Hardcore Eks XP5 modding

[thugsucker]

Hi!

XP5 is a midicontroller with built in audio interface by a company named Eks. It's bigger brother is propably known to you all -Otus. But anyway, this post is about XP5's. Here's a picture:


So I've bought two used Eks XP5 midi controllers pretty cheap (130€), but i'm not completely satisfied with them. They have a great responsive jogwheel, but it's way too small and the buttons are way too stiff. One day i opened one of the XP5's and realised that they're pretty simple inside. There are little switches for midi buttons so i was thinking could i replace the original shitty buttons with arcade buttons. So now i'm asking is it a hard job to rewire the new buttons? Of course the arcade buttons wouldn't fit the original plastic case, so i would have to build a new one. In that case it would be stupid not to mod the jog wheels also. I was inspired by DJ dAb's (?) vinyl CDR XP10's so i was thinking about modding them to the next level with 7" vinyl records. I'm alright with soldering, but nothing special, but because of my work i have access to a lot of handy tools.

There's a lot of options for the new layout, because one XP5 has 22 buttons, 1 fader and a jogwheel. I was thinking about building a layout that would have 4 buttons under the platter and 4 over, so it could be used what ever way around.

What do you guys think?

[MiL0]

I'm thinking of doing almost exactly the same thing!

What I didn't get about dAb's mod is how he managed to keep the touch sensitivity working after replacing the jog wheels.

Regarding the arcade buttons... my plan is to simply ditch the XP5 buttons completely. I'm looking at building a midi controller of my own (using a midi fighter brain or similar). The idea would be to build a case with arcade buttons, mixer, etc that allows two XP5's to sit inside flush with the rest of the case.

[BentoSan]

electrical conductive paint ?

[TABS]

Rip it open, then post the pics, and I will tell you how to wire it up.

Make sure you have a multimeter though. I got a cheapo $5 one, but it works. you just need to find the pos and neg leads.

While your at it post up a sketch of the type of casing you are looking for. I can whip something up in CAD in about 15 mins.

[MiL0]

electrical conductive paint ?

ah right - so basically the touch sensitive surface acts as a shift function? so if you press the touch sensor and turn the jog wheel it transmits different midi data than just turning the jog wheel by itself?

in that case it shouldn't be too difficult to mod a 7" vinyl record, provided you can get some of that paint and wire it up properly...

[thugsucker]

I'll open one up and post pictures from inside. I didn't realise i need a multimeter, but that's not a problem, i have it at work. Never used one though.

One idea came in my mind since there are 22 buttons in one controller, i could put there a joystick aswell. How do they work? I mean the arcade ones. Are they just 8 way buttons? I would of course just use 4 ways.

The ultimate kick ass idea would be of course to fit a 2 channel mixer there also to make two XP5's and a mixer to all in one midi controller with audio interface inside. Hooking XP5s to mixer and routing them through a usb hub to a computer. That way it could be used as a mixer and a controller. But first i want to figure out to make one or two very good tabletop scratch capable midi controllers.

And can anyone recommend me online shops for my parts? I live in Europe. This one i know that has joysticks and buttons with reasonable prices (don't know about the shipping costs though).

[Archies'bald]

Most of the joysticks that people use here are analogue. You can pick them up really cheap from places like Sparkfun. here.

The problem you would have is that most of the buttons will be digital, so an analogue joystick may be difficult to install.


*edit. I've used Gremlin Solutions for arcade buttons and they seemed really helpful.

[charo]

so if you press the touch sensor and turn the jog wheel it transmits different midi data than just turning the jog wheel by itself?

in that case it shouldn't be too difficult to mod a 7" vinyl record, provided you can get some of that paint and wire it up properly...

correct

i have an eks xp-5. will be watching this thread with interest.

[Archies'bald]

Why do I read this forum? I now have an XP10 lying in bits, but if we can make some kind of Midifighter type of arrangement with a jog wheel and pitch fader, then I assume most people would be interested?

The one thing I can't figure out is how to remove the jog wheel from the plastic case. I've disconnected the cables from the back of the sensor and I'm left with just the casing, but I'm unable to remove the jog wheel.

Another slight problem is the 4 pins on the switches. It's a little late so I'm not getting the soldering iron out, but I assume there is some sort of resistor/diode going across the switches?

Hmm. How do I put this thing back together?

[Archies'bald]

I'm sorry if I seem to be hijacking this thread, but if you are looking at putting in a MAME joystick, I found this on Ebay. It seems to be the smallest and cheapest around.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

If I am rambling on a bit, just tell me to shut up. I won't be offended too much.