Build Your Own Clone Message Board

I didn't pull the trigger (ha, no pun intended) on the populated boards that were for sale, but I did get the info on it. Apparently the thread at DIY got pulled (cease and diciest) I managed to get the layout that WAS up, and I got the freestompbox info (CJ)...any of you eagle boys wanna get these boards manufactured? I have layouts for the Decimator and the G-String. (And a schemo, too)

_________________
Everyone likes sausage. Nobody wants to see how it's made.

Im interested in boards if this ever gets started, which Im sure it will!

I get pretty strong EMI noise when I play at the church due to all the dimmers and funky old electrical whatnot (dead silent at home tho :-/ ) that seems mainly due to my Tele's unshielded single coils. Would something like the Decimator help?

for sure. one knob and you dial in the point at which the signal cuts off...you can set it for very quick response, or....

None of the eagle boys wanna step up to the plate on this?

_________________
Everyone likes sausage. Nobody wants to see how it's made.

The reason I'm not interested is because ISP actually has legitimate intellectual property on this one (a patent). It's very rare for that to be the case with a pedal, but this is one of those times.

_________________
==||==
Function f(x)
TightCamera - Gear Reviews

That explains a few things. Should've jumped on one of those populated boards

_________________
Everyone likes sausage. Nobody wants to see how it's made.

I have one populated and one unpopulated board laying around. Both etched. Shoot me a PM jeff if you are interested in one, I don't foresee needing two. They are larger then those populated boards the other day.

_________________
If practice makes perfect, and nobody is perfect, then why practice?

It hurts me to say this.. but.. follow me on facebook and.. instagram

IIRC, Sax as made a 1590A layout of that before... maybe he would be willing to share it and peeps could order their own board from OSHPark.

_________________

[IANAL] but i dont think you can patent or copyright a circuit... you can copyright the PCB design, the schematic, you can trademark the color of the production pedal, you can trademark and patent the physical pedal itself, but provided it doesnt include any DSP programming, the circuit can be cloned without any repercussions.

feel free to correct me if im wrong though.

http://www.muzique.com/copyright.htm


Edit: the "downward expander Time Vector Processing" is apparently what is special about this. i suppose that is why its patented (pending).

_________________
The tone is in my hands?!
Email: nick@buildyourownclone.com

But how is that "downward expander Time Vector Processing" implemented? Is that what one of the ICs does? Is it a custom IC that us DIYers can't source? Based on other people building these, that doesn't appear to be the case. I don't see how an arrangement of resistors, caps and ICs could be patentable, but then our patent system is pretty dreadful so you never can tell.

_________________

Circuits can be patented if they can be shown to be innovative in nature. Since everything uses the same building blocks, that can be challenging, but it does happen. Apparently, the patent examiner felt this was the case with ISP (for at least one of their products) and they have a pending patent. I haven't read over the actual patents, however.

It just uses an COTS (commercial off the shelf) THAT part.

Most circuits are an arrangement of resistors, caps and ICs. Like cooking in the kitchen, it's all about how the ingredients go together and what they are trying to do.

But I agree about the patent system; it certainly has a bunch of gaping holes.

yeah. but once it becomes common practice long enough, the patent can be invalidated.

_________________
The tone is in my hands?!
Email: nick@buildyourownclone.com

i cant find the damn patents to read them.

_________________
The tone is in my hands?!
Email: nick@buildyourownclone.com

I did make a true bypass layout but, after consulting with a lawyer friend, ditched the project. The patent exists and, as mentioned, ISP is actively defending it. But yeah, feel free to PM me if you're stuck.

_________________

If the company stops to protect their exclusivity in use of the said patent. If that does'nt happen, the common practice won't happen either.

_________________

That is almost exactly what I was about to type. Common use does not invalidate a patent, only when there is a history of not protecting it. Things can be commonly used and patent protected, there are often just royalties involved.

That's why they have to defend the Decimator patents in order to keep their claim.

Until they expire and become prior art, of course.

Sure, but only if the patent holder stops making attempts to enforce infringements. That is not the case with ISP, a company that has shown a vigorous defense of their IP.

I haven't personally read all the patent documents, but I've seen enough that I'm not interesting in becoming a lightning rod legal test case. YMMV, of course. And honestly, you don't need to have done anything illegal, infringing, or even just plain "wrong" to be on the business end of a civil suit.

_________________
==||==
Function f(x)
TightCamera - Gear Reviews