stupid switching Q

Andrew Schrock aschrock at cs.brandeis.edu
Tue Jun 16 21:32:38 CEST 1998


I have an idea for my new synth... I want it to have a certain look and
feel to it, and I like the look of the Access Virus a lot. I want to have
a few spdt and rotary-type connections accessed via spst/spdt toggle
switches which have an embedded LED (or two) to show what value they are
at. For instance, the sync switch would have a single spdt/spst connection
which lit up the led and closed the switch when pressed once, but unlit
the LED and opened the connection if pressed again. Other switches such as
LFO and VCO shape and VCA/VCF mod destination would need several spaces,
probably at most 4. (example: switching between saw, pulse, sine, and tri
waves with a dual-LED pushbutton switch which dictates which wave you're 
currently on in binary.. saw has nothing lit, pulse is just LED 1, sine is
just LED 2, tri is LEDs 1+2. After cycling through the waves the circuit
resets and goes back to saw) 

The Virus has the sort of look I'm trying to get, in fact it uses the
exact same switches I want to use: square pushbutton switches with LEDs
inbedded in them. I've located the switches from digikey, (E-switch 5500
series) and they are indeed pricey, but I think the end result will be
worth it. In my mind this is a very elegant and visually pleasing 
solution; I don't want toggle switches on this one at all if i can help
it. 

I assume this is doable via a few really simple logic circuits with the
switches just sending a high pulse, but I'm not too up on digital logic.
Obviously I'm in need of a really big clue right now.. If somebody would
oblige and point me in the direction of some reading material (preferrably
online, of course) I'd be grateful. 

Andrew





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