Decent eBay items.

Taken from Ebay.

The INVERSEROOM PHOTOSYNTH is a one-oscillator miniature synthesizer that outputs a simple square wave, which the user can change with a variety of control and modulation options. Only five inches long, the PHOTOSYNTH incorporates a phototheremin, LFO, depth control, and eight modification buttons to create a huge range of bizarre electronic bleeps, blips, whoops, and squeals. It’s ideal for experimental, glitch, electronic, and noise music, and runs on a single 9-volt battery. The PHOTOSYNTH is based on two IC’s, a 4049 inverter, which produces and amplifies the signal, and a 4049 binary counter and resistor array, which control the LFO. Pitch can be altered with a potentiometer through a range of more than ten octaves, or by a photoresistor, which allows the user to play the instrument like a theremin. This sensor is activated by engaging the SEN switch, and allows the user to control pitch according to the amount of light that reaches the PHOTOSYNTH. The MODIFY panel of buttons can then effect a series of short-circuits that change the synth’s sound in unexpected ways. Some may seem to have no effect at all at some pitches, and drastic effects at others; some alter the output waveform, speed up or slow down the LFO, or create bursts of sudden noise. Below are two mp3 sound samples, one illustrating the sound of a steady pitch being altered by the MODIFY panel, the other with the LFO engaged. Sample #1

Sample #2 The PHOTOSYNTH also features a combination ON/VOL knob, and an LFO DEPTH knob. Output is through a standard quarter-inch phone jack. The instrument is hand-built, wired point-to-point, and contained in a sturdy aluminum case standing on wide rubber feet. The 9-volt battery is easily changed, and a new one comes included in this auction; I will also include an instruction sheet.

When I first saw this I was like damn, thats pretty cool. How would one go about building a synth like that. Well after searching through the seller's past auctions. I found my answer.

A simple investment into a kit.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=11737&item=5976166013

You are bidding on this Smart Kit #1045 Sound Effects Generator. An easy to build project that will create many interesting sound effects. It can produce many different sounds from bird chirps to sirens. The circuit can be operated from a small 9V battery. Supply voltage: 9 VDC. Max. Current: 200mA. Output power: 0.05 Watt.
And for 12.95 one has all the necessary info to build such a device. It sold for $95 dollars without a problem and I would imagine that there will be more avaliable soon.
The counter and devider ICs used are totally interesting because typically a simple analog oscillator is what most circuits use.

Another product from the seller that has cought my attention is the Altoids theremin synth.
They bought some empty cans and the synth chips.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38071&item=7323096180#ebayphotohosting
There is alot of info on the auction site, however from what I can gather, its better then 555, Its a linear VCO with Triangle and Square. The sweeps are also possible on the chip( 1000:1).
The chips a rare I guess, but copied versions are avaliable under these part numbers.

National Semiconductor copied this part under the P/N LM566 LM566C,
and NTE Electronics, Inc. copied this part under their own P/N NTE994.

SIGNETICS was the original manufacturer and produced a better part.

TI99 Bent Video

Seems like someone has been on the ball creating an awesome video glitch computer.

Ebay Link






Here is the link to the video

Seems like this video synth is controlled by audio input resulting in spectacular pixel glitches. I'm speechless. I hope that it sells for the starting price of $350. Hell if I had that kind of money I would definatelly by it.

Circuit Bent and

Ok this takes the cake. I love when people post items that don't even work right. I just don't see what the point is.
"kids toy megaphone circuit bent in the usa it wont work so if you want to try yourself get your solder out....has 2 jacks for guitar leads runson 9volt batt,nice project......"

Touchpanel, PLANAR PT120-BK

The touch panel came in today. PLANAR PT120-BK. The power was figured out fairly quickly and it looked like everything was working except the touchpanel part. Thats most likelly due to the fact that my serial cable is not the right one. I guess the blurriness issue was addressed in the forum post as being acidic paper in between the layers of the panel. So like a chump I took everything appart and removed what I thought to be the cultrate part. However I was wrong! Do not attempt to remove the top layer. It is actually the polarizer screen and it makes everything visible!!! After the mod the screen looked really washed out, however it was brighter. Anyways reappling the screen does make everything look ok, and also if turned upside down totally inverts the colors in a crazy way.


Before the mod.



The unrecommended mod.



Looks like of like this, except alot more yellow.

Interesting devices

Recently I have been impressed by some of the devices that cropped up on eBay.
They are actually constructed synths as opposed to crappy mods made by noobs.

Item 1

Up for auction is a ONE-OF-A-KIND synth box for creating radical pulses, swampy low end, bizarre sequences and nasal mosquito buzz... the perfect companion to your experimental/rock/drone noise junk. It is very interactive, turning one knob can make another knob react differently, endless amounts of strange filtered pulses inside the thing, a new discovery every time its turned on. Just flip a switch and change the octave, turn one knob for a high pitched oscillator modulating a subsonic squarewave, flip the other switch and turn off an oscillator etc etc. the controls are completely dangerous and unpredictable, but can be very mellow and once played with enough can be used live with no problem. So if you're looking for white noise, distortion, mellow sounds, ear piercing frequencies or sub sonic pants dropping bass drone, get it while you can. I will never make another like it. I have used it endlessly on many recordings, but need money for tour.
Listen to an MP3 with NO EFFECTS and just the synth box at:
http://www.menwhocantlove.com/oscman.mp3
SPECS:
-NINE (9) Knobs
-SIX (6) switches
-Runs off a Single 9v Battery
-One 1/4" Audio Output
-Large BAKELITE plastic case. Tough as nails, vintage too.
-Rough Manual to get you started on trying to understand the complexity of such a BEAST SYNTHESIZER!


I would go as far as to speculate that there are 3 oscilators inside this device. Possible 2 555s and with switches on different capacitor values. The knobs adjust the resistance values on the 555. The switches most likely turn on and off the feeds to the voltage input of the oscilators. Cool device, I'm glad that people are doing more interesting things and including sound samples to boot.

One minor problem may be the hard clicking that is audible and its an oscilator issue, which I run into alot when building. Another smaller issue is the the location of the 9volt battery. The owner may have to take the unit appart which is not always a good idea.

The second device is very impresive. Coming from Sebastian Boaz the maker of the First "Circuit Bent iPod" and Wave Vessel.

Description

This effects box, distorts, filters, pitch shifts and generally destroys any sound you feed into it. The knob (depending on the mode) filters the high frequencies or slows the sound down, like a sound editor would. The four screws are body contacts which work the same as the knob. There is also a bypass switch. Listen to what it does to Paula Abdul.

Interesting and puzzling effect not really sure how it was created but with the history of rehousing devices and the notion of modifying I am willing to bet that Sebastian bent a guitar pedal of some sort, possibly an Octave or a Pitch Shift.


At any rate, kudos to the creators of both devices. I hope they sell very well.

Demonic this demonic that

Seems liek the Demonic is the latest trend in bending. Who would've though. Here is a description to chuckle over.

"You are bidding on a sesame street toy noisemaker that has been modified by me. You can get some great samples out of this device, and it looks good on stage as well. Unit has been modified with two 2 phase speed/pitch control switches and a general distortion glitch switch. Unit has also been fitted with an RCA audio output jack. I added a switch to turn off the internal speaker, however I forgot it was a load-bearing speaker, so the sound is distorted. When making samples through the RCA jack it's best to leave the switch on.

This unit can make many unique samples. You can hear just one example HERE.

Shipping is a flat rate of 9 dollars anywhere within the lower 48 states. "
Seems like this person needs to get the speaker thing figured out, nice auction page though. Not a very impressive item though. Cool paint job, apparently they have never played a real gig, for startes noone is gonna see the paint job on a dark stage.

eBay makes me sad

Will the Circuit Bending phenomenon has hit the eBay John Q Public. People who have no idea how to solder 2 wired together are selling toys online with the use of search manipulation techniques. Putting "Circuit Bent" in the tile almost guarantees a higher winning bid.