Renaissance Controller

elogical4now wrote:Damn shame, what he did to that REN.

In retrospect I kind of feel the same way but can't replace how much I've learned about it through dissecting it

Well...it is suprising given what this thing has been through...but it's running....USB powered MPC Renaissance.

Though the limits of practicality have been pushed here and I definitely miss the near zero latency of the MPC sound card.... This is great info for anyone looking to do some DIY work with the Renaissance main board.

Any questions feel free to hit me up.









How to: Only one part is required...a 5v to 3.3v converter. I found this one that I'm testing now (a couple other ones couldn't put out enough juice for all the LED's) http://www.ebay.com/itm/380653433594?ss ... 1439.l2649

There are 2 wire harnesses coming off of the Renaissance main PCB, one for power and the other for USB.

The first harness (Red, Green, White, Black, Black) contains 4 lines and a shield wire; as does a USB cable. Connect a USB cable to this harness matching the wires.
+5v
Ground,
Data+
Data-
Shield


The second harness (all Black) contains 5 lines:
+3.3v
+3.3v
Ground
Ground
+5v

First connect the 2 Ground lines to the Ground line on the USB Cable, then connect the +5v line to the +5v on the USB cable.

Now wire the 5v-3.3v converter. It has a one pair or power and ground for input and one pair for output. Wire the +5v Input line on the converter to the +5v line on USB cable. Wire the 3.3v Output line on the converter to the two 3.3v lines. Connect both the input and output Grounds to the Ground line on the USB cable.

Happy hunting!

Any chance you got a part # off the LCD? I'm looking to possibly swap it out at some point and want to try to source some different colored LCDs that I could swap in. With a part number I could get a data sheet and start hunting.

the actual LCD is soldered to a breakout board... here's some pics of the Pin-outs listed on the back.

looks like you used a sawsall on the Q link board holmes! geez. next time dissect a thousand dollar bill. id be interested in seeing that tore to s/h/i/t too

This is kind of sick - and Im not using the fashionable parlance of our times...

mQueue wrote:the actual LCD is soldered to a breakout board... here's some pics of the Pin-outs listed on the back.

Thanks! I can probably get it figured out with this

pk1 wrote:looks like you used a sawsall on the Q link board holmes! geez. next time dissect a thousand dollar bill. id be interested in seeing that tore to s/h/i/t too

lol cutting the q link out of the plastic frame was a little too ambitious...

mQueue wrote:

pk1 wrote:looks like you used a sawsall on the Q link board holmes! geez. next time dissect a thousand dollar bill. id be interested in seeing that tore to s/h/i/t too

lol cutting the q link out of the plastic frame was a little too ambitious...

You could always try a clear or translucent custom square piece of plastic as a replacement, a sort of permanent window into the guts of the Ren. Just holes for the pots and the LEDs would shine through. Much simpler than trying to make all of the LED holes.