The always-wonderful synthopia just posted this:
“The monome 64 music controller sells for $500 and is only available in limited quantities, which has limited its adoption.
This could change quickly, though.
Stray Technologies’ Will Lindsay has created a working port of Arduinome 3.2 software, a Arduino-based monome clone, controlled by the $50 Bliptronic 5000.
It’s a work in progress, but it means that it should soon be possible to build a monome-compatible device for under $100.
Here’s Lindsay’s cost breakdown:
Total project cost:
Bliptronic: $49, Arduino parts, FTDI cable, etc.. at about $40 – though bulk ordering could get that price down significantly). I already had everything in my workshop. So… a <$100 mini_Monome? yep. I’ll have another in a couple weeks.
Let’s see who’s going to step up to the plate and offer a monome conversion kit….
via waitforVBLANK:
This is the first full running version of Monome software (via Arduinome ) running on my hacked Bliptronic 5000. More info at the blog at www.straytechnologies.com”
Now if you know the monome community (and I wish I knew it better – each time I’ve saved up for one they’ve sold out, and I am not safe with a solderer or any other handcraft… which is amazing since both of my parental units were welders and quite the handypeople, so I can’t make use of the DIY kits without running to my partner, Armz, to do it for me…) they aren’t really in it to make a buck, so this might take some of the pressure off their backlog of orders. Last I heard they want more time to, gasp, make music. As do I. Tonight I’m whirling off design specs, awaiting my partner to arrive and code up some more of our MIDI-replacing project on our prototype. All hail Open Source, access-leveling DIY projects!
[ update ]
An update, again from synthtopia:
“This admittedly not very exciting video captures the final test of something that is pretty exciting – the Bliptronome, which is a monome conversion of the $50 Bliptronic 5000.
Wil Lindsay is making kits available to create your own Bliptronome for $68:
I will be creating a Bliptronic-to-Monome clone conversion kit with PCB, FTDI cable, and all parts (no Arduino needed) including the 4 Potentiometers over the next 3-4 weeks. These kits will cost $68+shipping. I am doing a limited pre-order here to (raise bulk-purchase money and keep the price down) set to ship mid March.
He also plans offer conversions of your provided Bliptronic 5000 for $110.”
runagate
As a hack, it’s impressive.
But I don’t think the kit/mod makes much economic sense.
A Bliptronome will cost you $118 and some labor, or $160 (plus there-and-back shipping) for the mod. Meanwhile, a Novation Launchpad can be had for about $175 street if you shop around a little. And it has more buttons, multi-color LEDs, better pads, and with the free monome emulator Nonome, does a perfectly fine emulation of a monome.
Maybe I’d find this more exciting if I needed the pots – those are a nice addition.
[...] createdigitalmusic posted some hacking tips, including information on how to build your own MIDI clocking and how to create a "switchonome". Another post by runagate describes how to Turn A $50 Bliptronic 5000 Into A Monome Controller [update: Bliptronome conversion kit for $68 USD]. [...]