Motorized sliders

[Synesthesis]

Hi there!
I'm looking into building my own MIDI-controller. I've done some experimenting with arduino and now I to add some motor slide potentiometer (something like these ALPS meters.
Anyone knows where to buy this? Any motorized slider is fine for now!
UK/Europe shops preferred

[justin3am]

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/ALP ... pqwg%3d%3d
They still require a minimum purchase of 45 units.

The thing about motorized faders, is they require a lot of support circuitry to drive the motor. If you don't have a lot of experience adapting circuits for this kind of purpose, you are in for great difficulty. I'm helping design a PCB for motorized faders at the moment and it is no fun.

Also... the fader you linked requires a 10v power source. Even if you use a voltage regulator to get 10v out of a USB port, you'll be drawing to much current. Alps does make motor faders that will work off of 5v but the inrush current may still be too much without using an external power supply.

[Synesthesis]

Yes I knew about the mouser offer, I think the price is okay for such a fader. But the minimum order is killing .. I just don't have the money for so many.

As for the circuitry, I'd use an external power supply .. Being an engineering student I guess I can figure the circuitry out!

I read Panasonic also has motorized faders, but can't find a place that sells them.. what faders are you using in the project you talk about ?

[justin3am]

We're using Taiwan Alpha faders. I don't think you can get them in individual quantities.
Good luck with your project.

[justin3am]

This topic from the PICaxe forum may have some useful info for you...
http://www.picaxeforum.co.uk/archive/in ... 12215.html

We're using a PIC16F for motor control and the touch sensing stuff (to stop the motor when you touch it).