Maplin Re: [sdiy] Force Sensing Resistor

[JH.]

My biggest grudge with Maplin is that they discarded so many interesting 
things (that made them unique in Europe) a few years ago.
But so is life.
I was glad to get the pressure pills there.

JH.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Edward King" <edwardcking2001 at yahoo.co.uk>
To: "Tom Bugs" <admin at bugbrand.co.uk>; "JH." <jhaible at debitel.net>
Cc: <xyzzy at sysabend.org>; "Synth DIY List" <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2007 11:45 AM
Subject: Re: [sdiy] Force Sensing Resistor


Maplins isnt that bad. In fact I think they have an undeserved negative
reputation.
There arent many electronic stores you can just wander into anymore (most
are mail order) so having them there is better than not (imo).
Although they arent as cheap as other places sometimes, they are actually
cheaper for some things and its good to be able to walk in and stock up.

EK


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom Bugs" <admin at bugbrand.co.uk>
To: "JH." <jhaible at debitel.net>
Cc: "Edward King" <edwardcking2001 at yahoo.co.uk>; <xyzzy at sysabend.org>;
"Synth DIY List" <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2007 7:38 PM
Subject: Re: [sdiy] Force Sensing Resistor


> Urgh to Maplin (stink of sulphur!)
>
> There's another place in the UK that sells 'em a load cheaper -- 
> Middlesex Teaching Resources - www.mutr.co.uk (and they have a few other
> interesting materials too)
>
> Just search for QTC:
> http://www.mutr.co.uk/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?osCsid=b14691a125926fc1e4ef01286af044ca&keywords=QTC&osCsid=b14691a125926fc1e4ef01286af044ca&x=0&y=0
>
> All best from Bugs
>
>
> JH. wrote:
>> I came late into this thread. Edward, have you built your own keboard
>> with polyphonic aftertouch ?!
>> What keyboard action did you use to retrofit with QTC pills?
>> Do you have any pictures of what you've built?
>>
>> I thought the Pills respond in en exponential rathe than linear way.
>> Thought I read this somewhere.
>> I've ordered some of these from Maplin yesterday. Curious to try them
>> myself!
>>
>> JH.
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Edward King" <edwardcking2001 at yahoo.co.uk>
>> To: <xyzzy at sysabend.org>
>> Cc: "Synth DIY List" <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
>> Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2007 5:42 AM
>> Subject: Re: [sdiy] Force Sensing Resistor
>>
>>
>> Hi Tom!
>>
>> Actually, although they make some products in the uk, they also have a
>> manufacturing unit in the far east (or at least in that direction).
>>
>> I went a bit overboard with them when I came acrross them and have given
>> proportional control to various objects that really shouldnt have
>> it....however....
>> Let me know if you want me to send you over a couple of samples as I've
>> got
>> to order some more in anyway.
>>
>> A nice quickie experiment (proof of concept) is find someone with a
>> slightly
>> earlier model car, pop off the electric window switch, shove a QTC pill
>> in
>> between the contacts and hey presto! You have (or should have depending
>> on
>> the car and switching arrangement) proportional electric window control
>> :o)
>>
>> for more relevant uses, the forum on peratechs website will be helpful in
>> getting the best out of the materials and if you want more hints and
>> practical advice, just gimme a shout. Remember, the output is
>> _very_nearly_
>> linear but not quite so for finer control, you need to tweak things a
>> bit.
>>
>> EK
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Tom Arnold" <xyzzy at sysabend.org>
>> To: "Edward King" <edwardcking2001 at yahoo.co.uk>
>> Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 5:32 AM
>> Subject: Re: [sdiy] Force Sensing Resistor
>>
>>
>>
>>> On Fri, Sep 14, 2007 at 05:26:45AM +0300, Edward King wrote:
>>>
>>>> QTC cable is what Im using for keyboards that only need aftertouch for
>>>> the
>>>> whole board. For individual aftertouch (I can never remember whether
>>>> its
>>>> called poly or mono) QTC pills.
>>>>
>>> Oh.  Nifty, How did I miss this product??   Looks like its made in the
>>> UK?
>>>
>>>
>>>> Both QTC cable and QTC pills are very cheap and pretty linear.
>>>>
>>> For Poly I'm back to playing with Hall Effect sensors since they have
>>> dropped in price.  I hope to have something to report soon...
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> --------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> - Tom Arnold           -  "...is it a virus, a drug, or a religion?"
>>> - Sysabend Caretaker   -    Juanita Shrugs. "What's the difference?"
>>> ------------------------       -- Neal Stephenson,  Snow Crash
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
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