The Serge Divide by N Comparator (NCOM) is a rare, much sought-after and very essential Serge module covering a number of functions: comparator, voltage-controlled pulse divider, and voltage-controlled staircase generator.

The ÷N COMPARATOR consists of two sections - a comparator (right side) and a voltage-controlled pulse divider (left side). The ÷N output of the pulse divider sends out a pulse on every N-th comparator pulse where N is a number from 1 to 31. N can be (pre-)set with the divider’s control knob (1 ÷N) and can by changed with a control voltage. The VC knob (attenuator)on the bottom of the left side determines how much effect the control voltage has on “N”. In addition, the divider generates a staircase waveform with N steps. This can be used to produce whole-tone steps when run into the 1V/Oct input of a VCO or as a stepped control voltage to change for instance the cutoff of a filter.

The comparator provides a number of useful “housekeeping functions”: Logical decisions (if the +input is greater than the -input, the output will be high, otherwise low), Level detection (whenever a variable waveform crosses the theshold, a pulse is generated ), Pulse width modulation or Rectifying a waveform (e.g. a sine or triangle wave)