Someone cracked the Animato

[GMC]

How about "The Animator"

 

[Crowella]

With the names coming up, I'll probably have to hold a "half price deal for best name" thing if I do a run of them. They're fantastic . I don't know why I haven't done the typical social media thing with all of this. Hmm.

Ok....so what kind of price are we looking at for a "fully animated" pedal?

The idea at the moment is probably around the $270-300AUD range. In all truth, the price is mainly to cover the hardware aspect but I'm looking at ways to "cut costs", like a conservative government. Mainly with how the boards are done but if I can do the finishes on the pedals like these ones are (but with more accurate drilling), that would be a help too, although at about $20AUD a pop excluding shipping, they are well worth the cost, gauging by the reactions so far.

 

[Shabz]

No idea what this thread is about but was compelled to say how nice that pedal design looks

 

[GMC]

If you called this the "Re-Animator" it would reference an '80's gore flick...which was a shockingly bad taste film which ironically was more humourous than intended.
"Re-Animato" sounds cool too and has an omage to the old pedal.

 

[SirMjac28]

When will these be available my kind sir?

 

[SirMjac28]

Have you thought about doing something like Kickstarter?

 

[Crowella]

I'm not a supporter of Kickstarter. I know that sounds strange. One thing I've been doing on the side is video game development with my brother and step father. My position is fairly relaxed there and mainly involves music and some AI/code designs but that industry has put me off Kickstarter/green light/other backer based ventures. I was even sketchy of getting people to pre-order these. I think what happens is you have a case of people supporting who don't really know what they want and face disappointment. That and I think it promotes bad financing problems. You also lose a portion to those companies which I think is a waste for a lot of people. That and perks and what not. I'd rather focus on the product than things like that. A marketing type would probably kill me.

The animated is back for order now. $200AUD + Shipping. ($20 intl., $5 Australia). I couldn't set up the automatic shipping, I'll have to actually do some of the web stuff later.

Since most people follow this thread, the orders go like this:
- Pre-orders will be shipped out somewhere between this Wednesday and the 15th of December
- Orders will ship out from the 22nd of December
This gives me enough time to build them and have some form of life. Around this period, I'm normally called into work as living in a holiday area can make it busy for my family's two takeaway shops. Again, this is not concrete but about the best I can do. There really isn't much more other than assemble away.

I don't know when I can start on the "bitmap" or whatever it gets called (enjoying the names). I've painted the test enclosure and that's drying as we speak albeit with the clear going yellow and running, hence I've not chosen to paint them here because they're just done with rattle cans and in my backyard. I want to get these current 20 builds done first and analyse what steps to take from there. I still need to design a PCB for the bitmap which will be significantly larger which should make component placement a bit friendlier.

The next step beyond these anyways are foraying into digital effects. More because it's up my alley and in line with my degree and proves great practice for doing it. Might even do my final research project on something like that, if I can find a suitable topic, but that's two years away. There's always a few things I can do and look at. That will take time though and some patience. I have time to kill until Uni starts up in March. Let's see what happens.

 

[nshuman]

I'm not a supporter of Kickstarter. I know that sounds strange. One thing I've been doing on the side is video game development with my brother and step father. My position is fairly relaxed there and mainly involves music and some AI/code designs but that industry has put me off Kickstarter/green light/other backer based ventures. I was even sketchy of getting people to pre-order these. I think what happens is you have a case of people supporting who don't really know what they want and face disappointment. That and I think it promotes bad financing problems. You also lose a portion to those companies which I think is a waste for a lot of people. That and perks and what not. I'd rather focus on the product than things like that. A marketing type would probably kill me.

The animated is back for order now. $200AUD + Shipping. ($20 intl., $5 Australia). I couldn't set up the automatic shipping, I'll have to actually do some of the web stuff later.

I don't know when I can start on the "bitmap" or whatever it gets called (enjoying the names). I've painted the test enclosure and that's drying as we speak albeit with the clear going yellow and running, hence I've not chosen to paint them here because they're just done with rattle cans and in my backyard. I want to get these current 20 builds done first and analyse what steps to take from there. I still need to design a PCB for the bitmap which will be significantly larger which should make component placement a bit friendlier.

The next step beyond these anyways are foraying into digital effects. More because it's up my alley and in line with my degree and proves great practice for doing it. Might even do my final research project on something like that, if I can find a suitable topic, but that's two years away. There's always a few things I can do and look at. That will take time though and some patience. I have time to kill until Uni starts up in March. Let's see what happens.

That sounds like a cool project. Check Montreal Assembly, they've done really cool small scale analog and digital effects. Always on the lookout for new fun stuff like that.

 

[Crowella]

I was about to link to the Count to 5. Really clever design that.

 

[Feral Feline]

Some more crazy ideas...

Animated
Anim-eh (Special edition for the Canadian buyers)
Anime (with Manga comic graphics - tips the hat to the Animato & its Japanese heritage)
Animé (Special edition for French-speaking countries/areas)
Yagzilla (tip of the hat to Hiroshi Yagi

Bitmap renamed to...
Bitmush
A Bit Much/Mush/Munch...
Bitmunch
MitBap
BitCartography
Cartogrammage
IotaPlan
Atlas
LeBittle
Bitter After Taste
M-bittered
Bitter Chart
Fragmint
Link Removed
Bitte Flaum
RoadkillMap
Bitter Laid Than Neither
spot plot


Okay okay... I'll stop. Just havin' some fun.

 

[Adamixoye]

I like "Animated" but "Anime" is a nice one for the Japanese connection.

When I think of "bitmap" files I think of MSPaint, so I don't think of anything animated. I'd vote for going a different direction...

 

[nshuman]

I'd like to participate in the naming contest but I think that I'll run out of contest winning karma when I win that gold H9 Max...

 

[Adamixoye]

I'd like to participate in the naming contest but I think that I'll run out of contest winning karma when I win that gold H9 Max...

I hope I have SOME left in me after winning the VFE giveaway...we'll see...

 

[Crowella]

One down. 19 to go! I'll put a comparison of this one before it goes out, just setting the trimpot on it now. That's a very good sign.

Didn't need the screw mounts after all, the board fits in snug when wired in.

 

[Crowella]

I should note one thing to those wanting to build.

The 100k resistor on the Sziklai pair is 220k in my builds with silicon transistors to increase the voltage to the base. I'm standing by that as it increases the attack of the pedal very close to the original. I had to quickly modify the first build to match my prototype clone and it worked a charm. So that makes two print errors on the board but I only figured this out as the first build just didn't match the original in the attack department enough for my liking. The more you know.

And for those watching at home, the trimpot is set really low on these. It sounds closer than the prototype now.

 

[eveilleu]

Thank you JohnK and Crowella.

You guys did amazing work!!

Hummm what does the switch do?

 

[Crowella]

Oooh, very nice. The etching style is really cool. Did anyone not get the tilt mod from John?

Try the switch and tell us.

 

[nshuman]

Oooh, very nice. The etching style is really cool. Did anyone not get the tilt mod from John?

Try the switch and tell us.

The switch does do something very very very very very subtle. I suspect that the original designer added it to mess with people

 

[eveilleu]

Oooh, very nice. The etching style is really cool. Did anyone not get the tilt mod from John?

Try the switch and tell us.

The tilt works wonders. It makes that little dude absolutely amazing at low gains. But I have to be honest, I have no idea how it works. I only know it sounds amazing and for that, thank you both!!

 

[Crowella]

Just read through the entire thread, I think I've covered as much as possible and John covers the tilt mod, if not I can always answer things as they come.

EDIT: A few photos from today

Inside build number three. It looks messier than it is, it's mainly the wires and the fact the board is reversed meaning they need to be longer.
Link Removed

And of course, the final product. Again. This and the next two are off to the United States. Then they're going all over Europe and one customer in Indonesia!

Also the test enclosure for the bitmap/reanimato/animatrix/antidisestablishmentarialato is painted up. Very yellow. The sides are white. That clear goes on very thick, very fast. The joys of painting in the only sunny break there was all week.