Dr_Nick

I'd really like to play my collection of sidfiles through the MIDIbox SID. So does anyone feel to be up to the task of programming a sidfile-player that controls the MIDIbox SID? Or maybe a driver that will act as a SIDstation or HardSID or Catweasel MK3 PCI/Flipper emulation? Please? Pretty please?? That would be soo sweet, 'specially since it's almost christmas and all that...

Hi Thorsten! Since you mentioned implementing new features: Is it possible to add some kind of "drum machine mode"? Using the SID for drum tracks requires quick changes of the used patch (or "instrument"). But right now it seems the program changes take quite some time, probably since the bank stick access is too slow to allow quick changes? So is there a way to play different sounds with different notes? Or probably access different positions in the wavetable sequencer with different keys? I'm really looking forward to you adding some new stuff!

Hi! I've got some questions regarding the MIDIbox SID (Step C): 1. I plan to use the powersupply described in "mbhp_4xsid_c64_psu_optimized.pdf". The SID-modules are supplied with 14V, which is only 2 volts more than the old SIDs need. Is there any advantage in using low-drop voltage regulators on the SID-modules? (LM2940-CT12 instead of a 7812) 2. I'll use rotary encoders with built-in buttons. How do I have to modify the source code so that pushing the knob shows the current value? That way you don't need to change the value by turning the knob in order to see it... 3. How do the "software implemented MIDI Rx/Tx LEDs" work? Regards, Dr. Nick

Hi Thorsten! Any idea if you'll get around to implement this? I would really like that feature... Regards, Dr. Nick

Hi Justin! You can count me in for another 20-30 encoders. (I'm out on vacation next week, but as soon as I'm back I'll check this thread...) Thanks!

Hallo Zusammen! Hab' im neuen Hauptkatalog 2004 von Conrad (www.conrad.de) einen günstigen, kleinen Joystick entdeckt: Mit 2 10k Potis und einem eingebauten Taster bei einer Grundfläche (laut Datenblatt) von 20,7 x 25,4 mm. Steht auf Seite 1032, hat die Bestellnummer 425608-33 und kostet gerade mal 2,95 €. Ich werd mir demnächst mal welche bestellen, fahr aber erstmal in den Urlaub... Bis denn, Dr. Nick

Hi everybody! Sadly the person who sells the encoders on ebay.com won't ship to Germany. Does Anybody know where I could get those for a decent price in Germany? Thanks! Dr. Nick

Hi Thorsten! I'm about to buy a MIDI-interface, but I guess building my own would be way cheaper. Could you allready give a rough estimate about the time it might take you to realease the MBHP USB module code and schematics? I really appreciate all the time and effort you put into the whole project! Dr. Nick

Hi Thorsten! Using your workaround, everything is running without any problems! Thank you very much!!!

I've already tried to programm the PIC with the lates SID firmware, but all I get when I turn the box on is a blank LCD and no reaction to any MIDI data... Then again I don't have the DIN module connected, so is the MIDIbox SID supposed to run without it?

I'm using a 10MHz crystal and I do see the download request in MIDIox. I've allready installed MIDI in and out LEDs on my selfmade board and the "in" LED shows MIDI activity while MIDIox is sending the sysex file. I've set up MIDIox as explained on the bootstrap example page (750ms delay, etc...). And as I wrote before, I allready got the whole thing up and running with a PIC16F877, with working MIDI-in and all. The only things I changed now are the PIC and the crystal. All the PIC18f452 does now is send the download request every 2 seconds (MIDI-out LED flashing and all...), even while I'm trying to upload the operating system. Any idea what I could be doing wrong?

I'm allready using the latest version of the bootstrap loader (v1.1b). And I've tried erasing the PIC and reprogramming it several times now, but it still doesn't work.... As I mentioned before, with the MPLAB ide (Microchip's development environment that ships with the PICstart plus programmer) the device ID is only 4 bytes long, instead of the 8 bytes shown on the bootstrap loader example page. So maybe I can't set the interface to the correct baud rate? Would a computer still be able to recieve the sysex messages if the baud rate was wrong while the PIC would fail to do so correctly? Dr. Nick.

I'm experiencing the same problems with my MIDIbox SID. I allready had it up and running with a PIC16F877 and all I did change were the crystal and the PIC, so I guess I could rule out any hardware problems. I tried sending the firmware several times now, but the only thing that's send back is "F0 00 00 7E 40 00 01 F7" every 2 seconds.... I reprogrammed the PIC with the bootstrap loader, but that didn't help either. I'm using the PICstart plus programmer and noticed that the device ID only has 8 digits instead of the 16 that are shown in IC-Prog. Could that be part of the problem? Any help will be greatly appreciated! Dr. Nick

Hallo Tarok! Es kann gut sein, daß RS trotzdem Privatkunden akzeptiert, frag mal einfach nach, ich kenne mich mit denen nicht aus. Sonst kanst Du es bei http://www.farnell.de versuchen, die liefern garantiert an Privatabnehmer. Von Farnell kanst Du Dir auch einen sehr, sehr dic ken, 3 bändigen Katalog schicken lassen, was recht sinnvoll ist, da die Online-Suche nicht ganz so Klasse ist. Farnell hat übrigens auch das EEPROM für den Bankstick. Als weitere Alternative käme noch http://www.schuricht.de in Frage, die Privatkunden zwar keinen Katalog schicken, aber Bestellungen bei Kreditkartenzahlung annehmen. Von Schuricht habe ich übrigens 2 recht günstige ALPS Encoder ohne Rastung bestellt, die ganz gut sind. Vergleich die am besten mal, wo es die günstigsten / besten Encoder gibt.

Hi Thomas! The sound leakage of the SID chip is a known problem. Back when the chip was designed, Bob Yannes (the creator of the SID) had only little time to develop it. Even though the SID is quite a remarkable little device, it has it's flaws. Bob Yannes once said in an interview: "If I had had more time, I would have developed a proper MOS op-amp which would have eliminated the signal leakage which occurred when the volume of the voice was supposed to be zero. This lead to poor signal-to-noise ratio, although it could be dealt with by stopping the oscillator." So probably Thorsten could add some code to stop the oscillator if no notes are played. If you want to know more about the history of the SID, you should check out the complete interview with Bob Yannes at http://stud4.tuwien.ac.at/~e9426444/yannes.html Regards, Dr. Nick.

With the LCD I'm using, the backlight current is too high if I turn the luminance pot to the max position. I tried adding the 10 ohm serial resistor that is required for using 5V to power the backlight, but now I can only adjust the brightness between maximum and just a little darker than max... Is there a way to get the luminance pot to work from complete darkness to max brightness? Regards, Dr Nick.