Week16
16. Applications and Implications¶
assignment
Propose a final project masterpiece that integrates the range of units covered,
answering:
What will it do?
Who's done what beforehand?
What will you design?
What materials and components will be used?
Where will come from?
How much will they cost?
What parts and systems will be made?
What processes will be used?
What questions need to be answered?
How will it be evaluated?
Your project should incorporate 2D and 3D design, additive and subtractive fabrication processes, electronics design and production, embedded microcontroller interfacing and programming, system integration and packaging
Where possible, you should make rather than buy the parts of your project
Projects can be separate or joint, but need to show individual mastery of the skills, and be independently operable
Final Project: What will it do?¶
Allow the user to synthesize highly customizable video signals, and modulate input video signals, to be displayed on a VGA-compatible computer screen using mostly inexpensive CMOS logic chips.
Final Project: Who’s done what beforehand?¶
Video synths have been around since the 70’s and before and there are many contemporary video synths out there.
From the funky world of modular (music) synth design:
By Gieskes (https://gieskes.nl/):
By Lorre-Mill (http://lorre-mill.com/):
By Bleep Labs (https://bleeplabs.com/):
This is an actual video synth by Bleep Labs:
There are also early video art pioneers like Nam June Paik:
Ben Eater (a hero of mine!) has a great video on making a VGA controller from logic chips here (https://eater.net/vga):
And a cool mini doc on analog video synths here from Vice Labs
I am inspired by ORCA, a programming language for sound synthesis which is very visual though for sound synthesis: https://github.com/hundredrabbits/Orca
I found a nice book on early computer game graphics with logic chips:
I am inspired by the book Handmade Electronic Music: The art of hardware hacking by Nicolas Collins:
A brilliant series on logic chip sound synthesis: https://hackaday.com/2015/02/04/logic-noise-sweet-sweet-oscillator-sounds/ which led to the development of this logic based synth: https://hackaday.io/project/6540/gallery#dc6c5c0ff858c58799f82574aa6ad133
http://loliel.narod.ru/DIY.pdf
As well as one of the original video synths, the Scanimate:
Inspiration from putting images through audio effects done super well here:
https://questionsomething.wordpress.com/2012/07/26/databending-using-audacity-effects/
Byte beating:
http://countercomplex.blogspot.com/2011/10/algorithmic-symphonies-from-one-line-of.html
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kylemcdonald/sets/72157627762378810/
The CMOS cookbook,by Don Lancaster and this series from Hackaday: https://hackaday.com/2015/05/04/logic-noise-taming-the-wild-shift-register/
Final Project: What will you design?¶
The PCB…
…and the enclosure.
Final Project: What materials and components will be used?¶
PCB, electronic components, HDPE for the enclosure, harvested potentiometers and jumper cables.
Final Project: Where will they come from?¶
Electronics from Mouser, HDPE and PCB from our Fabacademy stock in the fablab, and the harvested potentiometers from a sound mixer I got second hand.
Final Project: How much will they cost?¶
The electronic components (inexpensive 74 series logic chips) range from 0.01€ to up 0.50€, with potentiometers a little more expensive (3€) if you don’t recycle them. I have around 15 ICs currently and about as many potentiometers so we’re looking at sub 10€ if you recycle potentiometers or if you take the least expensive pots then around 30€
HDPE stock is 55.13 cents per pound currently in the U.S. I am using less than 5 pounds of 25 mm thick HDPE.
The total would be max 50€ and more like 20€ if you’re resourceful.
EDIT Here is the final order from Mouser:
Final Project: What parts and systems will be made?¶
The PCB, and the enclosure.
Final Project: What processes will be used?¶
CNC milling and laser etching for the PCB. Eagle for PCB design, embedded microcontroller interfacing and programming. Optionally I could 3D print knobs.
Final Project: What questions need to be answered?¶
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How much of the world of audio synth (20-20kHz) circuits makes cool visuals for VGA where pixel timing is on the order of MHz?
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What is the range of visual possibilities using exclusively inexpensive logic chips, amps, passive filters, etc.?
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Can this device be a means to get an introduction into the world of digital and analog electronics?
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What is an interface that is pleasant to use, informative, and funky looking?
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Of the multitude of possible circuits to include in this device, which ones should I chose?
Final Project: How will it be evaluated?¶
In the end the project will be compared to similar video synths on the market to see what the price/functionality differences are, along with usability and aesthetics. I will give it to artists and let them play with it themselves and ask their opinion.
The range and variety of visual possibilities created by the synth, and how easy it is to create them (ease of use) and move between them will be part of the evaluation. I will also evaluate how difficult the synth was to make, and how automated the process is.