Optical hihat controller

[ole_hansen]

...
I posted pictures in the thread. What will a video demonstrate which the pictures don't?

hehe.. well you got me there.
but actually. seeing it in action would be nice.

or if you could upload a small sample of you playing around with it
you know - from closed, half-open, blalbhlahblah.. to fully open.

[dmitri]

It seems to me it is some kind of a 'youtube' bug in its extreme:) The schematic of the optical HiHat controller is so simple and inexpensive and requires so little time to make that even if it doesn't work as you expect you won't regret much.

[AwDeOh82]

Hey Dmitri,

The optical design looks awesome, I'm pretty keen to use this for my upcoming DIY build. Do you mind checking this link below to make sure I'm getting the right components?

Infrared Phototransistor:
http://jaycar.co.nz/productView.asp?ID= ... BCATID=245

I'm guessing I need to use a regular LED to throw light at the above IR Phototransistor, is that right or do I need to use an Infrared Transmitting LED like this: http://jaycar.co.nz/productView.asp?ID= ... BCATID=245 ?

The other thing I found was this: http://jaycar.co.nz/productView.asp?ID= ... BCATID=245 - if I were to go that way, would the other components in your design be the same values?

[dmitri]

Hey Dmitri,

The optical design looks awesome, I'm pretty keen to use this for my upcoming DIY build. Do you mind checking this link below to make sure I'm getting the right components?

Infrared Phototransistor:
http://jaycar.co.nz/productView.asp?ID= ... BCATID=245

I'm guessing I need to use a regular LED to throw light at the above IR Phototransistor, is that right or do I need to use an Infrared Transmitting LED like this: http://jaycar.co.nz/productView.asp?ID= ... BCATID=245 ?

Phototranistors, and photodiodes for that matter, have maximum sensitivity at certain wavelengths. So if it spec'ed as an IR than most likely it has best sensitivity in infrared and it's better to use an IR LED. Be aware that with an IR LED it'll be difficult to judge LED's intensity. I'd recommend to use visible light phototransitir/LED pair. I used http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=17936 as a phototransistor and a bright red LED.

The other thing I found was this: http://jaycar.co.nz/productView.asp?ID= ... BCATID=245 - if I were to go that way, would the other components in your design be the same values?

I wouldn't recommend to use it. To help output from the pedal be more gradual a phototransitor and a LED should be placed some distance apart.

[ole_hansen]

It seems to me it is some kind of a 'youtube' bug in its extreme:) The schematic of the optical HiHat controller is so simple and inexpensive and requires so little time to make that even if it doesn't work as you expect you won't regret much.

haha
there's no youtube-bug here

but seriously, i'm just looking for an opportunity to build ONE thing.
and not go through all the hassle of building multiple things, just to get a decent e-hihat going

pretty pleeease...( ? )

[AwDeOh82]

This is the simplest solution I've seen so far Ole_hansen. Everything else requires rigging up a potentiometer in some elaborate way, and it's more expensive - I haven't seen anything that's as discrete as this, you can make it near invisible so long as you've got a stealthy jack output.

[Ken Forgettable]

An option like
HiHat Pedal >Type: Quadrature

may be able to do chick, splash as well as position - all as one input!

Try: http://www.electro-tech-online.com/robo ... coder.html

Now where's my caret gone ...

[racer52]

This is the schematic:

opto.png

I would like to give this a try and combine it with the concept that 'Poco Askew' (vdrum.com user) has posted at this thread:
http://vdrums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46103&page=2

But first, I would like to clarify component specifications:

D1 = 1n4148
C1 = 100nF
J1 = TRS Jack
R1 = 150 ohm
R2 = 56,000 ohm (56k ohm).. is this correct for R2 ?

Please correct any errors I may have ..
thank you

[dmitri]

This is the schematic:

opto.png

I would like to give this a try and combine it with the concept that 'Poco Askew' (vdrum.com user) has posted at this thread:
http://vdrums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46103&page=2

But first, I would like to clarify component specifications:

D1 = 1n4148
C1 = 100nF
J1 = TRS Jack
R1 = 150 ohm
R2 = 56,000 ohm (56k ohm).. is this correct for R2 ?

R2 is 5k6 (5600 Ohm)

[racer52]

This is the schematic:

opto.png

I would like to give this a try and combine it with the concept that 'Poco Askew' (vdrum.com user) has posted at this thread:
http://vdrums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46103&page=2

But first, I would like to clarify component specifications:

D1 = 1n4148
C1 = 100nF
J1 = TRS Jack
R1 = 150 ohm
R2 = 56,000 ohm (56k ohm).. is this correct for R2 ?

R2 is 5k6 (5600 Ohm)

I did not understand the notation - thought it was a typographical error..
Thank You