[rec.music.makers] Pocket Pedal

jol@sei.cmu.edu (Jun Lee) (07/24/90)

Hi.

Has anyone used the Anatek's Pocket Pedal? 
If you did, what do you think about them?
I would like to use it to do some real time midi control and I
would like to know how well they respond using a regular volume pedal?


 ThanX
================================================================================
 JUN LEE								   //
                \/\/\_/\_8>                                           \\  //
 jol@sei.cmu.edu                                                       \X/
 (412) 268-7602  "If it weren't for the disappointments in my life,
                  I would not have any appointments at all" _ND
================================================================================

ed@iitmax.IIT.EDU (Ed Federmeyer) (07/25/90)

In article <7963@fy.sei.cmu.edu> jol@sei.cmu.edu (Jun Lee) writes:
>Has anyone used the Anatek's Pocket Pedal? 
>If you did, what do you think about them?
> JUN LEE  

I have a broshure from Anatek that claims that thier products (at least the
ones in this broushure, merge, pedal, filter, sequencer) require no
batteries or power supply.  These all seem like products that would require
active electronics.  Where do they get thier power?  I assume they have
built in batteries, but how long do they last?  Do you throw out an $80
pocket merge after a few months of heavy use?  Seems to me that it would have
been better just to put a battery slot in there so these products will last.

I dunno, this is all speculation on my part.  Does anyone who's actually used
one of these "pocket" products have any comments?

Ed Federmeyer  (ed@iitmax.iit.edu)
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jol@sei.cmu.edu (Jun Lee) (07/25/90)

In article <4028@iitmax.IIT.EDU>, ed@iitmax.IIT.EDU (Ed Federmeyer) writes:
> In article <7963@fy.sei.cmu.edu> jol@sei.cmu.edu (Jun Lee) writes:
> >Has anyone used the Anatek's Pocket Pedal? 
> >If you did, what do you think about them?
> > JUN LEE  
> 
> I have a broshure from Anatek that claims that thier products (at least the
> ones in this broushure, merge, pedal, filter, sequencer) require no
> batteries or power supply.  These all seem like products that would require
> active electronics.  Where do they get thier power?  
			^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	They get the power from Midi deviece it's hooked upto.
	I belive on of midi connectors carry +5 volts.
	
> 
> Ed Federmeyer  (ed@iitmax.iit.edu)


================================================================================
 JUN LEE								   //
                \/\/\_/\_8>                                           \\  //
 jol@sei.cmu.edu                                                       \X/
 (412) 268-7602  "If it weren't for the disappointments in my life,
                  I would not have any appointments at all" _ND
================================================================================

erkamp@arcsun.arc.ab.ca (Bob Erkamp) (07/25/90)

>>Has anyone used the Anatek's Pocket Pedal? 
>>If you did, what do you think about them?
>> JUN LEE  
>
>I have a broshure from Anatek that claims that thier products (at least the
>ones in this broushure, merge, pedal, filter, sequencer) require no
>batteries or power supply.  These all seem like products that would require
>active electronics.  Where do they get thier power?  I assume they have
>built in batteries, but how long do they last?  Do you throw out an $80
>pocket merge after a few months of heavy use?  Seems to me that it would have
>been better just to put a battery slot in there so these products will last.
>
>Ed Federmeyer  (ed@iitmax.iit.edu)
>-- 
Well I don't know what the pocket pedal is/does put the pocket merge get's all
it's power directly from the midi cables (I don't know the voltage used to
drive midi but obviously it's enough). There was a reveiw in Keyboard a while
back and they mentioned this.

Bob Erkamp

igoe@refine.enet.dec.com (07/25/90)

In article <4028@iitmax.IIT.EDU>, ed@iitmax.IIT.EDU (Ed Federmeyer) writes...
>In article <7963@fy.sei.cmu.edu> jol@sei.cmu.edu (Jun Lee) writes:

>I have a broshure from Anatek that claims that thier products (at least the
>ones in this broushure, merge, pedal, filter, sequencer) require no
>batteries or power supply.  These all seem like products that would require
>active electronics.  Where do they get thier power?  I assume they have
>built in batteries, but how long do they last?  Do you throw out an $80
>pocket merge after a few months of heavy use?  Seems to me that it would have
>been better just to put a battery slot in there so these products will last.

   They do not have or require a battery.  They operate off of the current in 
the MIDI cable itself.  It is suggested that if you have more than one or two 
of the products in your system, that you but the PocketPower module which 
supplies extra power to avoid any effects on the MIDI data.

   The exception may be the sequencer thing which may actually have some sort
of rechargable battery. 

lau@cs.ubc.ca (Huh?) (07/25/90)

From article <4028@iitmax.IIT.EDU>, by ed@iitmax.IIT.EDU (Ed Federmeyer):
> I have a broshure from Anatek that claims that thier products (at least the
> ones in this broushure, merge, pedal, filter, sequencer) require no
> batteries or power supply.  These all seem like products that would require
> active electronics.  Where do they get thier power?  I assume they have
> built in batteries, but how long do they last?  Do you throw out an $80
> pocket merge after a few months of heavy use?  Seems to me that it would have
> been better just to put a battery slot in there so these products will last.
> 
> I dunno, this is all speculation on my part.  Does anyone who's actually used
> one of these "pocket" products have any comments?

I've been using a Pocket Channelizer from these guys for a few months
and it works fine.  It, like most of its cousins, pulls its power off
the MIDI cable (MIDI IN to be exact).  Except for, I think, two of the
boxes (Pocket Sequencer and one other one I can't remember), all of
the Pocket products draw power from the MIDI cable.  I think there's
a recommended maximum of 3 of these boxes that can be strung in series.

The Pocket Channelizer remaps MIDI messages from one channel to another
so my ancient Roland electric piano which send only on Channel 1 can be
used to control instruments receiving on other channels.  It has a lot
other features like velocity switching between two channels, but my
main usage is the channel remapping.

	Just a happy user,
		Eric Lau
		lau@cs.ubc.ca

johnk@longs.LANCE.ColoState.EDU (John Kleist) (07/25/90)

In article <4028@iitmax.IIT.EDU>, ed@iitmax.IIT.EDU (Ed Federmeyer) writes:



> 
> I have a broshure from Anatek that claims that thier products (at least the
> ones in this broushure, merge, pedal, filter, sequencer) require no
> batteries or power supply.  These all seem like products that would require
> active electronics.  Where do they get thier power?  I assume they have
> built in batteries, but how long do they last?  Do you throw out an $80
> pocket merge after a few months of heavy use?  Seems to me that it would have
> been better just to put a battery slot in there so these products will last.
>


I don't know anything about the Pocket Pedal, but I've had a Pocket Merge for
about a year.  They derive their power from the the MIDI input device.  There
are no batteries involved.  BTW the Pocket Merge works fine; even when merging
sequenced wind controller stuff (lots of aftertouch messages).


John Kleist     johnk@loki.atmos.colostate.edu

rlw@ttardis.UUCP (Ron Wilson) (07/29/90)

In article <4028@iitmax.IIT.EDU>, ed@iitmax.IIT.EDU (Ed Federmeyer) writes:
>I have a broshure from Anatek that claims that thier products (at least the
>ones in this broushure, merge, pedal, filter, sequencer) require no
>batteries or power supply.  These all seem like products that would require
>active electronics.  Where do they get thier power?  I assume they have
>built in batteries, but how long do they last?  Do you throw out an $80
>pocket merge after a few months of heavy use?  Seems to me that it would have
>been better just to put a battery slot in there so these products will last.
>
>Ed Federmeyer  (ed@iitmax.iit.edu)

I have a Pocket Merge (tm).  It gets power from one of the 2 MIDI inputs -
I tested it by turning off one keyboard and then the other: input 1 can
be played without input 2, but not 2 without 1 - ie: the unit get its power
from the MIDI device connected to input 1.

My guess is that the unit taps power accoss the + side of the 5ma current
loop and the shield ground (according to the "official" suggested circuit
designed, the + side goes via a 220 ohm resistor to +5, and the - side goes
via an open collector logic output to signal ground; shield is supposed to
ONLY be connected at the MIDI out jack)

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rlw@ttardis	    uunet!rel.mi.org!cfctech!ttardis!rlw
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nsw@cbnewsm.att.com (Neil Weinstock) (07/30/90)

In article <2613@ttardis.UUCP> rlw@ttardis.UUCP (Ron Wilson) writes:
>In article <4028@iitmax.IIT.EDU>, ed@iitmax.IIT.EDU (Ed Federmeyer) writes:
>>I have a broshure from Anatek that claims that thier products (at least the
>>ones in this broushure, merge, pedal, filter, sequencer) require no
>>batteries or power supply.  These all seem like products that would require
>>active electronics.
[ ... ]
>My guess is that the unit taps power accoss the + side of the 5ma current
>loop and the shield ground (according to the "official" suggested circuit
>designed, the + side goes via a 220 ohm resistor to +5, and the - side goes
>via an open collector logic output to signal ground; shield is supposed to
>ONLY be connected at the MIDI out jack)

I just picked up a brochure from Anatek that lists all their pocket
products.  The only product that "requires" a battery is the Pocket Record,
the 15000 event sequencer.  Without battery, it will retain data for 4 hours
(how?  storage capacitor?), or indefinitely with battery.

The Pocket Filter and Pocket Pedal will retain their settings only if
continuous power is applied, either by leaving your equipment on all the
time or by use of the Power Pack, which connects to an AC adapter and plugs
into the MIDI chain, providing power to the Pocket products and boosting the
MIDI signal.

All in all, a very clever and nice collection of products.  The Pocket Split
even handles floating splits (my A-80 doesn't)!

Not affiliated with Anatek,
                                   - Neil

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Neil Weinstock @ AT&T Bell Labs       //    "Bust a move short shank,
att!edsel!nsw or nsw@edsel.att.com  \X/   it's The Man!" - In Living Color