News:

Forum may be experiencing issues.

Main Menu

Noob question: Wired remote footswitch using TRS cable

Started by intrentnet7, August 07, 2017, 11:45:51 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

intrentnet7

I've got little to no space on my pedalboard and I am building a type of stereo ABY switch. What I'd like to do is mount the main components in a 1590B enclosure under the pedal board and use a TRS cable (doesn't have to be TRS but that's how I am assuming it'll work) to connect remotely to the footswitch housed in a 1590LB enclosure on top of the pedalboard.

Is it possible? if so, how?

I'd like the 1590LB enclosure to also house a LED so I know which setting I am on and I believe by using TRS I wouldn't need power running to the 1590LB if its connected to the 1590B below. I wouldn't mind running 9v to the 1590LB but less mess up top would be preferred. While a stereo ABY switch could be completely passive and require no power at all, I still would like the LED indication if it doesn't add too much complexity.

Aleph Null

Using a TRS cable gives you only three possible connections you can make (tip to sleeve, tip to ground, sleeve to ground). That's not enough to manage the four connections you'd need to make (in addition to grounding) for a stereo ABY. It may be possible to use a TRS switch to control an ABY, but the ABY will almost certainly rely on some sort of relay switching scheme.

You could manage a mono A/B (no Y) switch with a TRS cable, but it doesn't sound like that's what you're looking to do.

intrentnet7

Quote from: Aleph Null on August 08, 2017, 03:21:43 PM
Using a TRS cable gives you only three possible connections you can make (tip to sleeve, tip to ground, sleeve to ground). That's not enough to manage the four connections you'd need to make (in addition to grounding) for a stereo ABY. It may be possible to use a TRS switch to control an ABY, but the ABY will almost certainly rely on some sort of relay switching scheme.

You could manage a mono A/B (no Y) switch with a TRS cable, but it doesn't sound like that's what you're looking to do.

Actually that does help cause the way you explained it I realize its not actually ABY that I'm looking for it is technically more of an AB. So basically it's going to be setup like this;
Position 1: input A (wet) to output A. Input B (dry) to output B.
Position 2: inputs A & B to both outputs A & B (dual mono)

So really the footswitch just needs to switch from position 1 to position 2 and vice versa.

Aleph Null

I still think you'll need an active circuit to buffer the combined inputs, but....

If you connect the A->B output to the tip and the B->A output to ring, you could use a DPDT switch to ground them out (to the sleeve). That would leave A->A and B->B. With the DPDT in the other position (open), you'll get A&B->A,B. You'd have to ground the signal in between buffer stages to prevent grounding everything (a total of four buffers) or again use some sort of relay.

The best option for combining signals will probably be a combination of buffers and relays anyway...maybe ditch one of your fuzz pedals or that third delay to make room on your board?

intrentnet7

Ditch a 3rd delay? Eliminate a fuzz? surely you jest.  ;D
There are products out there that already do what I want and are passive, just none of them are very small nor do they use a foot switch to toggle between mono/stereo. The Rapco Horizon Stereoline for one. the NADY DB-2. I believe the Radial Engineering JDI Duplex is another, although that has about a billion more functions than what I need.
I was debating just rehousing a Rapco Horizon Stereoline and eliminating the low impedance XLR outputs and then figuring out if I can somehow make this remote footswitch to replace the stereo/mono rocker switch. That might be easier than trying to build this from scratch.
Maybe it's far more complex than I originally thought. The Wet/Dry signals are simply thru signals but then I would need to stereo sum and then split again in order to make dual mono. But if it's too much effort for what its worth I may just mount the Stereoline under the board and call it good. Switching might be a little inconvenient but that's life.  :-\

AntKnee

Would it not be simpler to just get a bigger pedalboard?  ::)
I build, and once in a while I might sell, pedals as "Vertigo Effects".

intrentnet7

Quote from: AntKnee on August 11, 2017, 03:54:22 AM
Would it not be simpler to just get a bigger pedalboard?  ::)

Yes. Yes it would. Ha ha. But where is the challenge in that? I gotta cram as much as I can onto the one I got.  :D