Re: Looper development and production costs?

[Matthias Grob <matthias@grob.org>]

wow, what a thread... there was a lot going under this title and we 
went far in the design discussion. A lot of very good things have 
been said, no need to go deeper into disagreements... a newcomer to 
the list must think we are crazy LOOKERS.

But I find it challenging to design an industrial electronic unit 
with joint forces of the users comunity, I doubt this ever occured 
before! And there is a chance that it influences the design of a 
possible new model.
Me too, I am crazy to see a professional proposual now.

I would like to share the thoughts that lead to how it started:

The arrangement of the elements is important but we are not free, 
since the elements are given in number and, more or less, in size and 
functional order.

I mentioned the ergonomic problem that the finger that presses the 
button covers the LED that gives the visual feedback for the action.

Related to it: For my taste, the black buttons on top disturb the 
visual balance.
Designers: Am I wrong that the unit would have a much more stable 
look with the buttons at the lower end?
There was a mechanical reason for it, so to change it involves new 
PCB design or even mechanical concept. The horizontal main PCB was at 
the level where the buttons should be on the lower end (to leave 
enough space for the parameter descriptions).
For the LOOP delay, I solved this problem by inverting the whole 
mechanics, so the opening lid is the bottom really, and the main PCB 
"hangs" in the unit. So you see to what extent i was worried about 
the look! I also had the help of PARADIS partner and guitar designer 
Rolf Spuler.
Many techs that saw this inversion thought I was crazy and G-WIZ 
immediately changed it without notice...
But does it really matter for the few ocasions when a unit is opened, 
whether it lies upside down on the desk? Most tube amps are mounted 
upside down, too!
And there may be another solution...

Another detail is the diagonal arrangement of the Parameter LEDs. Its 
a nice way to bring a different movement into the all rectangular 
arangement. But its alone. The only other inclination is the display, 
but the angle is different and in the other direction.
Maybe the buttons could be somewhat inclined, too?
Also, it does not make sense to me, that the first parameter row is 
the lowest (once the "base" of the buttons is on top) and that you 
step through the parameter LEDs from left to right.

As I imagine the new model, it will need another button and another 
row of parameters, so there is even less space for design.
The equidistant buttons of the same colour are not instantely 
identifyable. 6 of them is easy, because the eye divides in two 
groups of 3, but 7 gets worse. Maybe 8 are better again, but I would 
love to bring some kind of separation between them. Its hard to group 
the functions, though, there are not really realated ones.
Since the INSERT button gained more functions, it should have a 
different name that indicates this "multiple function" or 
"programability".

Probably those are all just details and dont make it look "cool"...
-- 


          ---> http://Matthias.Grob.org