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( my patchbay style control boxes here ) 

The  Joybox1  is an external controler I built from a resistor restitution box.

The main action is at the joystick and the three blue momentary switches.

The idea was to make it configurable to use in various bent devices. I wanted the most options with the least amount of hardware.

The resistor restitution box had 2 twelve position rotary switches, one I replaced with the joystick.

The parallel printerport has 25 pins, 12 wires go to the rotary, 12 go to the 3 ivory dpdt pushbuttons.  

One connection goes to both middle lugs of the joystick.

So 24 wires + one joystick out point fills the 25 connections of the port.

The joybox1 in use:

With the blue switches 3 points can be joined.

Each momentary pushbutton can choose from four options by two associated switches, one toggle and one ivoy push.   

Each momentary forms a tree structure from 1 into 2 into 4.  The three of them switch to a common wire I'll call the "momentary buss" .

Close-up of the analog joystick. As seen on the joystick I had 3-position miniature switches to connect 3 options at each outer lug. I had to remove most of these due to superglue seeping to the inside or legs breaking off.

The Joystick's middle lugs are joined to form the "joystick buss" .  The 4 outer lugs are the inputs. The inputs are faded to the joystick buss. 

One input is wired  to 3 options through a surviving miniature switch, one has 12 options from the rotary out (later added toggle on top makes this superfluous), two have 4 options from a middle lug of a spdt at the switch assembly.

The toggles on top connect the rotary out to the momentary buss and to the joystick buss.

Conclusion

Though connections were made in a fairly random manner this controler can be preset in usable configurations. The less reliable connections are easily remembered and avoided.

The joystick's pots are 150 K, high enough for the bends to be "off" in the mid position.

I feel the rotary is somewhat underused.

An extra printerport can take in other controler boxes. The thick printercable fitted the cable connector I used, but is too stiff (or too short).

Just the same it's a usable, fast and enjoyable device that deserves improving upon.

Parts used: a resistor substitution box an analog joystick from http://www.bent-tronics.com/, three dpdt switches (salvaged from a hifi) , three spst switches, three momentary pushbuttons, parallel (printer) port connector, half a printer cable, some perfboard.

Click here to hear the joybox in action.

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