Erwin

so, do we continue with this forum or should we still be waiting for the backup to be restored?

After some time not being able to spend time on my Midibox I did continue with my build.   I etched all circuit boards after using a laser printer for transfer toner. I got my PIC programmed and with some help from SmashTV got the SID application installed also.   For the front panel; I exported the .fpd file to .svg and split it using Inkscape. Then tried a laser cutter to cut it from 2 pieces of thin plywood, but it completely misaligned everything. So I will probably try that again or print out the front panel design and glue it to the plywood and then cut out and drill all holes.   There are still some things to do on the electronics, but I'm making good progress.   To do: - Convert my 8-bit lcd connection on the MBHP_CORE to 4 bit and solder in a diode and resistor. - Connect all boards - Put in all IC's - Add capacitors to the DoutX4 boards - Connect switches and leds - Find a connector for the C64 power supply   Anyway, here are some photos of my work so far:  

I finished the led board, seems to be working fine. I'm going to try making the pcbs myself, first. My first attempt with ironing and Sodium Persulfate were a failure, Now ordering photo sensitive boards, borrowing Iron Chloride and a decent etching tank. I think it's more rewarding when I make them myself.

Thanks for the replies, I ordered this midi cable http://www.dx.com/p/usb-midi-cable-730#.U1uywFeSPlY and some new (shorter) buttons http://www.dx.com/p/nylon-pp6-dc-12v-50ma-tact-switch-black-100-piece-pack-123651#.U1uyyFeSPlY   Now searching for all the stuff I need to etch PCBs, like Iron Chloride :) I think etching them might be the easiest way.

First I ordered the LCD at EZTronics, but it never arrived (they insist on having it shipped by regular mail, but I never got it) Anyway.. that caused some delays but I ordered another one from a known webshop and the remaining parts from Reichelt. Today I received my Reichelt order and I have all the stuff I need to build my Midibox SID (minus 1 pushbutton (should have ordered 41, not 40 :| ). Also I don't have PCBs, so I will be using veroboard for the complete build. The buttons I got from Reichelt "Taster 3301D" need to be modified with pliers before they fit the board and they're much (1.5x) higher than the leds, so I may have to order new ones. I wanted to start with the leds, so I put them in a block of 8x8 in a veroboard, with all the long and short leads in the same way, But then I looked at the schematic http://www.ucapps.de/midibox_sid_cs/mbsid_v2_dout_default.pdf but it doesn't tell me what's the best way to place the leds and how to connect everything ( the last thing I would want is mixing up the anodes and cathodes in total or partial ), I don't like desoldering 64 leds :shifty: Does anyone know how to do this? The schematic mentions the use of bridges instead of resistors (does that mean 'just wires'?, or should some kind of resistor network be used?) Is there any other way to upload the Midibox SID operating system to the PIC without the use of the midi port? I don't have one on my modern PC (i7) and my early Pentium 1 with ISA sound card has a midi- / gameport, but I doubt it will be possible to run MIOS 2 (even with the use of KernelEX) on Windows ME.

Well, power supply could be an old ATX psu or the Commodore 64 power brick. For the case I was planning to use an old mixing panel with a replaced surface. For the surface I wanted to use triplex, cut and engraved with a laser cutter.   Edit: I just noticed I'm able to program my PIC18F... with my GQ-4X (e)eprom programmer, that would solve the need for a MIDI cable, right?

Ah thanks, but looking at the schematic, I need two DINX4 boards and one DINX2. Where does the third DINX4 board go? The Styroflex caps were mentioned here: http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_sid_orderlist.txt   Also do I need to buy a midi keyboard or midi cable for my pc to get any music out of the Midibox SID? I was hoping I would be able to program the notes and tracks in the midibox using the control surface.

Hello all, I'm new here. As I have around 22 unused SIDs and I have some experience with electronics projects I wanted to build a Midibox SID. I hope anyone here is willing to help me with it.   I want to make a stereo sid version with two 6581 sids and full control surface.   What I have ordered so far:   MBHP_CORE: PIC18F4685-I/P (still have to figure out how to program it) All resistors, trimmpots, capacitors and diodes and bridge rectifier from my own components bin BC337 (wasn't sure what to buy, so ordered "BC337/16 TO92", "BC337/25 TO92" and "BC337-40 TO 92") 6n139 optocoupler sockets   2x MBHP_SID: 4x M74HC595B1R 1x IC78L12 (hmm, still need to order another one for the other sid board) 2x "BC547B TO92" and 2x "BC547C TO92" (again wasn't sure which type to order) sockets and header I don't know what to do with Styroflex capacitors, they seem obsolete can't I just replace it with a regular 470 pF ceramic one? I  have those..   Bankstick: 24LC256 DIP package   DINX2: 4x 74HC165 I think I'm short on 10k resistors, so I might have to still order those   Control surface: HD44780 compatible LCD Display 20x2 (I ordered this one) 15 rotary encoders from Voti (SW-ROT-01, this seems to be the same as M-SW-ROT mentioned in the walkthrough, but they don't have those anymore) 110 red leds 5mm Still have to order some buttons For the front panel I have access to a laser cutter   As I 'm building a Stereo SID and not a Multi SID solution I guess I don't need the DOUTX1 module? What about the DINX4 and DOUTX4 modules? I'm not adding additional Core and SID modules.. Also I tried etching my own PCBs, but that ended with a sodium persulfate mess and boards with short circuits, I may have to try that again with Iron Chloride. I find it quite hard to figure out what I need to buy with all these midibox versions and revisions and pcb revisions and configurations options and many dead hyperlinks in the instructions/walkthrough/manual. For example the link to forum article about firmware under the title "Resources" on the bottom of this page http://www.ucapps.de/midibox_sid_manual_hw.html