LDRama

Designed from suggestions by Alex Brunori: play a video (or a call, or whatever is newest) fullscreen on a phone and lay the phone on the LDR array; the module generates CVs from what happens in the video. It suits a typical 5x2 inch screen; larger screens work fine, though some of their edges are lost. Ideally the module sits flat; on an angle, patch cords in the top row of jacks hold the phone up very nicely. The LEVEL pot sets the range: tweak it so the LEDs turn on and off but are not at full brightness all the time. An external signal patched into CV IN, such as a sequencer's CV, is processed through the LDRs instead. The outputs are taken from each set of four LDRs, A1 to B6, and from the top half of the screen, the bottom half, the left half, the right half, the left third, the centre third, the right third and everything, each output's part of the screen pictured beside it. Its maker notes the idea is not entirely new: the Journal of Experimental Music suggested gluing LDRs to TV screens back in the 70s.

Key features

• 48 GL12528 LDRs in a 4 x 12 grid, under the phone's screen
• Twelve outputs A1 to B6, one per set of four LDRs, each lighting its label from behind
• Eight outputs from halves and thirds of the screen and from all of it, each pictured on the panel
• LEVEL pot setting the range; CV IN to process an external signal through the LDRs
• 28 HP; Nonlinearcircuits publishes no current draw, depth or assembled price (it sells the DIY PCB and panel), and ModularGrid lists none