How to sound like a Cylon (not what you think!)

Tips, tricks, inside secrets, help, sources, items used on making the Cylon Centurion suit to wear. Tell us your story, how you came about collecting your parts to a Centurion, or if you own a complete Centurion costume.
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Cylon-Knight
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Re: How to sound like a Cylon (not what you think!)

Post by Cylon-Knight » Thu Jul 14, 2016 8:49 am

:frack: :grin:
lol

I already change the winged lizard litter box! *sigh* Sweeping too will be fine, I guess.
...At least I don't eat jelly-beans - loosing them in the Pyramid game will be okay. ;)


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FLIGHTLDR SERPENTINE
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Re: How to sound like a Cylon (not what you think!)

Post by FLIGHTLDR SERPENTINE » Thu Jul 14, 2016 6:28 pm

wow. cool. I'm planning to get one too, in the next couple of months. :cylongold:
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Silver-Cylon
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Re: How to sound like a Cylon (not what you think!)

Post by Silver-Cylon » Tue Jul 26, 2016 9:52 am

Cylon-Knight wrote:@Sabre6 - I just got one. With Bishop's help I should be walking and talking soon!
My power pack is on order, trying to figure out what type of mic to use too. What plans do you have for your setup?
Hi Cylon knight,
Been a bit behind with my build due to work and family stuff, but i managed to pick up my VT3 today, i see you say you ordered a power pack, i have had a look and i see that it could be powered Via USB but does anyone know what sort of amp/voltage i would need to power the unit? i don't want to fry it first go as this is new territory for me so i would rather ask than damage the unit.

seen lot of reviews for it and i had been looking for an external power supply to run it before i got the unit but all i can see is the normal wall socket power unit or via a PC's USB.

Thank you for any help you can offer.

Ian ...

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Re: How to sound like a Cylon (not what you think!)

Post by Cylon-Knight » Thu Jul 28, 2016 12:19 pm

My power pack has dual outputs.
9v for an amp.
5v for the VT-3 (via USB cord).

...However, come-to-find-out the USB power introduces noise. :frack:
A filter is in the planning stages that should remedy it.
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Re: How to sound like a Cylon (not what you think!)

Post by Silver-Cylon » Sun Aug 07, 2016 12:02 pm

cylon-Knight,
sorry to be a pain and the ANG, but i took my instructions to a small local music shop to see if they could help me source a power pack, they told me that they think it will only run off the mains, any chance of a link? to your power pack please, to see if i can source something similar here in the UK.

i have had a look at various tutorials/reviews on the VT-3 but most seem to run off the mains, i am not very good with musical equipment as you can tell but i am giving it a try none the less.

Thank you in advance.

Ian ...

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Re: How to sound like a Cylon (not what you think!)

Post by FLIGHTLDR SERPENTINE » Tue Aug 09, 2016 5:48 pm

I have yet to get one of these, but doesn't it have a battery compartment? I have alot of FX pedals for guitar and bass (and voice) and they ALL have the option to plug into the wall or run off of batteries.
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Re: How to sound like a Cylon (not what you think!)

Post by Cylon-Knight » Tue Aug 09, 2016 9:50 pm

@Silver-Cylon
No pain at all, happy to help. Here is my power pack:
Link: https://amzn.com/B01337QXMA
TalentCell Rechargeable 5V/9V/12V DC Output Lithium Ion Battery Pack For LED Strip And CCTV Camera, Portable Li-ion Power Bank

The VT-3 will indeed run off the above power pack. I'll make a video demonstrating it if you'd like. But USB power has proven to add a light noise/static. Bishop and I have a solution in mind for an easy and cheap filter that should clean the power to the unit! I'll certainly keep you posted.

@FLIGHTLDR SERPENTINE, No. The VT-3 has no battery compartment. Only options are the "wall wart" (plug) or USB power. Groupleader Zeta has a vocorder FX pedal (the "Iron Lung") he's been trying to convert as that pedal has no battery option either. He spoke to the maker of that particular pedal and it just drains too much power... He was working on multiple rechargeable power packs just like original Cylon, housed in the belt.
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Re: How to sound like a Cylon (not what you think!)

Post by bishopdonmiguel » Wed Aug 10, 2016 5:45 am

It's possible the USB noise is limited to this manufacturer's battery, or it could be a common issue. I see lots of complaints on the interwebs about the noisy quality of USB voltage and audio equipment. If our filter doesn't solve the issue, will test other USB supplies. Worst case, we rig a voltage regulator and feed power through the standard jack.

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Re: How to sound like a Cylon (not what you think!)

Post by Silver-Cylon » Wed Aug 10, 2016 11:56 am

Cylon-Knight wrote:@Silver-Cylon
No pain at all, happy to help. Here is my power pack:
Link: https://amzn.com/B01337QXMA
TalentCell Rechargeable 5V/9V/12V DC Output Lithium Ion Battery Pack For LED Strip And CCTV Camera, Portable Li-ion Power Bank

The VT-3 will indeed run off the above power pack. I'll make a video demonstrating it if you'd like. But USB power has proven to add a light noise/static. Bishop and I have a solution in mind for an easy and cheap filter that should clean the power to the unit! I'll certainly keep you posted.

@FLIGHTLDR SERPENTINE, No. The VT-3 has no battery compartment. Only options are the "wall wart" (plug) or USB power. Groupleader Zeta has a vocorder FX pedal (the "Iron Lung") he's been trying to convert as that pedal has no battery option either. He spoke to the maker of that particular pedal and it just drains too much power... He was working on multiple rechargeable power packs just like original Cylon, housed in the belt.
Thank you Very much for the link and for the kind reply, i appreciate all the help offered here, as i said the guy in my local music store wasn't very helpful, just goes to show that there is so much more help and info on the internet than in a music shop, that you would think know of most products for this type of equipment/industry.

Thank you once again, i wish i could buy you a beer to say how much i appreciate it but i stay just too far away. :lol:

Ian ...

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Re: How to sound like a Cylon (not what you think!)

Post by Silver-Cylon » Fri Aug 12, 2016 3:07 pm

OK, i need some advice please, having looked for the above power bank, for a few days over on the UK side of things, it looks like i can't get that exact version in the UK, so i have found a similar one and i would like to know if you guys think it would do the same job?

It's listed in the bay of fleas : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121721876297? ... EBIDX%3AIT, i hope it's OK to post links of this sort, but it's close to the one posted i think.

If it would be possible to give me your thoughts and if it will do i will get it ordered soon as i held off till i got some sound advice from the experts in the know.

I appreciate all the help thus far.

Regards.

Ian ... :cylon:

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Re: How to sound like a Cylon (not what you think!)

Post by GoldCylon » Fri Aug 12, 2016 3:26 pm

Links are always great. It gets everyone on the same page. :cylongold:

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Re: How to sound like a Cylon (not what you think!)

Post by bishopdonmiguel » Fri Aug 12, 2016 9:46 pm

Silver-Cylon wrote:If it would be possible to give me your thoughts
Cylon-Knight confirmed that powering the Roland via his portable battery's USB output introduces static into the processed voice output. My guess is that this is a result of a square waveform vs. a constant supply voltage.

Having said that, the unit you linked looks similar in function and should work. BUT we have not determined if the dirty USB power output on Cylon-Knight's is...

A) correctable with a small filter circuit

and

B) isolated to his unit or a universal problem

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Re: How to sound like a Cylon (not what you think!)

Post by Silver-Cylon » Sat Aug 13, 2016 2:28 am

Hi bishopdonmiguel,
Thank you for the answer i was merely asking if it would power the unit, as it wasn't the exact same as above but if you think it should work in much the same way then i will order it, it has a 5v and a 12 volt function, so i will see how things get on with the filter but you said that you might be able to rig in in such a way that it runs from the 12V am i correct? would that just mean changing the connection on one of the wired connectors? or would it be something via a bridge type connection.

Thank you for the reply.

Regards.

Ian ...

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Re: How to sound like a Cylon (not what you think!)

Post by bishopdonmiguel » Sat Aug 13, 2016 5:16 am

Silver-Cylon wrote:Thank you for the answer i was merely asking if it would power the unit, as it wasn't the exact same as above but if you think it should work in much the same way then i will order it, it has a 5v and a 12 volt function, so i will see how things get on with the filter but you said that you might be able to rig in in such a way that it runs from the 12V am i correct? would that just mean changing the connection on one of the wired connectors? or would it be something via a bridge type connection.
If the 5v USB output of that unit is clean, then it will power the Roland without a power filter. Please note that the USB is THE ONLY OUTPUT that should be connected to the Roland without further modification. The 12v/9v output could be used in combination with a step-down power regulator but NEVER connect the Roland directly to the 12v/9v or you will fry the unit.

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Re: How to sound like a Cylon (not what you think!)

Post by Dingolingo » Fri Aug 19, 2016 4:31 am

G'day guys. yup I am still alive.. been really busy with work and home life, so still slowly constructing my cylon gear

I picked up a Roland VT3 today for 180 bucks .. have to say.. so far it would have to be the best voice emulation for a cylon, need to play with it just a bit more to get it sounding just right.. but a quick play and I am very very impressed .

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