Digital Counters

[Bassman203]

So, I'm thinking way ahead of myself and my pedal building abilities, but I have free time and I've been wondering about digital counters in pedals. Could you use a digital counter like this one
http://www.goldmine-elec-products.co...28S&variation=
To switch between different effects? Like a pedal that uses different types of fuzz such as germanium, silicon, and some different led's, and some blended versions?

Also, the site mention's programming the counter, how do you go about doing that? I definitely wouldn't need all 255 stages...

Any comments about things like problems involving using digital counters in pedals, how to wire them, or whatever else you have to say are welcome.

[Bassman203]

no one likes to answer my random questions...

[bongomania]

Oh, I imagine in this case it's only because the vast majority of bassists have never implemented a digital counter in anything, or studied their functions.

Naturally any parameter that could be controlled by a pot or a switch could be controlled by a digital device triggered by a counter. One example of something that would lend itself to control by a counter would be the step-sequenced effects by ZVex; also any LFO-driven effect could also be stepped by a counter.

Another use I can imagine is beat-matching of loops, so that your actuating of a footswitch only triggers its function when the counter logic goes high.

[niftydog]

You want it to switch automagically? Yes you could use that chip, but it seems like overkill to me. Programming is, I think, a case of presenting binary data to some pins, then pulsing some other pins to load the data. But you would really need to download and read the datasheet. I think you'll find that very few people would be familiar with that chip, especially around here, so it's kinda up to you to work it out if you really want to use it.

If you explain a bit more about what you want to achieve perhaps Bongo and I can guide you towards a simpler approach.