[sdiy] Fatman module??

Mon Mar 3 19:52:13 CET 2003

What I'd like to see is a common specification for a synth "backplane"

This would be some form of card cage and connector spec that could be
used to support the building of polyphonic or 'multiphonic' synths.

I'd see having a MIDI/CV card, maybe a memory or programming card,
and a number of voice cards. If we agreed on a standard board size
and connection scheme, then any DIY member could design a voice card
(or any other card) for the rack.

This WILL be expensive, and hard to agree on.  Mother-board schemes
always are expensive.  I'd even cave in to our friends in Europe if
they want to do a euro-card format (like VME boards...)

Anyone interested ???

H^) harry

>    Personally, I think this could be a great idea, but let me put in my two cents
>about what I have learned in the last four years....
>    Size does matter...well, not the way you think...
>    For those of you who are familiar with a big synth board I have done
>    ( http://www.silcom.com/~patchell/smb1/smb.html for those who are not familiar)
>    I have learned that building a big board can be a bit problematic...(the above
>board has 1200 parts).  I was amazed at how quickly it depleated my stock of parts
>I had accumulated over the years.  This was also before I got some of the equipment
>to assemble boards...it took me a damn long time to mount and solder all those
>parts.  I came to the conclusion that if I found it difficult to assemble something
>I designed, others would probably find it close to imposible...
>    I was also thinking of doing a polyphonic voice card...and even though it would
>be smaller than the above, I feared it would not be small enough.
>    Still, it would be nice to have a card that you could say take 4 of, add a Midi
>interface card, and zap...you have a polyphonic synth...
>--
> -Jim
>------------------------------------------------
>* Visit:http://www.silcom.com/~patchell/
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>* April 12, 2003 10am-5pm
>* Santa Barbara, CA
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