Optical HiHat for the electricly challenged

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Optical HiHat for the electricly challenged

Postby Seinsohn » Wed Jul 27, 2016 1:58 pm

Hi megadrummers. I'm new to the forum and haven't even received my megadrum yet. However, I am doing my best to prepare my kit for the big day. I Bought a couple of kriggs and an intrigg for my new snare I'm building the super easy way. That's as far as my electrical abilities go. Dimitri suggested I ask one of you here if you would make and sell me a fully variable optical hi hat controller since my Yamaha RHH130 pisses me off to no end. I would be very very grateful. Please let me know.

Thank you!

P.S. I apologize if I posted this in the wrong place.
Seinsohn
 
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Re: Optical HiHat for the electricly challenged

Postby ignotus » Wed Jul 27, 2016 2:44 pm

Easier and cheaper still, and you can even try to do it yourself as you don't necessarily need soldering skills: make a hall effect hi hat.

Materials needed:

- Hall effect sensor: http://www.bitsbox.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=302_305&products_id=2083

- Magnet: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-x-Big-Super-Strong-Cuboid-Block-Magnet-Rare-Earth-Neodymium-N50-30-x-20-x/32654683324.html?spm=2114.30010308.3.10.A8XNlT&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_0,searchweb201602_4_10057_10056_10037_10055_10049_10044_10043_10059_10058_10032_10017_405_404_10040_10041_10060_10042_412,searchweb201603_8&btsid=09efaa5f-3d0b-4ad6-a7a1-5fb540824c30

- Terminal strip (3 contacts)

- Stereo TRS plug (male) with cable.

Insert the 3 legs of the hall sensor in one side of the terminal strip and the corresponding wires from the stereo cable (if you decide to do this I can tell you where each wire goes) at the other side. That's all the electronics done. Stick/attach the strip w/sensor to the hi hat pedal baseplate. Stick the magnet to the pedal board above it. Plug it into your module and configure it. That's it.
If it ain't broken... fix it until it is.
ignotus
 
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Re: Optical HiHat for the electricly challenged

Postby Seinsohn » Thu Jul 28, 2016 2:10 pm

Thank you. I'm going to give this a shot. Please tell me, does it matter if I use a hall sensor with slightly different specs? I'm in the US so things seem a bit different.

Eg. Would something like this work?
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9312

Thank you
Seinsohn
 
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Re: Optical HiHat for the electricly challenged

Postby ignotus » Thu Jul 28, 2016 2:25 pm

No, that's a latched sensor, meaning that it just turns on and off. You want a sensor with a linear output. Here's one on Digikey: http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en?keywords=A1302KUA
If it ain't broken... fix it until it is.
ignotus
 
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Re: Optical HiHat for the electricly challenged

Postby Seinsohn » Thu Jul 28, 2016 2:29 pm

Thanks! What about the magnet? Do you happen to know where to find those I'm the US?
Seinsohn
 
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Re: Optical HiHat for the electricly challenged

Postby ignotus » Thu Jul 28, 2016 2:46 pm

Aliexpress ships most things for free worldwide - the only problem being stuff can take 3 - 6 weeks to arrive. Otherwise, just google "neodymium magnet" and find one roughly the same size as the one I linked to. An alternative is to open up an old hard drive and use the magnets in there (I explained somewhere in this forum how to do that - it was a few years ago but it's in here somewhere...). I used those for a few years and they work fine.
If it ain't broken... fix it until it is.
ignotus
 
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Re: Optical HiHat for the electricly challenged

Postby Seinsohn » Thu Jul 28, 2016 2:54 pm

I'm confused about the necessary magnet shape. Where does it go that it doesn't have to be a ring 12mm of and 9mm id like the original vdrums post shows?

Thank you
Seinsohn
 
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Re: Optical HiHat for the electricly challenged

Postby ignotus » Thu Jul 28, 2016 3:10 pm

There's no shape requirement. People use circular magnets when they place the sensor and magnet in between the hi hat cymbals, so the magnet can go over the hi hat rod. I suggested putting the sensor and magnet under the pedal (much easier to do and just as functional), so a rectangular magnet makes more sense to compensate for any possible lateral movement of the hi hat footboard, to get a steady signal.
If it ain't broken... fix it until it is.
ignotus
 
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Re: Optical HiHat for the electricly challenged

Postby Seinsohn » Thu Jul 28, 2016 3:12 pm

Cool. Can please post some pictures of an under-the-pedal solution?

Thanks again
Seinsohn
 
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Re: Optical HiHat for the electricly challenged

Postby ignotus » Thu Jul 28, 2016 3:24 pm

Here you go.
hall effect pedal.jpg

The magnet is under where the chain attaches to the footboard, and the sensor is encased in a blob of hot glue to protect it and attached to a terminal strip. You can make it out as a black dot in the blob of glue. The terminal strip is screwed to a section of hard rubber jammed in the hi hat stirrup to get it to the right height under the magnet.
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If it ain't broken... fix it until it is.
ignotus
 
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