NEW PRODUCT: Taptation Tap Tempo controller

[aron]

>There isn't anything you can do. If you start talking about it people will get upset. I couldn't find any help. Everyone points fingers at each other and then blame the chips.
I bought bunches of PT2399s from several batches and none helped.




OK and from personal messages:


>Well here is something VERY interesting, I got a batch of PT2399s from a trade, the fellow said he bought them from Tayda. Another batch of PT2399s from China. I also just received a new batch from Tayda. ]The new batch from Tayda are slightly physically different. The cutout for orientation of the chips is much deeper and longer. But the major difference is that the first one worked fine!....


So far all of this batch is working as well as could be expected with rounding off and tolerances. They are all a little bit fast but not enough to render them unusable.


Yes this good batch of chips from Tayda have a deeper and longer end/direction marker than ANY other chips I have.They also look newer and cleaner. 

[aron]

>I couldn't find any help.


Can you please post all the things that I tried to do to help you? The above statement implies that you received no help whatsoever. Please post the various ways in which people tried to help you. You also said that the PT2399 made no difference, please also post the message that you sent me saying that a different batch did make a difference.

[aron]

chuckd666,


These are the ones (PT2399) that you want:


"So far all of this batch is working as well as could be expected with rounding off and tolerances. They are all a little bit fast but not enough to render them unusable.Yes this good batch of chips from Tayda have a deeper and longer end/direction marker than ANY other chips I have.They also look newer and cleaner.  "

[aron]

I'm sorry guys but after thinking about this, Blearyeyes is no longer a contributing member of this forum. He has 34 posts all of which reference the taptation and nothing else. I have tried to help him and AFAIK this was over in April 13 of last year. I don't have time to rehash this entire episode which was resolved last year.


There was even a video created for him that shows that the chip/board works:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqCTLlRQCKI&feature=youtu.be

[chuckd666]

Hey Aron, another 5 PT2399s from Tayda and still no go. Looks like I'm gonna have to scope it or something/get someone smarter than me to help check it over.

[chuckd666]

One more symptom I have noticed - I have VERY wonky/high modulation at full depth. I noticed on a Youtube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLQ5TQFIKP0) of a correctly working Hamlet+ that their modulation is a lot more subtle. Could this have something to do with my issues perhaps??

[Jdansti]

Chuck- you might want to consider making one of these quick and dirty delays for testing PT2399 chips.  http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2012/03/ersatz-verben-psuedo-reverb-by.html. I made one and mounted it on the outside of the enclosure using standoffs for easy access to the chip socket.  I used trimmers placed inside the enclosure instead of pots. I've tested the last 10 chips from Tayda with it and they all work. It's a quick way to see if the chip echoes.

[chuckd666]

Hey JDansti, thanks for the tip!

My issue isn't that the PT2399s aren't working, just that the delay is quite noticeably faster than the tap.

I've tried multiple sources of chips including digipots and pt2399s, not sure what to try next. Aron said that Tayda PT2399s would be ok, but it isn't working either.

This is the schem and other information http://jmkpcbs.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Hamlet+.pdf

If you can see anything obviously out of whack in this pic lemme know. Thanks guys.

[chuckd666]

Well I'm still at a loss haha. I have tried this with multiple PT2399s and MCP41100s and different circuits and pots etc and the delay time is consistently faster.

I laid out the taptation circuit on perf just today and I could hear the tick which was perfectly in time with my tap, but the delay was still faster than the tap. Is that any sort of clue as to what the culprit would be?

[chuckd666]

IN OTHER NEWS I ended up getting a SMD digipot (it was cheaper) from a Chinese source and put it in... same result... then changed the PT2399 for another and... SUCCESS. The moral of the story is 'never give up'. Cheers everyone

[Boba7]

Hi,

Just a quick question about the Taptation.

Is it possible to use a 100KA for the time pot? (log instead of lin)
And in case I wanted a 50k only time pot, I know I can simulate it by connecting the double time input to ground, but in that case I'll get 1/8 when I tap 1/4, right?

Thanks a lot!

[chuckd666]

You can use a log pot instead, but it'll be difficult to set as the sweep will be wrong.

Not sure about the second part, I suppose you could use a 50k pot, but it'd not be as versatile if just using the time pot. Also I'm not sure if the double time/division capabilities would work if using the pot, as the digipot will take over after a couple of taps. Hm.

[Boba7]

Thanks for the answer chuck!

Maybe you're right about the sweep.

I dont want to use a 50k pot as I'm not sure it's possible with the taptation, but I've read that by doubling the time (double time input to ground) it's possible to simulate a 50k pot. However I'm now wondering how the tap would act. I believe the tempo should be twice as fast as what I tap. Could anyone confirm?

[Jdansti]

Thanks for the answer chuck!

Maybe you're right about the sweep.

I dont want to use a 50k pot as I'm not sure it's possible with the taptation, but I've read that by doubling the time (double time input to ground) it's possible to simulate a 50k pot. However I'm now wondering how the tap would act. I believe the tempo should be twice as fast as what I tap. Could anyone confirm?

I don't have a direct answer, but pots are cheap, so try several and see what works best. The ones that fail the test can be used in other pedals. 

[Boba7]

Yeah you're right and I have a few 50kB and 100kA so Ill just give them a try!

[jpadua]

Hi guys! Super new here and my first post. I'm looking for a way to do a tap tempo for FV1 spin chip, I know the taptation chip was made for the PT2399, but can it work as well on an FV-1? Just thought maybe since there is a digital pot, it could be wired on to pot0 pin of the FV1 to control delay time through the tap tempo functions of the taptation. 

EDIT:
Just to add, can the Taptation chip, as well as the digital pot MCP41100 work with 3.3v? (just to match the voltage of the FV1 at 3.3v) or will it have some adverse effects on the time delay clock produced by the Taptation?

Thanks again!

Jay

[pinkjimiphoton]

hey Aron
i got my chips in a week or two ago, sorry i haven't posted yet.

this shit works fine, absolutely perfect here with zero problems.

i suspect the "noticeably faster than tapped" issue is a problem with the range switch wiring, or a bad timing cap.

depending on where the switch is set, you get dead on time to the tap, faster, or dotted eighth. at least here.

ok.. that said. i built it  in with a guitarpcb.com d'lay board, and their tap tempo board that goes with it.
everything went together easy as pie. as soon as i fired it up the taptation chipset worked perfectly.

but... son of a bitch... i couldn't get ANY delay whatsoever. (i'd also hacked in the "tails" mod for the 2399 chip.... in this case, the led caused problems, so i just used a dpdt and wired the indicator led to one side of it. with the led i couldn't get the bypass to work. i tried a bunch of jfets, and finally once i took the led out, no problem...)

i tried the predictable pile of chips. nothing was working. going crazy.
noticed that if i messed with the circuit i heard repeats... but could get no signal in.

i finally figured out that the layout i had found online for tails had been done incorrectly, and was missing the blocking cap off pin one of the input chip... duh.

re-did the layout to the actual schematic from andrew on a 7x8 piece of vero, and it fired right up.
i tried the chips that wouldn't work. every single one fired up.

so i revisited some earlier builds and discovered on the ones that weren't working, there was a problem with that cap going open. as soon as i replaced it, bang, fired right up.

dunno if this is relevant or helpful, but figured i'd post.

there's almost always a solution.

pt2399's are a pain in the ass!! but when they don't work, its usually something stupid. start with your audio probe and odds are you'll find it quickly.

peace

[Rockitdog]

Hey Aron.

I noticed that the Taptation chipset is no longer available from the website. 

http://diystompboxes.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=20&zenid=084809cf34fb7bcc2d9dd3a40a7ee608

Has it been discontinued? Will there be chips available at some point?

Thanks