Clock counter

Count clock pulse. Can be used as clock divider.
Module has two modes: independent and chainable.

  • independent mode: module self-resetting after 10 step ends
  • chainable mode: module reach last step and stops counting without any output

urack_modules-Clock counter.drawio
Image of the latest released version of the module. This is not the final product, development is in progress.

By default, it counts to 10
You can connect output N+1 to Reset input to create counter/divider by N.
For example, connect output #5 to Reset cause counting to 4.
urack_modules-Clock counter_4.drawio

In chainable mode you can connect two or more counters in chain to get more than 10 steps:
urack_modules-Clock counter_chain.drawio

Known issues

  • no mode switch — module is always in independent mode
  • update board layout is needed

Ah interesting don’t know why i kept seeing clock counter i kept thinking nice a clock divider! :rofl: never actually played with a counter as a module on its own i believe but look forward to seeing what i can do with it. P.s. hope to get a clock divider module in the future possibly with some unique features or both even and odd time divisions :crossed_fingers:

You can use counter as divider, just put a clock to the input and get output clock from first clock output.
Then, you can connect N+1 step output to the reset input and get the divider by N.

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Ah thats interesting. Not sure i 100% follow but its definitely something im going to try work out.

Would be great to a demonstration of this in some of the teaching/learning material planned for this campaign.

Everyone teaches you the fun modules like oscillators and filters etc but hardly anyone teaches you about the “boring” utility modules. Even less people teach you about alternative uses for modules especially if they’re alternative uses for the “boring” utility modules :rofl: and they’re some of the modules that can do the most fun things when you dig a little deeper!

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Wow! What a great look on the topic! Thanks for sharing.

Yes, we are actually recording our Kits in action right now to publish videos at campaign page and forum because many people asked for actually. So, wait a bit for updates.

Great to have you on board! :slight_smile:

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Ah, so that’s what the per-note inputs of the stylus keyboard module are for. :slight_smile:

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I didn’t even know the stylus keyboard had those! Lots of fun can be had with those im thinking

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Yep, you can join it together and get the sequencer :slight_smile:

Great!
Now I’m trying to figure out a way to cascade them so that we get a sequencer with more than 10 steps…
If there is a 4017 underneath, could you please make the layout so that the ENABLE-pin is accessible to someone with a sharp knife and a soldering iron? :slight_smile:

That’s exactly how it works!

We have RESET and END pins together with CLOCK IN/OUT pins aligned on the sides of modules to be chained together indefinitely :slight_smile:

I am wondering, how the same note can be triggered twice in one sequence?

From what I see, you can connect one step to one stylus keyboard input, and that seems like you can use note only once.

I would use diodes to wire several clock counter outputs to one keyboard input. That way the outputs can not work against each other (and create a short circuit), but the important signal gets through.

You just can connect one of the output step to clock input of the next counter.

image
About enable, do you mean pin 13, clock inhibit? We can add 0-ohm jumper between ground to hack this feature.

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We followed the same approach and added diodes, but even with Schottky diodes, there’s still a voltage drop, so the outputs of the counter don’t provide exactly 5 volts, which negatively affects the tuning. I plan to add emitter follower in the next version.

Clock counter outputs has open emitter topology, so you can join multiple outputs together using breadboard!

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Couldn’t you include buffers (74xx17 or so) at the inputs of the stylus keyboard? That way the keyboard would be responsible for its own tuning, regardless of any crummy logic levels at the input.
Improvising logic gates with diodes and resistors is fun (and useful in the hobby context), but it results in voltages that are good enough for logic but not good enough for analog.

That would give me (for example) one module stepping through eighth notes, the next one counting bars, and the next one counting verses. That’s useful, but not what I wanted.
Perhaps the proper word would be chaining: using two clock counter modules to build one bigger clock counter, so I could build a 16-step sequencer.
I’m still in the brainstorming phase, but I can’t think of a way to accomplish this without using the extra input (pin 13, yes).

A jumper would not be necessary. Just don’t hide the trace under the chip, please.

Good idea, I will think about it!

oh, I got it!

Check updated description, we will add independent/chainable switch to make daisy chaining available.