Insanely helpful video! Love your work and thank you for this gem! I just got a videotech vec1070 and was overwhelmed with it, first time circuit bending video devices. thanks again!
Maestro indeed. A maestro on several levels. Including successfully being hilarious in a video like this... yet remaining effective. I too use this method of interacting with the simulation.
Thanks for the video, it's nice to see your process. I would recommend placing a medium thickness clear plastic sheet over the PSU when the case is open. Especially when reaching for the components above it, it's so easy to drop something and then automatically grab for it. Or the metal legs short something powerful.
I also love using multimeter test cables that i cut and soldered to aligator clips, really helps my poking process Thank you for this video its so helpful!
I need to find some "Speak & Spell" units, which have the same Speech Synthesis LPC chip as my TI 99/4A's free speech synthesizer cartridge. I only got as far as some Basic loops feeding it random Phonemes in random-length sentences. Now, with greater education in this arena, adding some random Boolean Logic equations set in base-level 74HCxxx logic ICs and Analog/Digital multiplexers to 'automate' its actions is more educational, maybe? Oddly enough, the local power company's autocall bill collector's voice changed from a Scaninavian-tinged English, but after a minute, it freaked-out and began spitting-out random Norwegian phonemes in random length sentences, just like the experiments with the Speak & Spell Texas Instrument Speech Synthesizer IC that same week. Thank You for this instructional video, Maestro. Databooks are our friend. I simply cannot believe how many of these all-too-common "RAM OverClocking Tips" from pretenders do not reference RAM Databooks, wasting mine and million others timme to no end.
weird this attempt looked like it had vanished due my phat phone fingers when it turned into a grey-shaded place with zero access to what I had just typed, sorry for repeats when I had to retype this one, thinking it was vanished. ;-)
Would be possible to modify audio channels or circuits on this? For example you would connect external audio and the knobs would tweak or bend sound to distort a song which then goes to an external source such as speakers? Also could this unit create audio reactive glitch fx since it has audio in?
It is surely possible to modify audio circuit on units like these, but since the circuit is pretty basic, the bends will probably result in some form of distortion - which can surely be cool! Regarding the audioreactivess, I'm not 100% sure because I made this video a while ago, but if I remember well it did not support audioreactiveness. The easiest way to try if it works it to use an alligator clip, poking the audio input (or output) and touching with the other end of the wire other point on the video board. If that does not work, an idea could be to build a simple envelope follower, so that the audio signal becomes a cv signal that can be routed to the vactrols ;)
Thank you for this video! Amazing work and very inspiring. I'm working on bending a small device now and I was curious about how you start with the video input pin - I assume you're routing this signal to each of the potentiometers, then routing separating ICs to each pot for different effects? If that's the case, how is the video signal chained in between pots? If thats not the case, can you offer some tips on how you've wired the pots to interact with the video signal?
I simply take the video input (or output) with an alligator clip, connect it to a pot (10-100k), take another alligator clip and connect another leg of the pot to other points of the board - excluding all the pins who bring dangerous voltages. If nothing happens, I try another pin. If it works, cool, I sign that pin (there's a chance that pin will give you something else if you connect it to another good pin), if the signal drops out, I try to insert a ceramic cap in the middle. And so on so forth :)
@@pushkarbrand Thx so much for the response, makes perfect sense - to follow up, I noticed in another response you referenced that on this particular device, the pins on the ICs didn’t really produce interesting effects when wired together. So in your final wire-up, were you just routing that initial video input + an individual IC pin to each pot?
@@collinparmstrong I don't remember exactly, but in the video description there are still two links for the schematics, so it should be easy to check ;)
Wow, great stuff! I have three questions if I may: - did you circuit bend while using the wall adapter? - if not, how did you manage to see the effects while experimenting with connections? Would a 12v battery be safe in that case? - is this Bremen in the video? Keep it up man, you did a great job
1 and 2) Yes, I circuit bend while using the wall adapter, but before starting, I thoroughly explore the circuit to spot the dangerous pins, using the techniques explained in the video. I've never had any issues with this approach - indeed, I'm still alive :D. The important thing is to be 100% sure that the pins touched during the bending process, with the device powered on, do NOT carry dangerous voltages. Importantly, when I solder, I switch off the device. The device is switched on only when I'm testing the bend with alligator clips. 3)You are absolutely right! That's Bremen. I had a uni meeting there a couple of years ago and recorded some footage while I was on the tram:)
@@pushkarbrand I see! Many thanks for your valuable tips! First I wanna try to sort it out using a battery, if not I will definitely use your approach with caution! btw, I also was in Bremen in summer 2021, it's a lovely city and I could recognise it from the streets and the trams!
Grazie! Non ricordo precisamente che LED ho usato, ma mi sembra fossero gialli. In ogni caso vanno bene praticamente tutti. Per la fotoresistenza stesso discorso, era una semplice fotoresistenza - probabilmente la più economica :D
Thanks! The capacitors change the way in which a glitch is visualised, while the resistors simply lower the amount of effect. They can also be used together is series!
Hi! No, it's not just a question of not touching the power supply area (which is surely something to strongly keep in mond) but also of avoiding the pins and components that carry high voltages. In this video I try to cover this question within the limits of my knowledge, so in any case, be always extra-careful when dealing with wall-powered devices
Awesome video thanks so much! A few questions: - Do you always use a resistance/pot in between the points when looking for new connections? If so, what value of resistance? - Can you also connect safe (no GND or voltage) IC pins with other IC pins? In the end sheet you only connected ICs to their own points or to the video input. - How do you select capacitor values? You seem to just go by trial and error, but what do high/low values do to the signal generally? - Does the order of cap -> pot / pot -> cap matter? - Regarding the CV input; Does the photoresistor add resistance to potmeter in the connection? - Regarding the CV input(2); Why dont you connect the photoresistor in serial to the bend point? Thx!
Thanks pal! So, regarding your questions: - Yes, I always use a resistance/pot in between the points when I'm looking for new connections. I generally starts with a 50/100k, but then I make different attempts depending on how the connection reacts - if I see that it goes too far too quickly, I pick up a lower pot, if I see that does not glitch "enough" I go for a higher one. - Yes, you can also connect IC pins with other IC pins. Simply, this device did not have any good connection between ICs. - Exactly, I go by trial and error. There's not a general way in which the signal reacts, but often with higher values you have "wider", "more stretched" glitches, with lower values more "squeezed" glitches. - No, it doesn't. You can put it before or after the pot, on any of the legs you are using. - Yes, it does. It become a resistance that is controlled by the light of the led, so from the CV signal that the led is receiving. - I'm not sure if I understood the question, but the CV input is connected in parallel to the corresponding bending point. Or, another way to read the question, I do not attach the Vactrol to the bend points because often they are distant, and/or because often there is not enough space to close the device.
@@pushkarbrand Again thanks alot, it's helping me feel very motivated to get back into bending again! Just bough a CRT and some gear to bend. - Regarding safety: Why don't you probe the circuit with a multimeter to check for points where the power is running through? In another tutorial someone suggested to connect the multimeter with the middle leg of the transistor connected to the power section, and probing the circuit with the other leg and marking the points that you should stay away from. - Let me rephrase my last question: I don't understand why you connect the photoresistor legs of the Vactrol to the 2 pins of the potmeter. Shouldn't you have to connect the photoresistor legs to just 1 leg of the pot, en the other photoresistor leg to the cable is going to that pot leg and the point on the PCB?
@@janhundling4647 I'm glad that this is helpful for you! - Regarding safety, the approach you talk about it surely helpful but it does not allow you to find all the potentially dangerous points since there are some IC's that are powered up by a lower voltage - but still potentially dangerous - than are not connected to the middle leg of the transistor and that therefore cannot be detected with the multimeter. For sure with this method you can spot all the points in which you have the highest voltage on the pcb, but you cannot spot the points with lower voltage. In this sense, the best thing to do is to check the data sheet of each IC. - Given that the point on the pbc and the pot leg are connected by a cable, it's the same connecting the leg of photoresistor to the point on the pcb, to the wire, or to the pot leg, they are all "the same" point, so it ends up being just a question on how comfortable you are with soldering here or there.
Oh yes there is, the only thing is that it looks like the option is accessible only with the original remote. I've tried with all sorts of apps but it did not work 🙃
@@caesarblanko1399 if you have the original remote you can surely do it. Other trinitrons have the same option, and if I remember well you don't have to dig in the menu too much, it should simply be a button :) in any case, if you have the original remote you can surely fix the issue
Hey, thanks! It is perfectly safe to substitute the scart connector with a composite one. Just to be sure, before doing that, connect the positive and negative pins of the scart to a composite socket with alligator clips and check if it works as it should
Thanks :) using a continuity tester would surely work, but it is much more safer to find the data sheet of the chips to avoid the possibility to touching inadvertely two wrong pins during the testing process and breaking the device. However, if you do it with extra care it would surely work 💪🏽
Awesome and very inspiring video, thanks! Just got a question. What if you send a negative voltage to your CV input using the vactrol? That will work or simply will ignore the negative side? Thanks again for sharing it!
Thanks pal! If you send a negative voltage they will not work since the LED reacts only to positive voltages. This implies that if you want to have a negative side you have to treat your CV signal before routing it to the vactrol (for example by adding an offset to an attenuated LFO so that it will work in the range 0-+5V with the medium value in 2.5 instead of working in the range -5/+5V with the medium value in 0)
@@pushkarbrand Awesome, thank you! I have some passive attenuaverter that I could use to have 0...5V. Normally my modulations sources are unipolar, but this question crossed my mind by watching the vactrol part. Thanks a lot once more again, I've learnt a lot from your video. Can't wait to try the vactrol tip. Cheers mate!
@@pushkarbrand thanks man, so cool! I've tried the vactrol on my breadboard and this works perfectly, love it! Thanks once more again. Need to try only connecting the LDR pins to any fun spots to have some fun :) you rule mate!
I use the classical visible light LDRs, the small kind (just for a question of space, but the bigger ones work even better). Your LDR can emit only 2k ohms? That's weird. That could depend on the LED(s) you are using, or maybe the LDR in question is not working properly...
@@iskatearound Ok, now I understand. If you want to get a lower value you simply have to add some resistances (variable or fixed, depending on what you need) on one of the two legs of the LDR ;)
@@iskatearound yes, in series. And no, it would decrease the resistance of the LDR. You could also add a stronger resistance on the positive leg of the LED so that it emits a lower light.
That's a trick that Mezkalin told me. You simply have a stronger light, so that the photoresistance reacts accordingly (the signal tend to be quite weak with just one LED).
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
THE MASTER SPEAKS
If you want to avoid the plus and minus legs to not touch I'd recommend using individual small shrink bands around both.
Insanely helpful video! Love your work and thank you for this gem! I just got a videotech vec1070 and was overwhelmed with it, first time circuit bending video devices. thanks again!
I am not knocking your approach, Maestro.
Your method is how I have interacted with this test universe's 'reality index machine' to great success. ;-)
Maestro indeed. A maestro on several levels. Including successfully being hilarious in a video like this... yet remaining effective.
I too use this method of interacting with the simulation.
Thanks for the video, it's nice to see your process. I would recommend placing a medium thickness clear plastic sheet over the PSU when the case is open. Especially when reaching for the components above it, it's so easy to drop something and then automatically grab for it. Or the metal legs short something powerful.
Thank you so much! With your tutorial I managed to successfully bend my own Carena MVP-4000 and works like a charm!
Congratulation and happy-safe bending :)
Amazing results! Really inspiring video you made there!
you deserve a nobel prize
I also love using multimeter test cables that i cut and soldered to aligator clips, really helps my poking process
Thank you for this video its so helpful!
I like that the machine still looks usable as it's stock intention too. I've got the same machine that wont power up that i want to do something with.
This is so satisfying to watch
This is pure gold ❤
Great video, it's nice to see the process
I need to find some "Speak & Spell" units, which have the same Speech Synthesis LPC chip as my TI 99/4A's free speech synthesizer cartridge. I only got as far as some Basic loops feeding it random Phonemes in random-length sentences.
Now, with greater education in this arena, adding some random Boolean Logic equations set in base-level 74HCxxx logic ICs and Analog/Digital multiplexers to 'automate' its actions is more educational, maybe?
Oddly enough, the local power company's autocall bill collector's voice changed from a Scaninavian-tinged English, but after a minute, it freaked-out and began spitting-out random Norwegian phonemes in random length sentences, just like the experiments with the Speak & Spell Texas Instrument Speech Synthesizer IC that same week.
Thank You for this instructional video, Maestro.
Databooks are our friend.
I simply cannot believe how many of these all-too-common "RAM OverClocking Tips" from pretenders do not reference RAM Databooks, wasting mine and million others timme to no end.
weird
this attempt looked like it had vanished due my phat phone fingers when it turned into a grey-shaded place with zero access to what I had just typed, sorry for repeats when I had to retype this one, thinking it was vanished. ;-)
This is huge thank you so much 🙏❤️
Would be possible to modify audio channels or circuits on this? For example you would connect external audio and the knobs would tweak or bend sound to distort a song which then goes to an external source such as speakers? Also could this unit create audio reactive glitch fx since it has audio in?
It is surely possible to modify audio circuit on units like these, but since the circuit is pretty basic, the bends will probably result in some form of distortion - which can surely be cool! Regarding the audioreactivess, I'm not 100% sure because I made this video a while ago, but if I remember well it did not support audioreactiveness. The easiest way to try if it works it to use an alligator clip, poking the audio input (or output) and touching with the other end of the wire other point on the video board. If that does not work, an idea could be to build a simple envelope follower, so that the audio signal becomes a cv signal that can be routed to the vactrols ;)
Nice work
Awesome work💥
Amazing in depht video thank you so much!
You're welcome pal, happy to help!
❤❤❤❤
Thank you for this video! Amazing work and very inspiring. I'm working on bending a small device now and I was curious about how you start with the video input pin - I assume you're routing this signal to each of the potentiometers, then routing separating ICs to each pot for different effects? If that's the case, how is the video signal chained in between pots? If thats not the case, can you offer some tips on how you've wired the pots to interact with the video signal?
I simply take the video input (or output) with an alligator clip, connect it to a pot (10-100k), take another alligator clip and connect another leg of the pot to other points of the board - excluding all the pins who bring dangerous voltages. If nothing happens, I try another pin. If it works, cool, I sign that pin (there's a chance that pin will give you something else if you connect it to another good pin), if the signal drops out, I try to insert a ceramic cap in the middle. And so on so forth :)
@@pushkarbrand Thx so much for the response, makes perfect sense - to follow up, I noticed in another response you referenced that on this particular device, the pins on the ICs didn’t really produce interesting effects when wired together. So in your final wire-up, were you just routing that initial video input + an individual IC pin to each pot?
@@collinparmstrong I don't remember exactly, but in the video description there are still two links for the schematics, so it should be easy to check ;)
@@pushkarbrand found what I was looking for - thx so much!!!
genius
Wow, great stuff! I have three questions if I may:
- did you circuit bend while using the wall adapter?
- if not, how did you manage to see the effects while experimenting with connections? Would a 12v battery be safe in that case?
- is this Bremen in the video?
Keep it up man, you did a great job
1 and 2) Yes, I circuit bend while using the wall adapter, but before starting, I thoroughly explore the circuit to spot the dangerous pins, using the techniques explained in the video. I've never had any issues with this approach - indeed, I'm still alive :D. The important thing is to be 100% sure that the pins touched during the bending process, with the device powered on, do NOT carry dangerous voltages. Importantly, when I solder, I switch off the device. The device is switched on only when I'm testing the bend with alligator clips.
3)You are absolutely right! That's Bremen. I had a uni meeting there a couple of years ago and recorded some footage while I was on the tram:)
@@pushkarbrand I see! Many thanks for your valuable tips! First I wanna try to sort it out using a battery, if not I will definitely use your approach with caution! btw, I also was in Bremen in summer 2021, it's a lovely city and I could recognise it from the streets and the trams!
Thank you!!!
Ciao! Lavoro supermagnifico! Complimenti!
Domanda: che tipo di LED e fotoresistenza hai usato per il vactol?
Grazie! Non ricordo precisamente che LED ho usato, ma mi sembra fossero gialli. In ogni caso vanno bene praticamente tutti. Per la fotoresistenza stesso discorso, era una semplice fotoresistenza - probabilmente la più economica :D
super helpful video! I'm just getting into circuit bending/electronics in general and was wondering why you are using capacitors instead of resistors?
Thanks! The capacitors change the way in which a glitch is visualised, while the resistors simply lower the amount of effect. They can also be used together is series!
🔥🔥🔥
great video. thanks.
YOU THE BESTTT!!!!1
Hi! How do you avoid of beint shocked? Is it the case of simply not touching the power supply related board?
Hi! No, it's not just a question of not touching the power supply area (which is surely something to strongly keep in mond) but also of avoiding the pins and components that carry high voltages. In this video I try to cover this question within the limits of my knowledge, so in any case, be always extra-careful when dealing with wall-powered devices
Awesome video thanks so much! A few questions:
- Do you always use a resistance/pot in between the points when looking for new connections? If so, what value of resistance?
- Can you also connect safe (no GND or voltage) IC pins with other IC pins? In the end sheet you only connected ICs to their own points or to the video input.
- How do you select capacitor values? You seem to just go by trial and error, but what do high/low values do to the signal generally?
- Does the order of cap -> pot / pot -> cap matter?
- Regarding the CV input; Does the photoresistor add resistance to potmeter in the connection?
- Regarding the CV input(2); Why dont you connect the photoresistor in serial to the bend point?
Thx!
Thanks pal! So, regarding your questions:
- Yes, I always use a resistance/pot in between the points when I'm looking for new connections. I generally starts with a 50/100k, but then I make different attempts depending on how the connection reacts - if I see that it goes too far too quickly, I pick up a lower pot, if I see that does not glitch "enough" I go for a higher one.
- Yes, you can also connect IC pins with other IC pins. Simply, this device did not have any good connection between ICs.
- Exactly, I go by trial and error. There's not a general way in which the signal reacts, but often with higher values you have "wider", "more stretched" glitches, with lower values more "squeezed" glitches.
- No, it doesn't. You can put it before or after the pot, on any of the legs you are using.
- Yes, it does. It become a resistance that is controlled by the light of the led, so from the CV signal that the led is receiving.
- I'm not sure if I understood the question, but the CV input is connected in parallel to the corresponding bending point. Or, another way to read the question, I do not attach the Vactrol to the bend points because often they are distant, and/or because often there is not enough space to close the device.
@@pushkarbrand Again thanks alot, it's helping me feel very motivated to get back into bending again! Just bough a CRT and some gear to bend.
- Regarding safety: Why don't you probe the circuit with a multimeter to check for points where the power is running through? In another tutorial someone suggested to connect the multimeter with the middle leg of the transistor connected to the power section, and probing the circuit with the other leg and marking the points that you should stay away from.
- Let me rephrase my last question: I don't understand why you connect the photoresistor legs of the Vactrol to the 2 pins of the potmeter. Shouldn't you have to connect the photoresistor legs to just 1 leg of the pot, en the other photoresistor leg to the cable is going to that pot leg and the point on the PCB?
@@janhundling4647 I'm glad that this is helpful for you!
- Regarding safety, the approach you talk about it surely helpful but it does not allow you to find all the potentially dangerous points since there are some IC's that are powered up by a lower voltage - but still potentially dangerous - than are not connected to the middle leg of the transistor and that therefore cannot be detected with the multimeter. For sure with this method you can spot all the points in which you have the highest voltage on the pcb, but you cannot spot the points with lower voltage. In this sense, the best thing to do is to check the data sheet of each IC.
- Given that the point on the pbc and the pot leg are connected by a cable, it's the same connecting the leg of photoresistor to the point on the pcb, to the wire, or to the pot leg, they are all "the same" point, so it ends up being just a question on how comfortable you are with soldering here or there.
we have the same trinitron wega :) there must be a way in the service menu to get rid of the av4 / program references!
Oh yes there is, the only thing is that it looks like the option is accessible only with the original remote. I've tried with all sorts of apps but it did not work 🙃
@@pushkarbrand you mean the display key? i have the original, but i think you have to tweak the service menu, but idk which option in there.
@@caesarblanko1399 if you have the original remote you can surely do it. Other trinitrons have the same option, and if I remember well you don't have to dig in the menu too much, it should simply be a button :) in any case, if you have the original remote you can surely fix the issue
@@caesarblanko1399 Ok, I've checked. You have to press the DISPLAY button
Hi, thank you for your video! Its very helpful. I have a question.
Is it unsafe to remove the scart connectors and replace them with composite one?
Hey, thanks! It is perfectly safe to substitute the scart connector with a composite one. Just to be sure, before doing that, connect the positive and negative pins of the scart to a composite socket with alligator clips and check if it works as it should
@@pushkarbrand Thanks for the advice!
amazing video! what's your thoughts on using a continuity tester to check the chip voltages rather than looking up the data sheets?
Thanks :) using a continuity tester would surely work, but it is much more safer to find the data sheet of the chips to avoid the possibility to touching inadvertely two wrong pins during the testing process and breaking the device. However, if you do it with extra care it would surely work 💪🏽
@@pushkarbrand Perfect, makes complete sense. Thank you for the reply!
Awesome and very inspiring video, thanks! Just got a question. What if you send a negative voltage to your CV input using the vactrol? That will work or simply will ignore the negative side? Thanks again for sharing it!
Thanks pal! If you send a negative voltage they will not work since the LED reacts only to positive voltages. This implies that if you want to have a negative side you have to treat your CV signal before routing it to the vactrol (for example by adding an offset to an attenuated LFO so that it will work in the range 0-+5V with the medium value in 2.5 instead of working in the range -5/+5V with the medium value in 0)
@@pushkarbrand Awesome, thank you! I have some passive attenuaverter that I could use to have 0...5V. Normally my modulations sources are unipolar, but this question crossed my mind by watching the vactrol part. Thanks a lot once more again, I've learnt a lot from your video. Can't wait to try the vactrol tip. Cheers mate!
@@antblanc You're welcome pal :) Btw, the very same technique can be applied in the audio domain -> (almost) free VCA/LPG!
@@pushkarbrand thanks man, so cool! I've tried the vactrol on my breadboard and this works perfectly, love it! Thanks once more again. Need to try only connecting the LDR pins to any fun spots to have some fun :) you rule mate!
@@antblanc I'm very happy to help pal! Endless CV controls for free :)
What LDRs are you using? I can only get the light resistance of mine down to 2k ohms which is too much between bend points
I use the classical visible light LDRs, the small kind (just for a question of space, but the bigger ones work even better). Your LDR can emit only 2k ohms? That's weird. That could depend on the LED(s) you are using, or maybe the LDR in question is not working properly...
@@pushkarbrand it’s actually reading even higher than that. You are able to get below 500ohm on your LDRs? Thank you for the quick response btw
@@iskatearound Ok, now I understand. If you want to get a lower value you simply have to add some resistances (variable or fixed, depending on what you need) on one of the two legs of the LDR ;)
@@pushkarbrand in series? Wouldn’t that increase the equivalent resistance?
@@iskatearound yes, in series. And no, it would decrease the resistance of the LDR. You could also add a stronger resistance on the positive leg of the LED so that it emits a lower light.
How do you tell which led side is positive?
The longer leg is the positive one
@@pushkarbrandthank you!
Why you use 3 leds for the vactrol?
That's a trick that Mezkalin told me. You simply have a stronger light, so that the photoresistance reacts accordingly (the signal tend to be quite weak with just one LED).