Author Topic: DIY tablet holder  (Read 2097 times)

Offline Dobly

DIY tablet holder
« on: November 22, 2017, 05:11:55 AM »
This is a pretty bespoke bit of kit. That said it might be of some inspiration to someone with a similar need.

When my band gigs we need to have music playing between our sets. In the past I have tried to do that with my laptop that is already running Reaper and Addictive Drums 2. Turning down the music and getting the laptop poised and ready to role took too many seconds. So I figured a seperate device to play the music between sets would help. The challenge was I needed to be handy. Not laying on the floor, not 'over there', not under anything. It had to be close. Here is what I did.

 

This stand is so ad hoc. Despite that it is fine for holding that 7" tablet which weights 3 x 5ths of nothing.

First I got a sheet of metal left over from some other project of mine. I could not be bothered getting the hacksaw out so i just bent it into shape.



And as you can see I drilled a couple of holes in it and added some coat hanger wire. (so high tech)

After filing off the razor shape edges I added the rubber you can see in the shot.

Here is it is from the front. You can see it it is hanging from 2 of the arms of the snare drum stand that is holding my laptop. I just bent the coat hanger wire to form hooks.



And finally, in a highly precision and well calculated design, it sits against the nut that does up the snare basket. This make the tablet holder lean back helping to secure the tablet.



The rubber on the stand keeps the tablet from sliding around and it is leaning far enough back that it will not fall forward. The stereo out on this $70(AU) (about $50US) Android 4.1 tablet is plugged into the Tape In on one of my mixers. It sounds great and I can easily hit play on the tablet and turn it's channel up, and when the band goes on turn it's channel down and stop the playback.

It's ugly but it does the job. 


Offline AlanK

Re: DIY tablet holder
« Reply #1 on: November 22, 2017, 09:10:23 AM »
You've done a fine job there Dobly! Totally get that it could cause more trouble than it's worth trying to switch your laptop over to music during breaks then get back to drumming software.. I'd also be worried my VST might crash having another app running or having run. By the way, though, I've seen tablet holders that clamp onto mic sheet music stands that sell for under 20 bucks
DM10X with Addictive Drums 2, Pro X hi-hat, 4 crashes, foam cone conversion w Roland mesh heads, Laurin Drums snare and kick, Mapex P710W double kick pedal, Mapex 2 legged hi-hat, Behringer 8 channel USB mixer, Tascam 144MK AI, Samson Expedition Escape powered speakers

Offline Dobly

Re: DIY tablet holder
« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2017, 03:15:36 PM »
By the way, though, I've seen tablet holders that clamp onto mic sheet music stands that sell for under 20 bucks

I'm sure I could. But I need it for tomorrow. And necessity is the mother of invention. It is not pretty but then, you can hardly see it under the laptop. I will post a shot of the kit at tomorrow night's show.

Offline Dobly

Re: DIY tablet holder
« Reply #3 on: November 23, 2017, 06:40:00 AM »
And for the record it is a cheap Android tablet using a play called Black Player. I use that as it uses WAY less battery power to run a black screen compared to a white one. Also I have some software called Keep Screen On which does what it says. I don't want to have to keep pressing the button to wake it it up. I'll have the tablet USB'd into the laptop which will stop it going flat.