Eurorack ...pen Plotter...?

I'm thinking about visual and sound and looking a way to connect a pen plotter to my eurorack modules.

Any suggestion?

My plotter is Idraw H - https://idrawpenplotter.com/shop/ols/products/idraw-pen-plotter-h-version-a3/v/DRW-PEN-PLT-23-H-VRS1-EU

it looks like it's more suited to working with a computer (ie no MIDI or CV inputs) - I'd look to see if any of the supported software on whatever computer can accept midi input... if so then you'd need a cv to midi module - probably one that outputs MIDI CC not notes...

there may also be ways to generate jpgs from audio - you might want to look at processing3 or similar - again you'll probably need a cv -> midi cc module

good luck... & let us know how it turns out & show some pics if you manage to get it to work!

thanks for the reply
so ypou mean to do that trought PC?

I saw the module FH2 from Expert Sleepers, is a MIDI to CV module: https://www.expert-sleepers.co.uk/fh2.html

but I cannot figure how to make some connection

The plotter print .SVG files

yes via a computer - there is no mid ir cv on the plotter

the fh-2 is not the right module - it is "midi to cv" you need "cv to midi cc" - befaco and addac make them - if you can find something to convert that to svg - looks like it can cope with more than that - jpgs etc too

take a look at processing - it can definitely handle midi inputs - and you can tell them what to do - I'm sure there's a graphic output library for it - if it's not svg then there are prograams that can convert whatever to whatever... how you interpret the midi cc messages would be up to you... it's very simple java programming and there are lots of examples

I think this could be very interesting, but I would not know a solution in real time as you have to convert your music (or rather elements of your music) to a SVG file (it can't read jpg or png, your plotter needs a discrete vector format says the manual). So you can't just let the plotter do stuff while you jam with your gear. The plotter needs a closed file in a discrete structure to work. For example a SVG-File needs a header that starts with "svg" and an end of file that is marked with "/svg" . Thats what you can submit to the device .

I own a VCMC by Befaco. With it you could record your modular session and bring elements of your music to MIDI. The VCMC is very versatile in that regard. On your PC I'd say python is the perfect tool for the task as python has libraries that can read MIDI-events and libraries that can create SVG -files (these files are structured like XML files, but specifically for vector graphics).

But with python you could convert whatever information your MIDI file has to whatever element you want in your SVG. A simple task to start would be one note to one strike on paper. Note pitch to y-position and note length to length of this line. But it can really be whatever you want. A quick look at the SVG-documentation shows the huge potiential of shapes you can get.

This sure needs some research and developement but I'd say it could look super rad. But i am afraid you'd need at least basic programming skills for that. And it could take quite some time to get nice results. Thats a really nice plotter you have there. :)

EDITED Nov 26th 2023, 22:39

yes is a good pen plotter, I can reccomend it

about realtime drawing I believe is hard to do it..( I do not have any info or knowledge in order to obrain this result)

Ate the moment I'm using Touch Designer as software to erlaborate MIDI signals from an Arturia MK 3
The software can map the MIDI controls and after you can create your own project ( I0m still learning TD to obtain somethin.. perhaps an SVG )

The VCMC by Befaco can be my solution, it is expansive !

I will keep to study in that way-
Hope to achieve some good result soon..

The VCMC by Befaco can be my solution, it is expansive !

there's also it's little brother CVThing, which is cheaper... also both are available as kits...

I used to do some projects with Touch Designer, unfortunately it can't export SVG. For a better understanding of your plotter you should read about the difference of pixel graphics and vector graphics. That should clear some things, espacially what your plotter demands. However you have the possibilty to convert pixel data to vector data through tracing, but I would not recommend that route.

about realtime drawing I believe is hard to do it

Yes, I'd go so far and say it is just not possible with that setup for reasons stated above. :)

Have fun, in any case this is a fun project.

thanks @JimHowell1970 for suggestion about CVThing

@SLFE
About SVG export from Touch Designer I just read he cant't.. but somebody ( Matthew Ragan) did a script etc..

https://interactiveimmersive.io/blog/python/exporting-svg-in-touchdesigner/

So can be possible to export SVG from Touch Designer reading the article.

But... don't forget I'm still learning Touch Designer and this is hard enough as first step!

Ah cool, nice find! Thats what i meant above, it uses the python library "svgwrite".
Supercool that someone already coded the connection to touch designer.

Keep us posted with your progress. :)

hope to!