DIY Commodore 64 (C64) Paddle for Cynthcart

If you have Cynthcart, you may not know that a `paddle` enables you to control filter cutoff and assign another control on two knobs.  There are a number of tutorials on this, but most of them are very convoluted with errors. So, here we go:

You Need:

• 2 x 240k LOGARHYTHMIC potentiometers*
• 9-Pin cable (female connector)**
• Enclosure
• Wires
• Soldering Iron/Solder
• Multimeter

First identify the wires that are connected to the female connector. You can do this using a multimeter and a wire placed in the relevent holes. The holes you need to hook up are: Pot1, Pot2 and +5v.

This site explains the pinouts http://old.pinouts.ru/Inputs/ControlPortC64_pinout.shtml

Now, solder the wires to the potentiometers making sure there with be enough slack to fit them into the enclosure. Both get Pot1/2 and the +5v.

Once they`re soldered, get the enclosure drilled with two holes. I used an old joystick base for my enclosure (It looks like a robots face!)

Attach the pots to the enclosure, close it and put the caps on. Test it, then you`re done!

*with 480k I found they only have an effect for 50% of rotation.
**make sure you have a connector that features the correct pins - the one in the picture is from a C64 joystick and doesn`t have pins for the paddle controls.

DIY Effects Pedals - The Death Egg

 

Having got into tampering with all kinds of electrical kids toys through circuit bending, I have made a number of my own effects `pedals`. This one was originally an ELC Microphone for children to alter the pitch of their voice, or make them sound like a robot. Version 2 (above) was housed in a more authentic pedal tin. 

DIY MPC Midi Controller

Here we have a home-made MPC made using an old PS1 controller and USB interface. The buttons on the pad have been re-soldered to arcade buttons and arranged in a 4x4 matrix, with the analog sticks to the side.
Using MaxMSP this controller sends MIDI Note on/off messages and CC messages.

 
 This first video shows the box controlling a Novation A-Station, where the buttons trigger notes and the analog sticks control Cutoff and Resonance.
 
In the second video it is controlling a Korg ER-1 drum machine.