TK.

I will try it with 9bit - this will increase the resolution by 8 times compared to standard midi CC; the LSB is always required to eliminate the 1/2 bit error, I don't want to do it without. Encoders: 72 steps are really ok for the daily work; if you want to turn a parameter from min to max value with one twist of your fingers, you can enable the "fast" mode which works progressively - that means: than faster you turn, than higher increment/decrement values will be send. Hardware solution: well, see http://www.ucapps.de/howtoenc.html - but why do you want to replace the software handler by hardware? The software works very stable, the 16 encoders are sampled every 800 uS, the sample routine requires about 200 uS, which means 25% CPU load. Maybe it works also with higher resolutions, but I never tried it... if not, just only the sample rate has to be increased. To ensure the realtime behaviour (no encoder Tick and no incoming MIDI byte should get lost) and to minimize my support effort if something should not work as expected with an exotic encoder, I limited the routines to 16 encoders. If you need more, just link multiple core modules --- or modify the din_enc program under http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp_prg.html for your needs :) Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi Rochey, yes, this will be possible in conjunction with the individual touch sensors for each fader. If your motorfaders don't come with a sensor pin, you can use buttons instead. It's also important that your software supports an automization mechanism (Logic Audio: Read/Touch/Write/... mode) Best Regards, Thorsten.

Zum Graphikdisplay: man kann die Zeichen natuerlich auch Byte fuer Byte aus einer Tabelle laden und an das Display uebergeben. Dabei ist es dann egal, ob die Zeichen vertikal oder horizontal dargestellt werden, ausserdem ist man so nicht auf den meist sehr knapp gehaltenen Zeichensatz (wenn ueberhaupt vorhanden) reduziert und kann mit graphischen Elementen arbeiten. Mit der Uebertragungsgeschwindigkeit gibt es keine Probleme; pro Byte sind mit ca. 3 uS rechnen, pro 64-bit Zeile 192 uS, fuer das gesamte Display 5.8 mS... wenn man die Displayansteuerung intelligent genug programmiert und nur die Teilbereiche refreshed, die sich wirklich geaendert haben, kann das also locker nebenher laufen. Bleibt nur noch das physikalisches Problem: das Display ist gerade mal 18 cm breit (bzw. hoch), somit bleiben fuer jeden Encoder ca 2.25 cm uebrig - das reicht nicht! Der Abstand zwischen den Achsen sollte mindestens 3 cm betragen, damit man mit seinen Wurstfingern nicht ungewollt die benachbarten Encoder mitdreht. :-/ LED-Anzeige: alternativ koennte man ja auch eine alphanummerische Anzeige verwenden: allerdings sind die von Reichelt ca. 2 cm breit; kennt jemand einen Distributor fuer schmalere Digits? Die 4stelligen Punktmatrix-Anzeigen sind mir etwas zu teuer fuer den Spass, aber bekanntlich gehoert Farnell ja nicht zu den guenstigsten Haendlern - auch hier die Frage: wo gibt es die irgendwo guenstiger? Gruss, Thorsten.

Ja - die im Editorial vesprochenen "traumhaften Umsaetze" werden mich trotzdem nicht dazu bringen, die MIDIbox zu vermarkten ;-) Gruss, Thorsten.

Hi Amando, ESD is a really new issue! Are you using a metal or a wooden case? If metal: It makes sense to connect the ground of the MIDIbox with the chassis, just to ensure that Vss is on the same voltage level like the outer world. On this way, the circuit should not be affected by discharges. I'm not sure if an additional cap could help. Best Regards, Thorsten.

Sure, seperate touch sensores are planned :) Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi Lo, no way - when the MIDIbox-to-COM option is enabled, the UART is running with a different baudrate which is not compatible with MIDI. Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi Swede, the pot jitter issue is solved since the MIDIbox converts the pot values with 8 bits and uses the LSB to eleminate the 0.5 bit error of the ADC. A 10 bit conversion could also be possible, but it requires a very clean design on the analog site -> seperate power supply & no external multiplexers! You can try it with the AINX4 example under http://www.ucapps.de/prg.html - just bypass the multiplexer control routine in adc.inc, reduce the number of pots to 8 and get the 10-bit result from the ADRES/ADRESH registers. Encoders: the MIDIbox16E already sends 72 ticks per revolution with a 36 step encoder, because of the built-in interpolator, which handles not only the rising edge, but also the falling edge of every pulse. It's a tricky approach, but it works very stable! :) Btw.: the required CPU performance for this method is the reason, why only 16 encoders can be handled by every core module. Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hallo Ilmenator, was die Beschriftung der einzelnen Encoder betrifft, so koennte sich da bald etwas tun. Thomas T. hat mir einige wirklich gute Anregungen fuer das MIDIbox MF-Redesign zugeschickt, die ich mir erstmal in Ruhe durch den Kopf gehen lassen muss. Es koennte darauf hinauslaufen, dass es bald eine MIDIbox mit einem voellig neuen Usemodel geben wird: mit Displays (LED-Digits oder alphanummerisch) fuer jeden Motorfader + jeweils zwei fest zugewiesenen Buttons (zum Triggern von MIDI-Events und fuer die Konfiguration), sowie einem Tastenfeld zur schnellen Anwahl der Baenke (individuelle Zuweisung fuer jeden Fader oder Gruppen). Wenn das Teil erstmal laeuft, wird es ein leichtes sein, die Software auch fuer Encoder auszulegen. Bei der Gelegenheit noch eine Vorab-Ankuendigung (ohne Garantie): evtl. wird es bald einen "MIDIbox-Link" geben, mit dem sich saemtliche MIDIboxen miteinander vernetzen lassen - ohne die MIDI-Leitung zu belasten :) Brauche nur noch Zeit, um das mal in einem Realsystem zu testen, bin allerdings momentan mal wieder beruflich ziemlich eingespannt... Trotzdem noch die Antworten zu Deinen eigentlichen Fragen: LED-Matrixdisplays gibt es z.B bei Farnell, sind aber sehr teuer (ab 15 EUR aufwaerts). 240x64 Punkte Graphikdisplays gibt es bei Reichelt (LCD 64240A LED) und kosten 66 EUR, sind also auch nicht gerade guenstig. Beide lassen sich aehnlich wie das alphanummerischen Hitachi-Display ansteuern, die Datenbusse sind identisch. Wenn man mehrere Displays gleichzeitig bedienen moechte, muss man lediglich die Enable-Leitungen multiplexen. Meine angestrebte Loesung wird jedoch guenstiger ausfallen... Gruss, Thorsten.

Dazu kann ich nur sagen, dass ich ohne Euer Feedback und den vielen Anregungen mit den MIDIbox Projekten bestimmt nicht so weit gekommen waere. :) Es macht nun mal einen grossen Unterschied, ob ein Hardware-Entwickler von seinem Broetchengeber die Aufgabe erhaelt, in moeglichst kurzer Zeit einen moeglichst fehlerfreien (und somit sehr einfach gehaltenen) Controller mit moeglichst billigen Bauteilen zu entwerfen, und sich anschliessend nie mehr mit dem fertigen Produkt beschaeftigt, oder ob jemand die finanzielle Dinge voellig ausser acht lassen kann und seine Geraete aus eigenem Interesse ueber Jahre hinweg voellig ohne Zeitdruck optimiert... Gruss, Thorsten.

Cooool! I *love* these kind of solved problems! :D Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi Bjoern, hrmpf! It seems that I should replace the old CNY17-II optocoupler circuit from the MIDIbox Plus schematics and replace it by the 6N138 circuit, since there are less problems with this part. :-/ If the MIDI interface of your PC or synthesizer is not good enough, the CNY17-II sometimes need small modifications, you can find some debug infos here: http://www.ucapps.de/howtodebug.html Best Regards, Thorsten.

The kits include electronic components and the PCBs, so that you don't have to pay for shipping twice. Mike has improved the Kit page in the last hours, there is also an english version available now (http://www.chris-elektronikseite.de) and a complete list of all parts, so that you don't have to buy a pig in a poke (http://www.chris-elektronikseite.de/parts.htm) Buttons/LEDs/Pots/LCD will be listed soon. Sascha: I order my components at Reichelt since 20 years and know all part numbers off by heart ;-) Searching on the website is far from efficiency, normaly I'm using the search function in combination with the catalogue Rouchey: I think that your questions are answered with the new partlist and the english shop - applause for Mike who helps his friend Chris with the setup! :) Payment: currently only direct bank transfers or eurocheques are possible; Mike & Chris don't own a credit card, which is necessary to setup a PayPal account in an european country... but hopefully PayPal is able to change this in the next months Parallel Motorfaders: I will get the first prototype PCBs next week! :D Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi Christoffer, I increased the capacitance to 2200 uF for people who don't use a walladapter, but a common transformer - just to ensure that they don't hear unwanted 50 Hz (60 Hz) AC buzz. The 16V cap should also be ok for your 9V chip... normaly it is recommented that the maximum voltage of the cap behind a rectifier should be 2 times the RMS voltage, but the current through the circuit is so low, that this suggestion don't have to be taken into account (IMHO) Best Regards, Thorsten.

Thanks for the informative link, Lemonhorse! :) Rob: if you don't want to use the snap function of the MIDIbox, just enable the integrated MIDI merger and wire the cables like shown here: Best Regards, Thorsten.

sure! :) Best Regards, Thorsten.

in this case "Vorauskasse" Best Regards, Thorsten. P.S.: I've just sent some suggestions to Mike/Chris, how they can improve the ordering procedure

Alright, now it's clear. It seems to be a bug, it should be fixed in v0.035 v0.034b is only necessary if you would like to use the RM1x as MIDI clock master and the MIDIbox64 as MIDI clock slave, because this didn't work with v0.034a Best Regards, Thorsten.

As long as you don't want to varry the velocity and the gate length of the notes, you can use the independent mode. Advantage: 4 tracks are available in this mode. Best Regards, Thorsten.

alright, as I can see here: you are not using the original layouts, so I will remind some design tips, how to eliminate pot jittering. Just check the suggestions step by step, one of them could be the reason why the analog signals get unstable: increase the input voltage of the 7805 (MBHP core module, J1). If this voltage is too low (< 7V), the 5V output of the voltage regulator will begin to oscillate. But don't increase the input voltage above 10V, because on this way the 7805 gets very hot and will oscillate again due to temperature noise. -> Best results with 7V-10V ensure that the pots, the PIC and the analog multiplexers are working on the same voltage level, here a diagramm: the power connections to the pots, analog multiplexers and to the PIC have to be wired starlike if you own a multimeter, check the voltage levels on the pots. They must be the same like on the PIC: 0/+5V. You can ensure this on the following way: connect one probe with the +5V pin of a pot, the other probe with the Vdd pin of the PIC (pin #11): the voltage drop must be 0(!)V. Thereafter check the 0V pin with Vss of the PIC (pin #12), voltage drop must be 0V as well. The voltage drop between the 5V and the 0V pin of a pot must be 5V of course... if this doesn't help to find the problem, reduce the cable length! In my box, the multiplexers are placed very near by the pots, so that the cables are very short. For the analog outputs of the multiplexers I've used a 50cm ribbon cable, so here the length doesn't matter. Let me know if one of these ideas helped. Best Regards, Thorsten.

Maybe I can tell you if a particular LED/button compo is ok or not - which ones are available in your country, can you give me some links? Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi Rhogben, I will talk with Mike/Christian, that they should improve the documentation about the kits. I agree with you, currently it's not clear which parts are coming with the kits, and which additional parts are necessary (Note: I'm not financially involved on the selling, so Mike and Christian have to take care for the websites by themself) Yes, for a common MIDIbox64 2 AINX4, 1 DOUTX4, 1 DINX4, one CORE and optionally one LTC module is required. Also a JDM module if you don't already own a programmer. These kits cost 84 EUR in total + 15 EUR shipping. You can e.g. pay with eurocheque, this will cost +5 EUR due to bank transfer fees. Remark for people in Germany: you can save about 20-40 EUR when you buy the components directly from Reichelt and the PCBs from Mike Currently not available: LCD, bankstick, pots, faders, encoders, knobs, cables, plugs, cases, power supply. It will be difficult to offer a dedicated power supply for every country, so this is something which has to be ordered locally. Regarding pots (and encoders): Chris and Mike are trying to get some directly from ALPS Best Regards, Thorsten.

Normaly jittering values should be history, most users don't notice this anymore... How did you connect the pots to the AINx4 module, are you able to send me a photo so that I can give you some suggestions regarding the wiring? Alternatively you can describe it: how long are the cables, how did you connect the pots together? From my experience this is the best wiring method: starlike Best Regards, Thorsten.

I will include this into the next release. How about a global note range & transpose buttons? :) Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi TraiZor, I implemented something like a MIDI note queue which ensures that every Note On gets an Note Off, independent from the sequencer state. Maybe you noticed a new corner case which havent been checked before - since I also own a RM1x, could you please describe, how I can reproduce the problem exactly? How did you connect your MIDIbox with the RM1x? You can also send me a .syx file with the configuration. Best Regards, Thorsten.