I'm creating a development platform for DIYers and more.

Devi Ever · Post by **Devi Ever** » 12 Jun 2012, 21:21

modman wrote:
Devi, I'm sorry (seems like I'm the only one to notice), but what up with that logo, darling?
Maybe I should register freestompboxes.org as a trademark?

?

modman wrote:I think it's a bold venture...to say the least.

Thanks.

Devi Ever · Post by **Devi Ever** » 12 Jun 2012, 21:28

Oh... I had to google it... but I see that the FSB.org logo also has a soldering iron as well.

I think they're different enough to not warrant any kind of confusion... not to mention FSB isn't exactly selling a product... and this isn't the first time a soldering iron has been used as part of a logo.

DrNomis · Post by **DrNomis** » 12 Jun 2012, 21:51

I think that's reasonable enough, Devi....

One of the things I've noticed about the cartridge system in general has to do with the edge connector, in the Atari Games Console, and other consoles like the Nintendo 64, they had contacts which were plated with the same material that's used in computer Ram sticks, I happen to own a Nintendo 64 and sometimes the games failed to start due to a build-up of oxide on the contacts of the cartridge edge connectors, and I found myself having to regularly give the contacts a spray with contact cleaner, if you're going to implement a cartridge system the contacts need to be of some type that doesn't suffer from the oxide buildup for reliable operation of the effects....some food for thought for you,Devi.....

Devi Ever · Post by **Devi Ever** » 12 Jun 2012, 21:55

DrNomis wrote:if you're going to implement a cartridge system the contacts need to be of some type that doesn't suffer from the oxide buildup for reliable operation of the effects....some food for thought for you,Devi.....

Absolutely. Ken has mentioned his experience with connectors used in the automobile industry for testing, and they apparently stand up well over years of abuse in a workshop environment, so I think we will be golden on that front.

DrNomis · Post by **DrNomis** » 13 Jun 2012, 17:23

Devi Ever wrote:
DrNomis wrote:if you're going to implement a cartridge system the contacts need to be of some type that doesn't suffer from the oxide buildup for reliable operation of the effects....some food for thought for you,Devi.....
Absolutely. Ken has mentioned his experience with connectors used in the automobile industry for testing, and they apparently stand up well over years of abuse in a workshop environment, so I think we will be golden on that front.

Cool, they sound pretty heavy-duty mate.....

Devi Ever · Post by **Devi Ever** » 14 Jun 2012, 04:01

I know I'm not the best talker of words... but this guy recently posted a video in support of the Console and maybe his little presentation will make more sense.

Devi Ever · Post by **Devi Ever** » 19 Jun 2012, 02:46

The Kickstarter just broke the $20k mark, which means if it stays past that point in 10 days, we are on like donkey kong, but for now we are not quite in the clear yet. People can still back out at the last minute, so for those who want a chance to get in on the Console, to help contribute, but don't have the moolah. We are doing a "share and win" give-a-way for a CONSOLE III over at facebook :

coldcraft · Post by **coldcraft** » 19 Jun 2012, 19:20

I threw in my $10. Wish I could do more, but there's a wedding to save for. Looking forward to that ad space (and the console of course!)

Devi Ever · Post by **Devi Ever** » 20 Jun 2012, 01:33

coldcraft wrote:I threw in my $10. Wish I could do more, but there's a wedding to save for. Looking forward to that ad space (and the console of course!)

Every bit counts!!! Thank you!

Did yet another video because people keep asking for more info.

more info : http://kck.st/LIZgdT

meffcio · Post by **meffcio** » 20 Jun 2012, 12:11

Most of the arguments for this console seem to me like the ones that young beauty contest participants say. You know - "I want peace in the world, no hunger", etc. Here we have "cheaper effects, easier start for effects designers", etc. But it simply doesn't even seem so simple to me.

The reason why cartridges worked well in oldschool home video consoles was that you always used the same environment. Ya know - max 2 players, your tv always connected, and you only needed to change game, while everything else was the same.
Well, guitar fx are totally different. There are hundreds of options of connecting them together. When you have regular stomps you're only limited by how many cables you have. Here you are limited by the capabilites of the console you buy. For having as much capabilites as with normal stompboxes you'd need to buy separate console for each cartridge. Tell me how cheaper is that. And that is in fact only normal solution for everyday guitarist. Maybe there are some dudes, who just use one effect on a song and don't mind changing cartridge between the songs, but most of people I see on the boards here seem to have much bigger pedalboards. Traditional standard suits them, and I don't see any reason to change the standard. With traditional stompboxes you can build anything from small pedalboard with a couple of easy effects, up to big big big big professional pedalboards. Can't go simpler than regular stompboxes.

And by the way - you are aware that the main disadvantage of cartridges were the connectors that had habit to wear off quickly, right? Damn, maybe it's perfect time to start looking further, I mean - stompboxes on CDs

Sorry for bad english - I'm not in form right now.

Nocentelli · Post by **Nocentelli** » 20 Jun 2012, 12:52

Devi Ever wrote:We're doing the heavy lifting of saying "You know what... this is the way it should be done, and done well... now let's make it affordable and get the standard going." and making it easy enough for anyone from the newest DIYer to the most experienced engineer to get on board and get a lot of use out of the format.

I understand that different FX will be on different cartridges, and you can swap them but beyond that.... I can't imagine how the DIY fx community will benefit from this in any way. It's surely too restrictive to impose a standard for experienced engineers, and too complex for "the newest DIYer"?

Dr Tony Balls · Post by **Dr Tony Balls** » 20 Jun 2012, 13:27

Desdog wrote:reminds me of my youth:
Don't understand what's so open source about cartridges?

Nothing is. They're unrelated. Cartridges can be just as open source as traditional pedals can be...depends if the schematics are made public. Look to 4MS/Commonsound for an example of what is open source to a T. I'm not even sure i'd call this a "development platform", but maybe. The beavis-board idea comes off as more of a pedal dev platform to me.

What I do think this idea is, if you really distill it down, is a standardized, plug-n-play way to have all of the off-board wiring done for you. If you make a circuit schematic and you lay it out according to the design standard and the pinout of the card interface, then you dont have to do ANY off board wiring. The jacks, switch, LED, and pots are already there. Its the same idea as the old Electra MPC guitars that had effects cartridges you could plug in. There the guitar was basically the pedal enclosure with the switches and the pots. Only difference was that they didnt publish the pinout of the connection, which Devi is doing. So thats cool, but im still not sure how much of a development platform or even a convenience it would be. Think about it...if you're developing a circuit you dont do it on a PCB, you do it on a breadboard because you can pop stuff in and out easily and its generic. Using this cartridge system I think you'd have to design the circuit on a breadboard, then create a PCB layout which uses the cartridge pinout, etch and build that board, and then you can pop it in and use it. All the time or effort it really saves you is the offboard wiring and drilling on a standard pedal. Then again, with this you dont get the ruggedness or permanence of a traditional pedal. So I guess I dont get the point. Unless im missing something?

Dr Tony Balls · Post by **Dr Tony Balls** » 20 Jun 2012, 13:34

now if someone made one of THESE for adults building pedals.....

mwynwood · Post by **mwynwood** » 21 Jun 2012, 04:10

Dr Tony Balls wrote:now if someone made one of THESE for adults building pedals.....

+1

Devi Ever · Post by **Devi Ever** » 22 Jun 2012, 14:06

MANY more pedal builders have gotten on board for future develop of Console cartridges!

3Leaf Audio
Amptweaker
Analogman
Blakemore Effects
Caroline Guitar Company
Dr. Scientist
Dwarfcraft
EarthQuaker Devices
Elktronics
Fairfield Circuitry
GHE Effects
Ghost Effects
Infanem
Jack Deville
Maritime Analog
Ohnoho
Paul Trombetta
Resonant Electronic Design
R3FX
Shoe Pedals
smallsound / bigsound
Wampler

ONE WEEK LEFT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE KICKSTARTER!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dev ... itar-pedal

Dr Tony Balls wrote:now if someone made one of THESE for adults building pedals.....

I used to love toying around with that as a kid.

LaceSensor · Post by **LaceSensor** » 22 Jun 2012, 15:00

what are the values and tapers of the 5 knobs?

jubal81 · Post by **jubal81** » 22 Jun 2012, 16:23

OK, this video finally made it click for me. I'm getting pretty excited now.

I see a lot of people seem to associate 'console' with the concept of being locked in. But this is the opposite. You're completely opening up the platform to anyone.

Anything out there can be adapted to it pretty easily and with a $50-ish entry point people will be more likely to take a chance on something they might not if it's $200. So you get more innovation, builders get more exposure and players get more effects to goof around with.

This is even great for hardcore DIYers (like me) who never buy commercial effects. Buy your own headers at Mouser and build the 50-cartridge console. And for $50, it makes more sense to buy an effect than to engineer and build a copy.

K, you got me. Loves it!

Devi Ever · Post by **Devi Ever** » 22 Jun 2012, 21:23

LaceSensor wrote:what are the values and tapers of the 5 knobs?

100k linear

Devi Ever · Post by **Devi Ever** » 22 Jun 2012, 21:25

jubal81 wrote:OK, this video finally made it click for me. I'm getting pretty excited now.

I see a lot of people seem to associate 'console' with the concept of being locked in. But this is the opposite. You're completely opening up the platform to anyone.

Anything out there can be adapted to it pretty easily and with a $50-ish entry point people will be more likely to take a chance on something they might not if it's $200. So you get more innovation, builders get more exposure and players get more effects to goof around with.

This is even great for hardcore DIYers (like me) who never buy commercial effects. Buy your own headers at Mouser and build the 50-cartridge console. And for $50, it makes more sense to buy an effect than to engineer and build a copy.

K, you got me. Loves it!

Excellent!

BTW, we should have tech specs for the carts / perfboard carts by the end of the day, or tomorrow!

RnFR · Post by **RnFR** » 22 Jun 2012, 22:12

I like the idea a lot. actually was totally into it until the "100K linear". even with onboard resistors adjusting values, that's still pretty limiting. why not just have flying leads on the pots with headers and have pins in the console to connect them to? that way if another value pot is needed, the seller can have the option of selling them along with the cart, and the DIYer can have a number of them on hand to switch out. if the "idiots" can't unscrew a pot, then they don't have to use that effect.