First, a quick & dirty video with the current prototype, that is almost finished and ready for production:
Yes, the tablecloth is a gift from @C0d3man … i know you know that
As you can see, i’m controlling the zynthian with a SQ1 (analog sequencer) using exclusively CV/Gate signals. Amaaaaazing!!! These are very good news for modular/eurorack lovers, among others, jejeje!!
The ZynFace gives easy and convenient access to all the extended zynaptik functionality using pin sockets (electronic lab style) and mini-jack connectors (modular style):
16 x digital IO ports (4 as minijack Gate-IN, 4 as minijack Gate-Out)
Also, you may have noted that there is 2 TOF sensors (Time Of Flight, aka laser distance sensors) on the right side. They are totally configurable from webconf and can be assigned to MIDI CC, Pitch Bending or Channel Pressure messages, what allows to bind them to any parameter on the UI. Funny, right?
These sensors are connected directly to the I2C bus, so they don’t use any of the available analog/digital ports.
FYI, I hope to offer a “ZynFace Kit” on the shop very soon, including the PCB and all the needed parts. Of course, the PCB design will be freely available for those of you that prefer the hard way
When do we see an output and how do we select it in the GUI …???
Do we need to demonstrate the fruits of the various Status display discussions …?
Perhaps our base configuration would be a straight in straight out as the basic functionality? A LED that tracked the output CV & Digital out would be conceptually very useful. By carefully extending that idea you could implement toggles for S1-S4 patch selection for instance.
How will the Digital I/O inputs tie in with S1-S4 are they all to be viewed as banks of switches ( which would allow us to define controllers that could be usefully employed in the snapshot world)? or as a separate control mechanism… ?
Hi @jofemodo… We talked a little bit about this in zynthclub last night (are you ever going to join us? Guest of honour?)
It occurs to me that it would be very nice to be able to switch this from “landscape” to “portrait” … To mount it in a eurorack… A normal eurorack plate is 3u (128.5mm slightly over 5" ) so… Will it fit? If not, where can I buy a zynthian hacksaw to cut it?
Jejee! Of course i’m going to join you … some day … but not honours, please. I really hate honours!
The ZynFace is not designed for being mounted on a 3U eurorack. It’s 170 mm. But you could easily cut the “TOF-sensors” part and make new holes. It would work for sure.
Anyway, i plan to release ZynModFace, a zynface eurorack version… soon, mate.
I have to admit that I’m totatly noob in all of these CV/gate things, but I will love to see the hardware design in the github repository to learn a bit about it
On my self made ZYnthian I’ve already wired on some free GPIOs an ultra sound distance sensor (you know, the one that looks like Wall-e’s eyes ). For now, I just can read the distance from a python script but it’s in totaly stand by regarding the distance to midi message translation implementation.
Do you think @jofemodo, the TOF lib you wrote for the laser distance sensors will work with ultra sound sensors too ?
Of course, you need a full featured (customized) zynaptik module for using the CV/Gate interface. In the other hand, TOF sensors will work for everybody having a zynaptik module.
I hope to release some documentation and the schemes & KiCad files very soon on the wiki.
Give me a few days
Current code only support an specific model of TOF sensors. You could reuse the “distance to MIDI” code and extend the library for using different types of distance sensors. In fact, no need to be limited to “distance sensors”
). For now, I just can read the distance from a python script but it’s in totaly stand by regarding the distance to midi message translation implementation.