Display with holes

Other Hardware Displays
1

Hi,

I am trying to build a Midi Controller similar to:

  • the ElectraOne (my favorite)
  • the MPMidiController
  • the Stream Deck+

in the sense that I want multiple generic rotary encoders to work along with a display.

The "best" way in term of user experience would be to have the encoders put directly ON the screen.

I didn't find any example of that, so my guess is that it's currently not possible (or just mega expensive), but do you have any idea of how to achieve this ?

The base idea would be a display with holes just big enough to let encoder knobs through. That would be amazing. Have you seen anything like this ?

I've been thinking about potential alternatives:

1 - having all the encoders in front of the display (instead of behind, so we don't have to drew holes into the display) which leads to much more screen loss around the actual know, and also a much bigger height between the knobs and the display. It's probably what I'm going for, but it's not ideal at all.

2 - split the display into several displays smaller displays - it makes things more complicated but then I don't have that big "height" between the knobs and the displays, everything can be aligned. Just like the StreamDeck+ for instance. In that case, do you know any wide/ultra wide displays that would do the job ? The idea is to have 2 or maybe 3 lines of let's say 10 encoders, each of them below a wide display. I'm also thinking that one line (10 encoders + 1 wide screen) could be a controller of its own, with some chaining capabilities.

3 - use some sort of projection technique instead of a screen, but that's not very usable in my experience

4 - use some sort of object detection technique instead of actual encoders, but it may be hard in not controlled conditions with a lot of occlusion coming from the fingers (but that would be quite elegant though)

5 - I've thought about VR too, but it's out of scope here

Any idea ?

Thanks !

2

Such LCD displays can be constructed.

3

Align magnets on both sides of display - front magnets serving as knobs, rear magnets connected to some sensor and fixed so they can only rotate.

Or use a touch screen and code something like the circular touch thingy on the ipods.

4

How ? Have you seen anything like this somewhere ? Thanks!

5

I like both solutions, thanks ! The magnet is very elegant. Have you seen anything like this somewhere ?

6

About 40 years ago, and right now: search for "DIY LCD".

7

Not really, just remembered some guy on YT stirring chemical solutions using magnets...
And i have seen the Hollow Clock 4 recently, lol

Also, got my first magnetic USB cables few days ago...

Random assotiations about magnets, hehe

1 Like
8

One more thing, if you decide to go with magnets.
I think the most precise control would be if the rear magnet is connected only to the axis holding it in place, so it can rotate as freely as possible.
You can draw binary codes along its circumference and read them with a strip of few photo sensors (LED+photo transistor pairs, etc.) without touching it.

9

That makes me think... What about doing this but with front encoders ? Each encoder would just be a piece that rotates with binary codes along its circumference. And we would read those codes from the sides. We would have to adjust the layout of the encoders to prevent occlusion but do you think that may work ?

10

It could work, but then the sensors will have to be on the front as well.
Unless you put the code on the bottom and read it through the display...

11

Yes, the sensors would be on the front, but on the side of the display, quite far from each encoder.

12

For that distance you may need some good focusing, or huge codes.
If you can do it without bulky optics - go for it :slight_smile:

13

thanks ! I have a couple of old lidar sensors at home that could potentially scan the whole display - I'm thinking that I could make specific shapes for the encoder so that a program can track their movement, even with some occlusion. Didn't think about this before. Thank you!

14

Make sure to post a few pictures when you build it :slight_smile:

15

There are some very cool magnetic sensors AS5147P | ams which might be sensitive enough to see the magnet through a thin display.

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