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Table of Contents
MB-ModulBox NG
Under Heavy Developpment @ 9/8/2016
Introduction
The MB-Modulbox-NG Project is a modern version of the Modulbox project .
In short words, it's a Eurorack-size compliant Modular MIDIbox Control Surface based upon MB-NG.
From a Main Part,small modules would be chained to Build the custom-sized control surface of your dreams by choosing the MIDI controls you want.
Main part would also allow Access to Menus for configuring and saving things on SD Card , and optionnal External Analog Inputs/Outputs to trigger from external sensors and/or drive your analog synth.
Each Small Module will have a Different type of Interaction and will include Digital Shift Registers and/or Multiplexers For Analog lines . Then modules would be chained one to another up to main part.
Modules Chain Connectors will be 2.54mm dual row pinheader (Molex?) and will carry Digital/Analog bus lines and Current supply. PSU Main input will be on main part PCB.
Main Part Features
- Core32 Board
- Standard Control Surface with 6 Tactile switches, Push - Encoder ,OLED Graphical screen
- SD Card Slot (+USB in?)
- Optionnal 16×3.5mm jacks for external Analog Ins/Analog Outs with External interfaces for expanding.
Community users working on it
Getting Involved ?
Just let a Private message on the forum to users already involved
Software Tools used
- Inkscape Vector Drawing Software - Front panel Concept Drawing
- KiCAD PCB - PCB Design | KiCAD Librairies
- FreeCAD 3D Technical Drawing - Case Design
- Code::Blocks Integrated Development environment - GUI Software - MIOS programming
- JUCE - Cross-Platform Audio/MIDI/GUI Library
PCB process
Parts List - Datasheets Gathering - Reference selection- KiCAD Library
- Schematics
- FootPrint Creation / Association to schematics
- Netlist Export
- Make Pcb routing - Put pinheader/jumper to Strategic Troubleshooting Places.
Architecture
Modulbox-NG
Eurorack design
- Eurorack Design is 3U Height So frontpanel =5,25“=133mm-rails=128,5mm Height .
Sandwich Design is ok here due to non heating components and allow to spare space. - Modules Frontpanels are 8HP-multiple wide (8HP=40,3mm) see Eurorack Specification.
Frontpanel back spacers glued with JB-weld to avoid front screwing. Eurorack Templates PDF
- PCB Size is 100mm height To stay compliant to Eurocard Specification
Splitted View
Tech Demos Videos
Modules List + UI Parts
| Module | N° | Analog | LED | Encoders | Switches | HP | User | Display |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main UI+Main PCB | 1 | Jacksx16 | x1 PushRotary | Tactilex6 | 24 | Psykhaze | Graphic-OLEDx1 | |
| Horizontal 4xOLEDS SCSE | 2 | x1 PushRotary | Tactilex7 | 24 | Small-OLEDx4 | |||
| Vertical 4xOLEDS | 3 | 16 | Small-OLEDx4 | |||||
| LCD Vertical SCS | 4 | x1 PushRotary | Tactilex(4+4+2) | 16 | CLCD 20×4 | |||
| LCD Horizontal SCSE | 5 | x2 PushRotary | Tactilex22 | 32 | Psykhaze | 2xCLCD 40×4 | ||
| Encoders x8 | 6 | x8 PushRotary | 8 | Ksir | ||||
| Pots x8 | 7 | Pots x8 | 8 | Ksir | ||||
| LED Ring Encoders x4 | 8 | 16×4 3mm | x4 PushRotary | 8 | ||||
| Faders 2×2 | 9 | Fadersx4 | 8 | |||||
| Light-Fader 2×2 | 10 | Light-Fadersx4 | 8 | |||||
| Long Faders x2 | 11 | Long Fadersx2 | 8 | Psykhaze | ||||
| Motor Fader x1 | 12 | Motor Fader | 16x3mm | 8 | Psykhaze | |||
| Switches x8 A | 13 | Tactilex8 | 8 | Ksir | ||||
| Switches x8 B | 14 | 8xBicolor | Toggle 3 polesx8 | 8 | Ksir | |||
| Light-Switches x8 A | 15 | Bicolor Opt | Light Tactilex8 | 8 | Ksir | |||
| Light-Switches x8 B | 16 | Light Togglex8 | 8 | Ksir | ||||
| Numeric Displayx2 | 17 | x2 PushRotary | 8 | 2x Numeric | ||||
| Numeric Displayx4 | 18 | x4 PushRotary | 16 | 4x Numeric | ||||
| 8×8 LED Modulation Matrix | 19 | x(8×8)3mm | Tactilex(8+8) | 16 | ||||
| 16×16 LED DotMatrix | 20 | 16 | Psykhaze | 4xDotMatrix | ||||
| 8×16 RGB DotMatrix | 21 | 16 | Psykhaze | 2xDotMatrix | ||||
| Additional Analog In or Out Interface | 22 | Jacksx8 | x8 PushRotary | Toggle 4 polesx2 | 16 | Psykhaze | Small-OLEDx2 | |
| Crosspoint Matrix 8×4(x4) | 23 | Jacksx(8+4) | x(8×4) 3mm | Toggle 4poles, Tactilex(8+4) | 16 | Psykhaze | ||
| Adafruit Silicon 3mm 8×8 Matrix | 24 | x(8×8)3mm | Adafruit Silicon (4×4)x4 | 24 | Psykhaze | |||
| Joystick | 25 | 2xJoystick | 2xRGB | 8 | ||||
| Linear Touch | 26 | 1x(Force)Linear Sensor | 8xWS2812 | 8 | Psykhaze | |||
| Circular touch | 27 | 1x(2x)Circular Sensor | 16(x2)xWS2812 | 16 | Psykhaze | |||
| Force touch | 28 | 4xForce touch | 4xRGB | 8 | ||||
| MiniDeck DJ Control | 29 | 1xScratchFader+ 1xVertical Fader | x8 3mm | x1 Code Wheel +x3 PushRotary | 32 |
Frontpanels Layouts
Modules Ins/Outs + Related Parts
| . | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Ins | 8 | 0>16 | / | 12 | 30 | 16 | / | 8 | / | / | / | ? | 8 | 24 | 8 |
| Digital Outs | / | / | / | / | / | / | / | 16 | / | / | / | 16+? | / | 16 | 8>16 |
| Analog Ins | / | / | / | / | / | / | 16 | / | 8 | 8 | 4 | ? | / | / | / |
| CLCD # | / | / | / | 1 | 2 | / | / | / | / | / | / | / | / | / | / |
| OLED # | 1 | 1>8 | 4 | / | / | / | / | / | / | / | / | / | / | / | / |
| . | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Ins | 16 | 4 | 8 | 16 | / | / | 24 | 15 | 32 | / | 3 | / | / | 12 |
| Digital Outs | 8 | 16 | 32? | 16 | 16 | 32 | / | 16 | / | 6 | / | / | 12 | 8 |
| Analog Ins | / | / | / | / | / | / | 0>8 | / | / | 8 | / | 3>6 | 8 | 8 |
| CLCD # | / | / | / | / | / | / | / | / | / | / | / | / | / | / |
| OLED # | / | / | / | / | / | / | 1 | / | / | / | / | / | / | / |
Parts References
Parts Datasheets
| Designation | Datasheet Link | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Switch Rotary Encoder | Alps EC11E | EC11E15244B2 |
| 5mm WS2812 LED | WS2812 | APA-106-F5 |
| 5mm RGB LED | RGB LED | SL-R596CR4G3B5W-F12 |
| Tactile Switch | Small Round Tactile Switch | SKHHDTA010 |
| Tactile Switch 2 | Square Tactile Switch | 03.0752 |
| Light-Tactile Switch | Square Light Tactile switch | B3W-9000-G1N, B3W-9000-R1N, B3W-9000-Y1N, B3W-9000-RG2N |
| Toggle Switch 3/4 Poles | Toggle Switch | 100SP1T2B3M2QEH |
| Light-Toggle Switch | Light Toggle Switch | G12JPCF |
| Code Wheel+ Optical Encoder | Encoder+ Code Wheel | HEDB-9100-C12 |
| Fader | Bourns PTA | PTA3043-2015CPB103,PTA6043-2015CPB103 |
| Long Fader | ALPS RS series | RSA0N11S9A0K |
| Long Fader 2 | Bourns PTB | PTB0143-2010BPB103 |
| Light-Fader | Bourns PTL | PTL30-10G1-103B2, PTL30-15R1-104B2, PTL60-10G1-103B2, PTL60-15R1-104B2 |
| Motor Fader | Alps MotorFader 60mm | RS60N11M9A0F |
| Rotary Pot | ALPS Rotary pot | RK09L1140A66 |
| SD Card Socket | SD Socket | SDCRD-GM-271 |
| OLED 256x64px 3,12” | Newhaven OLED | NHD-3.12-25664UMY3 |
| OLED 256x64px 3,2 “ | 3.2" OLED | ER-OLEDM032 |
| OLED 128x64px 0,96” | 0.96" OLED | ER-OLEDM0.96 |
| CLCD 20×4 | 20x4 LCD | ERM2004 |
| CLCD 40×4 | 40x4 LCD | ERM4004 |
| 8×8 Monochrome DotMatrix | 8x8 Dotmatrix | TC15-11EWA |
| 8×8 RGB DotMatrix | 8x8 RGB Dotmatrix | YSM-2388CRGBC |
| 3 Digits Numeric Display | 3 Digits Numeric Display | BA56-12SRWA |
| Silicon 4×4 Button Matrix 5mm | Silicon 4x4 5mm Button Matrix | / |
| Silicon 4×4 Button Matrix 3mm | Silicon 4x4 3mm Button Matrix | / |
| Joystick 1 | Joystick 1 | / |
| Joystick 2 | Joystick 2 | / |
| Force Touch Sensor | Interlink FSR402 | 34-00015 |
| Ring Sensor | Interlink Ring Sensor | 40-24131 |
| Linear+Force Sensor | Interlink linear+force sensor | 34-00022 |
| Linear Touch Sensor | SpectraSymbol SoftPot | SP-L-0100-103-ST |
| Circular Touch Sensor | SpectraSymbol SoftPot | SP-R-0046-103-ST |
Buy Places
Software / Firmware
A GUI will be developped with JUCE Library to make your MIDI mapping upon your custom control interface and make your custom infos display on OLED / CLCDs / LEDs Matrixes. Upon a list of Pre-made functions,you would be able to connect a MIDI mapping to Controller / Sequencer / Other MIDIbox apps functions into the JUCE GUI
TODO:Make a inkscape sketch For the JUCE GUI then remake it with Projucer