I have recently been aware of some interest expressed for a timecode
display at a more reasonable price than those available on the market.
I have designed a MIDI timecode display that consists of two PC boards.
The MIDI I/O board is an 8051-based circuit that provides MIDI IN, THRU,
and OUT and 26 bits of I/O that may be used any way you can dream of
and program. Four of these bits provide Serial Pperipheral Interface
(SPI) communications with an eight-character display board that uses a
Maxim MAX7219 display controller and Ligitek LSD5051-10 displays. Check
out a photo and preliminary manuals at http://www.gv.net/~mkesti/MTCdisplay

The PC boards were fabricated by Express PCB and designed using their free
software. I am willing to share the PCB design files, 8051 source code
(with a freeware assembler), and related documentation with any interested
parties. One problem many people have with these kinds of projects is
programming the 8751. I am willing to provide programmed parts at cost.

The prototype in the photo cost me about $200 to build, including the
populated boards, interconnecting cable, and wall wart power supply.
Purchasing enough parts for 10 kits brings this down to about $105 and
for 100 kits it drops to about $45. (Most of the difference in cost is
in the PCB's.) I am willing to provide such kits, again at cost.
Purchasers would need to assemble the boards and provide packaging as
desired. The actual cost would, as indicated, depend on the number of
interested parties.

I would also be willing to provide assembled and tested systems for cost
plus $100. Purchasers would still need to provide their own packaging.

I'll offer the programmed parts regardless of the interest level, but
will only offer kits and assembled systems if I get 10 or more requests.
I doubt that I'll get 100 requests, so the final price would be between
$50 and $100 for unassembled kits and between $150 and $200 for assembled
systems.

So, do I have any takers? To put a time limit on these offers, I'll
collect requests until the end of this month (January, 2004), then
decide whether to proceed. Questions regarding the design are probably
appropriate to this newsgroup, but it would be best to express your
purchase interest by email. Finally, please don't tell me you're
interested unless your interest is genuine and you're prepared to go
through with a purchase.

Thanks!

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Michael Kesti | "And like, one and one don't make
| two, one and one make one."
| - The Who, Bargain