Conference napalm::commusic_v1

2762.0. "Switches, Switch Arrays NEEDED!" by NIOMAX::LAING (Soft-Core Cuddler*Jim Laing*229-7808) Thu Oct 31 1991 14:27

    I have a somewhat unusual need ... I'm working towards building a
    custom MIDI gadget, with the help of some PC boards from a compnay in
    Canada that does semi-custom stuff oriented towards pipe organs.  MOre
    about that after I make my request:
    
    What I need is a long, narrow panel with anywhere from 50-100
    pushswitches on it.  Ideally, they'd be mounted in a panel no more than
    1" think, and 1 to 1.5" high, and 20"-30" in length.  I need this size
    to mount it amongst my keyboards.  I know that I can buy "raw" switches
    from Radio Shack or U-Do-It Electronics, etc. but most switches I find
    are too "deep" in size, and too expensive!  Then I'd have to build and
    mount the switches 1 by 1 into a strip of metal, etc., and wire them
    up.
    
    Is there *any* way I could find what I'm looking for already build, or
    perhaps "modules" of 10 switches that I could put together into my
    desired size/shape unit?  
    
    Alternately, where can I find individual "raw" (unmounted) switches
    that are more like those on many keyboards and MIDIgadgets: round ones
    that are mountable in a very narrow space, and that aren't too "deep"
    (by deep I mean how far they protrude into the box their mounted on)?
    There must be places for stuff like this, where 'the pros' get things,
    other than Radio Shack!
    
    ---------------
    More on what I'm hoping to build ... this Company (I can't remember the
    name, something like Midi Magic?)  sells a circuit board that's 1.5"x8"
    that has 48 contacts for switches.  For a fee, I can have them program
    the thing to send ANY MIDI command I want at the push of a switch.  I'm
    going to send mostly Program Chagnes, plus a few SysEx's, etc.  You can
    add another board fairly cheaply for 64 more switches.
    
    I hope to use this to get FAST, INSTANT access to patches on multiple
    MIDI channels, for use in live performance.  By fast I mean ONE button
    changes EXACTLY what I want (yet it would be generic enuf so I could
    use it with any MIDI device that accepts Program Changes and
    Start/Stop- the Sys Ex part would be less generic).  I guess what I'm
    trying to achieve is the "ease-of-use" seen in a pipe organ: want a new
    sound on ANY keyboard/manual, just press ONE button)
    
    Jim

    Jim, how about getting your custom board manufacturer to use a
    "scanned" keyboard input as opposed to simple pushbuttons. Then you
    could probably vandalise an old QWERTY keyboard from the local junk
    store. I know you can pick up these for a couple of bucks, some of them
    being quite small (probably from portable equipment).
    
    Ken
    

    RE .1
    
    Hmm, I talked with the company (it's called Technical Magic, in
    Ontario, Canada).  Their board is designed for a pipe or other organ,
    so it's designed for one discrete switch per node on the organ.  My
    verions (should I decide to buy from them) would be the same hardware
    with modified software ...
    
    Hmm, an old QWERTY might be useful if I actually went for the
    INDIVIDUAL contacts on each key ... and idea I'll consider - thanks!
    
    Jim