OpenDECK - open source DIY midi controller

[paradajz]

I got this idea while lurking DJ controllers on youtube and thought - hey, I could do that for cheap! Turned out I actually could do it, but wasn't cheap at all!

So, what is OpenDECK?
OpenDECK is full-featured DJ controller. It has everything you would expect - lots of pots, rotary encoders (taken from old hard drives), lots of buttons and LED indicators. At first - I thought I'll do it within 2 months. Then 2 months prolonged to 3, then 4 and now it's been over a year - still not finished! But I'm very close and that's why I'm showing it off here now.

Why it's called OpenDECK?
As soon it's finished complete schematics, code and documentation will be online.

So, here are couple of pictures:

It started like this:




And evolved into this:








Video:

Playing around with that salvaged hard drive:



And (very) early video preview (I'll upload another one soon):



I hope you guys like the idea. Till next time, enjoy!

[Stewe]

Nice work mate! I would change a layout a bit but generally you did good job here. As for EQ kill addition to knobs - is it controller or mapping thing? Cost?

That track is sick!

[paradajz]

Nice work mate!

Thanks!

I would change a layout a bit but generally you did good job here.

I did it according to my taste but it should be suitable for anyone.

As for EQ kill addition to knobs - is it controller or mapping thing?

Both actually. I "linked" those 6 EQ kill buttons to pots aswell when their reading is 0. So basically you need to map only button in Traktor and when pot reading is 0, it will activate that kill.

Cost?

Tricky question. If I did everything right at first try it would be around 200€ but I've spent nearly 300€. Lots of trials and errors - bought logarithmic pots instead of linear, wrong chips, lots of breadboards etc.

That track is sick!

In which video?

[Stewe]

Talking about dub. As for first you can line up modifiers to work like a sort of buffer which can tell traktor for how long track need to stopped (jog touch) while in that time scratching is performing. At he moment limit value is reached next movement of jog should continue play. Yes, it will always be in some pattern but map few more buttons with different limit of modifier values, some hotcues and you got kind of scratch technique.

In this video I mapped button-hold but same thing goes for encoder

[paradajz]

Talking about dub. As for first you can line up modifiers to work like a sort of buffer which can tell traktor for how long track need to stopped (jog touch) while in that time scratching is performing. At he moment limit value is reached next movement of jog should continue play. Yes, it will always be in some pattern but map few more buttons with different limit of modifier values, some hotcues and you got kind of scratch technique.

Yes that track is awesome.
I'm not really sure what you mean. If the track isn't playing for certain period of time, the disks should be mapped to jog function or? The disks are actually about to have several functions - seek position, scratching, browsing (tree+list), tempo control, seeking position in the preview player, beatgrid alignment and so on.

[Stewe]

On first movement of disc jog goes on "JOG TOUCH" command and modifier #1's value becomes 1 (button inc/M1=1) and further you turn it back and forth value should increase on every tick M1=1,2,3,4,5,6,7. Now map modifier #2 and give it modifier conditions of that last (M1=7) and set it also as increase. M3=1 (M2=7) etc.

Now imagine those values like a mappable positions in big chain and try to time jog touch=off command.

[paradajz]

On first movement of disc jog goes on "JOG TOUCH" command and modifier #1's value becomes 1 (button inc/M1=1) and further you turn it back and forth value should increase on every tick M1=1,2,3,4,5,6,7. Now map modifier #2 and give it modifier conditions of that last (M1=7) and set it also as increase. M3=1 (M2=7) etc.

Now imagine those values like a mappable positions in big chain and try to time jog touch=off command.

Interesting idea. Do you got any video demonstrating that?

[Stewe]

Don't have jogwheel to show you but this principal should work for any encoder/knob. It's was a random thought.. But now I see how jog FX can be automated.

[paradajz]

Link to topic in that video gave me an idea how to simplify "press and hold" action: Now every button on my controller sends another MIDI note when it's hold atleast 2 seconds. Also, every pot can act as 3-way and 4-way switch so there is really a lot of combinations.

[Stewe]

Awesome! Looking forward to see what you can come up with using this "timer".