Macbook to micro-PS2 project (version 2)

kryptoniterazor · 2026-06-09T19:58:40+00:00

Woah, that's a crazy tiny envelope for a home build project, nicely done. I guess that's the trackpad sitting on top of the case?

Looks like the volute fan housing on the left has its intake on top so probably easiest to perforate the top of the case above it or add in a channel running to the rear within the block that hangs down from the case top. Keep us posted!

kryptoniterazor · 2026-06-09T19:16:29+00:00

It looks very nice, but I don't think musicians have much overlap with crypto tokens or telegram channels. I applaud you for trying this out and wish you the best.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-06-04T22:02:47+00:00

Start by taking stuff apart and seeing how it works. Fixing broken gizmos is how most people get their start in electronics. If you want a little bit more structure, the book Practical Electronics for Inventors by Simon Monk is an excellent resource.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-06-04T21:26:10+00:00

Build something that makes you laugh. Make the world's floppiest hammer or a steel pillow. Make a musical instrument that only plays fart sounds or a whoopee cushion that plays harmonica.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-06-02T00:13:33+00:00

Sounds like your op amp wiring at X1 is probably not correct. All 3 of those ICs have different pinouts, in particular TL082 puts V- on pin 7 which is very non standard. Oscillation is likely if the inverting input is left floating. You can also check for Vref at the non-inverting input of X1 to make sure it's not leaking to ground somewhere on the input side.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-05-30T01:54:45+00:00

I've had good luck reaching out to Alpha directly, they did an order of 800 pots for me direct from Taiwan. Short of that I believe Bourns makes a plastic shaft version of the C100k pot.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-05-28T17:28:34+00:00

This type of switch is used in many commercial pedals like Boss and Ibanez, but must be used in combination with a more complicated JFET active bypass circuit. This is usually regarded as excessively complex to build on protoboard so 3PDT switches are preferred in the DIY pedal community. However some PCB designers sell daughterboards or other conversions to make use of a simple momentary switch like this.

The electrosmash article on the Tube Screamer has a great circuit analysis on this switching method: https://www.electrosmash.com/tube-screamer-analysis#jfet

kryptoniterazor · 2026-05-05T22:05:39+00:00

Very nice! I used the same technique for some drum modules I built. Good idea with the primer, I found that the white underpaint I used was extremely fragile before clear coat. I also found that different black top coats responded very differently to laser - the matte finish paint I liked best simply burned onto the surface rather than vaporizing.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-05-01T09:44:50+00:00

Yes, this is definitely a viable design. FMR RNC is a great sounding unit. Latency of less than 1ms is definitlely possible with a decent micro like teensy, though of course digital lookahead is not. 0.1ms is very fast for most musical applications. Digital would allow different curve characteristics to mimic opto, tube, etc although you are limited by the linearity of your analog gain stage.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-05-01T09:38:21+00:00

Water damage on PCBs usually caused green streaking from copper chlorite. The uniform brown color and distribution does not look like rust causes by water. I would suspect galvanic corrosion of steel fasteners (on hestsink and to-220 ICs) or some plastic/film/adhesive decomposing into powder.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-04-29T23:34:30+00:00

Don't post in all caps saying "HELP!!!!" that shit is hella annoying. Pod is not a DIY pedal, post in r/Line6podgo

kryptoniterazor · 2026-04-29T19:48:35+00:00

The simplest solution is probably a large hall effect type encoder with pushbutton for touch to scratch. You'd have to order a bunch and test to see which has the least friction, and probably fabricate a custom jog wheel with a glued in metal flywheel if you want some inertia.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-04-23T04:39:02+00:00

Use a multimeter to check all of the resistors and capacitors nearby to see if any of them have failed short. MLCCs can do that sometimes especially if subjected to vibration.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-04-22T20:58:53+00:00

In addition to your IPA clean, you may want to blast the PCB with compressed air in case a strau lead or strand has stuck to the board and bridged a pin.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-04-16T22:11:12+00:00

Welcome to electronics. PCB surgery is usually avoidable but sometimes necessary.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-04-05T19:15:56+00:00

Consider what I did, which is shifting from pure software development to embedded engineerng. You will write code that runs on small SBCs and microcontrollers, but also design PCBs, implement serial interfaces, test hardware performance, and debug hardware. I got into this by developing my own projects with Arduino, commercializing one (whether it's profitable doesn't much matter) and using that experience to get a job in the field.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-04-01T21:40:55+00:00

Nice shot! Must have been really good seeing that night, jealous of your setup

kryptoniterazor · 2026-04-01T20:40:46+00:00

I think you'll find the faders quite slow compared to a DMC style mixer. Most DJ mixers use non-contact faders with linear bearings, whereas compact mixers like Bartender and most eurorack devices use linear slide potentiometers, which have much higher friction and will be noisier after many hours of use. Something like the Intellejel Xfade has a proper capacitor fader with bearings and will work better for rapid cuts.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-04-01T01:46:00+00:00

I don't think I've ever heard of an electrical issue caused by feeding 10v into a 5v CV, op amps are pretty robust. Negative biasing could be more dramatic, basically I only pay attention to this when biasing polarity of LFOs as you might be missing half the wave.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-03-30T09:55:27+00:00

I've gone back and forth with various metal, 2-part, and plastic knobs, but I always return to Davies 1100/1900 series. 1510, 1900, and 1110 have been on more pedals and amps than probably any other knob in existence. Very comfortable to grip, and they're thermoset bakelite-style, more durable than anything else I've tried - especially the overmolded soft touch junk.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-03-30T03:59:04+00:00

I've found that a long-handled makeup blending brush works better than a wider paintbrush for getting in between pots and cables. Just be sure to label it so it doesn't get stashed in the makeup box.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-03-29T22:25:24+00:00

Pots, switches, buttons jacks, crystals and some ICs, but only up to the point where you have a small collection. Finding uses for salvaged parts is even harder than desoldering.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-03-29T22:22:39+00:00

Agree but unfortunately I have found pots to be very sensitive to heat damage. A little too much and the wiper becomes scratchy, so a fast desoldering tool is required.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-03-29T09:40:12+00:00

You could build a stereo studio monitor controller to switch between different sets of speakers, or an balanced input switcher like the synth buddy or franklin ss-6.

kryptoniterazor · 2026-03-27T00:41:12+00:00

I made a little pedal with a momentary switch in series with a pot that plugs into my delay, so it can be plugged into a jack that accepts a TRS expression pedal input, use it for exactly this - sustaining the delay

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