Hello-

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this question, but here
goes.

I am putting together a stereo cabinet and I would like to mount the
control panel for the receiver (buttons, knobs etc.) in a location that
is slightly separated from where the receiver case itself would sit.
Here are my questions:

-Is this possible? My thought is that the control panel probably has
wires running to electronics in the case of the receiver. If I could
just extend those wires, then I could mount the panel elsewhere on the
cabinet.

-Is there any recommended type/brand/model of receiver that would make
this particularly easy to do? I haven't chosen the receiver I will
use yet. I have pretty limited requirements feature-wise (radio, cd
input, aux input, A/B speaker channels), so if there is a new or
old-ish receiver I should consider please let me know.

I appreciate any help,
afinpdx

"afinpdx" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello-

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this question, but here
goes.

I am putting together a stereo cabinet and I would like to mount the
control panel for the receiver (buttons, knobs etc.) in a location that
is slightly separated from where the receiver case itself would sit.
Here are my questions:

-Is this possible? My thought is that the control panel probably has
wires running to electronics in the case of the receiver. If I could
just extend those wires, then I could mount the panel elsewhere on the
cabinet.

-Is there any recommended type/brand/model of receiver that would make
this particularly easy to do? I haven't chosen the receiver I will
use yet. I have pretty limited requirements feature-wise (radio, cd
input, aux input, A/B speaker channels), so if there is a new or
old-ish receiver I should consider please let me know.

I appreciate any help,
afinpdx


Unless this is for some kind of art or furniture project, it would be so
much simpler to just use an IR remote receiver or, if the entire unit is to
be hidden, extend the unit's IR receiving module.

If you simply must have visible control knobs, read on.

It's easy enough to relocate controls, but you need to be aware that some
problems can arise in doing so -- induced noise, for one.

Use shielded cable, especially on longer runs. You *could* try twisted pair
configurations, but you *could* also be sorry you wasted your time. You
will want to add shielding to the new panel if it isn't metal. You may also
need to add extra shielding to the pot casings, depending on the design of
the original pots, where the new location is and what the controls are moved
near.

If panel shielding is required, heavy aluminum foil will suffice. Use one
large sheet of foil running the length of the panel and, if need be, pinch
up enough extra for each pot so that you can wrap the entire pot casing. To
ground the new panel, simply bolt on a ground wire ring terminal and run it
to a proper receiver chassis ground. The secondary panel (required to hide
the pot nuts) will hide the ground bolt head as well.
If you need to wrap the pots with the foil, remember to first cover the
outside surfaces of the solder terminals with a strip of rubber electrical
tape. The adhesive on vinyl tape tends to turn gelatinous over time and it
can leave behind a real gooey mess when/if you need to rework the terminals.
Rubber tape is thicker, conforms well to the terminals and comes off
cleanly, even decades later. You could use rubber caulk, but it can be much
more of a hassle to remove.


Good luck,
Ray

Thanks Ray for that complete response.

It is a furniture/art project and as such the buttons/knobs serve a
couple functions. They make the critical controls accessible and they
provide some visually interesting mechanical parts (since all the
components will be behind nice wood doors.

I have no problem using an IR remote, but most of the remotes I see
nowadays have massive grids of tiny rubber buttons. Are there any
receivers you can recommend that have a remote with more intersting
controls (ie. limited sets of buttons and knobs)?

afinpdx

"Ray L. Volts" wrote in message
news:vyexf.35408$v84.15529@trnddc06...

"afinpdx" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello-

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this question, but here
goes.

I am putting together a stereo cabinet and I would like to mount the
control panel for the receiver (buttons, knobs etc.) in a location that
is slightly separated from where the receiver case itself would sit.
Here are my questions:

-Is this possible? My thought is that the control panel probably has
wires running to electronics in the case of the receiver. If I could
just extend those wires, then I could mount the panel elsewhere on the
cabinet.

-Is there any recommended type/brand/model of receiver that would make
this particularly easy to do? I haven't chosen the receiver I will
use yet. I have pretty limited requirements feature-wise (radio, cd
input, aux input, A/B speaker channels), so if there is a new or
old-ish receiver I should consider please let me know.

I appreciate any help,
afinpdx


Unless this is for some kind of art or furniture project, it would be so
much simpler to just use an IR remote receiver or, if the entire unit is
to be hidden, extend the unit's IR receiving module.

If you simply must have visible control knobs, read on.

It's easy enough to relocate controls, but you need to be aware that some
problems can arise in doing so -- induced noise, for one.

Use shielded cable, especially on longer runs. You *could* try twisted
pair configurations, but you *could* also be sorry you wasted your time.
You will want to add shielding to the new panel if it isn't metal. You
may also need to add extra shielding to the pot casings, depending on the
design of the original pots, where the new location is and what the
controls are moved near.

If panel shielding is required, heavy aluminum foil will suffice. Use one
large sheet of foil running the length of the panel and, if need be, pinch
up enough extra for each pot so that you can wrap the entire pot casing.
To ground the new panel, simply bolt on a ground wire ring terminal and
run it to a proper receiver chassis ground. The secondary panel (required
to hide the pot nuts) will hide the ground bolt head as well.
If you need to wrap the pots with the foil, remember to first cover the
outside surfaces of the solder terminals with a strip of rubber electrical
tape. The adhesive on vinyl tape tends to turn gelatinous over time and
it can leave behind a real gooey mess when/if you need to rework the
terminals. Rubber tape is thicker, conforms well to the terminals and
comes off cleanly, even decades later. You could use rubber caulk, but it
can be much more of a hassle to remove.


Good luck,
Ray


That's all very nice, except that most modern audio equipment makes the
connections between the front panel and main panel, using one or more
flexiprints, which are in no way ' easily ' extendable. Volume controls are
for the most part, no longer pots, instead being rotary encoders,
controlling ' electronic pot ' ICs, via the system control micro. Likewise
for tone control, tuning, source switching etc.

In order to do what you want to, and about the only practical way is along
the lines that Ray suggests, is to find an old piece of kit that would lend
itself to being modded in that way. I think that you will struggle to do it
to a modern item.

Arfa

"afinpdx" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks Ray for that complete response.

It is a furniture/art project and as such the buttons/knobs serve a
couple functions. They make the critical controls accessible and they
provide some visually interesting mechanical parts (since all the
components will be behind nice wood doors.

I have no problem using an IR remote, but most of the remotes I see
nowadays have massive grids of tiny rubber buttons. Are there any
receivers you can recommend that have a remote with more intersting
controls (ie. limited sets of buttons and knobs)?


Sorry, no. The intent in remote design is to make them as lightweight,
simple (mechanically), inexpensive and unobtrusive (i.e., thin) as
practicable while at the same time giving the user plenty of control over
the various functions.
Some VCR remotes, particularly editors, have "jog/shuttle" rotary controls,
but even they are pretty flat.
You could build your own unique remote using rotary momentary switches to
mimic the action of the original remote's pushbuttons. You could mount
whatever knobs you wanted onto the switch shafts to get just the right look.
Of course, to recreate all the control of the original would require a
rather large remote box with tons of knobs, but it's doable -- not what I'd
consider reasonable, but doable.

"Arfa Daily" wrote in message
...


snippage..

That's all very nice, except that most modern audio equipment makes the
connections between the front panel and main panel, using one or more
flexiprints, which are in no way ' easily ' extendable.

It's not all that difficult, if you don't mind doing loads of tight solder
work. Desolder the original socket, wire up an appropriate length of cable
from receiver board to socket, plug relocated control board into socket and
away you go. Granted, surface-mount sockets are a lot trickier to deal
with, but still can be done by a skilled solderer (solderist?).

To the OP:
Your chances of getting acceptable results soldering directly to flex traces
are virtually nil, as the iron will destroy the traces and vinyl backing.
They must, therefore, be plugged into matching sockets. I've heard tales of
limited success with low-liquidus-point silver solder made for surface-mount
work, but I haven't bothered trying that approach, so I can't say from
personal experience whether it's viable.

Volume controls are for the most part, no longer pots, instead being
rotary encoders, controlling ' electronic pot ' ICs, via the system
control micro. Likewise for tone control, tuning, source switching etc.


They're totally cool, too. A major annoyance of older analog pots is
dirty/scratchy wiper contacts. I hate having to open up the things to clean
'em. The car stereo gang pots are the worst.

Ray L. Volts wrote:
"afinpdx" wrote in message
oups.com...

Thanks Ray for that complete response.

It is a furniture/art project and as such the buttons/knobs serve a
couple functions. They make the critical controls accessible and they
provide some visually interesting mechanical parts (since all the
components will be behind nice wood doors.

I have no problem using an IR remote, but most of the remotes I see
nowadays have massive grids of tiny rubber buttons. Are there any
receivers you can recommend that have a remote with more intersting
controls (ie. limited sets of buttons and knobs)?



Sorry, no. The intent in remote design is to make them as lightweight,
simple (mechanically), inexpensive and unobtrusive (i.e., thin) as
practicable while at the same time giving the user plenty of control over
the various functions.
Some VCR remotes, particularly editors, have "jog/shuttle" rotary controls,
but even they are pretty flat.
You could build your own unique remote using rotary momentary switches to
mimic the action of the original remote's pushbuttons. You could mount
whatever knobs you wanted onto the switch shafts to get just the right look.
Of course, to recreate all the control of the original would require a
rather large remote box with tons of knobs, but it's doable -- not what I'd
consider reasonable, but doable.


This is no longer true. Aftermarket remotes are available with
programmable touch screens...very clean designs with few actual
'buttons'. Instead, the user can program the lcd screen to contain as
few or as many controls as desired--up to the limit of the device being
controled's capability for remote operation--and page through various
screens, if desired, to control the rest.

As an expample:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A46R8U/qid=1137083754/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-2827474-8756805?n=507846&s=electronics&v=glance

I would think something like this (The above is just the 1st example to
come up on Google for 'lcd remote'. There are many, many others
available...including software for Palm and other computer devices.) to
be the OP's best solution in terms of control He may yet have other
ideas as to the aesthetics of the project...with respect to a melding of
high tech/low tech look and feel.

One thing which would be lacking in the above scenario would be visual
indication of the controlled devices current state...ie a frequency
indicator for the receiver, or channel number for the TV.

jak

"jakdedert" wrote in message
.. .

snip

Ray L. Volts wrote:
You could build your own unique remote using rotary momentary switches to
mimic the action of the original remote's pushbuttons. You could mount
whatever knobs you wanted onto the switch shafts to get just the right
look.
Of course, to recreate all the control of the original would require a
rather large remote box with tons of knobs, but it's doable -- not what
I'd consider reasonable, but doable.


This is no longer true. Aftermarket remotes are available with
programmable touch screens...very clean designs with few actual 'buttons'.
Instead, the user can program the lcd screen to contain as few or as many
controls as desired--up to the limit of the device being controled's
capability for remote operation--and page through various screens, if
desired, to control the rest.

It seemed as if he was going for an old tech look with knobs. Perhaps I
misconstrued his design philosophy for the project. Those configurable
touchscreen remotes are cool, to be sure, and the price has come way down on
them.

One thing which would be lacking in the above scenario would be visual
indication of the controlled devices current state...ie a frequency
indicator for the receiver, or channel number for the TV.

Good point. I suppose he could use mirrors, with the topmost/outermost one
being a spring-loaded, flip-up with veneer backing to match the cabinet's
grain when retracted. Release that upper mirror and voila, you have a
display. Or he could mount the display board somewhere in the new control
panel for direct viewing and use appropriate rotary controls for changing
tuner presets, etc.
This thing will have a peculiar, though possibly appealing, look to it. I'd
like to see pics of it when it's finished.