Frank

You're welcome Damien, the pleasure is all mine :-). I enjoy Thorsten's projects very much and its the least i could do to support his untiring efforts for this community. Peace Frank

Hi Thorsten, Good news for Cubase SX and Nuendo users, i think the emulation is working. Set the LCEMU id to "14" and use the Mackie Control profile in Cubase and it will work. I tried id "2F"but it does nothing. I'm using a 16x2 display so i cant see much but the display is responding to Cubase. If i change the channel name in cubase the display will also update. Buttons are working. I've only tested afew so far, here is the list:- 1. Fader select works 2. Mute, Solo and transport works. 3. Bank left, Bank right, Channel left & channel right also works. Only problem is button and led behaviour is not correct. Example: Solo uses note on/note off. If i press solo on in cubase screen mixer, led in MBMF comes on and stays on which is correct. If i press solo off in onscreen mixer MBMF led goes off, also correct. This is the behaviour of leds in MBMF if triggered from MBMF buttons: - 1.button@toggle first push - mbmf led on/onscreen led on second push - mbmf led off/onscreen led still on third push - mbmf led flashes/onscreen led off 2.button@OnOnly first push - mbmf led flashes/onscreen led on second push - mbmf led nothing/onscreen led off 3.button@OnOff first push - mbmf led flashes/onscreen led on second push - mbmf led flashes/onscreen led off I think the @toggle function is correct but it should take only 2 pushes as in: 1st push send note on 2nd push send note off Regarding the Lcd display problem, is it possible to use 40x2 display but with special handling to reduce characters for each channel to 5, (8x5=40) but only 4 displayed the fifth is a space. I think it would still be useful as in bass, syn=synthe, snr=snare, lvox= lead vox etc. I hope i'm not sounding stupid :-) hope the info is of help to you. Peace Frank

Hi Thorsten, Good news for Cubase SX and Nuendo users, i think the emulation is working. Set the LCEMU id to "14" and use the Mackie Control profile in Cubase and it will work. I tried id "2F"but it does nothing. I'm using a 16x2 display so i cant see much but the display is responding to Cubase. If i change the channel name in cubase the display will also update. Buttons are working. I've only tested afew so far, here is the list:- 1. Fader select works 2. Mute, Solo and transport works. 3. Bank left, Bank right, Channel left & channel right also works. Only problem is button and led behaviour is not correct. Example: Solo uses note on/note off. If i press solo on in cubase screen mixer, led in MBMF comes on and stays on which is correct. If i press solo off in onscreen mixer MBMF led goes off, also correct. This is the behaviour of leds in MBMF if triggered from MBMF buttons: - 1.button@toggle first push - mbmf led on/onscreen led on second push - mbmf led off/onscreen led still on third push - mbmf led flashes/onscreen led off 2.button@OnOnly first push - mbmf led flashes/onscreen led on second push - mbmf led nothing/onscreen led off 3.button@OnOff first push - mbmf led flashes/onscreen led on second push - mbmf led flashes/onscreen led off I think the @toggle function is correct but it should take only 2 pushes as in: 1st push send note on 2nd push send note off Regarding the Lcd display problem, is it possible to use 40x2 display but with special handling to reduce characters for each channel to 5, (8x5=40) but only 4 displayed the fifth is a space. I think it would still be useful as in bass, syn=synthe, snr=snare, lvox= lead vox etc. I hope i'm not sounding stupid :-) hope the info is of help to you. Peace Frank

Hi Major Kong, I'm curious as to why you need such minute precision for something that would finally come out thru speakers move air molecules and tickle the nerves in analog human eardrums :-). Most people may perceive changes of 2dB but very ,very few can hear a 1dB change in level, i read this somewhere but please correct me if i'm wrong. Peace Frank

Hi Major Kong, I'm curious as to why you need such minute precision for something that would finally come out thru speakers move air molecules and tickle the nerves in analog human eardrums :-). Most people may perceive changes of 2dB but very ,very few can hear a 1dB change in level, i read this somewhere but please correct me if i'm wrong. Peace Frank

Hi Thorsten, OK i've tested the preliminary version of MBMF LC emulation with Cubase SX 1.05. I'm using the Mackie Control profile in Cubase SX, so the LC Emulation id should be set to "20". When Cubase is started up after awhile the MBMF lcd display changes to :- "Preparing Connection" - lcd top line "Cubase SX Version xxx" - lcd bottom line Cubase will settle into normal behavior but the MBMF displays stays the same as above, i guess cubase is waiting for handshake from MBMF. But the motor faders are working with cubase. Here is midi-ox data of cubase startup :- TIMESTAMP PORT STATUS DATA1 DATA2 CHAN NOTE EVENT 00012974 1 F0 Buffer: 63 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 66 2F 12 00 50 72 65 70 61 72 69 6E 67 20 43 SYSX: 6F 6E 6E 65 63 74 69 6F 6E 2E 2E 2E 20 20 20 20 20 20 SYSX: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 SYSX: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 F7 00012989 1 F0 Buffer: 63 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 66 2F 12 38 43 75 62 61 73 65 20 53 58 20 2D SYSX: 20 56 65 72 73 69 6F 6E 20 31 2E 30 2E 35 2E 35 38 20 SYSX: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 SYSX: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 F7 0001299D 1 F0 Buffer: 8 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 66 14 1A 00 F7 000129A0 1 E8 00 65 9 -- Pitch Bend 000129A0 1 90 32 00 1 D 3 Note Off 000129A1 1 90 4F 7F 1 G 5 Note On 000129A2 1 90 52 00 1 Bb5 Note Off 000129A3 1 90 56 00 1 D 6 Note Off 000129A4 1 90 57 00 1 Eb6 Note Off 000129A5 1 90 5B 00 1 G 6 Note Off 000129A6 1 90 5C 00 1 G#6 Note Off 000129A7 1 90 5D 7F 1 A 6 Note On 000129A8 1 90 5E 00 1 Bb6 Note Off 000129A9 1 90 5F 00 1 B 6 Note Off 000129AA 1 90 71 00 1 F 8 Note Off 000129AB 1 90 72 7F 1 F#8 Note On 000129AC 1 90 73 00 1 G 8 Note Off 000129B1 1 F0 Buffer: 63 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 66 14 12 00 50 61 6E 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 SYSX: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 50 61 6E 20 4C 65 66 74 SYSX: 2D 52 69 67 68 74 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 50 61 SYSX: 67 65 3A 30 31 2F 30 32 F7 000129C5 1 F0 Buffer: 63 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 66 14 12 38 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 SYSX: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 SYSX: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 SYSX: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 F7 000129D9 1 BF 40 30 16 -- CC: Pedal (Sustain) 000129DB 1 BF 41 30 16 -- CC: Portamento 000129DB 1 BF 42 30 16 -- CC: Sostenuto-Thumby 000129DC 1 BF 43 71 16 -- CC: Pedal-Soft 000129DD 1 BF 44 30 16 -- Control Change 000129DE 1 BF 45 71 16 -- CC: Hold 2 000129DF 1 BF 46 30 16 -- Control Change 000129E0 1 BF 47 71 16 -- CC: Harmonic Content 000129E1 1 BF 48 30 16 -- CC: Release Time 000129E2 1 BF 49 30 16 -- CC: Attack Time Thanks for the great engineering, Frank

Hi Thorsten, OK i've tested the preliminary version of MBMF LC emulation with Cubase SX 1.05. I'm using the Mackie Control profile in Cubase SX, so the LC Emulation id should be set to "20". When Cubase is started up after awhile the MBMF lcd display changes to :- "Preparing Connection" - lcd top line "Cubase SX Version xxx" - lcd bottom line Cubase will settle into normal behavior but the MBMF displays stays the same as above, i guess cubase is waiting for handshake from MBMF. But the motor faders are working with cubase. Here is midi-ox data of cubase startup :- TIMESTAMP PORT STATUS DATA1 DATA2 CHAN NOTE EVENT 00012974 1 F0 Buffer: 63 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 66 2F 12 00 50 72 65 70 61 72 69 6E 67 20 43 SYSX: 6F 6E 6E 65 63 74 69 6F 6E 2E 2E 2E 20 20 20 20 20 20 SYSX: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 SYSX: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 F7 00012989 1 F0 Buffer: 63 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 66 2F 12 38 43 75 62 61 73 65 20 53 58 20 2D SYSX: 20 56 65 72 73 69 6F 6E 20 31 2E 30 2E 35 2E 35 38 20 SYSX: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 SYSX: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 F7 0001299D 1 F0 Buffer: 8 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 66 14 1A 00 F7 000129A0 1 E8 00 65 9 -- Pitch Bend 000129A0 1 90 32 00 1 D 3 Note Off 000129A1 1 90 4F 7F 1 G 5 Note On 000129A2 1 90 52 00 1 Bb5 Note Off 000129A3 1 90 56 00 1 D 6 Note Off 000129A4 1 90 57 00 1 Eb6 Note Off 000129A5 1 90 5B 00 1 G 6 Note Off 000129A6 1 90 5C 00 1 G#6 Note Off 000129A7 1 90 5D 7F 1 A 6 Note On 000129A8 1 90 5E 00 1 Bb6 Note Off 000129A9 1 90 5F 00 1 B 6 Note Off 000129AA 1 90 71 00 1 F 8 Note Off 000129AB 1 90 72 7F 1 F#8 Note On 000129AC 1 90 73 00 1 G 8 Note Off 000129B1 1 F0 Buffer: 63 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 66 14 12 00 50 61 6E 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 SYSX: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 50 61 6E 20 4C 65 66 74 SYSX: 2D 52 69 67 68 74 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 50 61 SYSX: 67 65 3A 30 31 2F 30 32 F7 000129C5 1 F0 Buffer: 63 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 66 14 12 38 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 SYSX: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 SYSX: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 SYSX: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 F7 000129D9 1 BF 40 30 16 -- CC: Pedal (Sustain) 000129DB 1 BF 41 30 16 -- CC: Portamento 000129DB 1 BF 42 30 16 -- CC: Sostenuto-Thumby 000129DC 1 BF 43 71 16 -- CC: Pedal-Soft 000129DD 1 BF 44 30 16 -- Control Change 000129DE 1 BF 45 71 16 -- CC: Hold 2 000129DF 1 BF 46 30 16 -- Control Change 000129E0 1 BF 47 71 16 -- CC: Harmonic Content 000129E1 1 BF 48 30 16 -- CC: Release Time 000129E2 1 BF 49 30 16 -- CC: Attack Time Thanks for the great engineering, Frank

Hi, Each project requires their own core with their own firmware installed. So you would need two cores for a box with encoders and motor faders. Each core will support an optional LCD on their own. Peace Frank

Hi guys, I'm helping a friend to build a midibox16+ with 1664 firmware. I'm using the modified schemetic for this firmware and am experiencing a weird problem. If i use a particular brand LCD everything is okay. I have 2 other brands of LCD, and when i use them there are random values all over the place like pot jitter. All these LCDs work fine in my MF and midibox16e but why do only two of them cos pot jitter in a midibox16+?. NE1 who can enlighten me please do. ;) Peace Frank

Yeesss, the new firmware solved the problem ;D. Thanks Thorsten everything seems to be working well in my environment. One question regarding the 74HC595 driving leds, is there any way to get more current when all 8 outputs are driven at once, maybe like a pin compatible substitute for the 595s Peace Frank

Hello Thorsten, Ok, the Midi Overrun problem is solved ;D. Thank You. I've wired up all the eight faders with cables less than 30cm. But i still have the problem of midi data intermittenly being sent by faders only moved by the motors. That is, if fader1 is assigned B0 00, and the motor is moving fader 1, it will sent out just a single value for example B0 00 02 or some other value at another time during automation playback. This happens also to all other faders only if they are moving. It happens intermittenly. If the automation playback is stopped, the midi output is stable with no jitter or false data being sent. I'm using Panasonic Faders, could this be in conflict with the delay settings you use in the Feedback elimination routines? Peace Frank

Hi Axel, Congratulations on your box ;) . I'm in the process of building a box like yours, just have to get my MF working. Where did you get the knobs and transparent disk for your encoders, they look cool and also the round transparent buttons with built in leds. Thanks

Hey Axel, thanks for the info. Lo, are you using Panasonic faders and testing with only one fader wired up?, cos i'm using panasonic and tested with 1 and 2 faders wired but with the mentioned problems. Thorsten did mention that he never tested with 2 faders and running it this way might overload his interrupt routines. So i'm gonna try to wire up all 8 faders and apply Axel's resistor change with 1K pot and see how it goes. Later Frank

Hi Lo, yeah i had the same problem. Max voltage only 6.5V, but i solved it by swapping the 1K pot witk a 10K pot. Hey Axel, is your MF up and running well? any problems with Midi overrun issues or any other issues? Peace Frank

Hi Thorsten, Thanks for the info, you were right i took for granted the pinout was the same as a LM7805. Now i have stable motor voltage and stable core 5V voltage but still have same problems of :- 1. Midi In overun, Trans Aborted 2. Midi Feedback elimination routine intermittenly working. For my knowledge could you explain what are the above error message and routine and what else could cos them not to function besides unstable voltage. Sorry for the inconvenience but what can I say I'm a Midibox Addict ;D Frank

Hi Thorsten, You guys in Europe get soooo many holidays :D. Before your last reply i've been testing the MF with only 2 motor faders and the other 6 channels tied to GND. For the motor power circuit, i followed your original circuit except i substituted with a LM7805 and used a 9V AC supply and by adjusting the pot i chose 7.85V for my Panasonic motor faders. They worked very well. Both faders responded concurrently fast and smoothly. The only drawback was i was getting random midi data info for the 2 faders coming out of the midibox midi out port while they were playing back recorded fader movements. I also measured the motor supply voltage while they were moving and it was very stable at 7.85V to 7.86V. After reading your corrections and downloading the new Supply circuit pdf, i proceeded to substitute with a LM317T and used a 15V AC supply, everything else remained the same as above. I adjusted pot for 7.85V output and played back the same fader test recording, but surprise, faders did not move. The meter showed voltage unstable from 3.5V to 7V while cubase played and shot back to 7.85V when i stopped Cubase. Also the LCD Display was showing intermittenly "Midi In Overrun, Transm. Aborted". Also random data coming out of Midibox midi out port. I resoldered back to LM7805 and voltage was stable again while faders moved. I resoldered back a second brand new LM317T with the 15V supply and once again unstable voltage, no faders moved and "Midi In Overrun" diplayed again. I doubled check my connections and all soldering but i have no idea what i did wrong. Any ideas in tracing this problem would be much appreciated. Thanks and Peace to you in this uncertain times. Frank

Hi, could you please help me to test this out :- Use any fader automation software and program movements for a single fader. connect output of software to MF midibox in and midibox out to MidiOX in port for monitoring of data stream. Loop play the fader movement and let me know if there is any intermittent data stream being shown by MidiOX . Thanx Frank

Yeah, thats what i thought too, till i searched and found this :-http://www.southwest.com.au/~jfuller/electronics/regulators.htm The pot is for control of only the motor movement. Thanks

Hi Thorsten, I'm confused about the Motor power supply requirements. According to your MBHP_MF_V1 schemetic, the faders should be caliberated at 8V. But i tried adjusting the pot and the range selectable is only from 12V to 17V on my board. If i am correct if one is using a LM7812 regulator you cant get lower than 12V but can get higher voltages with a voltage divider resistors as shown in your schemetic. What is the 8V caliberation level? I've tried using the new MF design with both Nuendo and Cubase SX and have this weird problem. This is the setup:- 1.Merger on MF midibox set to OFF 2.both midi in and out of midibox connected to computer 3. Midi Thru in both software set to off. 4. software faders set to transmit movements to midibox faders. 5. software faders set to receive movements from midibox faders. I move midibox faders and software faders respond and record the movements. I playback the song and both software and hardware faders respond. After a few repeats of the same recorded passage both software and hardware faders stop responding. If i remove the midi cable from the midibox midi output and restart the same passage both faders respond again. If i plug back the cable , after a few repeats of the song , both faders stop responding again. I'm still investigating. Regards Frank