16n is a bank of faders [release thread]

joshhh · 2019-02-02T11:47:06.690Z

marcus_fischer:

Moments after posting this my 16n slid off my lap and I snapped the USB jack right off the Teensy

I had to cancel a performance due to breaking a PCB mounted mini-USB jack during setup. I feel your pain!

that happened like 7 years ago, but for some reason I was just thinking of it around the time yours must’ve broken…as if millions of USB ports suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.

infovore · 2019-02-02T13:35:44.537Z

oh no. I am so sorry!

I’ll be honest and say replacing the Teensy is a pain. Not the pain it was in the dark 1.25 days, but it will be a challenge. Sorry I don’t live closer or I’d offer to help in more detail! (Also: I can offer more detailed disassembly guidelines via DM.)

gosh, I’m so sorry to hear this.

infovore · 2019-02-02T13:36:07.862Z

(you might have more joy attaching a new micro-usb socket, if the pads aren’t hosed.)

bobbcorr · 2019-02-02T14:31:22.766Z

Are there break-away jacks or cable ends we can start to advocate whenever these sorts of delicate ports are involved? I recall the Beatstep Pro users having this discussion.

DMR · 2019-02-02T15:34:31.452Z

I haven’t build a 16n myself, I assume there isn’t enough vertical space to socket the Teensy with pin headers?

okyeron · 2019-02-02T15:45:48.100Z

I did some amazon searching last night on Right Angle micro USB cables/adapters. Seems like that could help avoid damage from a fall like this?

Magsafe maybe?

amazon.com

Amazon.com: Smart&Cool 5 Feet Gen4 Nylon Braided Two-Mode Magnetic Charging & Data Transfer Cable Compatible with Phones and Tablets with Micro-USB and i-Product Interface(5ft-Silver Twin Pack): Computers & Accessories

EDIT: Or these adapters if you already have too many usb cables:
https://www.amazon.com/NetDot-Generation-Magnetic-Adapter-Compatible/dp/B076QBPYMV

marcus_fischer · 2019-02-02T15:49:00.002Z

Nice!
I’ll totally check those out.

rklem · 2019-02-03T10:53:39.840Z

I’m following this project since quite a while, and now I finally managed to order a TXb and will try to built (or buy a prebuilt) 16n – mainly to use it with the ER-301.

As awesome as this project is: Everytime I look at it I’m thinking “The only thing that’s missing are 16 additional buttons and gate/trigger outs.”

Of course this would be a substantial extension (or even a new project). I’d just like to hear if this would be possible in general, if it was discussed/considere before – or if it’s just a stupid idea.

okyeron · 2019-02-04T22:02:09.221Z

I went to sleep thinking about this last night and I have a couple ideas for an “expander”. This might be my kind of stupid idea

Jonny · 2019-02-04T22:25:28.534Z

The beauty of this project is that it’s open source – the original faderbank design just had midi, then the CV was added later. I’m sure it’s somehow possible, but I’m guessing it would be quite a redesign.

infovore · 2019-02-04T23:31:07.253Z

There might be, if you put taller standoffs on the top half, and don’t push the fader caps on all the way. But I wouldn’t recommend the latter. It’s really designed to have the Teensy permanently attached.

infovore · 2019-02-04T23:42:01.573Z

rklem:

Of course this would be a substantial extension (or even a new project). I’d just like to hear if this would be possible in general, if it was discussed/considere before – or if it’s just a stupid idea.

Probably. There was a 500+ post thread in which many people had ideas, and some got incorporated, and others didn’t, and there was a lot of “wouldn’t it be neat if”. Would it be possible: quite possibly; I’m not sure how to do the gate outputs, but the buttons aren’t so bad. You’re looking at another multiplexer, a couple more pins for that, and then you have to work out how to do sixteen latching digital outs, which is hard, plus find space for jacks and buttons and reroute the entire board. It’s up to you. It’s certainly a good base for doing that too, but it’s not exactly an easy or obvious move.

I refer to my previous comments about feature-creep on this project. You are welcome to work on that new idea; all the information and materials you’d need to do so are available.

Hovercraft · 2019-02-05T00:56:13.275Z

All things being equal, 16 extra gates would be nice to have. The ER-301 uses comparators to detect gates—so you can also devote some faderbank channels as triggers. Also recommend the Addac 304–small and inexpensive source of gates.

CryptocrustB · 2019-02-13T03:37:32.465Z

Just came to say 16n works perfectly with my ER301 and I’m so thrilled. Thanks to everyone involved!

laborcamp · 2019-02-13T05:27:38.051Z

via i2c? or just regular cv?

CryptocrustB · 2019-02-13T05:28:48.164Z

I2c via txb. Really cool stuff.

MichiganSynthWorks · 2019-02-13T14:33:39.729Z

I noticed something, the device stops sending over midi on channel 3 with the 1.32 firmware, this changes to channel 2 with the master version. Going back to 1.31 they all work normy

infovore · 2019-02-13T22:28:21.828Z

Hang on; this needs more clarity: by default, it should be sending on MIDI channel 1 for all faders. This is set in config.h in usb_channels and trs_channels. Unless these have been changed?

And, when you say “1.32 firmware” - do you mean the compiled hex, or did you compile form source yourself?

MichiganSynthWorks · 2019-02-13T23:11:35.282Z

edit

I just tested this on another unit and it looks like there is something up with the mux in the other one, I cant repeat the issue…

infovore · 2019-02-15T10:26:05.748Z

Yeah, I also tested this and cannot reproduce: it behaves identically over MIDI regardless of MASTER mode. So that leads me to thinking… “reflow the mux”?