Casper Electronics Drone Lab

[alienmeatsack]

I am surprised there isn't more talk here about the Casper Electronics Drone Lab.



Anyone played with one of these? Anyone built one?

I've got the kit sitting at home waiting for me to find the time to put it together. It's a bit above my current level of comfort, build wise, but the sounds it makes make me giggly inside.

[alienmeatsack]

Drone Lab built.......and played with! Took me 2 days (about 8 hours) to get from start to finish, including prep and taking pics during.



Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7YzkHOtZ0w

For those interested, I have posted all the pictures I took at the links below. I tend to take tons of pics, some are blurry, some are tiny steps forward in progress. Have a look if you like.

Un-Boxing:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alienmeatsack/sets/72157623700180211/

Pre-Assembly:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alienmeatsack/sets/72157623760901273/

Assembly, Day 1:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alienmeatsack/sets/72157623885669282/

Assembly, Day 2:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alienmeatsack/sets/72157623766017549/

[alienmeatsack]

Final Completion Pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alienmeatsack/sets/72157623890733818/

[v-un-v]

I think for what it does, imo, it was rather expensive- compared to that of say, the Lunetta's.

[alienmeatsack]

A forum full of eletro minded peeps and I get 1 single comment on the Drone Lab thread I created? So, is there a "We hate Drone Lab" club or something?

I like it. I really enjoyed building it. I like the sounds it makes.

I cannot be alone. Please someone give me hope.

[v-un-v]

You're not alone. I really liked the sounds this thing made, but a handful of 4xxx cmos chips and some veroboard is much cheaper option for many.

I don't hate the CEDL, I just couldn't afford one (and to be honest, I've already got loads of stuff that needs to be built already!

[GovernorSilver]

[alienmeatsack]

Can someone move it there perhaps then please and thanks?

Too many projects to be built - sounds like a theme in my life lately. I currently have 3 bends in progress, 2 small circuit builds and 2 kits coming. Not including the dozens of notes for things I want to try and make too!

[droffset]

I just don't know much about it, but it's definitely cool to look at. CE has a great sense of presentation. The sounds are cool too.

[v-un-v]

[Rykhaard]

I think that for your little bit of experiences in building, you did a great job!

I have to agree with the chief though, at it being very expensive, for what it can do.

It does have some nifty capabilities and would definitely be fun to play with though. (And here I flip again.) But ... the things that we can do, with just a few chips - can result in a lot more power.

But still .... it IS a great experience building something like that and having it work as well!

Keep soldering away and asking questions as well. Also - if you haven't checked out the LUnetta section here - there are HUGE amount of very useful info. in it, with a lot great circuits from others, to learn from whilst building as well.

[droffset]

I think you're paying for presentation though, which can count for a lot. I mean check it out, you have everything including input/output jacks/switches and pots on the board, and the etched clear acrylic covering, complete with the knobs etc. That's a whole kit, you know? Very clean. (Did all that come in the kit?)

So as a service of providing a kit CE did good by supplying a Complete kit.
I'd mod it to work with my Lunetta though, mmm, juicy logic.

You sir, should visit the Lunetta forum.

[slugger]

[RF]

Looks like a nice build - congrats on it.

I've looked at those a couple times...but ended up grabbing the schematic and using circuit bits gleaned from it here and there... It does make some great sounds.... but for that many $$$ - yikes.

(definately a good idea to move it to this section of the forum - I never would have seen it otherwise)

bruce

[adambee7]

Got so many projects to finish but i really want a couple of these. They do sound great. It would be interesting to see what customization you can do to it. Looks aswell as sound.

[alienmeatsack]

droffset, I got the complete kit + housing (with the fancy clear top). So everything came with it.

I wish that the oscillation would also effect the Input material too. But otherwise quite happy with it. I got it more for the build than the end result... I am slowly amassing an army of digital gadgets to make some music at some point with.

I have DnB on the mind and have wanted to try it for a long time. So who knows.

My first goal in regards to hacking/bending is to change the LEDs out. I was thinking I might add a 1/8" output as well so I can use headphones/earbuds easily. And adding some kind of logic/output LED for activity indication.

[sync24]

i've been putting one of these together
i was taken in by the whole aesthetic of the finished piece and didn't really think it was too expensive for what you get - for me it's a good way of building confidence!
i'm just waiting on mouser getting some switches and pot caps in... i didn't realise (in my excitement) they were out of stock, and, being a bit noob, don't really know what alternative switches i could get away with.

anyway, a friend of mine is gonna build one too and we'll be havin a jam, eventually...

yours looks spot-on mr meatstack, i pointed my buddy at your flickr pages to help him along with getting started.

[alienmeatsack]

I found that the manual was very helpful, printed in color. Some of the location call outs are a bit difficult to pick out of the chaos on the illustrations, but if you go thru it all and find each one up front, that helps.

I've been spennding a lot of time playing with mine, just to get to know what it can do. I've yet to try the CV stuff, as I am unsure exactly what kind of signal to feed into it.

I do think a few DLs together would be very sweet. I was thinking that if you could put 2 together and seperate the 8 drones, then add a sequencer control for each, you could have yourself a cool sequenced lab.

For those of you using one, what do you do with it, how do you control it, what do you run it into to filter/affect it? J/C.

sync, hopefully my pics will be useful. My original goal was to take a pic before each section, then after, then note where everything was installed for that part. I never got around to that part obviously.

But, I took a ****load of pics so hopefully he gets some use out of them.

[sync24]

[sync24]

finished mine now!
last parts came early

made a recording with it this eve and posted it on the soundcloud group (under my new pseudonym

http://soundcloud.com/groups/drone-lab-music

thanks again mr meatstack, your pics rule and my buddy is gonna build his this week...

[SPIKE the Percussionist]

FRACKEN HELL!!

this thing basically sounds like my entire project Astrogenic Hallucinauting.
HEH!

I should just sell all my stuff and just use this thing!
I love it!

ok...
maybe i will just ADD it to the noiz toys i already have.
sick...

ok...
just when i thought i didn't need anything else...

must have...must have...must have...

[alienmeatsack]

I've not spent a ton of time with it, but I think the real power comes when you use the CV stuff to mix it up/create tempo and blips and such.

It really does sound quite cool. I do think you could replicate some of it using 4 APCs run thru some filters too for cheaper. But, for me, as I've said, it was the build I was after.

I do want to try and do some sound with it that has some form. Im just not very musical.

[SPIKE the Percussionist]

[alienmeatsack]

[SPIKE the Percussionist]