BUILD THREAD: 266-style PCBs

roman_f · Post by **roman_f** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 7:31 am

this is gonna be a 266 clone build-thread, i will update 5 following comments as i have new information.

Some general knowledge:

Buchla and 5U format PCBs work only on 15V, bot has pads for Eurorack IDC-10 (Cwejman-style), mta-100 dotcom, mta-156 MOTM and MODCAN power connectors.

Eurorack format is for 12V operation, but can work on 15V as well - just do not install 12V-to-15V transformer parts and put 2 links/wires instead - i'll show it a bit later. It has Eurorack IDC-10 (Cwejman-style) power connector only.

Do not solder jacks/leds/pots before you solder voltage shifts parts.
Also do not solder jacks before you fit them into panel.

1) put jacks into pads on the PCB, but to not solder them
2) fit the panel on jacks
3) turn it all upside down and then solder the jacks
4) after that fit the pots and LEDs

Do not forget to connect 2 PCBs with 3 THRU pads
this brings power to the 2nd PCB

one more thing to say

i have also experienced an issue with ribbon-cables - a few of them look good, but do not function well, a couple had wrong key position

so:
1) take a look at your ribbon cables.

2) 5U & Buchla ones should have "keys" looking outside and EURO's "keys" are looking inside on both sides on the cable

3) check that "arrows" are located at the same side as the red line on the cable

4) ring all the connections with a multi-meter so be sure that nothing is shorting inside of the cable. holes are too small to put the test-leads inside of them, so you may put the other part of the connector and have an access to pins.

i do not think that many people would have such a problem, but anyway - please check it.

roman_f · Post by **roman_f** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 7:32 am

5U

The only issue with 5U PCBs are swapped SRV1 and SRV2 outputs
you may cut 2 traces and wire in a proper order or leave it as it is

what's the difference between SRV1 & SRV2?
well, SRV is fixed flat Stored Random Voltages
SRV2 is kinda bell which is moved thru the SRV1 area, it selects the voltages range from low to high.

DO NOT install R16 & R35 - this will allow the S&H to work with 5V pulses, originally it's for 15Vs

roman_f · Post by **roman_f** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 7:32 am

EURORACK

EURO version still has an issue with power, please give me a couple days for fixing it.
at end you'll just need to skip some parts and install 2 jumpers
sorry for that issue and please wait a bit

roman_f · Post by **roman_f** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 7:32 am

BUCHLA

banana color code:

black - cv in
blue - cv out
violet - alt cv out
orange - pulse in
red - pulse out

roman_f · Post by **roman_f** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 7:32 am

RARE PARTS & REPLACEMENTS:

2x VTL5C3 Vactrols
2x VTL5C3/2 Vactrols

PCB has pads for single Silonex NSL-32SR3 optopairs, but i could not manage them working properly with 266. so please use vactrols.

the noise chip - MM5837 can be purchased from Kevin Keinert, $19 each, if you buy only 1.
he also sells same chip with a different marking for $10.
Bleeps is currently making a group-buy of them.

1x CA3080 OTA - good chinese ebay seller or Bridechamber

1N457 diodes can be replaced with 1N4148.
RC4558 dual opamps can be replaced with TL072 (offset may change a bit)
LF356 single opamps can be replaced with TL071 (offset may change a bit)
2N1711 transistors can be replaced with a generic 2N3904 (or similar). They are used for driving LEDs only.
CD4030 CMOS Quad Exclusive-OR Gate can be replaced with CD4070
CD4006 can be replaced with HEF4006

roman_f · Post by **roman_f** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 7:33 am

PANELS

Rod Serling Fan Club is currently taking orders for Buchla-format panels.
viewtopic.php?t=57931

5U and Euro offers to come very soon

MechaSeb · Post by **MechaSeb** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 10:54 am

I have a 10x VTL5C3 set i bought a while ago for another project which never saw the light.
Is it possible to replace the two listed VTL5C3/2 by two VTL5C3 ? I guess yes as their proprieties are pretty similar but... preferred to ask before anything.

roman_f · Post by **roman_f** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 10:58 am

MechaSeb wrote:I have a 10x VTL5C3 set i bought a while ago for another project which never saw the light.
Is it possible to replace the two listed VTL5C3/2 by two VTL5C3 ? I guess yes as their proprieties are pretty similar but... preferred to ask before anything.

probably, but i can not confirm it
+ you would have problems with the depth of the module - standoffs would have to be extended (vactrol are big guys)

blue_lu · Post by **blue_lu** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 3:34 pm

so, is there anyone planning to do pannels - for the buchla format especially?

roman_f · Post by **roman_f** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 4:07 pm

blue_lu wrote:so, is there anyone planning to do pannels - for the buchla format especially?

Rod Serling Fan Club

julian · Post by **julian** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 4:47 pm

I would, of course, be happy to work out some costing for whatever RSFC isnt taking care of.

- meening i dont know if he is doing all the formats, or otherwise, but im sure either way panels will be availible : )

Rod Serling Fan Club · Post by **Rod Serling Fan Club** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 5:06 pm

I just plan on doing buchla format panels that are similar to the others I am doing in this thread.

sinequanon · Post by **sinequanon** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 11:22 am

julian wrote:I would, of course, be happy to work out some costing for whatever RSFC isnt taking care of.

- meening i dont know if he is doing all the formats, or otherwise, but im sure either way panels will be availible : )

Well , I'd be interested in knowing the cost of a 5U panel, I usually make my own front panels out of wood but never used pcb mounted jacks and pots, that project would be tricky for me as i don't have precision woodworking tools and there will be a ton of panel components...

awesome project..

roman_f · Post by **roman_f** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 2:08 pm

sinequanon wrote:
julian wrote:I would, of course, be happy to work out some costing for whatever RSFC isnt taking care of.

- meening i dont know if he is doing all the formats, or otherwise, but im sure either way panels will be availible : )
Well , I'd be interested in knowing the cost of a 5U panel, I usually make my own front panels out of wood but never used pcb mounted jacks and pots, that project would be tricky for me as i don't have precision woodworking tools and there will be a ton of panel components...

awesome project..

5U panels would be done by ben @ re:synthesis
and you can always solders jacks/pots not directly to the pcb, but with a wires to the proper pads

fluxmonkey · Post by **fluxmonkey** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 3:07 pm

roman, if you could send me the board dimensions & coordinates of th board-mounted components, euro format, id be willing to try my hand at a frac-format panel in FPD

b

bleeps · Post by **bleeps** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 4:11 pm

Would anyone be interested in a group buy of the noise chip (generic version)? I placed a query with the vendor to see if we could get a larger discount with a larger quantity. Keep in mind I haven't organized one of these before but I have the time and the means to do one at the moment and I think it would be nice a nice way to contribute to a community I am learning so much from.

If you want in, PM me and I'll start a separate thread with info and costs if there is enough interest.

EDIT: Group Buy thread has been started.

roman_f · Post by **roman_f** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 4:14 pm

bleeps wrote:Would anyone be interested in a group buy of the noise chip (generic version)? I placed a query with the vendor to see if we could get a larger discount with a larger quantity. Keep in mind I haven't organized one of these before but I have the time and the means to do one at the moment and I think it would be nice a nice way to contribute to a community I am learning so much from.

If you want in, PM me and I'll start a separate thread with info and costs if there is enough interest.

kevin has told me he can get the replacement chips (same chips with the different marking on them) for $8.75 if someone buys 20+
original chips are $18.95 now (or $15.95 for 10+)

roman_f · Post by **roman_f** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 4:14 pm

fluxmonkey wrote:roman, if you could send me the board dimensions & coordinates of th board-mounted components, euro format, id be willing to try my hand at a frac-format panel in FPD

b

gonna do that tomorrow, i have to double-check everything

bleeps · Post by **bleeps** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 4:35 pm

roman_f wrote:kevin has told me he can get the replacement chips (same chips with the different marking on them) for $8.75 if someone buys 20+
original chips are $18.95 now (or $15.95 for 10+)

Perfect!

julian · Post by **julian** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 5:13 pm

roman_f wrote:
sinequanon wrote:
julian wrote:I would, of course, be happy to work out some costing for whatever RSFC isnt taking care of.

- meening i dont know if he is doing all the formats, or otherwise, but im sure either way panels will be availible : )
Well , I'd be interested in knowing the cost of a 5U panel, I usually make my own front panels out of wood but never used pcb mounted jacks and pots, that project would be tricky for me as i don't have precision woodworking tools and there will be a ton of panel components...

awesome project..
5U panels would be done by ben @ re:synthesis
and you can always solders jacks/pots not directly to the pcb, but with a wires to the proper pads

/confused/

Ben makes etched panels, i do cnc panels - they're very different finishes...
I would assume people would enjoy different options??

Either way though, im easy - it was just an offer!

akrylik · Post by **akrylik** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 8:36 pm

Do you think it would be possible to do a euro panel like sduck did for his corgasmatron?

That look is just so inviting to me.

emdot_ambient · Post by **emdot_ambient** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 9:30 pm

Julian, I'd be interested in seeing what you come up with for a 5U design on this. I'm using MOTM panel sizes at the moment.

emdot_ambient · Post by **emdot_ambient** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 9:30 pm

bleeps wrote:Would anyone be interested in a group buy of the noise chip (generic version)?

I'd be in for that (1)!

emdot_ambient · Post by **emdot_ambient** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 9:33 pm

roman_f wrote:the noise chip - MM5837 can be purchased from Kevin Keinert, $16.69 each, if you buy only 1.

An FYI on this...I just looked on vintageplanet.nl and they're referencing the MM5437N as a replacement for the MM5837. Don't know if that's available anywhere cheaper (vintageplanet has them but they're more expensive than the US guy in the link above).

E.A.S. · Post by **E.A.S.** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 10:25 pm

emdot_ambient wrote:
roman_f wrote:the noise chip - MM5837 can be purchased from Kevin Keinert, $16.69 each, if you buy only 1.
An FYI on this...I just looked on vintageplanet.nl and they're referencing the MM5437N as a replacement for the MM5837. Don't know if that's available anywhere cheaper (vintageplanet has them but they're more expensive than the US guy in the link above).

Just checked out the data sheet for both the mm5837 and the mm5437 and they are not plug and play compatible.

The first thing I notice is, that they have different pinouts completely.
Second the 5837 has only pins for power and output, also it uses a 17 bit shift shift register.

On the 5437 there is a 23 bit shift register. It can be clocked externally and has a data in pin.

So, they both could be made to work. but its certainly not just as simple as a chip-swap as one might first think when seeing the word "replacement".

-Mike

MUFF WIGGLER

MUFF WIGGLER

BUILD THREAD: 266-style PCBs

BUILD THREAD: 266-style PCBs