NorthernLightX
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Posts posted by NorthernLightX
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Those bright blue LEDs can be made (a bit) diffuse by rubbing them with a high grain sanding paper. Also a 1K resistor in series with the LED helps limitting the current and the brightness. If the LEDs are still too bright increase the resistor even more.
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I have that one already, and can confirm it's a beauty :)
I would like to have one CFAH2004A-RMI-JP (Red Array LED Backlight), not for the SID project (I'm going to use the blue one I have) but for something else I'm building.
I would also take 2 CFAH4002A-TMIJP (40x2 Blue/White Edge LED Backlight) if it's possible, to build a SEQ sometime.
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I'll probably take 1. If other sizes are also possible in the deal i'm also in for a few 2x40 LCDs. I currently own 2 crystalfontz LCD's and they rock.
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a big a$$ post
......are you for hire? :D
that's some crazy precision you're describing there!
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:o Are you for real? ;D I guess by today's standards they are slipping a bit but that's still a good synth, and definitely not a preset box! Maybe you oughtta get the sampling option and/or figure it out, you're missing out man!
It's the classic version, which already has sampling option integrated, it has 64MB now. Problem is that it only has a floppy drive, no sample loading from CD unless I finf a cheap SCSI expansion somewhere, don't want to invest much more in it anymore, midibox is my thing now. I also have the MOSS board for the triton. In theory it should be a nice synth, but the complexity is killing me. When I have the time I will probably investigate the possibilities a bit further, but I like diy-ing stuff very much more.
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I own a Korg Triton Pro which is a nice preset box with keys. I wouldn't buy it again though, it has too much functionality with by far not enough controlpanel. The touch screen is a very pr0n feature, but I never figured out how to use all the features. I'm lazy, I know.
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LOL Why didn't you record into fruity? Hey whatever, it works! That aside, doesn't seem odd to me, sounds like a standard kinda setup?
I couldn't figure out how to do that. Since I needed the sample quickly this was the shortest solution.
I hope that a distortion unit would do that from about 1% ;) I assume you mean the background noise.. I wonder if you are able to properly monitor your input levels with windoze sound recorder, maybe it's clipping a bit? Sure doesn't sound that way, but it is a disto demo ;)
I mean unwanted noise. It could be background noise from the SID, from the dodgy jack connector I used in the box, from the less than optimal cables I soldered year ago, or from recording a mono signal through multiple connector-adapters into a stereo port. Either way, I think proper cabling could bring down the noise, and a variable low pass filter (a pot and a capacitor is all it takes) instead of the tonestack and level pot would be an improvement for synth use. The sounds were recordes of a setup intended for guitar.
No filtersweeps? It sure sounds like it! around 25 and 40 seconds sounds like no distortion I've ever heard... Heck pretty much the whole thing is effected isn't it?
It might just be the distortion being nice, but it even sounds like the ringmod or sync or something is modulating at the end (low end growls around a bit)... I was listening quickly (I'm in the middle of Funcrusher!) on a so-so system, trying not to be loud and annoy the neighbours, so I dunno, this might all be BS.
The SID patch might have had a LFO's assigned to CutOff and/or Resonance as default, but I did not use any outboard effects (filters, reverb, delay, whatever) other than the distortion, nor did I tweak any settings on the SID.
Cheers, Alex.
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[ x ] sound example with MIDIbox SID
[ x ] please :)
Best Regards, Thorsten.
I made a very odd setup, but managed to create some sound samples with the SID. here's what I did:
Laptop with fruityloops -> MIDI interface -> MidiBox SID V2 -> Distortion -> PC with windows soundrecorder
It actually worked quite good :)
Unfortunately soundrecorder decided that I should record in 22KHz 8bit, so a lot of the samples I made were bad quality, and I canned them. I then re-recorded the last loop I recorded at 44KHz 16bit, while tweaking the pots of the distortion unit.
[edit]
soundsamples removed, not good examples of current build
[/edit]
The first 2 bars are with a neutral tone setting, drive at 0. Some things you will notice:
- Bass gets cut out when the drive is turned up
- Noise also increases when the drive is over 60%
I hope you like the sound, the only effect used is the distortion. I would have liked to put some delay in, but this way it is easier to hear the distortion do its work.
Cheers, Alex.
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Because it can make no difference to operation if the output lead is removed, but if the input is still driven the last op amp is driving a short, which may harm it in the long run, and will certainly not help your battery life
I believe you, so I will change that. ;)
Put an end stop resistor (2K2 or so) in the ground side of R5, to avoid overloading the opamp output stage whe the wiper is at the grounded end.
I agree that clipping diodes are usually to ground, but the way you have arranged them, there is no limit on current flow from the op amp if the pot is at the end. The op amp is effectively driving a very low resistance about 0.7V above ground. A small resistor will not have much audible effect (unless the op amp overload is part of the sound you want), but again is kinder to the op amp and batteries.
When creating the audio samples today I noticed a steep drop in audio signal when that pot was at minimum or maxiumum value so your story turns out to be quite relevant. I will add this resistor to the test setup soon, and listen if there are any audible effects. When tweaking the pots the thing sometimes produces resonant filtered sounds, I like to keep those :)
Thanks for the feedback!
Cheers, Alex.
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Have you added this to the Wiki?
Not yet, I will do that when everything is finished. Right now there are some options which are not very useful for synth use (the tone stack and level pot, a mixer can do that much better) and a low-pass filter to cut out noise could be a nice addition - the current schematic is for guitar. As soon as I think the thing is finished I will add everything to the wiki.
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Two thoughts:
1) remove the grounding switch from the output jack, or it will short the op-amp to ground when the jack plug is removed.
Why is that a bad thing?
2) Put an end stop resistor (2K2 or so) in the ground side of R5, to avoid overloading the opamp output stage whe the wiper is at the grounded end.
I have studied a lot of distortion schematics and the hard clipping diodes are always shunt directly to ground. R5 lets you tune between hard clipping and soft clipping (diodes in the feedback loop) or overdrive (no clipping diodes at all) depending on the position of S2. So please explain the benefit of not overloading the opamp.
Just a couple of ideas
And they are appreciated ;)
Cheers, Alex.
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I would love to post a sound sample but I haven't figured out how to send out midi AND record an audio stream at the same time with my soundcard (phonic firefly) yet. Will try to record something tomorrow.
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Hi all,
I've just finished testing my homebrew distortion unit. It has a lot of tweaking options, probably more than most midiboxers need, but feel free to adapt the schematics to your liking.
The circuit has been tested with a synth and I find it to be quite useful. It could be a nice addition as a preamp or insert FX for the MBHP_SID and MBHP_FM modules, therefore I post it under User Projects. If the mods deem it to be misplaced here feel free to move it around.
The documentation is available in both OpenOffice .ODT and in plain .TXT
The schematic looks like this:
The eagle schematic file can be found here:
If you would want to make a (guitar) pedal from this schematic you could use this artwork:
[update]
Everything is relocated to the WIKI: http://www.midibox.org/dokuwiki/northernlightx
[/update]
Artwork for a 1U 19" module will be created somewhere in the near future.
Many thanks go out to Mendelt for endless help designing and documenting the project.
I am still waiting for a few parts to arrive to finish the pedal, and will post pictures of the building process in this thread.
Any comments are appreciated :)
Cheers, Alex.
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I just checked the pictures, and other than sloppy soldering I can't see anything useful. I would suggest you take an ohmmeter and check the leads for shorts. Flux can also be conducting, so if there's any residu be sure to remove it.
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You can use any copper cable, but insulated is preferred i think. the length does not matter. RX and TX are on the same cable, just solder the resistor and the diode as shown in the schematic and it will work :)
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The module that gives you almost 14v seems to have a problem with regulation, or a short in the power path, else the voltage could not be so high.
If the module that has the right voltages does not react to the interconnection test, the problem is most likely in the wiring between core and sid board. I can't check your pictures right now, will do that tonigt.
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Stryd,
This has the same info in it, but it's not the source I remembered:
http://www.jaycar.com.au/images_uploaded/potprimr.pdf
Looks like B is just linear, and A was once linear too, but A should mean log now. It also mentions the "C" taper, which puzzled me a while back on something.
Take Care
Strangeness, because I have always had linear pots with the A indication, and logarithmic with B, both new from reichelt and old stock.
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I have used the minus wire as a ground (Blue wire in mbhp_4xsid_c64_psu_optimized.pdf)... Maybe this could cause the SID to not make sound at all?
there is no minus wire, but the blue wire is ground, so you did it right. That cannot be the problem. Did you also solder the clock wire from the core to the SID?
I'm currently just trying with one core and one sid, because i wanna test them all individually and see if there are some problems. Its easier to debug them one at the time
That is the best method indeed.
I'm gonna post a picture of my setup at least tomorrow when there is day light. But i will try if i can get some decent pictures at night. Who knows, maybe if i use lots of sensitivity and put some exposure time and maybe the pics will look good :p
Just use a flash and the auto setting from your camera, the pictures need to be clear, beautiful is not needed here ;)
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All the voltages are correct and i have 470pF Styroflex caps for the 8580's
22nF are better for the filtercaps. from the original Commodore schematic, 8580 uses 6.8NF and 6581 uses 470pF, but for both the 22nF are the best according to multiple sources.
I did the mbsid_interconnection_test and i didn't get the 5V from any of the ports. Only the last #14: Pin CS# = 0V was true
that indicates a problem with the interconnection of your core module and both shiftregisters of the SID board. Things to check:
- cabling between the core and SID (are the right pins connected?)
- orientation of your shiftregisters (are they seated the right way around?)
But im not sure if i used the "right" ground i mean what is the ground anyways? Isn't it minus?
Ground is never minus, just ground. it took me some time to understand too, just check my older posts, there's some good reading there when more skilled midiboxers try to explain it to me ;)
The ground rail is all the pins marked Vss in the schematic, and the large plain on the bottom of the PCBs.
The ground that i used in my tests is the blue wire in this setup mbhp_4xsid_c64_psu_optimized.pdf I also have both pins of the Audio In connected to that Blue Wire
The audio in does not need to be connected that way, just place a jumper over the 2 pins, that is enough, and can easily be removed if you want to use it later on. The way you did it is not wrong, but much more work than needed. One of the two pins from the audio in is ground already on the PCB.
Im using the Latest MIOS and i tryed to play with midibox_sid_v1_7303b. And the next thing to do is to try it once more with all modules and cores :\
Have youn tried it with just one core and one SID connected, or with all 4 of them together? Which PIC version are you using?
I would suggest you check as much as I wrote in this post, and then post a picture of your current setup, topside AND bottomside.
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Have you messured the voltage at the SID chip? Should be 9V.
Also check the ground connection a second time.
Check C1 and C2. Should be 22nF.
Best regards
Markus
9v only when using 8580 or 6582. 6581 requires 12v.
22nF is the optimal value, other values do not introduce noise or the problems FLD is describing.
FLD: if all your modules are having the same problem it must either be a problem with the core, or you have made an error when stuffing the shiftregisters or the wiring. Try the SID interconnection test program and post the results please.
And not unimportant: which version of the SID application are you using?
[edit]
I read you are using the sidplayer application so the above question is not aplicable. You could try to upload the standard SID application and see if you can play notes from MIOS studio.
[/edit]
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Haha this is getting really funny, because its seems everytime i solve a problem there is already a new problem waiting :P
Ok i uploaded the MIOS and Sidplayer to my Core and i have done the wiring like this: [url=http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_4xsid_c64_psu_optimized.pdf]mbhp_4xsid_c64_psu_optimized.pdf Now when i push Play from the ASID i just hear this "ZRRRRRRRRRR" noise and i can even control the noise by raising the speed of the song and the noise gets faster. And in JsynthLib (with SID application) when i turn a knob i can hear some high pitched noise.
I tryed with 2 8580 Chips and they both have the same problem :\
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MIDI In is only 2 wires :p
And i have tested them both ways :\
I Guess i do those optocoupler tests now
Maybe you tried this already, but is the cabling to your midi interface ok? miibox in - pc out, pc in - midibox out? And are the cables not broken? You could measure with a multimeter in ohm position.
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Could the problem be in the wiring of the midi plugs? I did that wrong the first time too. You write you checked them, but as you also wrote you checked the value of R5 which turned out to be wrong, maybe you also misread the plug polarity, or maybe you connected ground on the MIDI in port.
[S] 6582 SID chips for sale! ***IMPORTANT UPDATE***
in Fleamarket
Posted
I rank +17, yeehaa ;D
You've got mail. Maybe the community should donate you a T-shirt saying "Mister 6582" 8)