[chuck-users] eChucK Update

[Les Hall]

Hi, you may recall that I wrote some time ago about this eChucK project 
that I dreamed up.  It had some fits and stumbles at first, but now the 
concept is evolving into actual products.  The first board didn't 
really work out for various reasons so I basically took a $130 hit and 
cut my losses, giving three boards out for free to people who might 
make use of them.  Oh well, you win some you lose some.

The second board is extremely simple.  It is a little postage-stamp 
sized breakout board designed to hold one chip plus discreet parts and 
solid wire interconnect.  We can make sound sculptures by connecting 
these populated boards with the wire and arranging them in 3D.  I had 
100 boards made for $225 and sold 42 of them so far for $2.50 each, a 
modest 10% markup due to it  being a prototype and all that.  I have 
ordered parts to build two types of sculptures:  Chiphenge and Tie 
Fighter.

Next on the horizon is a Karplus Strong board implemented as an analog 
circuit.  Just yesterday I completed the prototype in breadboard form 
and I cannot express how satisfying it was to listen to guitar and 
percussion sounds, and it even does a pretty good motor cycle / chain 
saw sound, heh.  I spent most of Sunday afternoon broadcasting test 
audio of it on my internet radio port to friends, who really enjoyed 
the variety of sounds that it makes.  Next up:  order parts then 
complete the board design.

Finally, I have a Boolean Sequencer board, a song timer board, and a 
clock / battery board planned to round out the selection of 
ChucK-inspired eChucK DIY products.  It is a lot of fun to put my 
engineering knowledge to good use for a change.

Oh, one more thing.  There is now an eChucK forum sitting right next to 
the ChucK forum on www.electro-music.com, so stop by and have a read if 
you like.  That's all for now.  Keep on ChucKin'.

Les