AM VCI mod (DIY?)

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AM VCI mod (DIY?)
Posted on: 02.01.2009 by DJ Pablo
Since the beginning that I had the black VCI,
I was not completly satisfied with the hardware layout, in combination
with my "style" of playing.(3 decks)
When Ean made his "SE" I upgraded mine to firmware 1.3 and loved the possibilities he had created for the VCI-100.
So it kept me believeing for weeks (Breaking my head) how to mod my VCI;
First I made a layout(3 channel faders,3 filter,3 cue,3X4 arcade buttons,possibillity to ad 60mm pitch faders), on paper and tested in Traktor Pro if all knobs and buttons would work on the new assinged knobs.
Then I searched for the parts, but they are custom made by Vestax,
so I ordered potentiometers with almost the same specs,12 arcade buttons,
and 3 momentary pushbuttons 10mm (bleu led).
After I finish the hardware changes, my neighbour will design a CAD drawing
for me.Then I can go to a metal shop to let them make a whole new (Bigger) VCI casing.(27,5cm X 38cm fits still in my UDG prod.bag)
At this moment I am waiting for some parts to arrive, but I have made already some rewiring.See pics...
If the parts are soldered I first test the functionallity of all knobs and pots,
and then I will desolder and rewire the leds.
I still have not decided what eventually will be the definitive layout,
I have 2 possibillities,see pics...
Maybe someone has any suggestions to help me decide.
I will keep posting here untill the project is finished (hopefully it will).
Graham Frazier
09.06.2009
Originally Posted by weltraumpapst
when do get we see the first video with this monster in action?
Yes Yes, please i have to see it in action. 3 deck simultaneous cue juggling.

I would have to say this is the coolest thing since Ean's arcade mod.
Alessandra Dussinger
25.06.2009
masterclass!

can't wait for the video!
devozz baby
17.06.2009
impressive indeed, gj m8
Graham Frazier
09.06.2009
Originally Posted by weltraumpapst
when do get we see the first video with this monster in action?
Yes Yes, please i have to see it in action. 3 deck simultaneous cue juggling.

I would have to say this is the coolest thing since Ean's arcade mod.
Adolf Hit
09.06.2009
very cool !
robin loo
09.06.2009
when do get we see the first video with this monster in action?
Graham Frazier
09.06.2009
Brilliant... I have to admit, i wasn't sure how you were going to pull this off, but you did, and its very nice.
Bettie Miyao
09.06.2009
Wow fantastic build. Kudos to you good sir
Karl Forde
09.06.2009
Awesome....
Leota Saniuk
09.06.2009
Words cannot describe the level of awesomeness.
All I can do is scavenge your mod for some ideas on how you did the mapping. Might give me some ideas for my unmodded vci-100.
Felix Harrer
09.06.2009
Very, very impressive!

Heb je echt heel mooi gedaan zeg..
Penni Rigor
08.06.2009
WOW!! Nice.
Rolande Posso
08.06.2009
@ Anthony More




I take my hat off to you sir

well done looks really nice with the overlay on me wants one
Dj Gjaka
08.06.2009
Dude, you have created a thing of sheer beauty! You're an inspiration to us all!
robin loo
08.06.2009
this is amazing!
DJ Pablo
08.06.2009
more pics.
DJ Pablo
08.06.2009
Sorry I kept you waiting for the finished mod,
but as soon it was finished I had some gigs coming up and had to
concentrate on that.
But Finally 3 weeks ago it was finished.
The overlay fitted nicely, and the laptopsticker too...
Here are some pics..
gilbert hatem
12.05.2009
Originally Posted by mekon_ca
I have a vision

All your mods including making new plates. Why dont you extend it a little bit and add nanopad in it(it would be two usb cables from VCI), and you will have I believe 7 buttons extra(after adding 4 buttons and x-fade) so you could add new channel.




I believe its doable,but with new pcb
Thats starting to look like a Xponent. lol
Eli Hergonz
12.05.2009
Originally Posted by kilbot
one minor thing, in the image you have the decks laid out like this:
A C
B D

shouldn't it be:
A B
C D
it was just an idea. I did that picture in 30seconds.
alfredo moreira
12.05.2009
Originally Posted by mekon_ca



one minor thing, in the image you have the decks laid out like this:
A C
B D

shouldn't it be:
A B
C D
Eli Hergonz
12.05.2009
I have a vision

All your mods including making new plates. Why dont you extend it a little bit and add nanopad in it(it would be two usb cables from VCI), and you will have I believe 7 buttons extra(after adding 4 buttons and x-fade) so you could add new channel.




I believe its doable,but with new pcb
Rolande Posso
30.04.2009
yeah to the OP


good job man !!!

for real
Dawn Van
24.04.2009
I can't believe this is the first time I've come accross this!
Superb Job Anthony! Can't wait to see the final product.
robin loo
24.04.2009
Originally Posted by Anthony More
The overlay design is at the print/sticker shop, and will be ready in 2 weeks.
I also designed a laptopsticker for my mac, and will be ready at the same time.
amazing work.. are you planing on doing a video with your mod in action?

could you post a pic of the sticker.. i'm too curious
Myriam Goulart
24.04.2009
new to the community s and this is the first thread a came across . absolutely amazed by your bravery in ripping apart a vci100 as well as your skills in adding the third channel .
DJ Pablo
23.04.2009
The overlay design is at the print/sticker shop, and will be ready in 2 weeks.
I also designed a laptopsticker for my mac, and will be ready at the same time.
DJ Pablo
23.04.2009
Originally Posted by V-Hoff
Congrats! Looks like you really love what you are doing! Keep in that way!
Why don't you try to give some classes on modding controllers?
Some live exercises, a practical course...
Talk with Ean, ask for marketing and sponsorship. Maybe you two can give some classes together
This is good for your carrer and good for our controlerist community!
I'm in the Netherlands,so It would not be so practical with all people here
from allover the globe..
But a nice thought
Irwin Ney
03.04.2009
Congrats! Looks like you really love what you are doing! Keep in that way!
Why don't you try to give some classes on modding controllers?
Some live exercises, a practical course...
Talk with Ean, ask for marketing and sponsorship. Maybe you two can give some classes together
This is good for your carrer and good for our controlerist community!
Nick Ross
02.04.2009
badass
DJ Pablo
31.03.2009
I only have to do some mapping in tsi,
and overlay design is 98% ready.
What do you believe?
I add my TSI, so you can have a look.
You must have FW 1.3.
It can be confusing how everything is re-assigned
But I'll try to explain with the last DJTT TSI as comparison.
FX2 B (note G#7)= monitor cue A
The four pots in the middle =gain,hi,mid,low.(I have center detents)
the keylock A=drop B
the keylock B=cue B
The monitor cue A=sync B
The monitor cue B=play B
crosfader =volume C
in the fx section;
chained= monitor cue B
advanced=monitor cue C
the 3 performance pots =filter A,B,C (with center detents)

You can only load,preview,seek with jog in browser mode.
DeckABC act like shift buttons for loop and beatjump control.
Have fun?!

still unable to load a bigger picture of overlay.
edit;Here a link to the picture;
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/8292/amvcimod.png
Leota Saniuk
30.03.2009
Originally Posted by Anthony More
The level of difficulty depends on your creative skills.
First you have to desolder the Led.Look here, A nice tutorial how to
desolder;
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/164/7

If you do it carefully, you can save the desoldered Led for another use,
but I recommend to place new Leds.(50% of my Leds broke during desoldering).The white ones are fragile.Also take care not to damage the circuit board when pulling out the old leds!

After that you stick in the new Led and solder the connections.
Pay attention to place the Kathode and Anode the right way otherwise it
will not light up.
http://www.theledlight.com/ledcircuits.html

I Used 2 kinds of leds:
A bright white 3mm to lighten up the arcade pushbuttons;
http://www.led1.de/shop/product_info...97d56e2bea40c0
(These were less white than the original white vestax leds)
See the picture. The middle 2 arcade buttons have the original vestax leds.
(I have changed this already in my mod)

And a diffuse blue Led 3mm to lighten up my arcade pushbuttons.
You may use these also to replace the red ones,(A bright bleu led is to
bright to look in to;
http://www.led1.de/shop/product_info...97d56e2bea40c0
I wonder if Ean is going to pick up on your concept for the lid arcade buttons?!?
Paul Davison
27.03.2009
It's looking very very good. Can't wait to see the finished product. *thumbs up
DJ Pablo
27.03.2009
Today I picked up the back housing of my vci from the metal shop.
Looks cool in stainless steel 1mm.
Drilled some holes and tapped wire m3.put everything together.
Now I have a whole piece of 'vci-mod'.
I only have to make the backside plate longer to fill the gaps.
I made a test overlay of paper, but needs still some finetuning.
Anyway, I'm in the final stage of my mod
Dj aziz mastouri
23.03.2009
Ya know, it's a good thing your you. Cuz if you was'nt you then you would be somebody else. If you were somebody else then you wouldnt be you! That lovely piece of coolness you got goin on there, would have been atempted by someone other than the Mad Scientist we see before us today!! And more than likely they would full on screw it up!!

Thanks for being you man
Dj aziz mastouri
23.03.2009
:eek:.................dude!
DJ Pablo
15.03.2009
Still making Tsi file based on 1.7
This is the layout. still trying to get things working
MadMan Ajms
08.03.2009
looks awesome..maybe Vestax will do one 3/4 decker like this one day..
DJ Pablo
08.03.2009
Looks like a design center overhere!
This is time consuming job, but fun to do.
I have a first impression of the overlay I'm making.
Still I'm not sure about assignment of several knobs.
I must test some things first in TSI, to make sure it's gonna work like
I wish.
I can't seem to make the picture bigger.
I wanted to ad an pdf file also, but its too big.
DJ Pablo
07.03.2009
Originally Posted by claudek
cool..hmm, maybe worth just selling this silver and paying the diff, for a black..
Seems to be a lot of leds to change.
Saves a lot of time!(money)
MadMan Ajms
08.03.2009
cool..hmm, maybe worth just selling this silver and paying the diff, for a black..
Seems to be a lot of leds to change.

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