TK.

Yes! perfect! :) Best Regards, Thorsten.

So it's clear now: there must be a weak connection between the +5V input of the SID module and IC2 (possibly the other ICs also). Start measuring the voltage between J2:Vs (ground) and J2:Vc (+5V input). Thereafter follow the two power supply tracks with your probes in order to find the broken contact or connection. This should help! :) Best Regards, Thorsten.

Please measure the voltages between ground and the given pins Best Regards, Thorsten.

This will be possible with the upcoming PIC18F firmware -> see news section :) Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi RAF, no, thats a graphical LCD which is not compatible. See some threads below for the upcoming solutions. Best Regards, Thorsten.

Ok, your PIC is still working - perfect. With the test firmware, the voltage level of Pin #22 can be ignored. Now check the interconnections between Core and SID module (again) Thereafter measure the voltages on the 74HC595 chips: Pin #10 and #16 of IC2 and IC3: >4V Pin #2 of IC2: >4V Best Regards, Thorsten.

Very good! :) Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi Rogic, you can use Serge's MIDIbox editor to change the channels. Or you can just upload the "midibox64_generic.syx" example from the mk_syx archive which has been created especially for software synthesizers Best Regards, Thorsten.

Ok, so the 74HC595 shift registers are not serviced by the PIC. Now it's important to know if the firmware is running before debugging the SID module. Here some voltages, which have to be measured against ground: Pin #1: > 4V Pin #17: ca. 2 V (must be > 1V and < 4V) Pin #19: < 1V Pin #20: > 4V Pin #21: < 1V Pin #22: > 4V Best Regards, Thorsten.

Another check to determine if the SID can be accessed by the PIC: at power-on, the reset signal of the SID (Pin #5 of the SID chip) is going low for about three seconds, thereafter it goes to +5V. This can be measured Best Regards, Thorsten.

There is possibly a way to freeze the LCD driver, and thats a floating signal at pin RB7 of the PIC. Dan: could you please temporary remove the LCD and solder a 1k or 10k resistor from Pin #40 of the PIC to ground? If this doesn't help, I will provide a very reduced test program for the SID which *must* work. Best Regards, Thorsten.

It\s time to find the root cause! Ian: is your PIC still functional? Does it work with other firmwares? Ian/Dan: is your SID clocked with an additional 1 MHz oscillator or with the PIC? Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi Dan, the failures are very strange, it seems that there is a very dangerous "bug" in your circuit. I hope that you"ve isolated the crystal at the bottom side with a sticky tape? Is there any physical connection between the voltage domain before and after the 7805? Are the jumpers connected properly? Maybe you should also test some other firmwares in order to ensure that the PIC is still working. Are you still using the "mirrored" PCB? Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi Jasper, thats a good question, because with for the PIC18F design this will be changed. So my answer: for all PIC16F877 versions you don't need a bootloader - just load the .hex file into IC-Prog and burn the firmware into your PIC via JDM. For the upcoming MIOS (running at PIC18F only) a so called Bootstrap loader will be provided which allows you to upload the firmware via MIDI (which is in fact much faster than using the JDM). The required procedure: the small bootstrap loader has to be burned into the PIC18F only once. Thereafter every firmware update can be made via MIDI without a JDM. Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi Jerash, just a quick question: could you please check the crystal which has been delivered? Is it a 20 MHz crystal, or a 22.1184 MHz type? The MIDIbox will only work correctly with 20 MHz. Best Regards, Thorsten.

Thanks for the input - I will change the domain again. It was just a try ;-) Best Regards, Thorsten.

Swede: Mike removed the MF board from his shop by fault, it should be available again in the next hours. :) Djaychela: poooh, it seems that some additional effort is necessary in order to implement a workaround for the workaround :P Maybe the easiest solution: I could add some kind of generic calibration table which allows the user to map incoming values to absolute fader positions... Thanks for the hint! Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi, you can use Serge's midibox64 editor in order to enable this option: Best Regards, Thorsten.

Just for documentation: here another easy solution to realize the JDM circuit on vector board: just draw the required connections on the board and wire it like shown in the schematic. Thanks to Leo!

Hallo Jack, ja, das funktioniert! Wenn Du eine besonders guenstige Box bauen moechtest, kannst Du die zusaetzlichen Encoder auch einfach weglassen und stattdessen mit dem "Flip"-Button die Funktionen vertauschen. Alternativ waere es auch moeglich, einfache Fader (oder Potis) ohne Motor an den gleichen PIC18F core anzuschliessen, der auch die Encoder, LEDs und Buttons versorgt. Mit Hilfe des Snap-Modus ("Soft-Overtake", siehe MIDIbox64 Dokumentation) werden Werte-Spruenge beim Umschalten der Faderbank vermieden. Gruss, Thorsten.

If it lits now, just let it open. Normaly this connection isn't necessary, pin 15 is A and pin 16 is K... :-/ Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi Cyril, not every particular LED can be assigned, but the DOUT registers (group of 8 LEDs). In the old firmware the DOUT registers were statically assigned to the DINs: DOUT1 <= DIN2 and MIDI status DOUT2 <= DIN3 and MIDI status DOUT3 <= DIN1 and MIDI status DOUT4 <= DIN4 and MIDI status DOUT5 <= DIN5 and MIDI status DOUT6 <= DIN6 and MIDI status DOUT7 <= DIN7 and MIDI status DOUT8 <= DIN8 and MIDI status ("DINx and MIDI status" means: each digitial output is controlled by a button and by the appr. incoming MIDI event which is assigned to that button) The strange DIN/DOUT mix was necessary, because most people used only three DINs and two DOUTs - DIN1 has some dedicated functions (navigations buttons) which don't require a LED. But with the special function buttons and especially the Houston/LC emulation, a more flexible solution was necessary-> the LED maps. With LED maps you can mix the DIN->DOUT assignments like you want. And it is also possible to assign the DOUTs to other functions: DOUTx <= MIDI status of DINx only (necessary for the emulation modes, where solely the host application has to control the LEDs) DOUTx <= internal/external Bank number (in theory, also a LED digit could be driven by one DOUT register) and planned for MIDIbox64SEQ: DOUTx <= Sequencer Pos of current track (left/right part) DOUTx <= Sequencer Pos of track 1/2/3/4 (left/right part) However, it will be more clear when you are able to play with the different settings. :) Best Regards, Thorsten. P.S.: from midibox16e.ini ################################################################################ # LED Map: assignes the LED shift registers to the Button Shift # registers or special values # Currently following values are supported: # 0 Default Setting (see Map below) # 1 Button Shift Register 1 (Button ID #1-#8) # 2 Button Shift Register 2 (Button ID #9-#16) # 3 Button Shift Register 3 (F1-F4 and Navigation Buttons: ID #17-#24) # 4 Button Shift Register 4 (Button ID #25-#32) # 5 Button Shift Register 5 (Button ID #33-#40) # 6 Button Shift Register 6 (Button ID #41-#48) # 7 Button Shift Register 7 (Button ID #49-#56) # 8 Button Shift Register 8 (Button ID #57-#64) # 9 Internal Bank (1 of 8) # 10 External Bank (1 of 8) # 11-15 reserved # 16 MIDI Status received for Button ID #1-#8 ([MIDI_LEDS] must be enabled!) # 17 MIDI Status received for Button ID #9-#16 ([MIDI_LEDS] must be enabled!) # 18 MIDI Status received for Button ID #17-#24 ([MIDI_LEDS] must be enabled!) # 19 MIDI Status received for Button ID #25-#32 ([MIDI_LEDS] must be enabled!) # 20 MIDI Status received for Button ID #33-#40 ([MIDI_LEDS] must be enabled!) # 21 MIDI Status received for Button ID #41-#48 ([MIDI_LEDS] must be enabled!) # 22 MIDI Status received for Button ID #49-#56 ([MIDI_LEDS] must be enabled!) # 23 MIDI Status received for Button ID #57-#64 ([MIDI_LEDS] must be enabled!) # 24-31 reserved ################################################################################ [LED_MAP] LED_SR1 = 1 # (Button ID #1-#8) LED_SR2 = 2 # (Button ID #9-#16) LED_SR3 = 3 # (F1-F4 and Navigation Buttons: ID #17-#24) LED_SR4 = 4 # (Button ID #57-#64) LED_SR5 = 5 # (Button ID #25-#32) LED_SR6 = 6 # (Button ID #33-#40) LED_SR7 = 7 # (Button ID #41-#48) LED_SR8 = 8 # (Button ID #49-#56)

Hi Swede, strange strange - I just have sent him a mail Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi Greg, today I tested Samplitude with the new version of MIDIbox64, which features the Houston and Mackie Control protocol. The emulation itself works fine, but Samplitude doesn't get use of the display. So in fact it doesn't make a big difference if you are using an emulation mode or the MIDIbox as generic MIDI controller. I've also integrated MIDIbox Link. Your two MIDIboxes have to be configured that way: PC Out -> MIDIbox64-1 -> MIDIbox64-2 -> PC In The MIDI merger of box1 has to be configured as "MBLink Forwarding Point" The MIDI merger of box2 as "MBLink Endpoint" On this way feedback loops will be prevented. :) The new firmware can be downloaded here: http://www.ucapps.de/midibox/midibox64_v101.zip some configuration examples: http://www.ucapps.de/midibox/mk_syx.zip and the updated editor from http://serge.ucapps.de (in few hours). Best Regards, Thorsten.

Now also the MIDIbox64 can be used to emulate a Houston or Mackie/Logic Control. :) However, only the Houston mode is really useful, since the protocol works with absolute values (for faders and V-pots!) and since you can connect a 2x40 LCD to the MIDIbox64. The Mackie emulation is unusable without rotary encoders and a larger display... The new firmware features also LED mapping and MIDIbox Link http://www.ucapps.de/midibox/midibox64_v101.zip http://www.ucapps.de/midibox/mk_syx.zip Best Regards, Thorsten.