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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: Robzilla on February 22, 2004, 02:38:11 PM

Title: Photo-sensitive eye and stuff..
Post by: Robzilla on February 22, 2004, 02:38:11 PM
Hi guys,

First of all, im new here so I just want to say hi to everybody.
I have a question about a pedal i want to make. I was browsing the effector13 site and i came accros this pedal:

http://www.effector13.com/fxinfinity.html

You can put a pedal in the loop and by moving your feed over the 'eye' the effect in the loop gets heavier.
I want to make something similiar, but I don't know how. Does someone have a scheme? Can someone explain it to me?

Thnx in advance, Robzilla
Title: Photo-sensitive eye and stuff..
Post by: ExpAnonColin on February 22, 2004, 04:22:24 PM
It's nothing but a photocell in place of a potentiometer.  Very much over-hyped by Effector 13.

A photocell creates resistance depending on how much light is shed on it.  It's based on the chemical cadium sulfide, so when there's more light you get less resistance and when there's more dark you get more resistance.  In place of a potentiometer, it basically just changes the parameter of the effect depending on the light.  Very simple, all you need to do is replace a pot with a CdS, or photo, cell.

-Colin
Title: Photo-sensitive eye and stuff..
Post by: Robzilla on February 22, 2004, 04:49:21 PM
Thnx for your reply!
So it's just a looper, with on the loop output a photocell? Or is there more?

Thnx!
Title: Photo-sensitive eye and stuff..
Post by: smoguzbenjamin on February 22, 2004, 05:23:42 PM
Look at the feedbacker on my website and mentally replace the pot with an LDR ;)
Title: Photo-sensitive eye and stuff..
Post by: toneless on February 22, 2004, 10:17:29 PM
I think it's just a Total Sonic Anihilation (by Death by Audio) with a switch that chooses between a  pot and a photocell "eye"...

Nick
Title: Photo-sensitive eye and stuff..
Post by: ExpAnonColin on February 23, 2004, 12:53:06 AM
Quote from: tonelessI think it's just a Total Sonic Anihilation (by Death by Audio) with a switch that chooses between a  pot and a photocell "eye"...

Nick

Yep.

-Colin
Title: Photo-sensitive eye and stuff..
Post by: vdm on February 23, 2004, 01:23:39 AM
hey i was looking at the TSA the other day - and im kinda confused as to what the thing actually does?
does it feedback the signal after the effect back to the start, or does it just mix the effect with clean signal?

thanks for any input
trent
Title: Photo-sensitive eye and stuff..
Post by: Robzilla on February 23, 2004, 04:43:26 AM
Quote from: smoguzbenjaminLook at the feedbacker on my website and mentally replace the pot with an LDR ;)

I really understand nothing of it :D
what about ground wires etc. There goes 1 wire to the jacks, but there have to be more, right?
Title: Photo-sensitive eye and stuff..
Post by: smoguzbenjamin on February 23, 2004, 04:57:25 AM
This thing is completely passive. That means no active circuitry and in this case no grounds. Just connect all the jack rings together and you'll be fine.

What it does is connect the effect out back to the effect in, making the effect do some wierd stuff :D A distortion will start to feed back, for instance.

Hmm maybe I'll steal that idea and use an LDR also :twisted:
Title: Photo-sensitive eye and stuff..
Post by: Robzilla on February 23, 2004, 05:21:31 AM
So i just grab a jack and only connect 1 connector on the jack..? Now i just have to find a photocell here in the Netherlands :)
Title: Photo-sensitive eye and stuff..
Post by: smoguzbenjamin on February 23, 2004, 05:26:13 AM
Try looking in the "free samples" thread there are many companies listed there that supply photocells for free ;)

You need 4 jacks though, and connect those, then you use that schemmo on how you cennect the signal wires. It's an easy first project I guess :D
Title: Photo-sensitive eye and stuff..
Post by: Robzilla on February 23, 2004, 05:52:59 AM
Thnx, i was browsing that thread and i can't search @ ti.com if i didn't sign up. Maybe u can search for me, i suppose u have a acount.. (so i don't have to sign up if they don't have photo cells)

thnx
Title: Photo-sensitive eye and stuff..
Post by: smoguzbenjamin on February 23, 2004, 09:00:37 AM
You're probably going to be more lucky at www.liteon.com I think, as TI make ICs, and not necessarily 'normal' semiconductors like resistors and caps. Lite-on specialises in LEDs and stuff like that. I haven't looked there yet though, I'm going to have to one of these days ;)
Title: Photo-sensitive eye and stuff..
Post by: Ansil on February 23, 2004, 10:39:24 AM
you can have the one i did on the tutorial for the parts i fyou wanted it you can add the eye to it for control instead fo the pot if you like
Title: Photo-sensitive eye and stuff..
Post by: smoguzbenjamin on February 23, 2004, 10:43:19 AM
If you were referring to me, yes please :D
Title: Photo-sensitive eye and stuff..
Post by: Robzilla on February 23, 2004, 03:08:35 PM
Quote from: Ansilyou can have the one i did on the tutorial for the parts i fyou wanted it you can add the eye to it for control instead fo the pot if you like

Het ansil, i saw your tutorial and it's a great help! :) thnx for that! But where is your battery in the latest picture?
Now i just have to find a photo cell..