Is there any reason why a Wilba SEQ frontpanel couldn’t be used as a control surface for the NG?
Assuming Wilba’s frontpanel would work, would it be OK to connect and disconnect the frontpanel from a core module while the core module is running? I am thinking about installing a 10 pole 10PDT switch on the frontpanel’s DIN/DOUT connection. I would connect the other side of the switch to two core modules, one running NG, and the other running the SEQ. The idea would be that I could use the same control surface to control both cores, and have both a SEQ and an NG in one relatively compact case.
Connecting and disconnecting a control surface while the core is running seems to work fine, and doesn’t seem to cause any problems. Is it safe to do this? Could repeatedly switching the CS (connecting and disconnecting it) damage the core?
Connecting and disconnecting the LCDs also seems to work. Would that cause problems in the long run? I assume switching the LCD might be more problematic than switching the CS (also would need a bigger switch), so I’m inclined to just mount four 40x2 LCDs in the case, with two permanently connected to the SEQ, and two permanently connected to the NG, and switch only the control surface.
Probably (re)initializing the displays might be problematic - why not build two control surfaces? You might benefit from different key labels for the MBNG, anyways?
Other than that, the SEQ CS can surely be used - it is a good idea, a relatively easy build, large displays, enough encoders and many tactile switches for functions!
Thanks. Yeah, I think I’ll avoid switching the displays.
Two control surfaces would be nice, but I’m designing a mobile all-in-one case for my seq+BLM+a couple of synths, so any space I can save is a good thing… Lots of room inside the case for an extra core, but no room for a second control surface.
That makes sense! Fighting the “not enough space” battle since years, too!
Methinks (depending on the displays), with a bit of trickery, a reinitialization sequence could be triggered - but it would take some code modifications - and it should probably be avoided, that the displays are receiving updated data during the plugin-process, before the initialization. Might be done with a key, that, when hold obtains the display mutex, after release initializes the displays, then releases the mutex. Dunno if the apps like stealing a mutex for so long, it is experimental and quite some work -> if you can have separate displays, it would be easier, but for science reasons, i’d say it is worth a try!
I’ve been able to find a few 10 pole switches, but anything more than that seems to be very hard to find, and very expensive. It would be fun “for science”, but I’m not sure I’d even be able to find a 16 pole switch to switch the LCDs. I think it would be better to have separate LCDs anyway - that way you could still see what was happening on the other device.
I’ll order a switch and give this setup a try. Since the Wilba CS boards are relatively easily available, this would probably be of interest to others if it works. Doesn’t quite meet the ultra-bling standard of your programma thing, but lots of knobs and buttons anyway.
Can anyone recommend a cheap switch IC that would be a good choice to use to switch the connection to the frontpanel? It occurs to me that I could build a circuit to do this electronically rather than with a hard-to-find 10 pole mechanical switch…
