Sharing is caring - A custom Zynthian box

[Jan]

Hi all, lately I discoverd the Zynthian platform. I was again amazed, what the open source community can bring. Wow what a great platform. Thank you, thank you all for helping creating such a great system.

I decided to use a 7 inch Generic HDMI display and create my own slim hardware design. Below my shopping list in case you get inspired :

• Hammond box : https://uk.farnell.com/hammond/1599ktsbk/box-abs-console-black/dp/1426586
• 7 inch screen (generic display) - RPI shop
• RPI 4 - RPI shop
• IQaudIO DAC Pro
• Flatcable : Female Header Flatcable Connector 40P - 2x20P
• Flatcable - Grijs - 0.5m - 1.27mm - 40 pins

Summary of taken steps:

1. Careful cutting the bottom of the case to fit the connectors of the RPI and DAC
2. Drilling holes in the case bottom to mount the RPI and DAC
3. Remove the bottom connector of the DAC
4. Mount the RPI and the DAC by using thick plastic rings
5. Very careful cutting the side of the case top to fit the RPI connectors and remove one mount
6. Careful cutting the back cover to fit the connectors
7. Create a flatcable (50 cm) with two connectors, leave the ground (pin 6) and 5V (pin 4) for the display, solder the connectors to these two wires.
8. Cut the case top for the display
9. Glue the display
10. Power up and configure as Custom Kit

The end result looks almost like a thick Ipad. Love the end result. Since the height is limited I had to connect the audio DAC with a flat cable and cut the connector at the bottom of the board. Oh and I ordered two cases in case of mistakes (and needed it).

I decided not to use the separate control board and use the on screen buttons, although there is enough room to fit the control board and buttons below the screen.

In the replies I’ll share some photo’s.

ps: I do not have any interest in whatever company I ordered the hardware. Just sharing my hard work

[Jan]

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[Jan]

[wyleu]

Really nice piece of work! Would you add the encoders and membrame switches in the 3d print?

[Jan]

Don’t really miss it, I think. Altough I havent used the encoders yet so cant really determine. However with larger font and 7" display its rather easy to control. Futhermore I’m now figuring out how to control Zynthian remotely with Rosegarden and MIDI.

[wyleu]

Personally I’d prefer encoders over touchscreen. I tend use a mouse with the touchscreen bu for actual performance I’d like knobs!

[riban]

The touchscreen interface is suboptimal but can be quite usable on a larger screen like @Jan has used. There are things that don’t work well / properly / at all but you can do most things. It may be worth plugging in a USB (QWERTY or similar) keyboard because most operations are possible from there. I find it handy occasionally, even with encoders and switches.

[Jan]

Selecting an instrument I do not like because with touch screen it immediately jumps into the config screen. Workaround is holding +0.3 sec. Anyway I’m trying to figure out using Rosegarden as DAW. Works nicely for selecting MIDI instruments. But still in discovery phase: Controlling Zynthian remotely with MIDI

[riban]

Yep! Selecting an engine from the Layer list will take you to its control screen. Bold Press (press and hold for 0.3s - 2s) will show the context menu for the engine. (Note: The duration of bold and long press can be configured in webconf UI Options.) I agree that access to the intermediate screens (bank / preset selection) seems unintutive but it is how it is designed - for common workflow, i.e. during live performance the user may wish to access the control screen rapidly and there are other methods of selecting presets.

[Vivor]

I also have an Iqaudio Dac Pro but am not able to make it work (I only find Iqaudio Dac and Iqaudio Dac+ in the menu to select and both end up with a booting error). Would you be so kind as to help me out to configure the hardware in Zynthian? What am I doing wrong?
Thanks in advance,

Andrew

[le51]

Hi @Vivor , welcome.
Andrew, see here