Redesigned Panel / Ideas Needed

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c0nsumer
 
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Redesigned Panel / Ideas Needed

Post by c0nsumer »

Hey everyone... Over the past few days I've been working on designing a new control panel overlay for the x0xb0x kit I'm waiting for.

Thus far I've come up with this design. It's basically the original panel with knob position indicators, port indicator arrows, waveforms, a basic keyboard†, and slightly changed mode/bank indicator lines (squared ends). In that image magenta represents through holes and the light grey circles are where the edges of the knobs are.

As part of this, I'm making an Adobe Illustrator (CS) file which is hopefully designed so that others can easily modify it to make their own panel. This, along with my original design, will be made available for everyone to use as they choose -- probably within the next week or so.

My goal with this Illustrator file is to make it something that anyone can print off and use, or easily modify to make a panel of their design.

Currently I am hoping to make the following changes, as soon as I figure out how I want them:
  • - Somehow reworking the labeling of the buttons on the bottom half of the panel.
    - Switching all text and labeling to white, and either having dark image or solid black background. The keyboard will have to be adjusted for this to look right, though.
    - Possibly switching to a different font, but I'm not sure of this yet.
    - Possibly removing the horizontal line from the middle and somehow incorporating a visual divider into the beat LEDs. Maybe dividing them by measure...
So, if I may ask, what ideas do the rest of you have for an updated panel?

-Steve


† Keyboard is originally based on the panel file which BijouBittersolie designed for x0x #026, but redrawn in vectors and sized slightly differently.
Last edited by c0nsumer on Wed Mar 01, 2006 11:08 am, edited 2 times in total.

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altitude
 
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Post by altitude »

I would split the 16 leds by quarter note but get a quote and some firm pricing, die cut stickers like that will not be cheap. if its reasonable, i'm in

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c0nsumer
 
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Post by c0nsumer »

Image

Okay, I've got some more info... First off, here is an image of my redesigned panel (600dpi version here). Granted, that's just a beta version of it, but it's pretty much what I want. Provided there are no alignment problems when I receive my actual panel, that's what I'm hoping to get printed.

If you would like to print off a copy for yourself as a test, a printable 600dpi copy of the panel is here. That one there has all the stuff (knobs, LEDs, switches, etc) removed, no border, is a full 8.5" x 11" image, and has small marks which align with the center of each round through hole.

Now, I've been doing some research into having these professionally printed, and I would like to go with BANNED Label, having the labels printed on the back side of clear, textured Lexan. I've received samples of these, and they are extremely high quality tough plastic labels, the kind one would find on the surface of any commercially manufactured synth. These are ideal, and the only problem with this is the cost. I've priced this out three ways so you all can see what these will run.

The first is to simply print the label at the size of the panel with all 81 through holes die cut. Costs are as follows:
  • 1 - $103.74 ($103.74/ea)
    5 - $201.53 ($40.31/ea)
    10 - $323.75 ($32.38/ea)
    20 - $568.20 ($28.41/ea)
Second method is to have the 41 through holes for the switches and knobs cut, and the LEDs left clear. Then one would have to mount the LEDs a bit deeper in the panel and they will shine through the clear window-like space. There will still be clear adhesive on the back side of each LED space, though.
  • 1 - $97.74 ($97.74/ea)
    5 - $171.52 ($34.30/ea)
    10 - $263.75 ($26.38/ea)
    20 - $448.20 ($22.41/ea)
The third method is the same as the second, except there will be no adhesive applied to the 40 LED windows. This adds a good bit to the cost, but would be the ideal way of adding windows.
  • 1 - $127.74 ($127.74/ea)
    5 - $321.52 ($64.30/ea)
    10 - $563.75 ($56.38/ea)
    20 - $1048.20 ($52.41/ea)
Also, there is one other method for printing of the labels which I have found. That is, there is a company called ClassicArcadeGrafix Inc. who prints control panel overlays for arcade games. These panel overlays could be printed via ClassicArcadeGrafix for $35/ea in single piece quantities. While I have not seen the materials used here myself, they claim to be pretty good. The FAQ states "Control Panels are made using a special textured polycarbonate that has the same look and feel of most original panels. We produce control panels for many major cabinet builders and arcade game companies."

So, I will personally probably give ClassicArcadeGrafix a go for some one-off printing, unless people are interested in some sort of bulk purchase from BANNED Labels.

Additionally, ClassicArcadeGrafix's price of $35 is good for a single sheet up to 18x29, so one could realistically get two front and rear panels printed for this price.

So, yeah. Sorry, that was a bit rambling, but that's what I've been working on. As soon as I get my x0xb0x kit I'll compare my overlay design to the actual panel to ensure that it lines up perfectly. If it does, or once I fix my design, I'll post the Adobe Illustrator file for everyone to use. It is both my design, a few other overlays that I've come across, and a bunch of random markup, groups, and layers which would be useful for designing your own panel from scratch.

-Steve

UPDATE: Most of the links in this broke as I shuffled things. Sorry. Check this thread for more info.
Last edited by c0nsumer on Wed Mar 01, 2006 11:10 am, edited 2 times in total.

cheesy
 
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Post by cheesy »

Wow, very nice work. I would probably be interested, however I have a couple concerns:

1) If at some later point I wanted to remove the sticker would it damage the aluminum panel and original printed stuff?

2) I'm not too fond of the logo, could you either leave it off or lets come up with something everyone likes?

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c0nsumer
 
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Post by c0nsumer »

cheesy wrote:Wow, very nice work.
Thank you. I'm real happy with it... It gave me something to do and a reason to learn to use Illustrator, too.
I would probably be interested, however I have a couple concerns:

1) If at some later point I wanted to remove the sticker would it damage the aluminum panel and original printed stuff?
Possibly, although I'm not completely sure. I still haven't seen an x0xb0x panel in person, so I haven't been able to see how the original printing is done. I'm hoping mine will show up within the next couple of days, then I'll be able to say. As of right now I think you'd be able to peel it off and then remove the adhesive with some solvent, but I don't know what such action will do to the original printing.
2) I'm not too fond of the logo, could you either leave it off or lets come up with something everyone likes?
Right now I'm leaning towards not having them printed in quantity, so everyone would have to order them for themselves. I get the feeling that ClassicArcadeGrafix's work will be plenty good, though, so everyone can probably just order from there.

To remove the logo you'll have to simply take the Illustrator file, delete the 'Logo' layer, and the logo won't be there. Then you can replace it with whatever you'd like, or just leave it blank, then send it off for printing. Once I've got a final size for everything, though, I can export a PNG without the logo for you, if you'd like.

-Steve

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c0nsumer
 
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11!

Post by c0nsumer »

Oh, I forgot to mention...

The volume knob goes to 11!

justmcg
 
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Post by justmcg »

One note, in the new firmware User Mode A is now midi sync edit or something. Maybe you should put that on the label?

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c0nsumer
 
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Post by c0nsumer »

justmcg wrote:One note, in the new firmware User Mode A is now midi sync edit or something. Maybe you should put that on the label?
Oh, thanks... I didn't know that. Not having my kit yet I haven't gone digging into the firmware yet...

I'll go poke around and look into that.

Thanks!

-Steve

cheesy
 
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Post by cheesy »

It would be great if we could get even 5 people to go in on it...I wouldn't be willing to pay $100+ but I might be more willing to pay $35-40. It seems like much of the cost is a fixed set up thing.

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c0nsumer
 
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Post by c0nsumer »

cheesy wrote:It would be great if we could get even 5 people to go in on it...I wouldn't be willing to pay $100+ but I might be more willing to pay $35-40. It seems like much of the cost is a fixed set up thing.
I've been thinking twice about my original statement of not having them printed... I'll likely order 10 as soon as I can confirm that they will work and that I'm happy with the design. Then I'll re-sell them for cost + shipping and such...

Perhaps we should start taking roll of who wants one? The design will likely be VERY similar to what you see above.

-Steve

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c0nsumer
 
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Post by c0nsumer »

Hmm, looks like I just got the per-piece cost down to ~US$22 (in a run of 10) by opting for LexSaver over 2mil gloss white polyester as detailed here: http://www.BANNED.com/control.html

The surface will feel the same as the back-printed Lexan labels quoted earlier, but the underlaying stuffs are a bit thinner. Not being used as an industrial control panel and only needing to adhere to a nice, flat piece of aluminum, this should work out great.

Time to redraw the starburst-ish sets of lines for the function/mode and bank dials then start moving the whole lot into a BANNED Labels template.

UPDATE: Scratch that, I can only get $22 if I don't print any white on there and rely on the white polyester background to give the white color. Since I don't want to risk any bleed-through, I'm going to go with white printing too, which brings the total up to around $24/label before any extra costs.

stevenclements
 
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yes please

Post by stevenclements »

I've not gotten a kit yet... I'm on the waitlist and hope to get a call soon for this run.

I'd be interesting in one of these as well... and would prefer it without any logo if possible

cheers
Steve

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c0nsumer
 
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Re: yes please

Post by c0nsumer »

stevenclements wrote:I've not gotten a kit yet... I'm on the waitlist and hope to get a call soon for this run.

I'd be interesting in one of these as well... and would prefer it without any logo if possible

cheers
Steve
I'll see what I can do... I'm actually waiting for a sample of their slightly cheaper printing method, as detailed above. If it looks good, I'll work up a final panel and get some ordered. Thus far I'll probably get a run of 5, or maybe 10...

I would like a logo of some sort to fill that space, though, and I rather like the all-seeing eye. (It also fits nicely with a lot of the 303-using bands through out the 80s and 90s.)

Perhaps some people around here might have an idea for something else? It has to look professional, though, and if someone is drawing something, it has to be vector based...

-Steve

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altitude
 
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Post by altitude »

I tracked down the orginal TB-303 font so I'll have something for ya tonight

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c0nsumer
 
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Post by c0nsumer »

Altitude wrote:I tracked down the orginal TB-303 font so I'll have something for ya tonight
Ah, thanks. That'll be nifty to see... Mail the font if you would, too.

I'm not so sure I want to go with a 303-clone panel, though. I find it too busy, and the layout of the buttons is different enough that it'll be difficult to capture the whole feel.

But, that's just my ideas...

-Steve

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