Big Screen T.V. used for synth | xltronic messageboard
 
You are not logged in!

F.A.Q
Log in

Register
  
 
  
 
Now online (2)
belb
big
...and 403 guests

Last 5 registered
Oplandisks
nothingstar
N_loop
yipe
foxtrotromeo

Browse members...
  
 
Members 8025
Messages 2614083
Today 3
Topics 127542
  
 
Messageboard index
Big Screen T.V. used for synth
 

offline pulseclock from Downtown 81 on 2008-06-13 00:49 [#02215549]
Points: 6015 Status: Lurker



has anyone tried to make a Big Screened Televsion into a
working synthesizer?

can it be done?


 

offline Paco from Gothenburg (Sweden) on 2008-06-13 01:16 [#02215550]
Points: 2659 Status: Lurker



Yes.


 

offline pulseclock from Downtown 81 on 2008-06-13 01:36 [#02215552]
Points: 6015 Status: Lurker



man for this i bet there's a whole other messageboard, where
do i start?

there's what looks like a busted Big Screen T.V. sitting on
the lawn a couple houses away. Can't just let a broken
screen stop it, looks like some anger went into the screen.


 

offline pulseclock from Downtown 81 on 2008-06-13 02:11 [#02215558]
Points: 6015 Status: Lurker



i am obsessed with this and i have no clue about any of it.
I don't even have a dolly to carry it home, can't use a
skateboard.


 

offline futureimage from buy FIR from Juno (United Kingdom) on 2008-06-13 06:44 [#02215582]
Points: 6427 Status: Lurker



I expect you could use a TV as a monitor for a laptop/PC
running a soft synth, but getting touchscreen capabilities
and stuff like that so you could actually USE the TV as a
control interface would be very difficult to say the least.


 

offline glasse from Harrisburg (United States) on 2008-06-13 08:06 [#02215590]
Points: 4211 Status: Regular | Show recordbag



Yea as far as circuit bending the tv itself I have no idea.

If it can be done, this guy would know.

Of course, if you have a sampler, a synth with an external
input, or even a bunch of fx pedals you can get good results
just from the audio output of the tv. Of course it being a
big screen won't help you for that, (unless you lay it flat
and mount your pedal chain on top of it), and you might get
better results just getting an old UHF dial tv from the
salvation army (although this change from analog to digital
broadcast is going to keep the rabbit ears from working, so
hrm on that). Dial tuners on radios or tvs are cooler
though because you can blend and modulate the tones and
frequencies.


 

offline futureimage from buy FIR from Juno (United Kingdom) on 2008-06-13 14:47 [#02215690]
Points: 6427 Status: Lurker



....Mind you don't wanna go round poking wires in a TV that
runs off mains power...


 

offline vlari from beyond the valley of the LOLs on 2008-06-13 14:49 [#02215691]
Points: 13915 Status: Regular



a toaster then, can it be done?


 

offline pulseclock from Downtown 81 on 2008-06-13 16:10 [#02215727]
Points: 6015 Status: Lurker



was half baked idea, i walked over to it today and it was
stupid, maybe an oscilloscope though


 

offline Sano on 2008-06-13 16:15 [#02215728]
Points: 2502 Status: Lurker



Dronology


 

offline Zephyr Twin from ΔΔΔ on 2008-06-14 09:55 [#02215830]
Points: 16982 Status: Regular | Show recordbag



never mind that, lets turn a synthesizer into a big-screen
television. I heard IDM's dead anyways


 

offline glasse from Harrisburg (United States) on 2008-06-14 11:11 [#02215839]
Points: 4211 Status: Regular | Followup to Zephyr Twin: #02215830 | Show recordbag



Dude, been there, done that.


 

offline Sano on 2008-06-14 11:31 [#02215843]
Points: 2502 Status: Lurker



Might as well use a Wii remote.


 

offline blaaard from Imatra (close to sky) (Finland) on 2008-06-14 12:10 [#02215846]
Points: 1207 Status: Addict



i have an oscilloscope... in fear of an implosive accident
or worse however, i haven't the guts to test it... someone
has a clue?

rear view: like, i need AC current into the black/red
plugs, and some low voltage into the "signal input" mmmh
right?


 

offline futureimage from buy FIR from Juno (United Kingdom) on 2008-06-15 04:56 [#02215994]
Points: 6427 Status: Lurker | Followup to blaaard: #02215846



Plug it in. If where you live has a fuse box, you should be
fine. Just stand well back and wear rubber gloves. Make sure
you're grounded too.


 

offline dave_g from United Kingdom on 2008-06-15 05:57 [#02216004]
Points: 3372 Status: Lurker



Do not make sure you're grounded. This is a good way to
electrocute yourself. I am an electronics engineer, you can
trust me on this one.

If you do power it up make sure you have a way of turning it
on and off well away from the scope. If your wall socked has
a switch, use this, or perhaps just yank the plug from the
wall.

I don't think the tube will implode. Normally this only
happens when you drop them. Due to the lower pressure inside
the tube it smashes inwards and tiny bits of glass go
everywhere. So don't drop it! I would cover the exposed
sides with some wood or something just incase any capacitors
or anything explodes (unlikely but don't risk it)

It looks very homemade. I'm not sure what voltages you need
to put into those sockets. It may well be mains voltage. I
would check to see if the fuse connects in line with the red
socket and if so see what value the fuse is. If its voltage
rating (written on it usually) is the same (or slightly
higher) than your mains AC voltage (230V in Germany(?)) then
I guess you plug the mains into the red and black sockets. I
would use insulating tape to cover any bare cables which
carry the mains electricity and I wouldn't poke around near
there when it is powered up.

The signal input socket is indeed a low voltage level. I
would start with say a AA battery or similar. Set the scope
to be DC coupled and set the vertical scale to 0.5V/div. Set
the displayed line to be half way up the screen. connect the
battery to the input (connect the - and + terminals to the
outer and inner conductors on the input). The line should
move by about 3 squares either up or down depeding on the
polarity of the battery(i.e. which way round you connected
it).
Usually the inputs are BNC sockets, but yours looks
different.

wikipedia has an article on oscilloscopes which may give you
some info on how to use it if you're unfamiliar or you can
ask me if you get stuck.



 

offline blaaard from Imatra (close to sky) (Finland) on 2008-06-15 07:06 [#02216009]
Points: 1207 Status: Addict



thanks for directions!

i tried using it last night and surprisingly, a standard 9V
DC power adapter seems to work just fine for powering the
CRT. this is what the screen will show with no
signal in, and this is a 440 Hz sine wave
generated by Audacity.
the oscilloscope is back in its rack casing now... this will
hopefully absorb some testicle-unfriendly x-rays :|

guess what i have here is just a display unit, as there are
no controls whatsoever except for brightness... also no grid
on the screen (?). no idea to what use this thing can be
put. dunno, is a crt capable of generating anything
interesting? signal input plug is cinch btw.

i stole it from a basement storage room at uni... and
there's more stuff there, most looks like oldschool 60's or
70's physics measurement equipment in racks.... maybe
another raid will help :D


 

offline blaaard from Imatra (close to sky) (Finland) on 2008-06-15 07:13 [#02216011]
Points: 1207 Status: Addict



btw if a higher frequency sine wave is sent into it, the
number of horizontal bars will increase.... and with music
sent, the image is pretty much a flashing around variation
of the idle one...


 

offline dave_g from United Kingdom on 2008-06-15 08:34 [#02216031]
Points: 3372 Status: Lurker



yeah it's not an oscilloscope I'm afraid to say.
Looks like the display unit for something.
See if you can get an oscilloscope in the storage basement.
It will typically have many more controls and like you say a
grid on the screen.

The CRT could be used for making silly patterns and things
but really it's not worth it. You can pick up a cheapo scope
on ebay for hardly anything.
A proper scope has the most essential circuit, which is the
trigger circuit. This ensures the waveform is stable on the
screen. Your CRT won't have this so even if you do add an
input scaling circuit (like a potentiometer) and adjust the
sweep time of the horizontal deflection circuits it still
will look horrible.

If you take a few photos next time you go for a raid I can
see if I recognise anything.

This thing you have is essentially a piece of junk on its
own. I doubt it's worth the effort in even trying to get it
to do something vaguely useful/interesting.



 

offline futureimage from buy FIR from Juno (United Kingdom) on 2008-06-15 11:56 [#02216098]
Points: 6427 Status: Lurker | Followup to dave_g: #02216004



Gah fuck, my electrical knowledge is clearly totally warped
lol.


 

offline futureimage from buy FIR from Juno (United Kingdom) on 2008-06-15 11:57 [#02216099]
Points: 6427 Status: Lurker | Followup to dave_g: #02216031



Some guys turned a TV into a "scope"... obviously not very
accurate/an actual oscilloscope at all, but it blurted out
loads of lissajous patterns which is cool if that's all you
want it for - pretty patterns. If you want it to
measure/compare/tune signals, don't even go there. Buy a
used scope off eBay, they're usually fairly cheap.


 

offline blaaard from Imatra (close to sky) (Finland) on 2008-06-16 02:51 [#02216244]
Points: 1207 Status: Addict | Followup to dave_g: #02216031



okay will post photos next time i get my hands on that
treasure room key.
it is pretty much stuffed to the ceiling with old, heavy
weight electronics.


 


Messageboard index