Why aren't there any images of anyone's (besides the creator) finished product? I will be making one soon, and as a carpenter, I plan to make it pretty to look at. I was hoping to find tons of different build images and glean ideas for a wood/colored pad, led lights, usb and so on...
Please post any images you have of your completed project.
Regards,
Chris
Edit: oops, this belongs in the DIY section!
Hi Says Chris,
I moved yr threads to DIY.
You can check out the G-Tar project from Medialogy lab in Denmark -- this is the only other DIY Soundplane project I know of. For whatever reason it's not a thing a lot of people have done. It has not taken off like the monome. One reason is that it's quite a bit harder-- there's a lot more data processing and a high-powered processor required.
The USB thing is no easy task either. There are so many ways you might want to do it, that I can't give an easy answer without spending a lot of my own time developing such.
I set up this part of the forums to encourage DIY folks to make Soundplanes, and I was hoping that activity by adventurous people would result in more information getting out there, and an easier starting path... but that hasn't happened. I can do some more of this myself, after we ship.
Meanwhile I'm still here willing to answer your questions.
Awesome, thanks for moving it and addressing my questions. I will be making one and perhaps if I can find no other way to devise a usb connection, and ask more pointed questions (i.e. what should I look to buy and is there an easiest method?) you can help me. I essentially want to make a kaoss/illator pad that isn't so limited. Though I am a carpenter, I have limited knowledge of electronics. If I can make this happen I will post images. It's a shame this hasn't taken-off, I was kind of disappointed when I didn't find 325356473 similar models... Anyways, thanks for your help and good work.
On epiece of advice at the outset: Instead of jumping into an 8x8 or large, I would make a 2x2 or even 1x2 version. That way you can get a feel for some of the work involved and make mistakes that you will inevitably make, on a small scale instead of a big one. And, you may even wind up with a useful controller.
For the small sizes (1x2 or similar) you can probably use an Arduino to make the USB data and do all the work. For bigger sizes like the Soundplane, this will be too much data, so I don't really have anything simple to suggest.
While I might take that up as an additional project, I have an immediate need (okay, it's a want) for one of these so I will be asking an engineering friend to help me sort this out. I know next to nothing about programming or electronics soldering or you know, anything I obviously need to know to complete this project...
So, if I can get someone to help me, could I just bump it up to 12x12 with the same schematics? Also, would that be the Arduino Due or Uno; I read that I can attach "shields" to boost it's ability, does that apply to building a medium size version? Whatever the outcome here, I deeply appreciate you being so helpful, and I will share the hell out of whatever I make!
THere aren't really any schematics. The version that's most competely documented is the 8x8 one in my these on the DIY page. This requires tying up an 8x8 audio interface.
Never used an Arduino myself, just a recommendation for low data-rate options.
Seriously, make the 1x2 first... even with your electronics person helper. It's a 4 hour project that could save you days of time on the full version!
What I'm saying is, this is mostly uncharted territory and you will have to do some of the experiments yourself. I tried to be informative with details in the thesis, but it's still a hard project.