Bit Sparkle

August 24, 2025

Building a Suzuki Omnichord Emulator (part 2)

In the first part of this series, I discussed the choice of the technology stack and latency optimization.
The goal is to create a Suzuki Omnichord emulator for the Android platform.

In this second part, let's examine how I managed to "clone" the characteristic sound of the Omnichord chords.

As I wrote before, this article series won't be tutorials but an analysis of my design choices and how I solved the problems I encountered along the way.

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August 20, 2025

Building a Suzuki Omnichord Emulator (part 1)

I've been craving an Omnichord for years. I fell in love with it about fifteen years ago, back when it wasn't impossible to buy one at a reasonable price. I had several opportunities to get one, but I never did, and I really regret it. Ever since it became a "mainstream" instrument, probably thanks to Damon Albarn (there's a great video on YouTube of him explaining how he composed the Gorillaz song 'Clint Eastwood'), the prices have skyrocketed.

Not to mention the official reissue from Suzuki themselves for the modest sum of 800 Euros. A truly "popular" price, wouldn't you say?
I don't want to spend that much money on a hobby that's never earned me anything; in fact, I've always lost money on it!

As a programmer, the most logical solution is to build a software emulator. Sure, some emulators already exist, but none of them seem to cover all the instrument's capabilities. The most complete one seems to be C.ARP for iOS, but from the videos I've seen, it looks more like a modern reinterpretation than a true-to-life emulator.

So, about a month ago, I decided to start working on it. After all, why not?
I always need a side project, and this one seems particularly fun.

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June 21, 2025

Repairing the Skymen ZX-810 Ultrasonic Cleaner

I bought this ultrasonic cleaner on May 4, 2024 (I checked my Amazon purchase history). Unfortunately, after just one year, it decided to give up, showing no signs of life.

As I've shown in previous posts (check out the restoration of the Casio VL-5 and the Savage Ghibli LD 224 controller), this tool is incredibly useful for my restoration projects because it allows for very thorough cleaning of any object that fits inside.
My original intention was just to clean my glasses with it.

Even though it's not overly expensive, I'd rather fix it than just replace it and contribute to throwaway culture.

> Read more

Tags: repair, diy

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June 5, 2025

Building a Remote Shutter for a Canon Powershot with CHDK

In this post, we'll see how to build a remote shutter for a Canon Powershot A610 (and a wide range of other models).

I want to experiment with a monopod and take photos from unconventional positions, such as from above. This accessory will be very useful for that purpose.

It could also be helpful for long-exposure photography, as pressing the shutter button usually causes the camera to vibrate, and even imperceptible vibrations can compromise the photo's quality.

By default, this camera doesn't support remote shooting, but there's a way to add it: by installing the CHDK firmware.

> Read more

Tags: photography, camera, diy

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May 26, 2025

Restoring the vintage Casio VL-5 keyboard

For years, I'd been itching to get my hands on its older sibling, the Casio VL-1, famously featured in Trio's song "Da Da Da". However, I recently stumbled upon this VL-5 on mercatinomusicale.com (an italian-only market like reverb.com) at a pretty reasonable price. It was listed as non-functional, and I just couldn't resist it.

These keyboards, manufactured in Japan starting in the late '70s, carved out a unique niche, bridging the gap between a toy and a serious instrument: a truly fascinating hybrid.

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Tags: restoration, keyboard, casio

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May 14, 2025

Canon Powershot 600: It belongs in a museum

I managed to acquire this Canon Powershot 600 on Wallapop for a very good price. Apparently, it was Canon's very first digital camera, released way back in 1996.

It was listed as non-functional because the seller no longer had the charger and couldn't tell if it still worked. I decided to take a chance and bought it.

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May 11, 2025

Canon Powershot 350: a relic of 1997 in the year 2025

A May afternoon in Udine with a digital camera from 1997.
Back then, at 13, I didn't even know what a digital camera was.

It must have been incredibly expensive, and if someone had gifted me one, I probably would have lost my mind: an unlimited number of photos, without needing to go to a studio to get them developed, and with the ability to review them right after taking them? It would have felt like living in a sci-fi movie!

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Tags: camera, photography

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May 3, 2025

Fujifilm MV-1, Full Spectrum Modification

After repairing it, testing it, and realizing it's not worth much (see post), my only option with this camera is to use it as a base for some "creative" modifications.
It might be fun to try using it despite its obvious limitations.

One simple modification could be turning it into a full spectrum camera.

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May 1, 2025

Fujifilm MV-1 Repair (the worst camera ever made)

Today, I'm taking a look at a camera produced in 2003 by Fujifilm, seemingly exclusively for the Italian market. Apparently, it was offered as a "reward" for collecting points from a well-known petrol station chain. However, it wasn't entirely free; you also had to shell out 80 euros, which would be around 120 euros in today's money (2025).

It appears to be quite rare globally, except here in Italy. I've actually stumbled upon a few of these at the monthly flea markets in Udine, buried in dusty boxes filled with unwanted junk. Of course, I always hold out hope of finding a hidden gem amongst the clutter.

Just by looking at it, I immediately suspected it wasn't anything special. The lens looks like it belongs on a cheap webcam, and while it appears to have a manual focus ring, it's purely for show. It's also incredibly lightweight, and holding it gives you a real sense of how flimsy it is.

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April 13, 2025

Restoring the Savage Ghibli LD 224 vintage controller

Recently, during my visits to various online flea markets, I bought a batch of old electronic junk for just a few euros, and there was also this very stylish controller with an Atari-type connector, making it compatible with my Commodore 64 and VIC 20 as well.

It's in very good cosmetic condition. The plastic probably wasn't yellowish when it was new 40 years ago, but I'm not one of those obsessed with retrobrighting, so as far as I'm concerned, it's perfect as it is.

I have a soft spot for electronic devices with transparent plastic cases; in this particular case, you can see the LEDs inside lighting up every time a button is pressed.
It's not a necessary feature for playing games, but visually, I must say it looks pretty cool. Very flashy!

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