Catalinbread Spin Fv-1 delays (Belle Epoch, Echorec, Adineko)

[focusbob]

After learning that many popular Catalinbread echo pedals (Belle epoch, Echorec, Adineko?) are likely Spin Fv-1 based, and that pedalpcb offers a bunch of Spin Fv-1 based EQD projects, I'm wondering why pedalpcb doesn't offer Spin Fv-1 based Catalinbread projects? I would love several!

 

[zgrav]

Ideally one "generic" fv-1 pedal can use different programs to represent multiple pedals from different companies. The programming for the FV-1 is the biggest factor.

 

[Fama]

After learning that many popular Catalinbread echo pedals (Belle epoch, Echorec, Adineko?) are likely Spin Fv-1 based, and that pedalpcb offers a bunch of Spin Fv-1 based EQD projects, I'm wondering why pedalpcb doesn't offer Spin Fv-1 based Catalinbread projects? I would love several!

AFAIK the issue with FV-1 projects is that you can't just copy the code that is running on the FV-1, that is copyrighted. So the EQD alternatives on this site are something Robert programmed by hand that sound close enough (or could be identical, I don't know, but the point is they have been programmed from scratch).

Depending on what is being done in FV-1, it might be easier or harder, depending on the pedal.

I think Robert stopped doing more FV-1 pedals at one point due to chip shortage, I don't know if that's remedied enough to no longer be a factor or not?

 

[Cybercow]

Copyright issues aside, copying the code from an EEPROM is really quite easy. The hard part is determining the actual schematic of the specific effect pedal. The SpinSemi FV-1 is a rather versatile chip in that it can be hardwired for more variations than what is demonstrated in the datasheet. (Directly feeding one output into the other input, using a variable clock instead of a fixed crystal, and so forth.) So simply copying the code from an EEPROM may not always work without first tracing the entire circuit to ensure the FV-1 external routing will work with any given patch/code.

 

[Robert]

Catalinbread typically has a bit more going on in front of the FV-1 than most of the others out there. Where a majority of the circuits are just a simple buffer feeding the FV-1, Catalinbread has a little preamp circuit they like to use. I've seen it in a few of them but never took the time to trace it.

So the EQD alternatives on this site are something Robert programmed by hand that sound close enough (or could be identical, I don't know, but the point is they have been programmed from scratch).

Correct, with the exception of the Leprechaun. That one uses one of the internal FV-1 programs so the algorithm is identical to the original.

I think Robert stopped doing more FV-1 pedals at one point due to chip shortage, I don't know if that's remedied enough to no longer be a factor or not?

Yep, I have a couple new things in the works right now.

 

[passtheducky]

Ripping the code from a pedal still in production is a bit too close to bootlegging for my tastes. But if Catlin retires these I could maybe see an argument for why people might want to build one.