deletemeplease

I have started a FAQ/troubleshooting guide for MIOS based Midiboxes. You can view it at this address - http://homepage.ntlworld.com/keith.williamson/midifaq/midi%20faq.htm Please help me to expand it by PM'ing me, or emailing me (using the form on the FAQ) with the problems that you had and how you overcome them. This should make the FAQ grow quickly and become a great guide for Midibox Newbies to get their problems fixed before posting on the forum :). Lataz!

Hey man i just thought. If i pre-ordered the STC-1000, i could get it cheaper than the Akai MPD 16 :):D ;). It says on your site $225.00 US Pre-Order special, is that US only?

Lovin your stuff arent i :) Got any full length tracks? I'd love to hear them!

Man i love the intro :) sounds like aphex twin or µ-ziq.. Damn i want a sid now.. What are you using for drum sounds? Reason? And can i ask how you used the sid with reason (i'm a reason user too, i love it but its annoying that it has no midi out). Good work :)

Yeah it is ::) Poe - the font is called "Atmosphere".. nice isnt it :) I'd love to know what you guys think of the tunes! Comments and criticisms are equally accepted

Does J6 of the ain need to be connected to anything if using 1 ainx4 board? EDIT: Heh.. yes it does. all the pots work now

I downloaded the ain_example3_v1.3 firmware and changed the 64 pot line to 16 (movlw 64 to movlw 16) literally by just changing 64 to 16. Then i used the batch to convert it, then sent via midi-ox. My LCD reads- AIN Example 3 then when i move knob 7 or 14 (the only ones that work) i get this - X: 0-127 o X = numbers that keep changing randomly between about 0-7 for pot 7, and 0-15 for pot 14. As i turn the 0-127 smoothly increases from 0-127.. nice :) This gave me the following midi string when i moved pot 7 or 14 - Pot 7 and 14 are connected to pin 13 of 4051 1 and 2. Ic socket 3 + 4 are empty and the last 16 pot connections are empty (not clamped to ground either). The board is a AINX4 from mikes site.

STONE THE CROWS!!! I switched the power on to my Core, and sent the MIOS v1.3 firmware (to remove the LCD tests firmware) and was greeted with MIOS V.1.3 © Thorsten Klose, then READY.. Man i'm so happy i could kiss a tramp :-*. I have no idea why it didnt work in the first place.. But i dont care :) it works now :D... Time to solder my Pots back on!

Ok heres how i got on with the test - First test - Everything lit up, so i went on to the second. Second - Tested each pin in turn, and they all lit up (pin 8-14 for D0-D7, then 4-6 for RS, RW and E). Sooo.. i dont really know what to do now  ::). EDIT: I redid the test to make sure a PIC pin wasn't sending to 2 LCD pins, and it wasn't Hmmmmmm...

My apologies for the long post, but i've tried to make it as detailed as possible :) Ok. I bought a new LCD (standard 2x16) - http://www.maplin.co.uk/products/module.asp?CartID=030811172620160&moduleno=36389&Products=7 from that page. So it should be compatible :). I burnt the ain_example1_v1_3 firmware and switched it on. Now the black squares stay there longer than the 2 seconds, they stay on all the time. I have 16 pots connected and pot 7 is the one which sends CC#7 (volume). If i move the pot up or down it sends values, which is good - if i rotate the pot anti-clockwise (so the values go DOWN) FAST the black squares disappear (they dissappear at about value 68-6A). Note: They only disappear if i turn the knob anti-clockwise fast. If i turn it slow, they stay. It is only the black squares on the top line. I also tried with the ain_example3_v1_3 firmware - but i changed main.asm as follows: USER_Init ;; use 16 pot movlw 16 call MIOS_AIN_NumberSet ;; use the AIN 4051 multiplexers call MIOS_AIN_Muxed Instead of : USER_Init ;; use 1 pot movlw 1 call MIOS_AIN_NumberSet ;; don't use the AIN 4051 multiplexers call MIOS_AIN_UnMuxed This sends midi cc#7 volume messages pots 7 and 14 (the pots connected directly to pin 13 of the 4051's), both on channel 1. I have 16 pots connected, with 2 x 4051's stuffed, the 3rd and 4th IC sockets are left unstuffed, and the last 16 jumper pins (where you would connect pots 17-32) are left unconnected. Any suggestions?

I tried the sysex send again, this time using send/recieve sysex and it replied "F0 00 00 7E 40 00 0F 00 02 F7 " Yes that is still the case. Black line vanishes leaving empty lcd screen (you can tell that the power is on, but theres no characters displayed). I dont know if it's unrelated but the back light doesnt work, but i'm not bothered about that.

Hi all! I'm back ;D Thanks for your suggestion TK, i've checked all the connections again, and they are fine. I sent the following sysex string - F0 00 00 7E 40 00 0D 02 00 0B 0A 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 F7 and my box replied with F0 00 00 7E 40 00 0D 02 00 0B 0A 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 F7. I get the black top line on initialization. I tried messaging Seb a week ago, who has the same LCD as me to check he used the same LCD pinning, but he hasnt replied yet. But from his post it seems that he was just using the standard pinning - http://www.midibox.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=troubleshooting;action=display;num=1048869713 I dont know :)

Cool Thanks for the suggestions and information TK :D I'll check the LCD connections soon and let you all know what i find.

Why not visit my site? I got all kinds of music - trip hop, trance, idm, rock.. Check it out, let me know what you think! www.pulsewidth947.tk

Sweet :) Time to read up on MIOS code!

Hi all! I just wondered - is it possible to make a button send a MIDI note, but instead of pressing it down to send note on, and releasing to send note off, is it possible to press once for note on then press again for note off? The reason I ask is that the mutes (and solo's) in the reason mixer respond to midi notes but its only muted while the note is being held..

Thanks Sephult  ;D. I think i'm having difficulty loading the sysex tho, i open midi-ox, then i switch on my box it sends F0 00 00 7E 40 00 01 F7 every second or so. When I try to upload MIOS v1.3 syx, its supposed to verify the byte written e.g. F0 00 00 7E 40 00 0F 58 F7, or F0 00 00 7E 40 00 0F 5E F7 etc.. but mine just keeps sending F0 00 00 7E 40 00 01 F7. Confusing :) EDIT: Just a quick question concerning the 32 buttons configuration on the DINX4 - I understand what the Snapshot, Left, Right, and Exec buttons are for, but what are the F1, F2, F3, and F4 buttons for? EDIT 2: RIGHT! Got the problem solved (Thanks Nat!) - the reason was i'd disabled the port (where i was told to remove the green thing from the top right i midi devices, i got confused and removed the channels and system from midi-ox events).  I just removed the midi out then enabled it again, and sent the sysex and HEY PRESTO! MIOS v1.3! Lcd still doesnt work tho  ;D - I get black boxes on one line for about a second then they switch off and the LCD's blank..

Well i feel rather foolish! ;D You know why i wasn't recieving any sysex? I'd wired up my midi back to front! For any newbies like myself in the future, on TK's schematic the Rear of the MIDI socket means the TAG side not the side you plug a cable into ::). (THANKS flownez!!!) I switched my midibox on and was greeted with F0 00 00 7E 40 00 01 F7 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Every second or so. I'm just going to try uploading the mios_v1_3.syx, :D

Hi! Can I just say a big thank you to you Thorsten. I know you don't have to help us electronic newbies, but believe me when i say i appreciate it! Well i looked at your suggestion, tested the connections and looked up the marking of my Capacitors (33J meaning 33pF), then i re-burnt the firmware. Now when i apply power and place the LED between middle pin of midi out (its the easiest ground on the top of the core) and pin 25 of PIC, it is constantly lit, and flickers every 2 seconds or so!!! Which is much better than off :D. Does this mean my core is finally working properly? Just out of interest i did a read all in ICProg before and it looked like the test_tx.hex firmware was on it  ::). Well i dont know if it's premature but i'm certainly very very very happy :) :EDIT I still get no sysex on start up tho :).  I get black squares on my LCD now tho (after i turned up the contrast!  ::))! - I think the reason i don't see sysex is because midi ox isn't set up, as i connected the in and out of my computer together and it doesnt register what i send! :-/

HI! Yes the LED lights up when in contact with +5v pins e.g. Cathode is attached to middle pin of midi in (ground) - pins 1, 6 11, and 32 all light up. Also pin 26 (RX) makes the LED constantly lit. The crystal i'm using at the minute is farnell.com part number 485081  - http://uk1.farnell.com/Search/level_5.jhtml?PRODID=47684&SKUID=45669 - which is 10mhz case style - HC49/4H frequency accuracy ppm @ 25° C - 30  temp. stability - 50ppm  temp. range ° C -20 to + 70  Load cap - 30 pF  I'm using a core pcb ordered from Mikes shop (the crystal is at a 90° angle to the core so theres no way it can be touching). Thanks!

I asked Nat to do the test also (he is having problems with his core - due to a serial cut crystal). Does that mean my crystal is at fault? If it is would part number FY78 (from www.maplin.co.uk) be suitable? Thanks! ;)

Right. I tried the test and the led didnt light up. Does this mean my programmer isnt working properly? Or could it be that my xtal is wrong? I've just discovered i got the same LCD as the guy from this post: http://www.midibox.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=troubleshooting;action=display;num=1048869713 So if i got problems i'll study that! YAY!

Thanks for the suggestion TK! You caught me just as i was about to sling my pcb at the wall hehe.. *calms down* Yes my PIC18F burns fine everytime, i shall solder the 10 mhz crystal back on, then follow your instructions. Are those instructions for the bootstrap loader or test program (test_tx.hex)? Thanks!

I tested the circuit again with the correct C6, and it still doesnt work. I've run out of ideas, can anyone help please? When looking at the soldering is there anything specific to look out for - other than solder connecting two things that shouldn't be connected? I wish my digital camera was good so i could take a detailed picture of my board so someone could get me advice!

Well i tried with PIC16F874 and 20mhz crystal, and that didnt work either, so there has to be something wrong with my circuit. I'm checking my components now. C6 is 33nF (resin dipped code "333" so i think thats 33nF?) instead of 330 nF. Could this be the source of my problem? That's all i can see thats wrong with my circuit ???