel? aluminum?), this could be a challenge)
  • New thing: It’s a re-implementation of the 1970s/1980s Remco Sound FX Machine. The schematic is somewhat based on the Saratronics SARA-002, but with some improvements (specifically: added a switch for one-off or constant operation, and fixed some things that looked weird in the schematic). Working great in prototype so far. Working on a fancy enclosure (ok, a cigar box, as usual, but it’s going to be painted up all fancy-like, so it’s fancy, dammit!)
  • I must really like the SN76477 – in addition to the two projects using it above, I’m also planning to build a Thomas Henry SN76477 SuperController. I may build a second Sound FX Machine box as well.
  • Also trying to figure out a way to mount the power supply without electrocuting myself – I think it’s going to get its own enclosure, and hook into the cabinet(s) via XLR connectors.
  • Even though I’m not a major Atari Punk Console fan (you get twice as much fun out of a CD4093), I went ahead and got a pack of GetLoFi’s APC 2.0 PCBs. If nothing else I may make a couple of little kits for friends who want to get into SDIY.
  • I’ve got some other PCBs enroute. Looking forward to getting them.
  • Debating some Hi-Fi type projects (chipamp, maybe speakers). Maybe when some of this other stuff is actually done.
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Press The Button Podcast for February 4, 2009

  By site admin | 2/4/2009 - 4:00 am | Contributors, Press The Button Leave a comment

First hour was something I started working on for the RPM challenge. It won’t be an hour long when it’s finished ;-)

Second hour started with Raymond Scott’s Soothing Sounds for Baby (all three volumes at once), and finished with a little Merzbow.