Posts

Posted on

Synscape

A soundscape that responds to color.

By Helen Trevillion

The Max patch is not available. From the video it appears that many channels of sound are playing concurrently. Color values are assigned to faders for each channel.

Posted on

Kinect – revisited

Various ways Kinect 1 still runs in Mac OS with Max/MSP, Processing, and OSC.

Note: this is about the ‘old’ Kinects – not the latest versions (Kinect 2). Although, Dale Phurrough’s Max dp.kinect2 external works with Kinect 2 in Windows 8+.

(self portrait with Synapse)

Screen Shot 2015-04-04 at 4.38.25 PM

Synapse

Synapse converts skeletal data to OSC. It still runs with Max/MSP even though it is not supported. http://synapsekinect.tumblr.com

Here’s how to run with Max: http://synapsekinect.tumblr.com/post/6307752257/maxmsp-jitter

Don’t be surprised if Max crashes occasionally.

Kinect-Via-Synapse

Max/MSP examples of skeletal tracking

https://github.com/jpbellona/Kinect-Via-Synapse

Processing:

Processing uses OpenNI library. Use the Processing package manager to install or update the OpenNI library.

There are several built-in examples (under Contributed Libraries). Many of them work, including the “hands” example. Wave your hand a lot to get it to start tracking.

jit.openni and dp.kinect

http://hidale.com

Dale Phurrough’s free Max external jit.openni is no longer supported. I was not yet able to find a Mac version that runs. The dp.kinect external runs only in Windows.

dp.kinect is for Kinect 1 and up to Windows 7. dp.kinect2 requires Windows 8+. More testing on the way. Note that dp.kinect is a commercial product.

https://cycling74.com/toolbox/dp-kinect-external-using-microsoft-kinect-sdk/

 jit.freenect

http://jmpelletier.com/freenect/

Screen Shot 2015-04-04 at 5.02.46 PM

Provides depth camera data as a Jitter matrix. Various modes, including IR.

A tutorial by Peter Elsea: ftp://arts.ucsc.edu/Pub/ems/electronic-contraptions/Max%20and%20Kinect.pdf

SimpleK

icon_512x512@2x-300x300

Jon Bellona OSC/Kinect libraries for Processing

https://cycling74.com/toolbox/simplekinect/

I was able to run the Processing sketch and receive OSC data on port 8000 in Max – but the UI is somewhat confusing and there is no camera input to monitor skeleton tracking. This probably would not be difficult to add to the sketch by looking at the SimpleOpenNI examples.

 

 

 

Posted on

RF converter circuits

Notes and links.

down converters (shortwave to medium wave)

HF to CB/AM Broadcast Receive Converter kit, great for QRP!

Vectronics VEC-101k http://www.vectronics.com/Product.php?productid=VEC-101K

Shortwave converter for AM radio: https://books.google.com/books?id=rZDbnQ0siCYC&pg=PA307&lpg=PA307&dq=how+to++Intermediate+frequency+output+of+am+radio&source=bl&ots=sMJHJ1BecU&sig=QemPm07_g2Tyqk-SVrCD3CEAnpE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=pMsYVdeCH_i1sQTtp4L4DQ&ved=0CDYQ6AEwBTgU#v=onepage&q=how%20to%20%20Intermediate%20frequency%20output%20of%20am%20radio&f=false

40 meters to CB by vk3ye (includes BFO): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCdt0aXj7bc

upconverters

kf7lze roundup of up converters: http://blog.kf7lze.net/2012/09/14/round-up-of-rtlsdr-upconverter-choices/

 

W9RAN Ranverter Pi: http://www.hayseedhamfest.com/ranverter_sdr_261668310.html

ct1ffu upconverter: http://www.ct1ffu.com/site/?option=com_content&view=article&id=178&Itemid=104

IF converters

455kHz -> AF Converter (DRM): http://users.belgacom.net/hamradio/schemas/DRM_455kHz_to_LF_Converter_FRG-100.htm

Any SDR that will receive 455 KHz (or whatever the IF is) plus a R-Pi would work. The Pi would need to  boot automatically into an SDR app with the frequency set to the IF.

455 kHz BFO Kit – Receive ssb and cw on an am receiver!

RADI0KIT-2 DRM SSB RADIO BROADCASTS DECODER KIT / IF CONVERTER.

 

IQ converters and panadapters

FST3253 is a commonly used chip for Tayloe mixers.

Babel Fish IF SDR Radio 1st IF I /Q software conversion module: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Babel-Fish-IF-SDR-Radio-1st-IF-I-Q-software-conversion-module-/231292143562

A Binaural IQ Receiver by Rick Campbell: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/History/History%20of%20QST%20Volume%201%20-%20Technology/QS03-99-Campbell.pdf

QSD By Ray Ring: http://circuitsalad.com/2013/12/30/my-phasing-receiver-is-a-success/

Thomas Nylund Tayloe detector and SDR http://tuomasnylund.fi/drupal6/content/software-defined-radio

Softrock Lite II 06 mixer: http://www.wb5rvz.com/sdr/sr_lite_ii/06_mix.htm

Other

1KHz to 33MHz Adjustable Oscillator Module, LTC1799

Posted on

RF mixer simulation in Max

Audio simulation of an RF circuit.

Screen Shot 2015-03-29 at 4.49.36 PM

The simulation serves no purpose, but its fun. There are 4 versions. I think the third one sounds best (rf-mixer-sim3.maxpat). Its interesting to hear how much spectral distortion happens from multiplying sawtooth waves.

Screen Shot 2015-03-29 at 4.46.55 PM

Download

https://github.com/tkzic/max-projects/

folder: rf-mixer

patches:

Note: please set the signal vector size to 1 (or as low as possible) and enable overdrive and audio interrupt

Screen Shot 2015-03-29 at 5.22.30 PM

Four versions:

  • rf-mixer-sim.maxpat (initial attempt)
  • rf-mixer-sim2.maxpat (uses sah~ and rate~ objects)
  • rf-mixer-sim3.maxpat (uses gate~ objects with a phasor~ clock)
  • rf-mixer-sim4.maxpat (bandpass filter on RF input)