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Wilba

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Posts posted by Wilba

  1. 'Sync' button is supposed to open the Ens Clock menu.

    Also there's a symmetry to these effects....

    Sync and SID 4 share the same DIN pin.

    CC and SID 3 share the same DIN pin.

    Edit and SID 2 share the same DIN pin.

    Play and SID 1 share the same DIN pin.

    These 8 switches are in two groups of four... each group sharing the same "column" of the switch matrix.

    See the two top-layer tracks connecting this group of LEDs/switches to the 8x8 LED matrix to the left... those are the two "columns" of the LED matrix being used. Check for shorts there.

    Combined with the fact that the bottom row of the 8x8 LED matrix doesn't work... this sort of suggest some short down there, between two pins of a LED. Note I've also heard of totally bizarre problems like this when a LED was shorted, or put in the wrong way.

    So check soldering around that area... perhaps also test all the LEDs are working in isolation (supply 5V through 1K res. to the LED leads) and are also correctly oriented.

  2. I'm not so familiar with MBFM but I did have a lot of trouble because the cable between the Core and the OPL3 module was too long... it would pass interconnection tests but still not produce sound out of channels 3 and 4.

    It's probably not relevant, but something to check anyway.

  3. TK used ALPS STEC16B a long time ago... so this exact model has been used in MIDIboxes for a long time. The same design has been made by other manufacturers... e.g ECC (available via Voti.nl) and Soundwell (available through bulk orders from me). I was selling the Soundwell ones wholesale in MB-SEQ/MB-6582 parts kits and then using them in sammichSID kits (until they ran out).

    Now Bourns make them (or at least they are new to Mouser), and are FAR cheaper than the Alpha brand I'm currently buying for sammichSID kits.

    AFAIK this one (Mouser p/n 652-PEC16-4220FN0024) is the exact same design as I've used and made available... it's a good size for using 10mm gap between PCB and a 1.5mm-3mm panel. This doesn't have a switch.

    Mouser p/n 652-PEC16-4220FS0024 is the same design but with a switch.

    Note that I haven't actually got samples of these yet, but I'm pretty confident they're exactly the same as the ones I've been using in my control surface designs, therefore I'm going to buy 50 for the last batch of sammichSID kits.

    As for connecting to a DIN pin... I haven't connected my last revision of MB-SEQ PCB (with support for encoders with switches) to a Core32 and configured MB-SEQ V4 to use the switches. Maybe someone else has and can comment. What you should do, though, is wire all those switches in parallel and connect them to a single DIN pin. It doesn't really matter which DIN pin, because you can configure that in the DIN table. There is already a "FAST" button on the standard control surface, but I don't think you'd want the encoder switches to be the same as this button... maybe instead you only want a temporary "fast" function which increases the speed only while the encoder switch is pressed... that might require a bit of coding somewhere if TK hasn't implemented that feature (though he typically does implement cool features like this if you ask nicely!)

  4. I exported to .hpgl (not .plt) from Inkscape... imported into FPD. This is using the original three-stroke vector engrave artwork used on acrylic.

    I couldn't get Inkscape DXF output into a CAD package... I don't know what went wrong. But I do agree with nILS... the best way to get vector art into FPD is by using a CAD package and "plotting" to an HPGL file... that's how I usually do the optimized versions of my FPD panels (MB-6582, MB-SEQ).

    If you want, I can get the labels to match the original sammichSID panels.

    sammichSID_Top_Panel_With_Logo.fpd

  5. Great score!

    I want to build something that has a LCD display, easy controls, stored instrument settings, and all MIDI controllable. I get the impression that the MIDIBOX is my solution. While 1 SID chip would be enough, I wouldn't mind the full 8. Why limit myself when I have lots of these things?

    If you want to use "the full 8", you might want to consider this: http://www.midibox.org/dokuwiki/wilba_mb_6582

    You could build it "stock" or use just the base PCB and build your own control surface/case, perhaps in a C64 breadbox case, i.e. like what this guy did: http://www.subatomicglue.com/sidl0g/

    Also, I strongly recommend hanging on to all your C64 PSUs until you test which ones work well in a MIDIbox SID with all 8 SIDs... 8 SIDs draw a lot of current, some C64 bricks don't handle it well, or are noisy (on the audio or buzzy transformers). You might as well pick the least noisy of the lot!

  6. I would suggest replacing the big 470uF cap... it might not be working and sufficiently smoothing the voltage after the bridge rectifier.

    Oops. I assumed there WAS a bridge rectifier... looks like it's only a diode.

    http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_sid_c64_psu.pdf

    It is relying on AC->DC rectifying on the SID module, and the big 2200uF cap there.

    I think this circuit is better:

    http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_8xsid_c64_psu_optimized.pdf

    I can't say this is going to fix your noise problem, but it might be easier to diagnose what is wrong. It's doing the opposite of the other circuit... it powers the 5V/ground of both modules with the already regulated 5V DC/ground... then the separate 9V AC from the C64 PSU is rectified/regulated into 9V DC, and this 9V DC is added to the 5V DC (note 7809 middle pin is connected to 5V, not ground like most PSU circuits, therefore it's output is going to be 9V higher relative to the middle pin).

    Something to consider anyway. Try replacing the 470uF first.

  7. sammichSID Final Batch!

    med_gallery_3590_6_91701.jpg

    med_gallery_3590_6_53068.jpg

    After 350 kits sold (including 556 SIDs), I have finally got to the end of the waiting list. Woot!

    There will be a final batch of 50 kits in November. I don't have plans to keep lots of pre-packed kits in stock, therefore, once the last batch is sold, YOU CANT HAZ SAMMICHSID! There are still plenty of kits available in the final batch.

    Yes, this is some shameless self-promotion to boost sales so I can finish with my routine 50 kit batch and sell off all the PCBs and parts I have in stock.

    If you're interested in getting a sammichSID, or want to find out WTF this thing is, all the information is here: http://www.midibox.org/dokuwiki/sammichsid

  8. The LEDs on sammichSID are multiplexed... they are in an 8x6 LED matrix, but driven by the PIC using the default MIDIbox SID 8x8 LED matrix code, so in reality they are really in a 1/8th duty cycle.

    In my experience, if you are testing what resistor will work, testing one LED with constant 5V will be about the same brightness as when it is in the matrix, it won't be much less bright when put in the matrix. It depends on the LED type, though. But as a rule, it's OK to pick a resistor using constant 5V as a test.

    Alternately, solder the LEDs before soldering the resistors, run the sammichSID CS test app (I really should put this somewhere better):

    and then touch resistors in the pads to see actual brightness. You could in theory put all 8 resistors in the pads (without soldering) and trim/bend the leads to make good contact.

    As a general rule, ultrabright LEDs (especially white or blue) will need at least 1K resistors... perhaps even as much as 3K.

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