tiny tremoloOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[JRM]

for those that are curious, my voltage out of the cmos 555 is 1.8v...thats why i had to use standard leds..(with no resistors)..
superbrights will not work ok...
i have it running nice on reds or yellows...and just to be ridiculous i rigged up 7 leds and it all works fine..
will not do supers though!..

Found it! But if Manny is running superbrights, IŽll give it a try. I have both types anyway, it's just about measure the voltage out of the CMOS 555 (I was expecting much higher than 1.8V running out of 9V batterie, after reading the datasheet http://www.national.com/ds/LM/LMC555.pdf and find a 6% loss in the high output voltage, in relation to Vs)

[MetalUpYerEye]

I was running a 5mm super bright but it made the circuit click like mad. Even after switching to a regular LED with a resistor on it and shielding all the signal leads, etc. I still couldn't really get it to quiet down enough. It sounded nice enough, being that it doesn't color your sound and all, if I could have just rid it of that click then it would have stayed...

[illidan]

as my previous posting.. i've failed build this one...
but seemingly i wrong to in IC,,,, I use LM555 not LMC555,,,,  is this same 
sorry for bad question, coz i don't know how to read a datasheet schema...

[deadastronaut]

as my previous posting.. i've failed build this one...
but seemingly i wrong to in IC,,,, I use LM555 not LMC555,,,,  is this same 
sorry for bad question, coz i don't know how to read a datasheet schema...

hi i think they should be ok..i think the different numbers and letters are different manufacturers..i think!!!!.....but in the end i used a cmos555 .

it seems a lot less noisey..clickey...tickey...

[Manny]

After loads of tweaking to try and get the best response from the speed and depth pots I'm finally ready to box mine up.
I think I'm gonna make the LDR switchable too, I've found two that I really like, both have a different response but I can't choose between them. I'll post pics/findings once I'm done. 

[deadastronaut]

nice one manny itll be good to see a final analysis and build too....

why switch on the ldr though?...

[markeebee]

I think Manny means that he's going to switch between two different LDRs.

See, I was paying attention.

[deadastronaut]

ha ha..i wasnt!....i see...

[Manny]

I think Manny means that he's going to switch between two different LDRs.

See, I was paying attention.

Yep 
I just can't decide between the two so i thought I'd be greedy.
They seem to have nearly identical dark and light resistances. I guess their response speed must be different or something.

[JRM]

How did you wired the depth pot? What value did you use?

[Manny]

How did you wired the depth pot? What value did you use?

I've been messing around with the depth pot quite a lot, I found that it works best for me with an A5k, it gives a nice full range.
I wired it as follows:

Note: The mess in the bottom left is how I did the "signal section", i.e. LDR to signal ground. I think it sounds better but you could put in a switch and have both that way and inline if you like both.

[JRM]

Sorry Manny but I can't understand how that can work, as you have conected the Hot and Ground of the signal path with the LDR. So, when the LDR resistance is higher than 0 (ok, let's say 5 Ohm, making a current divider with the wire 0.5 Ohm resistance) You'll have all the signal going directly through the wire and in=out (>99%) and only when LDR is 0 you'll have some signal drain to ground. You probably have written it down wrong, as the LDR should be in series with the in and out hot tips.

Regarding the pot, thanks! You've choosen to vary the depth by changing the LED intensity with a 5k Log Pot.

[Barcode80]

I don't understand how it couldn't work. The LDR, as he has it wired, is simply bleeding a variable amount of the signal to ground based on the resistance of the LDR. Pretty simple stuff, this is the way a volume pot works....

[deadastronaut]

the ldr is the same way as the vero on page 2...

edit: erm..you lost me on this:....\/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/  

[JRM]

I don't understand how it couldn't work. The LDR, as he has it wired, is simply bleeding a variable amount of the signal to ground based on the resistance of the LDR. Pretty simple stuff, this is the way a volume pot works....

Ok, but bleeding current being I bl/I tot = Rwire / (RLDR + Rwire) = .5/(6000+.5)= .008% (LDR On) or I bl/I tot = .5/(100E3+.5) = .0005% (LDR Off). Did I miss something? Probably did.

[Barcode80]

I think you are REALLY over-thinking/over-complicating it. As the LDR resistance is lowered, the signal gets bled to ground. as the LDR resistance goes back up, the path to ground for the signal gets blocked from being shunted to ground by the resistance of the LDR, and so it passes.

[Manny]

I think you are REALLY over-thinking/over-complicating it. As the LDR resistance is lowered, the signal gets bled to ground. as the LDR resistance goes back up, the path to ground for the signal gets blocked from being shunted to ground by the resistance of the LDR, and so it passes.

Yep, its the reverse of how this works inline, when the light goes on, the sound gets cut. maybe it's the way I drew it that's wierd. Think of it as:

IN -----L----- OUT
           D
           R
           |
        GND

[JRM]

OK, got it. Sorry 

[MoKoLoKo]

I've build it with a modified version of Renegadrian's layout, to separate grounds and use the rate LED too as bypass LED.

[Manny]

I've build it with a modified version of Renegadrian's layout, to separate grounds and use the rate LED too as bypass LED.

Good tip for those building this. Use the little rows of pin sockets, snap off 2 lots of 3 and solder them to the pcb/vero under pins 1,2 & 3 and 5, 6 & 7. This way when the IC is slotted in the two unused pins just float there. Easier than trying to cut the spaces beneath the pins on the vero.