Tindie

We’ve often spoken about our love of miniature music devices on these pages, enabling electronic music making in all manner of places with only a small backpack required! This time we have the Mr.Knob ONE Analog Synthesizer, a diminutive device designed to make synths more appealing to a younger generation.

The Mr Knob ONE is the first in a series of devices from the maker, with this one being labelled as a rhythm synth. It has a unique look with hand-drawn characters silkscreened onto a glorious yellow PCB. It has an on board sequencer, numerous outputs, (possibly an input), a button and potentiometer to controls the sounds! We can only speculate the functions of the sequencer, but it’s a good bet that the knob controls pitch while the small button turns the sound on or off. We imagine it takes some kind of sync or MIDI input so it can be set up with other gear – let battle commence!

It is powered by a barrel socket connection with between 9-12V DC and a centre positive connection, Mr Knob ONE weighs only 100g and comes fully assembled from SismoSynths who are based in Portugal. They’ve got a huge collection of custom made synth pieces which are fit for any music making occasion – be it large or small!

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You’ve seen industrial 6-axis robots on TV, or perhaps even viewed them in person, perhaps behind a cage to keep observers safe. Actually working with these beasts (which normally cost many tens of thousands of dollars) requires the backing of a manufacturing or research enterprise, or space as well as capital that most of us don’t have to spare.

MyCobot, by Elephant Robotics Official, however, presents a different option, claiming to be the “world’s smallest and lightest 6-axis cobot.” It’s also among the least expensive, at $599 for the standard version, and $699 for the myCobot Pi, which features a Raspberry Pi controller.

Weight is only 850g, and it can manipulate a payload of 250g. Multiple programming methods are available and it works with the well known Robot Operating System, or ROS. The base and wrist sections feature both screw connections, as well as LEGO pip patterns, making it easy to secure it or attach end effector tooling.

A variety of potential uses for the ‘bot are shown in the video, including unloading a small oven, assisting you with manufacturing tasks, and playing with blocks and balls using a vacuum gripper. Personally, I’d be most excited about the camera application at around 0:50, allowing you to take a wide range of moving shots with a smartphone!

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While salads and electronics don’t generally go together, this Button Crouton PCB by Synthotek strangely enough, seems aptly named once assembled. Like a standard crouton, the device takes a roughly cuboid shape, and fits on a breadboard to fit the food (but not actually food) theme. This clever device solves the problem of mounting 6mm buttons onto solderless breadboards, as an adapter with an ample male header pin arrangement on the bottom.

To use, one simply solders the button onto the special PCB mounting plate, along with the headers. When plugged in, it stays securely mounted on a breadboard. While you might argue that you can mount a button like this in a breadboard with no extra hardware, this certainly provides a much more secure arrangement, and, importantly, provides a white strip on which you can add labels. So when experimenting, you can make on-breadboard notes, or use them as a sort of semi-permanent display, perhaps in an instructional situation.

Of course, a button needs other components to go with it, and there are a variety of other Crouton-style devices on page 2 of seller Synthotek’s store. These devices look like a solution waiting for a problem, so I hope we’ll see them pop up in projects in the future. If you do see something Tindie related that you think is worth covering, be sure to let us know on Twitter @Tindie. You can also ping me directly @JeremySCook if you so prefer!

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While it originally featured only black-and-white images on a 47 x 43mm screen, the Nintendo Game Boy portable gaming console won the hearts of a generation. Perhaps this was due to the wide variety of games available for the system, combined with the backing of Nintendo, and maybe even (to a much smaller extent) it’s surprisingly good audio output. Since then we’ve seen more advanced portable systems come and go, and be largely supplanted by smartphones. The original Game Boy and Game Boy Color, however, still holds a fond place in many hearts.

So much so, in fact, that there is still an active community of Game Boy aficionados out there, and you can even develop your 8-bit creation with software such as GB Studio. Once that’s done, you’ll need a cartridge on which to store the games, and insideGadgets is offering a 2MB, 32KB FRAM Flash Cart for just this purpose. You can add your own software with programs like GbxCart RW, and it works on every Game Boy sytem, including: GB, MGB, GBC, GBA, GBA SP and the Game Boy Player. There are a few restrictions as outlined in the listing, including the fact your games will need to fit within the device’s 2MB memory capacity.

A neat service which comes with this device is that if you don’t want to have to flash your own ROM, insideGadgets can also flash it for you. On the other hand, if you’d rather just skip to purchasing a new game/cartridge that can be inserted in your GB, you might also check out Prima Materia, which was listed on Tindie in 2021!

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Fans of American Psycho will know how obsessive some people are about their business card –  ensuring it’s adorned with the most memorable designs and loaded with subtle hints of greatness. The Division 6 Business Card Sequencer is one product which Patrick Bateman would kill for, loaded with music-making features and capable of outputting CV to external synths!

On the face of it, this business card-sized sequencer has all you need to trigger external gear – with 3 octaves of CV range, multiple sequence memories, and variabel loop lengths up to 16 steps! It’s available as a kit, as a PCB only or as a fully assembled unit – making it an ideal project whatever your skill level. This latest model of the sequencer allows for live transposing of outputted notes, as well as a song-mode to string together numerous patterns into a cohesive piece.. or noisecore monstrosity!

They’ve supplied full operation instructions on their website and have a full rundown of features there too. This miniature sequencer is really giving Pocket Operators a run for their money, it could be time to build a diminutive porta-studio!

The Division 6 Business Card Sequencer is sold by Synthrotek who re based in the USA, and offer a splendid range of audio goodies. Watch the sequencer in action in the video below:

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When the iPod nano was released in 2005, it was notable for its small size, yet large (for the time) storage capacity. It went through seven generations of different sizes and capabilities, until being discontinued in 2017. Perhaps you even have one lying around in a drawer somewhere.

The 6th generation’s square form factor was especially interesting, and its ability to pull up a nicely-formatted clock face on its small touch screen was a nice touch. If you’re a fan of this timekeeping feature and retro computing, then this Apple computing mash-up clock may be for you.

The device is made in the form of a 3D-printed miniature Macintosh computer replica, which houses your iPod – which acts as the screen activated to display its analog clock. So it’s taking a retro computing element (the 3D-printed Macintosh replica) and combining it with something that’s not exactly ‘retro’, but still fairly vintage, to make something entirely new.

The listing comes with an 8 GB nano, as well as a charger and the housing, so if you like the retro geek-chic form factor, it’s all there. On the other hand, if you do have a 3D printer and unused iPod–or a Zune?–perhaps this could provide inspiration for your next not-quite-retro recycling project!

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Quite often we post about beginners soldering kits for those new at the zoo making circuits. But it’s fair to say we can learn about and create circuits in many ways before ever needing to reach for the soldering iron. This kit helps young tinkerers explore batteries and circuits and creates a fun and challenging game to play.

Hailing from the Netherlands Awesome Makes have put together this affordable kit that requires little more than some white tack and some tape to put together. It’s a simple circuit that has a buzzer, battery, some wires and a crocodile clip connector – making it an affortable and non-intimidating foray into discovering electronics.

The challenge once assembled is to move the hoop of wire off the spiral without touching it – which will take a steady hand and a good level of patience. It’s a fun and challenging game that also really highlights how a circuit is created – needing the loop to be closed to allow the current to flow and set the buzzer off.

It’s an affordable kit, perfect as a small gift for a keen young person, or indeed perhaps to have waiting in a drawer for an opportune rainy afternoon activity.

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Over the past decade or so, smartphone cameras have gone from devices that can take a quick snapshot to document an event or item, to tools that can be used for serious photography. Images taken with phones can now rival dedicated digital cameras in many cases, but if you want to mount your phone to a standard tripod, things can become complicated.

Tripods, and other such camera accessories, generally feature a 1/4 – 20 UNC threaded bolt for attachment, but if you’ve looked at your iPhone, Android, or even BlackBerry device lately, you won’t find any corresponding female threads. To add this type of attachment capability without resorting to epoxy and permanent defacement of your beautiful pocket supercomputer, GS Industries is offering a magnetic 1/4″ threaded puck that attaches to your iPhone.

The puck is printed in black PLA, with magnets and a 1/4″ nut embedded mid-print. This makes the accessory a solid mass that, according to the listing, ‘should last a very long time.’ In addition to the magnetic attachment, the device comes with an adhesive sticker to add extra grip to your iPhone if needed. The device looks like a great way to really take advantage of this amazing device’s camera capabilities.

On the other hand, if you’d of a certain age and/or technical experience, you may be hesitant to place powerful magnets near expensive electronics. Superstition at this point or not, it still makes me a bit nervous. In the defense of magnets for such an application, Apple itself does use them in various attachment schemes, and it seems this setup has been well tested. So you really shouldn’t be concerned… Just don’t use it to mount an early hard drive-based iPod!

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We’ve all seen RGB LED strips, rings, and panels but aside from their straight lines and curves it’s rare to spot more adventurous layouts. This gorgeous RGB LED panel uses a Fibonacci distribution pattern to lay out it’s LED’s which is a novel and organic approach we love!

Creator Evil Genius Labs LLC has gone all out on this design using 512 RGB LEDs and the result is a breathtaking display that is a very well engineered display. Each RGB LED has its own decoupling capacitor built in and the PCB is split into 4 separate data line fed areas. This approach means you can use the FastLED library and, in particular, the parallel driving functions – giving you incredible framerates of up to 260fps. The FastLED library is compatible with a range of boards including Teensy, ESP32, ESP8266 and more.

Supplied fully-assembled and in a bespoke acrylic case, this is a reassuringly priced item. This is not Evil Genius Labs only option when it comes to beautiful RGB LED displays – we heartily recommend that you check out all of their products. If it’s Fibonacci you need, you may be interested in the smaller versions of this display such as the Fibonacci 128 or the Fibonacci 64.

Check out this video of the Fibonacci 512 in all it’s glory!

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Investing in the right case for your modular equipment is an important decision; it has to be strong, sturdy and reasonably easy to transport – with enough space to house enough modules to raise the roof. The 6U 104HP Powered Plywood Eurorack Modular Case is a great example of all the above requirements, with plenty of space in a modern-style plywood case, which is hand made to fit two rows of modules.

Crafted in Portland, Oregon, this custom case has been made with the utmost attention to detail with high-quality furniture plywood which has been hand sanded and finished with an oil coating. It comes with two rows of 3U by 104HP real estate (with 3mm slide nuts installed on the rails) which comes complete with Synthrotek’s own case power and a power distribution board with 35 possible conenctions.

This fine modular comes with a power brick and 4 rubber foot pads to protect the underside – ready to be loaded up with your favourite units. Dimensions of the case are 21 13/16  x 11 3/16 x 5 7/8 inches with an interior depth of 5 1/2 inches.

It’s sold by ASCIII who are based in the USA who offer a Smorgasbord of modular delights for all your musical desires. They also offer a 9U case if you can’t quite fit it all in!

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