Pedals and Footswitches Guide for DSP7000/7500/ORVILLE/H8000/ECLIPSE Ultra Harmonizer brand Effects Units

The units have two rear panel inputs, named Pedal 1 and Pedal 2. Each one can accept one of the following :

So it's possible to have up to 2 pedals or 6 footswitches or a combination of 1 pedal and 1/2/3 footswitches. Let's take a look at each possibility.

Footswitches:

All units can accept 1, 2 or 3 footswitches connected to each Pedal(1 or 2) inputs on the rear panel.

A single footswitch can be simply connected using a standard mono 1/4" guitar jack.

2 footswitches can be connected using an INSERT CABLE, also called "Y" cable.

It's a Stereo 1/4" jack feeding 2 mono 1/4" jacks: The stereo one has to be connected to the Pedal 1 or 2 input on the rear panel of the unit; the mono jacks need to be connected each one to a single footswitch.

3 footswitches need the same INSERT cable you would use for a 2 switches setup. There is a little info needed to use a 3 switches setup. This information is available on the Orville/DSP7000/7500 manuals. It also applies to the Eclipse.

Here’s info from Orville manual that can be used for all units:

When a pedal input is used as a switch input, it can operate in one of two modes, supporting either 2 switches or 3 switches. If any controller references “tip&ring” for a given socket, that socket will be in “3 switch” mode, otherwise it will be in “2 switch” mode.

In “2 switch” mode:

• “tip” is high when a switch connected between tip and sleeve is closed.

• “ring” is high when a switch connected between ring and sleeve is closed.

To give an added control input, a third switch may be connected so as to connect both tip and ring to sleeve. This will require a 2 pole switch. (Refer to Drawing). The drawing represents the connections that need to be made with the wires that are connected to the tip, ring, and sleeve. Alternatively, the same results may be obtained by pressing the 2 switches simultaneously to simulate the third.

In “3 switch” mode:

“tip” is high when a switch connected between tip and sleeve is closed and the third switch is open. If you're using two switches, "tip" is high when the switch between tip and sleeve is closed but the switch between ring and sleeve is open.  

“ring” is high when a switch connected between ring and sleeve is closed and the third switch is open. If you're using two switches, "ring" is high when the switch between ring and sleeve is closed but the switch between tip and sleeve is open.

“tip&ring” is high when the third switch is closed. If you're using two switches, "tip&ring" is high when the switch between tip and sleeve is closed and the switch between ring and sleeve is closed.

DSP7000/7500/ORVILLE/ECLIPSE “see” pedals and switches in this way:

Pedals can be calibrated!  This will allow almost any pedal, with proper working condition of its potentiometer, to work fine with your unit. CALIBRATION Procedure is fully explained in the relative manual of each unit, and some good hints are available in these technotes.

Footswitches can be of two types : UNLATCH or LATCH.

UNLATCH type switches need to be PRESSED & HELD to go from a status to the other (open/closed) AND STAY THERE. They work exactly like Sustain pedals of keyboards.

LATCH type switches only need to be PRESSED ONCE to change status, then RE-PRESSED AGAIN to go back to previous status. They work like the on/off switch of a stompbox fx pedal.  They don't need to be held.

DSP7000/7500/ORVILLE can convert an UNLATCH switch into a LATCH one. This is not done as a GLOBAL setting; it needs to be programmed patch-wise, using the patch editor or...better...VSIGFILE Editor for Windows PCs. Eventide Helps has many examples of this in the FILES Area, PATCH EXCHANGE, as downloadable patches for Vsigfile.

ECLIPSE can't do this conversion, so it's basically up to the user to decide which type to use.

The Pedal's Potentiometer should be around 10K (5K - 20K), with track connected between ring and sleeve and slider connected to tip. It will have a stereo 1/4" jack. As long as these values are respected and calibration is executed, ANY brand pedal will work fine.

Parameters/pedals-switches patching is extensively covered in all units manuals.

Thank you again Italo De Angelis!