I'm glad I found this topic. Perhaps it helps a little to share with you the experience from a midibox newbie. I think most of you guys are well known with the situations and matter surrounding this project, and thus perhaps unaware of how this looks for the outside world. mM midibox was second hand, so I had a head start and did not have to resource the basic parts in an early stage. Would I've had to, Im not sure I would have a functioníng midibox now.
For an outsider it can be pretty unclear what the mission of the project is. Is it to attract as much people as possible to contribute? Or is it to keep as intimate as possible? The fact that some of the information is extremely easy to find, while other stuff is nowhere to be seen plays a big role in this. With the lack of availability of hardware on number one. I only now understand (I think!) that the SmashTV plays a big role in this. This info would have helped a lot.
There are several people around me, after seeing my midibox, that would like to start tomorrow with their own version. But the mixed information (as we experience it) takes them off. How can they obtain the necessary parts? Or even schematics? Is it something that will grow, with an open community, or is it more of a solo experience you do just for yourself?
I appreciate the midibox-project very much. It's the best piece of equipment I have, for so many reasons. I have no idea what is right or wrong in this situation, just sharing my experience :)