[sdiy] analogDNA

[Jason Proctor]

why do you need local patch storage? IMHO most of the time you'll be 
wanting to save multi-module patches rather than just the positions 
of 4 knobs or whatever. and adding that logic and display etc to each 
module can't be cheap.

have you checked out the buchla 200e? it does basically exactly what 
you're describing, except that IIRC there's no local patch storage. 
each module just implements loading and saving of its attribute set - 
another module acts as master patch coordinator.

might be worth finding out what bus he uses. of course it might be a 
buchla hyperspace special that runs 31.5 bits at pi squared khz...



>Hi
>I am designing a programmable analog modular synthesizer. Each analog module
>has a digital PCB to store/recall pot and switch settings (as local
>patches), along with a small 16x2 LCD. I am using PIC18F4680's and any
>analog synthesizer design can be "digitised" using DAC CV's, digital pots
>and software switches.
>
>A Global patch facility is also supported, whereby all modules are
>programmed from a central Patch module linked to the outside world via MIDI
>and with unlimited patch storage via a memory card. I plan to use CAN Bus
>technology to pass Patch data to/from the central Patch module to individual
>modules. Data transmissions are therefore relatively small (32 bytes) and
>infrequent.
>
>Herein lies the question!
>
>Is CAN bus technology a good choice, or are there alternatives I should be
>considering for interconnecting PIC based modules within one or more
>synthesizers? Anyone thinking about something like this yet? I know the
>Buchla 200e is close to this design (I2C?) but has no local patch storage.
>
>This design could easily be open source for SynthDIYers, enabling a wide
>variety of programmable analog modules to be interconnected via an analog
>Digital Network Architecture - analogDNA.
>
>Regards
>Rob
>www.emulatorarchive.com