Unboxing & First Steps

What’s in the box

A standard Touch Board kit contains:

• Touch Board × 1
• microSD card (usually 4–8 GB) × 1 — pre-loaded with demo sounds
• USB micro cable × 1
• Crocodile / alligator clip cables × varies (usually 4–12)

Some bundles also include Electric Paint, a pen tip, and a booklet with project ideas.

First power-up — no setup needed

1. Connect headphones or speakers to the 3.5mm audio jack on the board
2. Plug the USB cable into a USB port (computer, power bank, or phone charger)
3. Wait about 2 seconds for the board to boot — the LEDs will blink
4. The demo sounds should already be on the SD card

If the board came with the SD card inserted and demo files loaded, touching the labelled pads (E0–E11) with your finger should play a sound.

No sound? Check that the SD card is inserted correctly, card-side down, with the gold contacts facing the PCB. The card should click in firmly.

Loading your own sounds — the SD card

The Touch Board reads MP3 files with specific names:

To load your own files:

1. Remove the SD card from the Touch Board (press in to eject)
2. Insert it into your computer (use a card reader if needed)
3. The card appears as a USB drive — it contains the existing MP3 files
4. Replace or add the files, keeping the naming convention above
5. Safely eject the SD card before removing it
6. Re-insert it into the Touch Board

File format requirements

• Format: MP3 (most reliable), OGG, WAV also work
• Sample rate: 44100 Hz or 22050 Hz (44100 preferred)
• Bit rate: 128–320 kbps for MP3
• Channels: Stereo or mono
• Naming: Exactly TRACK000.mp3 through TRACK011.mp3 — uppercase, no spaces

No other files on the card: The Touch Board can be confused by hidden system files (like macOS’s .DS_Store). On a Mac, after copying files, run dot_clean /Volumes/YourCardName in Terminal before ejecting.

Connecting your first electrode

The simplest electrode is a crocodile clip cable:

1. Clip one end to electrode pad E0 on the Touch Board
2. Clip the other end to something conductive — a coin, a piece of foil, a metal spoon, or a bare wire
3. Make sure the SD card is loaded with TRACK000.mp3
4. Touch the conductive object with your finger

You should hear TRACK000.mp3 play.

The 3.5mm audio output

The Touch Board has a standard 3.5mm stereo audio jack. The output level is line-level — it works with headphones but will be quiet through powered speakers expecting a line signal. For loud, room-filling audio use a small amplifier between the board and passive speakers.

Speaker options

• Headphones — plug directly in, perfect for testing
• Powered computer speakers — connect via 3.5mm, use the speaker’s volume control
• Bluetooth speaker — get a cheap 3.5mm-to-Bluetooth transmitter
• PA system / venue audio — 3.5mm to XLR adapter into the mixer

Battery power

The Touch Board runs on 5V via USB. A standard phone charger or power bank works perfectly. For portable projects:

• USB power bank — easiest option
• 4 × AA batteries → 6V via a 5V regulator
• LiPo battery + charge circuit — for compact wearables (the board has a JST connector for a 3.7V LiPo)

Understanding the LED indicators

Key takeaways

• Power via USB micro cable (computer, charger, or power bank)
• Files must be named TRACK000.mp3 through TRACK011.mp3 — uppercase
• Crocodile clips are the easiest way to test electrodes before committing to paint
• The 3.5mm output works with headphones; use a powered speaker or amplifier for louder output
• Remove macOS system files from the SD card before ejecting