I am reading ucapps.de and midibox.org since the start of this year. Ãœberwältigend! I dont want to fill this text with hippiesk love attacks to all very active members of this forum and ucapps.de (and Thorsten Klose of course….) - I love it! You changed my life - ok, I will stop here.
I want to build a modified version of the SEQ V4, with integrated Button Led Matrix (BLM), based on the blm_scalar.
I draw a SEQ V4 frontpanel using Wilba’s frontpanel and added a integrated 16x8 BLM with lividinstruments pcb’s and buttons and one-colored red LED’s.
Now Im in the final stage to send my drawing to the Schaeffer AG, who will produce the frontpanel. (a few font issues left…)
I wanted to post the frontpanel before, perhaps you have some good critic….
As soon as I get the frontpanel and everything is working I will post the .fdp and cad-files + parts guide, if there is interest.
The frontpanel is really expensive (more than the double of Wilba’s), so if you have ideas for making it cheaper, I would be very grateful (for example the 128 hidden holes from the back of the panel for the BLM - 0,70euro per hole…)
The frontpanel is really expensive (more than the double of Wilba’s), so if you have ideas for making it cheaper, I would be very grateful (for example the 128 hidden holes from the back of the panel for the BLM - 0,70euro per hole…)
Either your PDF doesn’t show the “hidden holes”, or I don’t see them? What are they good for?
Either your PDF doesn’t show the “hidden holes”, or I don’t see them? What are they good for?
Wilba is using them too. They are drilled from the back, so you dont see them from the front - you can then mount all the components from the back. There are completely white holes and slightly gray holes. The gray ones are the holes from the back - the hidden holes…
I am not sure why you would need all those in the first place? Are you going to push your rubber buttons that hard? Maybe it’s a good idea then to mount the PCBs that hold the contact “grids” on a separate frame made from aluminium profile from underneath, and then attach the frame to the front panel. For a front panel that size, you would need a considerable strength anyways to make sure it doesn’t flex.
You can also use the JB-Weld + Hex-Spacer method to avoid all those expensive blind holes. Also, phunk does not recommend them (in another thread) as there may be some visible signs on the front side.
It is my impression that you do not need so many of them, 1/4 or even 1/16 of them in the “blm area” is sufficient, especially if the aluminum panel is thick (3mm), as ilmenator said.
Which illuminated tactile switches + button caps will you use?
Edit: forget that question, found the livid instruments website
thx! These keypads would be good for the classic 16x16 matrix, too, right? (sorry for thread hijacking)
back on thread:
how do you want to realise the switching between 8x16 BLM-mode and the “other sequencer functions” (such as copy/paste, play/stop), which are in the BLM area?
thx! These keypads would be good for the classic 16x16 matrix, too, right? (sorry for thread hijacking)
back on thread:
how do you want to realise the switching between 8x16 BLM-mode and the “other sequencer functions” (such as copy/paste, play/stop), which are in the BLM area?
The livid buttons are really nice, but quite expensive.
For the functions in the BLM area there is a SHIFT button - the most right button (Im left-hander…). I put the functions inside the BLM area, for those which only had one function, you can access these with SHIFT+.
For example I thought it was important to give METRONOME a direct button, because the SEQ V4 manual writes : “Press MENU+METRONOME to send an “External Restart” request”. This function is still possible to call with two fingers. If METRONOME would have been inside the BLM area, you would have to press MENU+SHIFT+METRONOME.
p.s. thank you for the hint with JB-Weld - I will look at it!
p.s. thank you for the hint with JB-Weld - I will look at it!
I dont think JB-Weld+Hex Spacer, if I understand it right - is an option for the “livid construction”. For the button’s you have to use the spacer layer’s to fix the button’s. Then there is less than 6mm left from the buttons and the frontpanel is also 3mm thick. So I dont think this is a solution.
I think I will try the proposal from ilmenator.
A second aluminum panel underneath, where I mount all the stuff.
After some great hints from ilmenator and Hawkeye I used JB-Weld, Hex spacers and a second panel, where I mounted all the modules, for the construction. I didn’t use “hidden holes” or “sacklöcher” on german, and I saved cirka 100€ - thanks! (And this is a much more stable construction)
Now I want to test the ButtonLedMatrix.
I soldered the Livid PCB, with diodes and LED’S and connected everything as described in BLM 16x4-pdf.
I tested my MBHP_CORE_STM32 and the DIN & DOUT module, with some basic tutorials from the TK-king.
I then added to mios32_config.h in /svn/mios32/trunk/apps/controllers/blm_scalar:
#ifndef BLM_SCALAR_NUM_MODULES
#define BLM_SCALAR_NUM_MODULES 1
#endif
#ifndef BLM_SCALAR_NUM_COLOURS
#define BLM_SCALAR_NUM_COLOURS 1
#endif
because I only use one color and one module.
Then I loaded the new compiled blm_scalar hex-file to the STM32.
Because I didn’t send any midi-event, the blm_scalar should be in test mode and if I press any button, it’s LED should turn on?
But NOTHING.
Is there something basically wrong?
Is there any other program I can run, to test if I have soldered everything right?
I doubt you’ve damaged anything but I wouldn’t know for sure.
The 4x16 BLM is actually a part of the SEQv4 app, and the shift registers should be connected to the same core module as your sequencer. This won’t work for the 8x16 setup you want though.
It should be possible to code your own BLM driver, have a look at http://svnmios.midibox.org/ for existing apps and examples if you haven’t already.
I think the difficult thing will be interfacing the 8x16 BLM with the SEQv4 app. If I recall correctly TK said he wouldn’t support sizes other than 16x16.
Ok. I will try to test the 4x16BLM with the SEQV4 app.
I use less standard-buttons, than the original SEQV4 design (because I have integrated some function with SHIFT+“buttons in the matrix”) - I will see if I perhaps can squeeze the 8x16 BLM into the SEQV4 core…
