The new ANSI MIDIo kits and pre-built units are now shipping!

Build and test went great and the first units went out from The HOPE conference in NYC this weekend.

The section at www.straytechnologies.com/resources

Is now updated with build instructions, programming instructions, and sample files to run from reNoise.  This includes how to integrate graphics into your tracker songs for synced video.

Kits available here

And Full Built versions here!

Enjoy!

Modem speed! (the speed is controlled from the song tempo).

This kit board has a realtime draw mode and a “color organ” mode to generate realtime images synced to music. It works with Max/MSP, Reaper, Ableton, PureData, or any midi software… The demo shows how drawing from the Renoise tracker works.

There is now an archive with 3 demo files for Renoise (including the one from the video), and the use instructions (with complete MIDI spec)  for the ANSI MIDIo available [here].

The board is now available for purchase [here] in both kit and pre-built versions.

PAL or NTSC versions of the kit are $65USD + S&H with prebuilt  and a pre-tested version (includs FTDI usb cable) is available for $95USD +S&H. Kits are very simple but require some soldering skill.

I’ll have the kits and do live demos at Hope Conference. More video to come! Mmmmmm Ansi!

Part of the “Art in the Air” premiere coordinated by PECO and Philadelphia’s Breadboard. Don Miller of NO CARRIER fame and Rachele Riley were also highlighted throughout the night. Philly’s ABC6 also covered the premiere for those not able to brave the heat.

The requests: Cheaper, DIY Kit Version Available, Upgradable, User Programmable

ANSI MIDIo: yes, yes, yessss & yes!

Oh, and not just programmable as in load-your-own-pic, instead the MIDIo will have real-time control and programming  right from your midi software, controller, or (in my case) a Bliptronome!

What it is:

Kit or pre-built a bit smaller than a business card, and powered & controlled via USB, using the open-source KIT_MIDI driver already available here.

The input is midi from any midi software such as Renoise, Max-MSP or Abelton on OSX or Windows or an external controller patched through KIT_MIDI.

The Output will be NTSC or PAL (separate versions) and give a sweet 32×12 screen where the user can program one of 12 different ANSI Graphics characters in one of 16 different color combination. Yes, 16-color  ANSI:  as in that BBS you wasted time on in 1992.

Stand-by for more information.

On the evening of July 4th, my work will be displayed on the largest screen in Philadelphia: The PECO Crown Lights. I’ve been selected as one of 3 local artists whose work will be displayed on the 4-sided color LED array on the top of the PECO Building in center-city Philadelphia during Philadelphia’s 4th of July celebration.

The project was organized through PECO and Breadboard will be open to media artists for future projects. If anyone has a 15th story BBQ happening in the area… let me know!

And yes, this video was derived from the Pocket-Vblank Circuit!

Just cut a sample playing from midiBar while I tweak the knobs:

SX-150MIDI.mp3

Never mind my lousy timing, and my inability to stay off of the pitch-envelope!  Pretty nice sounds coming from this thing.

Though this version is based off of my YM_MIDI firmware, there is no reason this shouldn’t work with Mr.Books original software released on his site with some modification. I’ve also taken the liberty of adding a tuning knob to the kit, as I noticed some good-old-fashioned analog drift at play. The original  speaker has been squeezed in next to the new 1/4″  jack that Mr. Books shows on his website.

If there’s enough interest, I could be convinced to do a small run of PCB’s for this mod. Drop me a line at

wil [at] straytechnologies [dot] com

to get on a pre-interest list. Let me know if a kit, PCB only, or PCB & preprogrammed Atmel only would be in your best interest.

Now I’m off to work out the overall bad tuning. I should be able to resolve this with a software lookup table as implemented in the YM_Synth kit.

The Kit Version of the YM_MINI synth is available and shipping. Check out the how-to-build doc and images of the build here.

Philadelphia’s own Animal Style is working on some Renoise based songs which will demo some of the synth’s sounds.  He’s agreed to release the files so you can see the tricks to how to make this synth purrrrr over midi.

ok… less purring, and more bleeping. There’s a kit option to include a NOS YM2149 but your own pulled YM or AY chip will work too.

The new kit

This is a usb-powered software-midi controlled mini synthesizer circuits. It uses a virtual midi driver to fully control a real YM2149 chip in stereo.

The chip is most well known for its use in the Apple II Mockingbird soundcards and Atari ST computers. The YM or the chip from which it was derived (GI’s AY-3-8910) also created the music and audio in the Intellivision, Vectrex, some MSX systems, Sinclair ZX and Spectrum home computers, and many arcade machines.

(Audio Samples are half-way through the video).

The synth can be played via a live controller like monome or Oxygen8, or any midi-capable software such as Logic-Pro, Energy-XT, FL_Studio, Reaktor, Reaper, Max/MSP, PureData, Protrekkr, ztracker,  — pretty much anything that can sequence midi!

Instructions, additional info and usb-midi driver at:

http://www.straytechnologies.com/resources/

The synth has 3 channels or square waves, a stereo noise channel, and a bizarre envelope generator for strange volume envelope effects. I’ve programmed it to work entirely via midi channels 1,2,3 & 10 (for noise), with the envelope and registers controlled via midi CCs. It has pitch-bend, and velocity control and uses a look-up table for fast pitch accuracy. So far tested to work on OS X and Windows with several software and hardware setups.

I’m currently selling 10 pre-built units to raise money for the kit pcb’s. They are available here:

10 Full built Units!

Pre-Sales of the kit can be ordered here, with an expected shipping in early May:

Pre-Sale YM_MINI Kits

Lots of information on the kits can now be found here:

http://www.straytechnologies.com/resources/

including the “How to Build the Kit” document, a “Getting Started with Software” document, and the original source code package.

The firmware is still in process, and will be released as open source on completion. The synth is recognized as a midi device via the usb cable and a driver for OSX, WIN & Linux, so you can track or control it from your favorite midi software. Testing is happening on PureData, but I will verify a wide range of software on release. The USB/Serial FTDI connection will allow future modules such as a midi Din and DC power module or control from an Arduino or other microcontroller.  Stay tuned!