Digitone/Digitakt breakout box [work in progress]

The Lounge General Discussion
#172

Exactly!

In 2010 I developed a full modular analog DJ mixer system. A 4 or 6 channel version where every single function (EQ (3 way, 4 way, parametric), dynamics, aux sends, effects, input stages, long/short/rotary faders, balance knobs, meter…) could be arranged by the customer. Just buy the modules you like to have. From a simplified rotary mixer with only volume knobs per channel to a huge system with everything you can imagine in a per channel basis. Allways extendible and alterable, open for many function more to invent. All connected via special DSub connectors (or maybe later in a case with a fixed bus connector inside…).

Since 2010 the prototype device lies in my basement. Sounding great but stays untouched ever since. Just because oft the reasons you mentioned.

Now I have a kid and a wife that is not able to bring much money into the family. I need a stable job and I have to renovate the old house we’re living in. Have no workshop ATM. Times change. I can totally understand that this fantastic project is paused.

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#173

I’m afraid this project stopped instead of paused.

We all are short on time and It’s sad seeing so many projects getting started and once they’re almost done getting dropped because of the reasons mentioned above. Meaning you either need to push it hard or you’ll be wasting years of time and money on unfinished projects.

Some crowdfunding projects have taken years and yes few people did get angry (myself included) but usually because promises were made that weren’t kept. You have to be very clear about the project when you’re using other peoples money. Personally I don’t care if this project takes another 2/3 years, as long as things are clearly communicated. :slight_smile:

Those how do finish their projects are those who really believe their product simply needs to be on the market and won’t be stopped by anyone. Ask anyone who has put their products on the market. (there enough on this forum alone)

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#174

I think the reason why we’re seeing so many unfinished projects simply is the existance of the internet. 25 years ago, there we’re also many people not finishing projects. We just didn’t get to know them.

And I also disagree on the missing motivation to finish projects. Sometimes conditions simply don’t allow to finish things.

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#175

Or to say it another way: Sometimes you just have a more important project. This could personally also be a family.

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#176

Which is basically what I was implying. Priorities change and the motivation drops to a low point.

Some are willing to sacrifice a lot if not everything to get it done though. Reaching the top is the hardest thing to do otherwise most of us would be up there already. :slight_smile:

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#177

Here is an other option, just as a proposal, a scribbled out idea…

Rather than a Kickstarter on this, i think a more sensible option, if @eranrund really has no further intention with this and would be open to this idea, would be for approximately one hundred people to each put in $300 or so in escrow, details to be determined, and buy the design, the pcb, bom, software, specs, docs, the todo list, and other info, and the rights.

So let’s say $30,000 ( or some such number, i pulled this out of the air ), which should help eranrund, and then that group of investors can decide what they want to do later.

They could make this project open source, and like publish it on github. Or they could have an agreement between themselves to share the data. Or they could make some agreement to complete a development.

A third party, could be found to manufacture 10-30 protoboards for some moderate amount of money, how many ever people were committed to further development.

First question to @eranrund is: Would you be willing to selling on the development of this ?

[ There is a project on Kickstarter right now for the Profree 4 ( thread link ), that is similar in idea, where for $771 you get to buy a design into open source, and get a few bare PCBs. Hopefully though that design will be a little more finished. ]

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#178

Everyone who is interested in this project should perhaps check out Overwitch.

I personally haven’t tried it, but I’m assuming a person could install Overwitch on a headless Raspberry Pi fitted with an 8 channel audio splitter.

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#179

Dude that is amazing !!

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#180

That’s great I am dreaming about something like that for months if not for years!!!

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#181

This seems like a dead topic, unfortunately. Would love a breakout box like this. There are a number of instruments our there that will output multiple channels of audio over USB. But, most of the options for actually using that functionality are clunky at best. I know I would much rather be able to track those channels traditionally.

If someone were able to get this idea into a class compliant, plug and play device… It’s what a lot of people have been wanting/needing. It’s something that’s talked about a lot in the MPC communities as well.

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#182

I suggested it to elektron a while back. I wasn’t exactly expecting them to get on it immediately after my email, but the suggestion is nevertheless relayed directly to them by now.

I don’t know, but - even though this isn’t the exact same thing - maybe a breakout solution is conflicting with overbridge from their perspective?

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#183

Honestly I bet there’s some merit to that statement (competing product with overbridge). Any hardware opportunity to split out is ultimately going to be some sort of computer with some sort of firmware installed on it, even if it doesn’t feel like it. Yes it’d be nice to have dedicated hardware that does this… but yeah, a computer and overbridge does it right now.

#184

I think there are also a lot of legit challenges making this sort of device. How many outputs does it have? 4 for Digitone? 8 for Digitakt? 12 for Syntakt? I don’t see Elektron ever making a simple thing that just breaks out the tracks to individual outputs like this thing was initially doing. I think if they wanted to make a “overbridge box” it would do a lot more than just give you individual outputs, and would start doing a lot of the stuff DAWs do. Personally my dream Overbridge device is one that gives you a crossfader and scenes over all the parameters in any connected Elektron device.

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#185

Hello!
Is this project alive? Maybe the author could make it open source? I really need such a device.

#186

Oh pleeeease i am dreaming of something like this since a long time!!

#187

OP was last online in 2022 so don’t get your hopes up !

who knows one day :crossed_fingers:

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#188

the dream was that elektron releases a box that looks like a patchbay with several I/O ports
and maybe 4 usb-ports, on wich you connect your elektron-boxes such as DT,AR,A4,ST etc

the OB-box then puts the OB tracks on the in and out ports , wich can be configured in the ob-software on a computer or ipad

this will enable users to mix those tracks on a console and dont have to rely on a complex DAW setup.

Was this only a dream? Or can it become true?

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#189

Maybe Op has been mixing his tracks on a console and lost track of time since 2022 Or elektron hired him :slight_smile:

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#190

Haha, no, unfortunately Elektron did not hire me but someone else did :slight_smile:
I have been extremely busy with my day job, other side projects and personal stuff and getting a hardware project on the side to the finishline / to being mature enough that it can be used by random people is just too time consuming.

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#191

İts great to hear from you and nice to know you’re well 🫂

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