Dave_Wheeler

HI Twin-X Not sure what will happen with chips missing, the code in cs_menu_io_tables.inc looks for 9 chips. As an experiment, you could recompile V1.6 with a reduced number of inputs or build the rest of the hardware. Not sure though....Anyone else know ?? Dave

Hey Twin-X, Noises from your SID......Great. I would do the DIN stuff first and then the DOUT but it depends how your control surface is wired. I 'always' leave out the chips first and then check power is in the right places at 5V. Once happy with the power supply, plug in the chips, (TK is there a DIN or DOUT test application ??) Good Luck, Dave

Hi Twin-X Excellent, If you don't have your LCD connected yet, its time to break out the soldering iron. I would then suggest connecting the SID board with no chips fitted and check voltages on the shift registers and SID are correct. Don't forget when you connect the SID board that there is a wiring change for V1.7 (on the MIOS page somewhere) If all is well, the 74HC595's can be fitted and then load the SID interconnection test software. This can be used to check the shift registers are working correctly, I think there is a small 'bug' in that when you go from D7 to CS, D7 may stay active. L8R Dave

Hi Twin-X, Thats Good. The Sysex that you are seeing is the bootloader prompting for MIOS download. Now comes the fun... In Midiox, select 'View' Sysex and check the configuration. I use 256 byte buffers * 16 with 750MS delay after F7 and I also use 100MS delay between buffers. Load mios_v_1_7.syx by selecting 'Command Window' Load File. Once loaded select 'Command Window' Send Sysex. If your Sysex settings are working you should see some different sysex in the Input window (The Type of message is listed on the Mios page) You may have to 'play' with the settings to get reliable communications. Good Luck. Dave

Well Done Twin-X, Voltages are looking far better (working meter makes the difference :)) What I would do next is double check the power supply to both the PIC and the OPTO to ensure that they are approx 5V. If this is correct, I would populate the core and see if you can talk to it (using MidiOx) So far So good. Dave

Hey Shawn, Well done. ::) The first step is the biggest !!!! OK. What I think is happening is that the capacitance of the stripboard between adjacent tracks is probably in the order of 30pF and can be much more on longer tracks. When you fit the capacitors 0.022uF which is actually 22000pF or 22nF there is far too high a value of capacitance. Removing the caps is giving enough from adjacent tracks for the xtal to oscilate (bad spellin !) Be very careful with capacitor values as there are 1000pF to a nF and 1000nF to a uF. Also the value of capacitors in parralell is the opposite to resistors, with caps in paralell C = C1+C2 where resistors would be 1/R = 1/R1+1/R2. Good luck and well done. Dave

In addition to Thorstens proposal for a new Midibox Plus PCB, anyone that has used my PCB design will note that the board is layed out for the 6N138 so you should not see the recent problems. Thanks Again Thorsten Dave