Hi everyone, hope you’re doing well 🙂

I just finished to build my Pepper and before connecting it to Bela I wanted to ask some questions:

  1. When I followed the building guide (https://github.com/BelaPlatform/bela-pepper/wiki/Current-Build-Guide) and the interactive BOM (https://github.com/BelaPlatform/bela-pepper/wiki/Current-Build-Guide), I found some differences between both and I wanted to check if I didn’t make wrong choices :
    • R39 and R40 who was marked as (750 Ohm) on the interactive BOM and (680 Ohm) on the current building guide. I decided to use (680 Ohm) only for all the resistors going from R36 - R43 (as advised on the curent building guide).
    • Diode D1 (1N4148) on the i-BOM wasn’t the same as on CBG (1N4500 or equivalent), I chose to follow the i-BOM with the (1N4148). I was a little confused because on the Mouser list there was the 1N4501-G rectifier, and at the end I didn’t have to use it. On the CBG photo the D1 looked like a rectifier and not a diode, should I replace the 1N4148 diode with the 1N4501-G rectifier ?
    • The model of the Zener diode ont i-BOM was marked as (1N4001) who normally is not a Zener (so I used the 10V Zener on the Mouser list).
  1. In order to add the 4-pin female socket header to the line output to the Bela cape (J9) [step 24 on the CBG], do I have to take of the cape. I know the question sound stupid but the both plates are very strongly connected together. I tried to pull a little bit but there is no way to take them apart. Maybe can I put the 4-pin female socket on Bela cape without soldering it ?
  1. Once I will attach Bela with Pepper, do you think I could take apart easily in the way to use Bela without Pepper ? I will need to connect/disconnect Bela from Pepper multiple times, and I thought that maybe it would be better to use cables that I could connect or disconnect easily (something like Dupont male to female wires, I found on internet 6x2 Dupont connectors that could be grate for that). What’s your thoughts about this idea, do you think I will have interference, impedance, noise problems ? Do you have some suggestions for the type of cables/connectors that I could try with, maybe some more isolated cables … (I think my wires won’t exceed 10cm).

  1. And a last question about the configuration of the Pepper Board with the jumpers (https://github.com/BelaPlatform/bela-pepper/wiki/Configuring-the-board)

    I’m not sure I understood well the point about the customisation of inputs, if I don’t put any jumper on the pins the Pepper will be in the « default configuration Â», or I have to use jumpers in order to decide between digital or analog (on the 4pin) ? What’s the purpose of the 2 « analog Â» pins located on the side of the A/D 4 pins ?

Thank you very much, and really sorry for a soo long question.

    iuls In order to add the 4-pin female socket header to the line output to the Bela cape (J9) [step 24 on the CBG], do I have to take off the cape.

    yes

    I know the question sound stupid but the both plates are very strongly connected together. I tried to pull a little bit but there is no way to take them apart.

    With a flathead screwdriver and a bit of care, you'll get there. See this video

    be very soft in your movements, do not bend pins.

    Maybe can I put the 4-pin female socket on Bela cape without soldering it ?
    No.

    iuls Once I will attach Bela with Pepper, do you think I could take apart easily in the way to use Bela without Pepper ?

    yes I think so. You can use a similar technique to the one in the video above.

    iuls What’s your thoughts about this idea, do you think I will have interference, impedance, noise problems ?

    It should work, because there are no high speed digital signals going between the two. Noise performance may be slightly degraded, but I am not sure it's going to be perceivable. The main issue is that you'll then need to somehow secure the Bela to the case so that it doesn't rattle around. You surely don't want it to touch other modules as it could get damaged mechanically and/or electrically.

    iuls if I don’t put any jumper on the pins the Pepper will be in the « default configuration Â»

    no. Without jumpers neither analog nor digital inputs will work for that input channel.

    iuls What’s the purpose of the 2 « analog Â» pins located on the side of the A/D 4 pins ?

    You need two jumpers per each channel . If they are placed in on the "ANALOG" pins (this is the default behaviour, as shown in the last picture of the build guide), the input jack will work as an analog input. If they are placed on the "DIGITAL" pins, the input jack will work as a digital input.

    iuls some differences between both and I wanted to check if I didn’t make wrong choices :

    this is for @bela_robert.

                Thank you very much for all the clarifications and suggestions ! 🙂
                I manage to remove the cape, and at the end it wasn't so hard ... I think I will place pepper directly on Bela.

                I also wanted to ask if there is any ressources about implementing the Device and Host socket on the front panel that came with Pepper PCB. Is there any pins on Pepper where I could collect Device and Host signal in the way to solder it to both sockets ? (is there something related with the I2C pins ?)

                I'll wait for @bela_robert opinion about the components before trying it.

                Hi iuls, great to hear you're making progress with Bela.

                Regarding R39 and R40, thanks for pointing this out. I have updated the ibom to show 680 ohms.

                Diode D1 can be 1N4500, 1N5400 or 1N4148. All will do the job.

                Similarly for the diode marked as Zener, 1N4001 will work as will the true Zener in the Mouser list.

                The device and host breakout panel is for people who want to make the 2 USB ports on Bela accessible on the front panel of the modular. Whether or not this is possible will depend on the amount of space you have around the rails in your case. It can be a bit tight to fit into the very skinny cases. There is some additional info on the type of USB breakouts we have used in the past here although the right angle USB cables are not the easiest to track down: https://github.com/BelaPlatform/bela-pepper/wiki/Bill-of-Materials#usb-breakout

                The I2C connection is available on the back of Pepper. For inspiration of the kind things this makes possible check out custom module we build with the Trill touch sensors:https://blog.bela.io/trill-modular-eurorack/

                Thank's a lot for all the infos and ideas, it helped me a lot !
                I'll definitely explore Trill sensors too ! 🙂