Will be using spare parts from Contours and Jockey 3s (button pads, LED rings, knobs etc) and a Teensy 3.0, with either a pair of PCM2706s linked through an internal hub or an I2S → DAC combination running off two of the Teensy pins.
Basically, the idea is to create a nice compact controller with balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) outputs and 6.35mm and 3.5mm headphone out. Total size will be roughly 20x50, so basically the size of a 4U 19" rack unit, and about an 4cm thick.
I really like that! I only use a crossfader for scratching, when mixing its all volume faders, so I really like that layout. The volume faders are a little short for my liking, but that seems to be standard for controllers. Doesn’t look crowded either, I think this is a nice concept.
Cheers mate I’m got a similar feeling about the line faders, so may have to re-jigger things when I do the CAD designs for the faceplate etc. I may drop the gain controls in order to lengthen the faders a bit. Ideally I’d like to have 60mm faders as, like you, for mixing I ONLY use the line faders, no crossfader whatsoever.
All of the faders/encoders will be top quality 12/14-bit jobbies, the encoders all with a depress action as well for quick resets/toggles.
I may add a phase meter strip (with little square pitchbend buttons, like the ones either side of the cuepoint pads) either above/below each section as well, which may give me the additional room I need for the faders.
Makar, that’s kinda the point of diy controllers. They aren’t cheaper, take a lot of work and time. Sure, you could buy a twitch, but why not make a custom controller if you’re so inclined? Before you joined here, this forum was filled with diy projects. Its nice to see a resurgence of new controllers.
Yep, two “normal” knobs on the right, next to two endless encoders on the left. One’s for filter, the other is for “pan” on the Contours although I NEVER use that, so will probably re-purpose them for super FX.
As for the parts, I don’t plan on buying up Contours as donors; instead, I’m going to order the parts directly from Reloop The regional distributors have big stockpiles of spare parts so getting hold of them shouldn’t be too difficult. The tricky part will be the mountings, as the Contours are a metal faceplate over an ABS frame which is mounted inside a metal chassis. The PCB attaches to the back of the ABS frame, and EVERYTHING is on that PCB - even things like the LED rings.
So what I’ll do is have a custom PCB made up, space it off the faceplate with risers, and then secure the faceplate directly to the metal chassis (forgoing the ABS part of the unit), and use a secondary plate cut to fit the button pads layered between the PCB and the faceplate.
This is the microcontroller I’ll be using, it’s an Arduino-style controller which will then be hooked up to the PCB to interpret the analog/digital signals from the encoders and pots, most likely through a MOUNTAIN of multiplexers. The tricky part is going to be working out how to keep it all nicely organized with the multiplexers, as that’ll be key to keeping the code as simple as possible.
WORST case scenario, I’ll use 3 Teensys; one for each section of the controller.
Sheet aluminium, at least 2mm thick, with 4cm squares cut out of the corners then bent 90 degrees upwards, like a shoebox lid basically, just without actual “corners”; it’s a similar construction to some of Reloops other hardware (like the TM4) *Actually, scratch that… it’s not the TM4 which has sidewall construction like that… Christ knows what I’m thinking of :-*. That’s the main “bottom” part of the chassis; at the top of the vertical pieces there’ll be an additional 6 little “tabs” which are bent 90 degrees inwards which provide securing points for the faceplate, which the innards will all be attached to with countersunk M6 screws.
When I get home tonight I’ll knock up some concepts in SketchUp for your viewing pleasure
The overall plan is to make it in such a way where CUSTOM fabrication is kept to a minimum. Ie, I don’t mind having panels laser-cut from CAD diagrams, but it’d be nice to avoid having to get anything actually milled or CNC’d. If it’s just laser cutting, there’s a much higher chance I can bribe someone at the local Uni to do it for me for cost if I give them the CAD files and material
I hope you get it right the first time, one of my first diy projects, a microitx mobo and a 19" lcd integrated into a custom made box with a lid, kind of a ginormous, underpowered, 8.5kg laptop, had to be redone 7 or 8 times, before i finally figured out how the hell metal works
Cheers mate That was my logic behind it; I’m more or less happy with my Contours, but sometimes I have the need for something a little more compact than 2x Contours + a DJM, and yet something MORE than the Zomo. Basically, Contours + Mixer without jogwheels, the (somewhat superfluous) effects faders [I use the encoders], or a crossfader haha.
Never thought I’d hear someone who owns a pair of CDJs saying that haha But judging from the rest of your sig you’re also a MIDI lover
19 inches x 8 inches, or roughly 50cm x 20cm if you’re a metric guy Compared to a twitch, it’ll be significantly wider, but less tall, and a bit thinner.
In fact, it’ll probably wind up being almost EXACTLY the same size as one of these combinations:
Although I may possibly end up stretching it vertically to 5U instead of 4U to fit the faders in. And obviously, it’ll be less than 2 inches thick (aiming for 40mm if possible, same as the Contours).
Tbh, that actually sounds like quite a badass little project haha If you’d mounted the screen FLAT on the top, would’ve been perfect for DJing! A battery-less non-touchscreen tablet before (affordable) tablets were even on the market
I need to remember to account for the thicknesses of EVERYTHING when doing dimensions, otherwise the whole thing’s going to end up in tears haha
Just curious, has this started because you’re really missing these functionalities with your Zomo controller, or was this just a thing that seemed like fun?
But judging from the rest of your sig you’re also a MIDI lover