SexyBeast

Hey Marc, I'm pretty sure MIOS could handle that. I don't think there'd be problems as far as the hardware is concerned. I think the real problem lies in MIDI itself: it's a pretty slow standard. You do already have timing problems if you merge two MIDI-streams, especially if you use your keyboard controllers (or worse: sysex data). With 8 or 9 IN-ports you would certainly experience heavy latencies due to the mass of data (and not because of the speed of the PIC) This would only work satisfactory if you just merged three, maybe four streams the same time, using little controllers. regards, Tom

Hi, eversince I know about the Midibox project I wish to build a midification for my guitar tube amp. Sounds absurd perhaps, but think of encoders instead of pots and some "digitally controlled resistor" inside the amp. Of course there are "digital pots", but they have strange resistances and are quite expensive. I don't know if there are pots with motors (like motorfaders?!), at least I couldn't find them. So I thought of using a core and a dout in combination with a R2R-digital/analog-converter. The analog out might drive a LED / LDR combination.... Sounds very difficult to get stable and reliable resistance values, and I don't dare to think about timing. But the pros would be: - potential separation - only resistive component through LDR (nearly) - resolution of R2R-network can be chosen freely - part are all low-cost Any comments on this? regards, SexyBeast

Hi, I like your design very much Kriz, in fact I'm planning something similar. The main difference in my concept is that I wish to implement the minimal control part into the rack case and provide a plug for the complete control surface, which I'm going to put into an old PC keyboard case. I'm still planning and I am not sure if it's going to work but I do hope so... But I have a question: where did you get your rack case? I searched the databases of Reichelt, Farnell and Conrad but I could'n find something as beautiful... ;) thanx, SB

Hi Paul, sounds familiar to me... ;) In fact I built a JDM a few days ago and had quite similar difficulties. My first advice is to check your design again and then check your design again and then double check your design again. Sounds dumb I know but this is what helped here. When you're sure your PCB is ok and decently soldered then I'd suspect the Zener diodes. Have you used 1/2 Watt types? I didn't and they got quite warm and finally were not reliable (took me some time to find out) anymore. I replaced them by two voltage regulators, 7805 and 7812 (with two 1n4148 from REF to ground), and use a small (3 VA) 15V transformer to feed them. That made all voltages perfectly stable. (mail me if you need a schematic) Since then I had no problems anymore. SB mailto: jsmoothj@hotmail.com

Hi, in fact I'm planning something similar for my Midibox SID, but I'm not shure how I will be doing it. Anyway, regarding your problem I think I have a solution: first: you will need a plug with at least as many contacs as controls you need plus 1 extra contact (for ground connection) The plug must have a switch, so that everytime you plug it in the switch gets closed (or maybe opened). Last part is the "control", something that switches between the controls of your MidiBox and those of your breakout box; it could be done with relais for example, but I'm pretty sure there is some logic IC that can do the job more elegantly. Got the point? The switch on the plug triggers the control, so anytime you plug it in, the control part gets triggered and connects the break out box controls to your midibox instead of its own controls. Sounds difficult perhaps but can be done very easily I think. regards, SB

Hi all, I built the USB module and tried to install the EZ-USB driver on my Windows XP pro system. It didn't work; the installation routine kept telling me that there was a faulty line in the ezusbw2k.inf file. >:( Obviously many users of the USB module are experiencing this problem. After searching the forum without satisfactory result I began parsing through the .inf file to find the error, and -at last!- I found a solution. ;D It seems that the ezusbw2k.inf fails to copy the ezmon.sys and ezusb.sys files into the proper directory. ??? Solution: just copy ezmon.sys and ezusb.sys into the C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers directory by hand, install the driver again and there you go.... 8) have fun regards, SB

Hi, very nice tips indeed. :) Here's one by me: if you follow the tip of pay_c to export your design, you better not export it as a JPG, because it's a lossy format. It is especially bad to re-open JPG files, alter them and save them again, because this is like it is with old music tapes: the more often you copy them, the worse they sound. Also the JPG compression is optimized for full colour pictures and doesn't work well for b/w pictures (of course, it doesn't matter if you get 10 or 100 KBytes... ;) ) but maybe you like to know... Better use "TIFF compressed" for things like that! keep hacking! regards, SB

Hi Thorsten, Basically, I'm interested in it (of course! ;) ), but I have the same problem: I do not own an analog synth with CV input myself. Thing is I'm looking for a good working MIDI2CV converter to be able to build my own synth. And I'd rather build the converter myself than to buy one, because of flexibility, price and -of course- the fun. I hope you are building it anyway in a while. ;) regards, SB

Hello Thorsten, geez, your roadmap is more than impressive; I wonder how you'll be able to cope with it... Will you have time to eat from time to time? ;) But anyway I got another question: you did not mention the aout function / hardware in your roadmap. Does that mean you will pay attention to it no earlier than next year? :'( Don't get me wrong; I don't wanna push you. It's just the most interesting thing to me on your page. regards, SB

Hi, this week I've tested my 18F452 core module with MIOS 1.3 and a DIN module with one encoder attached to it. I used the test program "enc_example3_v1_3.zip". Thing is: when i turn the encoder knob clockwise, the value decreases, when I turn it anticlockwise it increases. Normally it should be vice versa... First I thought I had the encoder wires attached the wrong way but this doesn't seem to be the case. Any ideas? regards, SB

Hi, this is cool news. Can't wait to test if the device you can find under the link below will work with the USB module... http://212.223.15.152/produkte/index2_titel.cfm?titel=Bluetooth&rubrik=Bluetooth&menu=produkte&CFID=568284&CFTOKEN=91537004 Imagine: a wireless Midibox.... 8) regards, SB

Hi, I have built a SID module and wish to use it with an 18F based core module. Question is: does the 18F with MIOS still support the oscillator output for the SID module or do I have to stuff the quartz oscillator? ragards, SB

Hi, ... most people selling that stuff dont even know how to open it... ;D no doubt about that! In the meantime I've been lucky myself; I put a search ad in a local paper and found a guy selling two C64s at the price of 10 Euro. I even have his promise to search another one in his garage (which is not working) and to ask his friends if they had one, too. In any case I've got 2 SIDs now, one 6581 and one 8580. They were both sitting in sockets so there were no problems at all ;) . Will start building my SID-Boards today!!!! regards, SB

Thank you very much, DrBunsen! I nearly wasn't expecting an answer anymore... ;) But the answer leads to the next question: Would it be possible to connect e.g. 4 SID modules to one (or more) core(s) and to let a polyphonic MIDI-signal be routed on the different SIDs? Or, in other words, to let the core(s) split a played e.g. 4-note-chord into one tone per SID? That would mean one had to program a sort of MIDI-"logic" that always knows which notes to play, depending on the number of SID modules connected and MIDI notes pressed. One had to implement some sort of "last note priority". Thorsten, have you planned something like that or is it already possible? regards, SB

Hi, for I wish to build one or more SID modules in the near future I tried to obtain SID chips at the adresses given on the site. I could not get in contact with the name of www.64andmore.com, but I am actually mailing with Jens Schoenfeld of http://www.jschoenfeld.com/products/cwmk3_e.htm Thing is that he's not selling the SID chips solitary though he's got both of them on stock. Moreover he has the soundchip of the C65 (?! does that exist??), I don't know the number. He commonly sells them together with the so-called catweazle (I wonder if there are no rights on the name... ;) ), a chip developed by himself. It seems to be some kind of interface.... I don't know and I don't care. Read it yourself if you like. But now: he promised to sell me one or a few SIDs, but for the price of 35 Euro instead of 20 Euro (this is about 32$ I think) >:( For that price you can probably get two or three complete C64 computers at ebay. What do I want to say? I'm angry >:( >:( >:( !!! Seems have to look elsewhere... ;) regards, SB

Hi folks, I'm sure this is a very stupid question :-[ , but I just cant't find this piece of information on the page. I wonder how many voices has the SID module? Is it monophonic? I read somewhere that it has "three channels". Does that mean it provides three voices the same time? Can anybody help plz? thanks, SB

Hi Folks, I have ordered samples at Microchip.com, too. I chose 3x PIC18F452 I/P (which is the 40-PIN PDIP Version) and 2x 24LC256. The PIC18F452 I/PT Version comes in the 44-PIN TQFP package, which is shown on page 4 of the PIC18Fxx2 datasheet. On page 331 there is an overview of the abbreviations concerning the type of PIC. The 'I' indicates a -40 to +85°C temperature range. I'm a bit confused about the number of parts you all ordered from microchip. When I did, there was a maximum of 5 parts you could order within a 90 days' period. Did you make different experiences? For this is my first entry in this forum I'd like to point out that this is the best electronics page by far that I know on the web (and I get about a lot! ;) ). Congratulations, Thorsten, for your incredible work and thank you very much for sharing it! regards, SB