I’ve decided to start looking for a joystick to provide control voltages for my Voyager RME.
Firstly, is there any such thing available for sale?
Second, and I think what would be even better, if I were to have a local electronics guy mod my Triton joystick and install a couple jacks in the back, what are the necessary specs for the control voltages?
I already have a VX-352 CV Expander, so I have CV inputs and even attenuators all set to go.
I find the people here unusually knowledgable and resourceful. Thanks in advance for any advice.
Thanks jamirokid, those are precisely what I need. The French Connection is absolutely cool. Fascinating. It’s a bit too much for me to spend though atm, so I might just spring for the joystick. I can customize a housing for it that I can mount on the Triton between the memory slots and the pots.
And if anyone knows of other controllers, please keep posting!
Thanks again. I can’t wait to hear my Voyager RME the way it was meant to sound!
For what it’s worth Doepfer makes a module the A-174. More or less similar to the one from Analogue Systems, though about half the price. They also sell a mini case for 3 or 4 modules as well as a power suppy for mounting their modules in something else.
Thank you! I sent an e-mail to Big City Music (apparently the only US retailer for AS) to inquire as to what all I would need to build a joystick box. I’m sure I at least would need a power supply. It appears that the Doepfer is similar in that it would also require other parts to make a free-standing unit that I could connect to my VX-352 with patch cords.
Correct, Big City Music is the exclusive dealer for Analogue Systems (not to be confused with Analogue Solutions who also sell modules).
You can pick up the Doepfer module plus a power supply probably for less than the oddly overpriced Analogue Systems one with no power. (http://analoguehaven.com ) Or perhaps get two while you are at it and cut the springs on one so one snaps to neutral and the other stays put.
I’ve looked into joysticks for patchable synths and bought one from Wiard which is no longer on sale and the doepfer. That one was actually cheaper than the Doepfer and included a button for a gate signal. One thing that can be learned from all these joysticks is design is super simple, so you could almost argue for just building everything yourself, if you can source all the parts. Amusingly I found that the joystick shaft is harder to find than the analog joystick itself. Generally the custom metal panels with their holes and lettering soak up a lot of a modules price as well of course as someone’s time making them..
Finally as for power, since you aren’t using it for something voltage critical like a VCO, I’d assume that most anything with a 12v DC supply could power a simple joystick designed to work with 12v like the modules mentioned. I did notice the Wiard module was at one point available as a 9v battery stand alone unit mounted in a little caddy. If you want to go that route (power it by a diy supply), I’d ask for a second opinion just in case I’m forgetting something you ought not do and get a pin out diagram of the power ribbon cable
Big City hasn’t gotten back to me. I like that model because the stick is placed at the bottom, so the rest of the knobs, etc. won’t get in the way. I do plan to get an analog stick.
I do wonder though, why can’t the voltage controller work without a power supply, like the foot pedal?
I’m still without a controller. I don’t have the technical expertise to build one, and none of the European modular company reps will return any of my e-mails requesting advice.
Atari and early PC joysticks are analog. They are nothing more than potentiometers on a gimble with 2 or 3 push buttons. I’ve bought brand new old stock ones for around $12-15 recently to make some controllers. I’ve made new cables in stead of leaving the DB15 and making an adaptor.
Each axis comes out to a 1/4" TRS plug and the buttons come out on TS of TRS plugs.
My Atari 2600 controllers generate simple static “analog” voltages, but they don’t have pots. And the voltages are not continuosly variable, but are static. The controllers are also too small to contain pots of any quality.
Moog has long needed to offer a joystick alternative. The controllers are a big part of what makes an instrument musical, and there are an awful lot of great players who play joystick for pitch instead of wheel. I can play wheel and have for years, but I hate them!
In addition to the above, a VC stick would also fix the well-documented artifact problems with the RME.
I think they would be further ahead building the XYA touchsurface so that RME, LP, and OS owners can benefit from having that awesome voyager feature, and so that RME and OS owners can benefit from having those CV outs on their vx351.
Besides, Bob already built a standalone prototype…and you could even put a joystick on it and have 2 controllers in one unit.
Ive got the ATARI 400 and Ive got the big red joystick with the 2 buttons, and 2 of the little black joysticks that they now sell in the toy department as “retro” with some of the original games actually built in.
I even have a trackball! I don’t think that it works but ill bet its just something that can be easily fixed.
My father has a computer museum lol. Atari 400 Commodore 128, hell the computer that im on is ancient lolol.
