I WANT THIS!

Haha I have had a few folks mention that. Glad other folks might be able to get some use out of it! I have had a few inquiries about how to get one of these so here is sort of a summary of what I have come up with:

• If you want something now and don't need a rack-format, you can build my predecessor to this called the ShieldBoy. The Eagle layouts are available on the linked page, as well as a bill of materials and some basic information on how to get it up and running.

• If you want to buy a ShieldBoy instead, PM me. If enough folks are interested I may look at offering to build these for people.

• If you want to build an ArduinoBoy Advance (the rackmount thing), here are the Eagle files for both the top and bottom boards. I don't have a build doc up yet but if you have questions, just reply to this post. Be aware MIDI OUT is untested at this point (but I see now reason why it wouldn't work).

• If you want to buy an ArduinoBoy Advance, that stage has not been reached. Still have some things to do before I would be comfortable selling it (at cost or otherwise) in its current state.

For the ABA buyers, I need to know more to see if a kit might be doable while accomplishing everyone's goals so let me know what you want it over, say, the ShieldBoy and what you were going to house it in. I could see a case for the ABA instead of a rack solution by adding some panel mount sockets and drilling out an enclosure, for instance.

Biggest benefit of a kit might be having a pre-programmed AVR micro-controller. I grabbed up this thing to make that easy to program AVRs with the Arduino bootloader. Works like a champ, although I don't think the male/female headers are the best idea - I'd recommend standard male headers (I don't see any need to make the thing stackable).

Regarding the IO Board - I opted to go that route to save space and keep things within the 1U height limit. Doing it this way, 3 will fit in the space of a half rack by my measurements.

http://victimcache.com/wp-content/uploa … Action.jpg
http://victimcache.com/wp-content/uploa … ck-040.png
http://victimcache.com/wp-content/uploa … IO-020.png

After having physically put the thing together, I found a few parts that can/should be flipped to the opposite side of where the silk says to place them. I also was not able to test MIDI OUT since I thought I had an extra DIN connector. Doh. But otherwise it works like a champ!

I don't have a prototype of my panel yet but since this design seems to work, that will be the next step as well as getting some mounting hardware to keep the thing more secure. The board layout has options for MOLEX connectors, but I just use SIL pin headers and will probably just use hot glue to keep the connections secured since crimping MOLEX connector-pins appears to be a rather big pain in the ass.

It's also the first board where I used a power plane in addition to a ground plane. Didn't notice really any difference, other than things working as they should (and using a power plane made routing easier).

Anyways this is what I've come up with. Should work well in a 1U format as well as a Eurorack (maybe with a few small modifications).

I will write an article soon up on our band website about it with the schematics and things, but if you want those sooner, just let me know and I can put them together sooner.

Still working on the boards but I'll share them once they are complete.

http://victimcache.com/wp-content/uploa … ck-030.png

I am using headers for everything because all my MIDI connections to the ArduinoBoy's will be internal to the rack, as will the control surface elements. The GB Link will still be connected via  DB9 mounted on the front (even found DB9 connectors that work just like the crimp-DIL headers so that will make things easy).

The smaller size lowered the cost of having the board made via OSH Park (formally DorkBot) from $30 to $18 so I think that is worth it.

That said, I found an issue with the RESET pin for the old schematics as well - it needs a pull-up resistor to 5V so that would need to be back-ported to the other board layout as a heads up to anyone wanting to use those (if so, let me know and I can fix it or just hand over the Eagle layout and schematics).

As far as a Eurorack design, that's something I'll have to think about. I have some existing gear that might not quite fit in that format so well. Reminds me I need to look into that further for when I build an analog modular rack though (YUM!)

Either way, the board layouts about could be used for something like a Eurorack with minor modifications I think, although I haven't designed anything for a Eurorack yet. I suspect using the main baseboard with some modifications might be the best option.

eurorack.

doing this

There is also this too:
http://www.rackmount-devices.com/main.h … e=021-1800

I couldn't find any good half-rack options that were reasonably priced. In fact, even full 1U enclosures were expensive for what you get and, at least in the US, seem to be rather non-standardized. As a result, I am using 1U shelving to mount stuff with custom front panels (either sitting in front of the 1U shelf or on a separate control surface panel if a particular synth needs more than 1U of control surface elements).

If all this works out, I'll be happy to share my results! I have other things I need to work on for my live rack, but the ArdunioBoy Advance's will come first so I should know pretty soon how it will all shake out.

If anyone is curious about how I'm planning our whole live rack, just ask! But I thought I would stay on topic. I will say, the rack shelf idea seems to be making lots of things SOO much easier.