[sdiy] Possible Ribbon Controller Material?

[james.husted at mac.com]

You have to experiment with different brands. I used Betamax tape at  
the time. It was many years ago. The problem is the tape stretches  
and sags so it will be replaces often. I used a clamping piece of  
metal (one piece screw onto the other) and put the tape between them.  
Feed DC to the pcb material and read the voltage off one end of the  
tape (both ends can be used). Your finger becomes the wiper pressing  
the tape to the conductor. I had a VERY basic rig, the DC was all I  
got. I made no keyboard circuit and did the gate manually but see no  
reason a simple voltage detection circuit couldn't provide the gate.  
Use a variable DC supply cause all tapes respond differently. At  
least it was cheap to replace. Lots of footage on a standard VHS tape.

-j


On May 5, 2007, at 4:34 PM, scottnoanh at peoplepc.com wrote:

> Thanks for the replies.
>
> James:  I'd always feared video tape would be too fragile to work  
> with,
> though it appears you've been able to use it with success.  Does it  
> wear out
> after so long, and you replace it, or does one strip 'last' once  
> you have it
> in place?
>
> Tom:  Thanks for the description - the 'coffee filter' stability of  
> the
> cloth pretty well turned me off on the idea (I was thinking/hoping  
> the cloth
> would be more sturdy) - makes the tape route James mention seem  
> much more
> advantageous.
>
> Edward:  I'd love to try QTC, but I have absolutely no idea how to  
> get hold
> of the stuff here in the States - didn't Peratech disengage the  
> selling of
> it to mere mortals?
>
> Scott - hope the job move was for the better!
>
> Thanks again all,
> Scott
>
> _______________________________________________
> Synth-diy mailing list
> Synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
> http://dropmix.xs4all.nl/mailman/listinfo/synth-diy