Remote control kits

[mcs]

Price changes

I have a bit of bad news... Some of the kit prices will go up on Monday.

The PCB prices and some of the parts prices have gone up, so I have to raise my prices on some kits a bit also. Nothing dramatic - 2-3€ in most cases, but if you were planning to order something, you may as well save a bit...

The following kits will go up in price:
C2Panel1-1, C2Panel1-2, C2Panel2, Phono1, RelVol1C/CM, VolControl1, VolControl2 and VolControl3.

The other kits will stay at the same price.

Best regards,

Mikkel C. Simonsen

 

[Serow]

Hi, your kits look great.

Just so I understand, if I want a complete remote-control preamp with LCD, unbalanced inputs, rotary controls only and phono I will need:

1 ChipVol1
1 Control2
1 C2Panel2
1 LCD16x2BB
1 Input1
1 Phono1
1 15VAC transformer

Can the input selection be changed using the remote? Also, I'm not sure I understand what the VolControl3 board does. Can it replace the Control2/C2Panel2 combination?

Best,
Eric

 

[mcs]

Hi, your kits look great.

Thanks!

Just so I understand, if I want a complete remote-control preamp with LCD, unbalanced inputs, rotary controls only and phono I will need:

1 ChipVol1, 1 Control2, 1 C2Panel2, 1 LCD16x2BB, 1 Input1, 1 Phono1, 1 15VAC transformer

Yes, almost. You will need either a dual-secondary transformer or two transformers. The second winding/transformer should be in the 6-15V range. One of the windings is for the op.amp. supply (+/-12V), and the other is for the +5V digital supply.

Can the input selection be changed using the remote?

Yes.

Also, I'm not sure I understand what the VolControl3 board does. Can it replace the Control2/C2Panel2 combination?

Yes, in a way it can. It's a more primitive version. You only have one rotary encoder on the VolControl3 (for the volume setting), and no input selection. The input selection is remote-only then. You also have no power switching and no per input volume offsets.

Best regards,

Mikkel C. Simonsen

 

[TS Lo]

Hi Mikkel,

Your system looks great.

Please confirm my understanding of some units.
1. C2 Panel 1-2
This unit can be configured as:
(a) Rotary encoder - Volume
Rotary encoder - Input
Push-buttons - Tape Mon.,Power, Mute and Spare
(b) Rotary encoder - Volume
Push-buttons - Input (1-5), Tape Mon., Power, Mute and
Spare
(c) Push-buttons - Input (sequential), Volume (up/down),
Tape Mon., Power, Mute and Spare

Input, Volume, Power and Mute can be controlled by IR remote
in all three configurations.

2. Control 2
Since there are only three control ports in this unit. It is not enough
to control a fully balanced arrangement which consists of two
Input 1 and two Rel Vol 1M units.

Please also advise whether the Input labels on the LCD display can be
changed in late stage by user.

Sorry for a lot of questions, thanks in advance.

TS

 

[mcs]

Hi Mikkel,

Your system looks great.

Thanks!

Please confirm my understanding of some units.
1. C2 Panel 1-2
This unit can be configured as:
(a) Rotary encoder - Volume
Rotary encoder - Input
Push-buttons - Tape Mon.,Power, Mute and Spare
(b) Rotary encoder - Volume
Push-buttons - Input (1-5), Tape Mon., Power, Mute and
Spare
(c) Push-buttons - Input (sequential), Volume (up/down),
Tape Mon., Power, Mute and Spare

Input, Volume, Power and Mute can be controlled by IR remote
in all three configurations.

Not quite. You always need at least one rotary encoder (for volume) with the current software. The pushbuttons are always for power, mute and input 1-6 or input 1-5 and tape monitor.

The second encoder can be used as either an input selector or a balance control. If you don't want the buttons for input selection, you can just leave them out, and only fit the power, mute and tape monitor buttons for instance. If you don't want any buttons (except power), you can use the type 2 panel. And if you really want up/down buttons instead of an encoder, I can probably add that also

2. Control 2
Since there are only three control ports in this unit. It is not enough
to control a fully balanced arrangement which consists of two
Input 1 and two Rel Vol 1M units.

There are enough ports. In the standard setup each port is used for 2 channels. So in your system you would only need one port. You can use either an Input2 or two Input1 boards (control ports in parallel). The attenuator boards are connected to the input boards - also in parallel.

Please also advise whether the Input labels on the LCD display can be changed in late stage by user.

They can. You can use any characters from the standard HD44780 character set, as well as some Scandinavian oddities added by me...

Sorry for a lot of questions, thanks in advance.

No problem.

Best regards,

Mikkel C. Simonsen

 

[mcs]

A bit of news (finally)

- I have finished the balanced relay attenuator
- I have added the input selector option for the RelVol2 that was discussed in a thread here loooong ago. Any interest in a balanced version of that also?

You can find both the new kits at the website.

Best regards,

Mikkel C. Simonsen

 

[kilowattski]

Why not. Soon, you will have a few of us who are building Kari's X-CCS BOSOZ inquire about your remote control and attenuator. I would say that balanced attenuators and selectors will be high on the list.

 

[mcs]

There is a balanced input selector available already (Input2) - it's just the small 3-input add-on selector for RelVol2 that's only available in unbalanced. But perhaps I should make a balanced version also...

Best regards,

Mikkel C. Simonsen

 

[mcs]

A small update.

I have added some knobs and enclosures to the website.

Best regards,

Mikkel C. Simonsen

 

[mcs]

And now to something completely different...

I'm making a small number of ADAT receiver boards. They are meant for adding ADAT inputs to Apogee DA-12 DACs, but they can be used for other DACs (or DIY projects) also.

You can see the board here: http://stiftsbogtrykkeriet.dk/~mcs/ADAT-RX.jpg

Any interest?

Best regards,

Mikkel C. Simonsen

 

[TS Lo]

ADAT Receiver

Hi Mikkel,

Please describe the board further in your
electronics website.

BTW, thank you for the high quality of your
remote control boards. I've just finished
soldering work and shall take some photos
when carrying tests on bench.

Cheers

TS

 

[mcs]

Re: ADAT Receiver

Please describe the board further in your
electronics website.

There isn't that much to describe really.

Here's a PCB layout drawing: http://stiftsbogtrykkeriet.dk/~mcs/DA-12/Optorec_v2_PCB.gif

And here's the schematic: http://stiftsbogtrykkeriet.dk/~mcs/DA-12/Optorec_sch.gif

The board can be used for making an 8-channel ADAT DAC, or for adding ADAT inputs to existing DACs. It can run in both master and slave mode, so you can use it on it's own, or combine it with other types of inputs.

But as you can see, some SMD experience is recommended...

BTW, thank you for the high quality of your
remote control boards. I've just finished
soldering work and shall take some photos
when carrying tests on bench.

Thanks. I look forward to seing the photos.

Best regards,

Mikkel C. Simonsen

 

[mcs]

I'll be going on holiday in a few minutes, so I can't read my e-mail the next two weeks...

You can send in orders, but they won't be processed untill I get back.

Best regards,

Mikkel C. Simonsen

 

[TS Lo]

Hi Mikkel,

Did you enjoy your holiday?

Thank you for providing such high quality kits.
Except a minor problem on power suppy at initial
test, at last, my system is up and running.

It replaces a 23-step attenuator, 6-position INPUT
selector, TAPE Mon button on front panel; IN/OUT
connectors on back panel and a lot of audio cables
between front and back panels in my valve pre-amp.

The attached photo shows ATTN of RelVol 3 board is
being carried out on test bench.

Cheers

TS

 

[TS Lo]

Sorry, don't know how to attach the photo

TS

 

[maxw]

Sorry, don't know how to attach the photo

TS

I would like to see it!

Just upload a few images to http://www.imageshack.us/ and link to them from your post

 

[mcs]

I put the photos here, with TS's descriptions:

http://electronics.dantimax.dk/Gallery/TS_Lo/

Best regards,

Mikkel C. Simonsen

 

[maxw]

Hi Mikkel,
I just want to confirm some things before I order. Here is what I want:

- All passive input selection and "pot" (vol ctrl) so I can use it with any active linestage.
- Remote control of volume and input
- rotary encoder control of volume and input
- display of input and volume level on a 16x2 HD44780 LCD or VFD.

And as I understand I can acheive this with:

RelVol1 Relay attenuator board without resistors 30,00 € (24,00)
RelVol1RM RelVol1/3 MRS25 1% resistor kit 3,00 € (2,40)Input1 Input selector board 45,00 € (36,00)
C2Panel1-2 Front panel type 1 (2 encoders) 28,00 € (22,40)
RU151 Philips RU151 universal TV remote 8,00 € (6,40)
IRDet2 IR detector module 3,00 € (2,40)

Total without VAT: €93.6
I am in New Zealand so I can get them without VAT right?
What other buttons will I need on the front panel?
Cheers
Max

 

[mcs]

And as I understand I can acheive this with:

RelVol1 Relay attenuator board without resistors 30,00 € (24,00)
RelVol1RM RelVol1/3 MRS25 1% resistor kit 3,00 € (2,40)
Input1 Input selector board 45,00 € (36,00)

OK

C2Panel1-2 Front panel type 1 (2 encoders) 28,00 € (22,40)

You might as well get the type 2 frontpanel if you don't need the pushbuttons.

RU151 Philips RU151 universal TV remote 8,00 € (6,40)

I would get one of the other types, as the RU151 doesn't have all the nescessary buttons.

IRDet2 IR detector module 3,00 € (2,40)

Not normally nescessary.

The only thing missing from your list is the control board itself (Control2).

I am in New Zealand so I can get them without VAT right?

Yes.

What other buttons will I need on the front panel?

You probably need the power button. If you choose the type 1 panel, you can also put mute, tape monitor and input selector buttons on the front panel. But with the type 2 panel there's only the power button and the two encoders.

Best regards,

Mikkel C. Simonsen

 

[maxw]

I would get one of the other types, as the RU151 doesn't have all the nescessary buttons.

I dont like big remotes....RCU15 Remote control looks like it has enough buttons and is still small, will that do all the features?

You probably need the power button. If you choose the type 1 panel, you can also put mute, tape monitor and input selector buttons on the front panel. But with the type 2 panel there's only the power button and the two encoders.

Does that mean with type 2 front panel I can use mute or tape monitor functions?