Presenting: Crowminius

Microscopial · Post by **Microscopial** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 4:20 pm

Oh yes please indeed

oldcrow · Post by **oldcrow** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 5:02 pm

There are a few extra costs to consider, such as the case, a wall transformer (unless folks are like me and have a couple hundred of them) and knobs. I was able to effectively get mine built for $300 but I ordered enough parts to build five which brought the average down a bit. Still, with shipping costs and the hardware mentioned above factored in, I see a single-unit cost being US$350 max. complete as shown above. My firmware will be free with sources on github once I am done with the initial version. --Crow

colorbars wrote:$190 for parts, $100 for pcb... A minimoog for under $300

Shoggoth · Post by **Shoggoth** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 5:04 pm

Wow. Sounds amazing and cost is right.

amnesia · Post by **amnesia** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 5:11 pm

This looks great. Without going through all the pages here, will there be a faceplate?

oldcrow · Post by **oldcrow** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 5:40 pm

I might try to make something, but it is not high on my list at the moment. When I have final specs on the rev1.1 board I will provide a part placement file for the board-mounted control positions.

I use Alpha 9mm pots at the moment. To allow for a panel I'd need to use a longer pot, such as http://media.digikey.com/photos/Panason ... SERIES.jpg

The main issue at the moment is getting Mouser or another vendor to quote me the Alpha SR2513-type bottom-mount rotary switches, which have the switch shaft coming up through a hole in the PC board. I've already provisioned for this in the artwork, I just need to get a buy in on the switches. --Crow

Other folks might want to make a larger breakout control panel and use pin headers for most of the board control positions. Go for it.

--Crow
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amnesia wrote:This looks great. Without going through all the pages here, will there be a faceplate?

Dude163 · Post by **Dude163** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 8:39 pm

Thanks for the info OC!

so you could use a pot on a separate surface and just use wires to connect to the PCB? Like if I make a case for it I meant

sounds amazing

jheronymo · Post by **jheronymo** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 8:51 pm

massive, i'm so sold! keep up posted!

oldcrow · Post by **oldcrow** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 9:47 pm

Yes, mount pots and switches to a panel and 3-pin friction-lock headers, 2mm for the small switches, 2.5mm for the pots and manual wiring for the rotary switches. --Crow

Dude163 wrote:Thanks for the info OC!

so you could use a pot on a separate surface and just use wires to connect to the PCB? Like if I make a case for it I meant

sounds amazing

Dr. Sketch-n-Etch · Post by **Dr. Sketch-n-Etch** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 12:11 am

I just listened to the demo. My god, that thing sounds amazing! I think I want one.

oldcrow · Post by **oldcrow** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 1:23 am

Listening to my 1977 Star Wars Album by the "Electric Moog Orchestra" I've decided to cram one more thing onto this board. An S/H mode for modulation source. LF398-type as I did with my MonoPoly years ago.

http://www.oldcrows.net/~oldcrow/synth/ ... shmod.html

On Crowminius a new switch crammed in between the OSC2 and OSC3 frequency interval pots will select red/pink noise (original) or clocked red/pink held samples to the noise side of the mod mix pot.

I blame this track from my album specifically.

Proofing of all my revisions to correct minor mistakes tomorrow, then I submit files for manufacture. --Crow

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koobraelc · Post by **koobraelc** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 4:06 am

grenert · Post by **grenert** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 10:36 am

Amazing work, and tremendous generosity in making this project so ready to go (no part-sourcing troubles!).

This is a DIY dream!

wavydave · Post by **wavydave** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 1:58 pm

I don't know if I should get one anymore since I just found a Minimoog at an estate sale a couple of weeks ago for $35. Too bad that it was broken because it only played one note at a time.

April fools.

revtor · Post by **revtor** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 6:33 pm

Damn Wavydave, I was about to shit my pants….

those deals are still out there Im sure!

~Steve

oldcrow · Post by **oldcrow** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 7:04 pm

April Fool or not, that poor mini needs some serious TLC.

wavydave wrote:I don't know if I should get one anymore since I just found a Minimoog at an estate sale a couple of weeks ago for $35. Too bad that it was broken because it only played one note at a time.

April fools.

oldcrow · Post by **oldcrow** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 11:59 pm

Reviewing rotary switches, I will caution now that I have sized the six switch positions for a Alpha SR2512F-series 2-pole, 6-position PCB mount part. I notice a number of these offered for sale on ebay and aliexpress that have the common pole pins on a different angle offset than the part number I am specifying. The full part number I use is SR2512F-0206-19R0B-E9-N-W.

While I expect the switches from China online retailers work fine, their mechanical fit might be a minor issue as the lobes of the switch would orient at a different angle than expected, meaning some resistors may need to mount on the board's underside to avoid the switch body.

By the way, C&K switches will not fit. Those use a 22.2mm dia. contact pin outer ring and a 7.7mm wiper pin inner ring. Alpha switches use a 20mm outer ring and an 11mm inner ring. Of course, off-board panel builders can use whatever they want.

FYI,

Crow
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sk23 · Post by **sk23** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 3:39 am

Thank you for the awesome project!

I'm really interested in it, can't wait as when will be available for purchase!

radar · Post by **radar** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 8:25 am

can't wait !

shimoda · Post by **shimoda** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 12:57 pm

Looking forward to being able to order this one!

oldcrow · Post by **oldcrow** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 4:32 pm

Another small cost detail, I did not include the price of the LCD. The LCD is optional but if used will allow some MIDI front end settings to be changed/displayed. I use this one: https://www.adafruit.com/product/772

I've not tried the supercheap ones from places like aliexpress yet, but they *should* work. The only caveat is if their board size is close to what I provisioned for on the Crowminius MIDI corner area. --Crow

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Captain Sternn · Post by **Captain Sternn** » Fri Apr 03, 2015 10:23 am

Sounds awesome, definitely interested!

oldcrow · Post by **oldcrow** » Fri Apr 03, 2015 5:26 pm

OK, for the initial board batch I will have 25 bare boards available. These are rev1.1 incorporating all the minor corrections I've made to rev1.0. For this first batch only I am offering the board at 20% off the $100 price for a final price of $80 (plus any applicable taxes) plus shipping. These boards are expected to arrive on 4/17/15 but I have opened up a pre-order for them on my shopify site. http://www.cs80.com/crowminius

--Crow
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oldcrow · Post by **oldcrow** » Fri Apr 03, 2015 5:45 pm

Note: this offer is only being posted here to Muff's. It might make it to other sites indirectly, but Wigglers get first notice.

oldcrow wrote:OK, for the initial board batch I will have 25 bare boards available. These are rev1.1 incorporating all the minor corrections I've made to rev1.0. For this first batch only I am offering the board at 20% off the $100 price for a final price of $80 (plus any applicable taxes) plus shipping. These boards are expected to arrive on 4/17/15 but I have opened up a pre-order for them on my shopify site. http://www.cs80.com/crowminius

--Crow
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phutureboy · Post by **phutureboy** » Fri Apr 03, 2015 5:57 pm

My ! are you not some kind of living machine ?

Also can't wait to hear some good news about the crOwBX in Euro....

medbot · Post by **medbot** » Fri Apr 03, 2015 11:53 pm

Hi Crow, do the bare boards come with the ATMEGA328P chip that's needed for MIDI? Sorry if that's a silly question, but I wasn't sure if there needed to be something from you with a custom firmware flashed on it or if I can just get one from Mouser.

MUFF WIGGLER

MUFF WIGGLER

Presenting: Crowminius