we're now accepting pre-orders.

these won't ship until the end of the month at the earliest. we don't
imagine it will be much later, however. we'll post updates to the
shipping schedule here.

first, make sure you've read everything here:

http://monome.org/40h/kit

then pre-order kits here:

http://order.monome.org


thanks! we're looking forward to seeing what everyone creates.

Yeah!!!! Got my pre-order in!!! I cant wait to assembly and start 
cuttin'!!!!

Just wondering......

there was a mention on the forum a while ago about an updated firmware 
in which the binary that lights up when the 40h is plugged in would 
fade-out.  Will the kits have the newer firmware on them, or  will this 
firmware be finished in time for the kits?

ok so i'm a huge idiot... is this kit for building an original 40h, or 
is it sized like the new "mini" 8x8?

My $0.02 while tehn is busy dealing with orders...  I'm not associated 
with monome, these are my guesses.

The firmware will have that fix, tehn read the bug report and made the 
change to the code.  These are his babies, he wants them to be healthy.

The kits are to reproduce the original 40h.  If you want a different 
sized 40h only get the logic kit, not the button kit and make your own 
button kit.  Or get a button kit so you can copy the design into a 
smaller form factor.

tone is correct on both counts. thanks!

new firmware on the special editions, also.

thx tone and tehn. having spent a steamy weekend with my 40h i'm getting 
a hankerin' for a kit (or two). sidenote; can i load the latest firmware 
onto my current 40h? (serial# 186)

not the right thread, maybe i should start a new one, but.. if people 
with old school 40hs want new firmware, it means cracking it open and 
getting a jtag programmer, right? or can it be done via USB? no biggie 
(am i right in thinking that the fade out is pretty much the only 
difference?).

Again, I'm just guessing, I don't even have 1 monome to play with. :(

Check the pic here
http://monome.org/40h/process/8/

The programmer is USB driven but connects to the microcontroller via a 
10 pin (2x5) header, I believe you will have to take it apart to 
program.

Programmers are ~$50, maybe you can send the unit back to monome for an 
upgrade for a small fee.  That's up to tehn, it might be a way he can 
raise a few more $$.

On the kit
http://monome.org/40h/kit/
The micro is socketed so we can just send the IC back (err I have a 
programmer though) for upgrades.  I don't know if the originals are 
socketed or not, I'd think they weren't since they could be programmed 
in-circuit.

originals are smd. no sockets.

yes, you need a jtag programmer. this is not simple, however, because 
you need to set up the devtoolchain, which could be complicated. i could 
also post the .hex which could make it easier.

reprogramming people's logic boards would not be any sort of a lucrative 
business, but i'd be willing to do it given you send me *only* your 
logic board, not your entire unit, in a static bag, with return 
shipping.

on the other side of things, i don't believe there's need for paranoia 
about led-lifespan. just don't plug it in with the startup pattern and 
leave it on for a week. these are pretty robust machines.

again, kits will ship with new firmware.

how many of these kits will you make? i am figuring out what overall 
cost might be but i would hate to wait too long to buy while waiting for 
quotes

we're making 100 of each kit. if the demand is sufficient, we'll make 
100 more. we don't want to be stuck with unsold kits. once we post all 
of the source materials you'll be able to make your own, even if we 
don't sell you one. (that is, minus the keypads).

Any have any resources to get/find sliders.  I am building a custom 40h 
and want to add a crossfader and a couple knobs, since the board allows 
for 4 analog sources.  Could I use any fader out of a turntable mixer? 
I have a couple of dope ones that are analog and optical?  Lookin for 
some ideas how to implement a crossfader and/or line level faders?

Meoff

penny & giles makes pretty reputable faders, though you'll have to find 
a dealer to get one, cause i think they only sell to other manufacturing 
companies...

check out their website for datasheets. since they make a bunch of crap, 
you want the Broadcast category.

I have some Penny & Giles faders form my DJ mixer, spare parts.  I just 
didn't know if they have to be a specific spec to solder on to the logic 
board I currently have?

hmm... i'm looking at the spec sheet for the atmega32 right now, and i 
don't really know what the ADC contacts are plugged into. instinct would 
tell me that they're connected to the 2 differential channels 
programmable gain, and i could probably tell from examining the code, 
but i am lazy right now.

a crossfader is overkill cause it has 2 tracks and you really only need 
one. you might need an additional adc, cause i think the optical encoder 
and accelerometer output digital streams, whereas crossfaders are 
analog. i don't think penny and giles has optical encoders. there might 
be another link somewhere on here that i'll try to find...

i thought there were some links in a thread called 'knobs and fades' or 
vice versa, but now i can't find it.

crossfader, you'll need one ADC input. it's exactly the same as a normal 
knob. it's just a potentiometer (variable resistor).

http://wiki.monome.org/view/40hAnalogKnobTutorial

we use analog accelerometers, so those are also analog.

oh, well there you have it =P

I dont think a crossfader would be overkill, especially using the 40h 
with Ableton!! Plus you can rock the crossfader while cuttin with the 
buttons or setup two grooves displaced from each other like a 
turntablist and juggle between the breaks, just an idea.  I want it more 
for midi/osc, since only a few controllers out there actually have 
crossfaders and most of them are crap.

to clarify (although i could be wrong), i dont think he meant the 
concept of using a crossfader is overkill, just that a crossfader ripped 
from a DJ Mixer might be overkill, due to the circuitry, and instead 
just use a normal slider potentiometer wired to the Adc inputs.

Cool, yeah that would be much easier or smaller!  I am still learning 
electronics, I majored in music! lol  Thanks for straightnin' me out, I 
think I saw some of those sliders on a couple of parts sites and def saw 
them on Penny & Giles site.  This forum rules!!! TECHNOLOGY!!!!

yeah, i meant what kid-sputnik said.

there's definitely potential for a horizontal fader =)

when you digitize it though, you only need one channel to communicate 
where on the track the fader is.

on the other hand, finding a 45mm fader that's as smooth as a crossfader 
might be tough, so it may have its benefits.

So, I would have to use 2 of the 4 inputs? So, i.e a crossfader and a 
couple of knobs.

no, you can just leave some of the contacts of the crossfader 
disconnected.

also, each additional peripheral (fader, nob, accelerometer) takes up 2 
contacts. having the crossfader wired up as a 2-track system would use 
all 4. so really you can only have a fader and a nob, unless you design 
some sort of selection network, which may be over both of our heads. 
tehn or tonedeft, your thoughts on this?

i'd just use a linear fader on one input, then write an app to send out 
this value on two patterns (or midi cc), one of these patterns inverted. 
you could implement whatever cross-fade curves, etc.

yeah, that was what i was envisioning for software too..

what about on hardware though? in the encoder tutorial there are two 
connections to the J_A section of pins on the board. would a fader take 
up two contacts as well? if it does then you can only have 1 fader and 
one rotary encoder, right?

i'm not sure, but i think a rotary encoder takes to connections, but a 
fader or pot only take one each. is that right? also, an encoder needs 
different firmware, and therefore a jtag programmer, but faders/knobs 
don't?

stephen is correct. fader is just a single analog line. encoders take 
two because it's quadrature (digital) and yes requires a firmware 
update.