[sdiy] c&k on-on-on switches

[Tim Parkhurst]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gene Stopp [mailto:gene at ixiacom.com]
> Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2004 5:42 PM
> To: synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
> Subject: RE: [sdiy] c&k on-on-on switches
> 
> I've always thought a bunch of these switches would be great for a little
> patchcordless synth project ala ARP Odyssey. Each switch would have its
own
> attenuator as a mod input and select from three different sources (like
the
> oddy does with two-source slide switches). Later on I thought "heck why
stop
> there" and drew up a design with 12 sources per mod input on a rotary
> switch.
> 
> - Gene (never did build it, maybe some day) Stopp

Right, I thought a 3 throw switch would be a great mod for Odysseys. A nice
touch might be having the center position select a patch point jack. I've
also thought of the "if three inputs are good, then more must be even
gooder," although I never went as far as 12 inputs! The main limitation was
finding rotary switches that were small enough and didn't cost a fortune.
Then I thought of an electronic solution (up / down switch, debouncing
stuff, binary counter, analog switch) but then you have no visual feedback
unless you put a display in there too (or a bunch of LEDs). Well, by the
time you stuff all THAT in there, you've got a solution that probably ends
up taking more space and costing more money than the rotary switches. So now
I'm thinking "okay, maybe you can simplify it by driving the whole mess with
a microprocessor," but you still need a display of some sort and a bunch of
analog switches, and of course it would be silly to not make it
programmable. But then if you've got programmable switches, people are going
to call you "Quadra-Boy" if you don't make the knob positions programmable,
too. So NOW you've got to add a bunch of control VCAs and 3080s are going
out of production and and and and AAAAAAaaaaaaaarrrrrrrgh!

Feature Creep kills ANOTHER project!
 
Anyway, maybe I can find some surplus 4 or 5 position rotaries. That might
be a nice compromise between cost, complexity, and being able to find space
on the panel to label everything. 

Have a groovy day! :)


Tim ("Quadra-Boy" T-shirts will be available soon) Servo




P.S. Extra points if you get the "Quadra-Boy" joke.

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