Wilba

You don't see "I will upload my own picture: [Choose file]" underneath that?

I think these C64 PSU bricks just have a 7805 in them, with a huge heatsink, so it can deliver the 1.5A. I'm pretty sure I recall it was a TO-220 package regulator. If you power the LCD from the 9V supply, this would help reduce current load on a 7805. In short, just break the 5V to B+ connection and replace with 9V to B+ connection. See more about it in this post: http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php/topic,13492.msg118498.html#msg118498

did you even look at the profile page? :P

You need a bigger fuse. 8x 6582A SIDs will draw 800mA on the 5V supply alone. Add to this an LCD which draws perhaps 250mA and all the chips, LEDs and such... :) 3A seems like a more sensible number... the C64 bricks supply 5V DC 1.5A and 9V AC 1A (at least the good ones I use supply that).

Nicely done... See, I told you bulk orders were easy! :P

thanks... yes I also need to give big thanks to Nebula for sharing his encoder stash and arranging a private bulk order with me for 1800 Rean knobs ;) also thanks to the other Americans who shared their encoders with other people in this bulk order.

The kit doesn't include power supply (i.e. walwart/AC adapter). It really doesn't make sense for me to import power supplies for various countries only to send them back overseas, adding to the cost of the kit and shipping. Plus I suspect most people are like me and have adapters lying around to power their other electronic toys. You can do this, although it won't fit in the stock sammichSID case. The J6/J7 headers (bottom middle of the PCB) are what you use to connect to an AOUT_NG (or another AOUT module), which then can control an analog filter with CV, such as the stereo SSM2044 filter module or some homemade Moog filter. The AOUT and SSM2044 filters would need their own bipolar power supplies, housed in its own box perhaps... but it would be controlled by the MIDIbox SID firmware running on the sammichSID, i.e. you can modulate an external filter cutoff/resonance just like the internal SID filter (it's just configuration switches). Now if that doesn't make your head explode, listen to this: http://www.ucapps.de/mp3/midibox_sid/mbsidv2_bassline_demo4.mp3

Good news: there are 8 orders for black opaque... I'm assuming people will really like the matte black that I'm arranging right now.

Yes, you should try interconnection test if you can't solve it this way... as it could be any of the wires connecting Core to the "right" SID module.

No, the Drum engine is just one of the four engines in MIDIbox SID Synth V2, not a separate app. It even has a sequencer!

The pre-order info was in this post: http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php/topic,14079.msg121425.html#msg121425 The first batch of 25 kits are now all reserved. If you send in a pre-order now, it will be for another batch, unless someone cancels their order from the first batch.

I just got pre-order emails for 13, plus 10 who have expressed interest in this thread and privately, which means there's possibly only 2 kits available from the first batch of 25. People who send me pre-order emails now should expect to go on a waiting list... but please do it anyway, so I can perhaps order different case colours in advance. (i.e. I might order 5 red tint cases even if there's only 2 wanted from the first batch).

Yes. I am actually getting some Ponoko samples of a black opaque acrylic with a matte (almost satin) finish. Apparently this material is fingerprint and scratch resistant, perhaps more like black anodized aluminium. I will probably order a panel of 5 cases in this material even if there are less than 5 orders for it.

It can do everything a MIDIbox SID V2 can do with two (stereo) SID configuration (i.e. it is not a multi-Core setup, it is two SIDs and one Core) Go to http://www.ucapps.de/ and click the links under "MIDIbox SID V2 Synth" in the left menu bar. Read the User Manual in particular. You can do 6 note poly with the "Multi" engine, or use 6 oscilators (i.e. 3 oscillators in stereo) in the "Lead" engine, or two independent basslines with the "Bassline" engine, plus the "Drum" engine. It has five "BankStick" slots, so you can store 4 banks of 128 patches, plus 128 "Ensembles" (patch/engine configurations). Five "BankStick" memory ICs are included in the kit. The sammichSID base PCB is not designed to be used in a multi-Core configuration. The PSU section can only handle two SIDs, and the control surface is missing SID 1/2/3/4 buttons. People should consider MB-6582 if they want the full 8xSID experience. What do you mean by "filter option"?

There is a clear acrylic piece (2mm or 3mm thick) that can snap into the hole of the front panel. It is held in place just by being a tight fit, and can be pushed out if you apply force, but that seems unlikely from normal use and careful transport. You could use superglue or acrylic glue to permanently adhere it to the top panel. I will include this piece in all kits, even if/when I sell kits without cases.

I admit, red tint does look good... I blame nILS. (note this is an early prototype without the mesh holes on the sides)

Assuming all the parts are available and delivered in the next few weeks (i.e. by 20th October), I should have the first batch of kits packed and ready to ship by 1st November. While I wait for parts, I hope to write the documentation - step-by-step build instructions, parts lists, installing firmware etc. It would be nice to have all that done before accepting real orders, because then people know what is involved in building the kit. But I know how MIDIbox regulars like to get on a list ASAP. If you want to pre-order now, just email your details (NOT MONEY!) to: Jason.S.Williams@gmail.com Include your MIDIbox username so I know who I'm talking to! "Pre-order" just means I collect your email address, and I reserve a kit for you. There is no commitment to buy, you can cancel or wait for another batch with no bad karma! Guestimate Prices: (actual payment will be in AUD and include PayPal fees.) full kit, 2x 6582A SIDs: US$205 full kit, no SIDs: US$152 registered post shipping to USA: US$17 registered post shipping to Europe: US$20 Please tell me your preferred acrylic colour. I hope it's dark grey tint :) but some people prefer black opaque or red tint. I might do 15 dark grey tint, 5 red tint, 5 black opaque. I don't really know... give me some feedback and I'll see what I can do. **UPDATE** The first batch of 25 kits are now all reserved. If you send in a pre-order now, it will be for another batch, unless someone cancels their order from the first batch.

Yes. They are Inkscape SVG files and can even be edited with Inkscape (freeware vector graphics program) if people want to change things, which they might want to do if they use a thicker material like the wood veneers that Ponoko offers, or modify it to suit CNC router fabrication. I've made this as compatible as possible to upgrade to Core32 according to TK's current plans, which are, to use the PIC18F4685 as a "helper IC" to communicate with SIDs, DIN/DOUT and LCD modules. Thus there are pads for connecting a "daughter board" with the STM32 chip, and jumpers so the base PCB's MIDI In/Out is routed to the STM32, and the PIC connected to the STM32 by CAN bus. A fully populated Core32 PCB is too big to fit inside the case, but a smaller PCB dedicated to upgrading MB-SID V2 implementations (sammichSID and MB-6582) can be made, or optionally, people could cut a Core32 PCB to fit (messy, but theoretically possible, I'm going to try eventually!), or upgrade to a bigger case and connect the Core32 (and optionally add to or replace the control surface).

I may have to drop around just to play with your Elektron toys ;)

Sorry, I meant to post the link to this diagram: http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_8xsid_c64_psu_optimized.pdf That shows Core:J14 connecting to SID:J2:SO of the right SID module. So... are you sure this connection is good? There are many reasons why the right SID module might not produce the testtone... but since you've swapped the SID modules and proved there is nothing wrong with the SID modules, then it can only be the wiring to the right SID module is wrong, OR the PIC is not outputting on J14 correctly. Problems with the wiring could be the Core:J14->SID:J2:SO connection, but it could also be any of the other connections that are common to both SID modules. You can try a different test to narrow down what the problem might be: - take out the SIDs from both modules - bridge pins 8 and 27 with a 1K resistor - run the testtone app This will generate a 1kHz square wave tone (same as the testtone app makes with the SID) by toggling pin 8 at 1kHz, which is thus connected to the audio buffer circuit at pin 27 (the SID's audio out pin). Pin 8 is connected to SID:J2:SO so this is another test if this connection to the PIC is working. Refer to the SID module schematic so you know what I mean by pin 8 and pin 27 of the SID IC socket: http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_sid_v3.pdf With the resistor in the sockets, if you get testtone from the left SID module but not the right SID module (even after swapping modules), then that suggests something wrong with Core:J14->SID:J2:SO... if you get testtone on both SID modules, then that suggests some of the other connections are not working - i.e. the connections that clock data into the shift registers, or the SID clock signal. Post your results after this test and we can discuss what to do next. Now there COULD be another problem: are you sure the right audio signal is working, i.e. when you swap the SID modules, are you also swapping how the audio outputs are connected to your amplifier/sound card? I recall a problem I once had with an adapter plug that was mono to stereo (instead of stereo to stereo). What happens if you swap just the audio cables to the SID modules? What happens if you only connect one audio cable alternately to each SID module? etc.

Maybe you have a problem with the connection between Core and the right SID module.

sammichSID runs MIDIbox SID synth V2 firmware, obviously with custom configuration for the control surface wiring... so the CC parameters would be the same unless people changed it and recompiled.

For those who don't know, 6581 SIDs need 12V, 8580/6582A need 9V. To use 8580/6582A SIDs, you can supply the box with any unregulated non-switchmode supply from a walwart (AC adapter). I've had it running nicely on a 9.3V AC 1A walwart and a 12V DC 500mA walwart. One 7809 voltage regulator will regulate a 9V supply to the SIDs, another 7805 voltage regulator will regulate a 5V supply to everything else. To use 6581 SIDs, you must supply the box with a regulated non-switchmode 12V DC supply (~500mA), and use jumpers to bypass the bridge rectifier and supply the SIDs directly from this input power. It's not as elegant as adding a 12V regulator on the PCB... and the requirement to find a good regulated DC supply (and only ever use this supply) might be considered a hack by some people, but the design is optimized for 8580/6582A for good reasons. (If you can't please everybody, you might as well please the people buying your 6582A SIDs!) Smithy is sort of correct though... you could replace 7809 with 7812 and make it a fixed 12V supply, but then you can't use 8580/6582A and must deal with more heat inside the case, the 7805 will run hotter because of the extra 3V of input... for me, not worth the effort to find out how well that would work.

OK... US$250 was overestimating... I'm getting closer to the final price, which should be US$205-US$210, including case and SIDs. The cost breakdown is sort of like this: Parts: US$72 PCBs: US$35 Case: US$45 SID x2: US$53 Parts include bulk ordered components from Mouser, Digikey, and my own stock of LCDs, encoders, knobs, rocker switches, screws, spacers etc. I am now committed to a trial batch of 25 kits... meaning, I've started ordering enough for 25 full kits. If this trial batch of kits is a success and it leads to more batches (i.e. there's a long list of crazy people wanting one), then I can order extra PCBs when ordering for the next batch... i.e. "just PCB" orders can be handled quite easily if I know exactly how many there will be before I order PCBs. Sasha: since I know your situation, PM me with details of what you want, and I will order extra PCBs just for you when I order this first batch of 25.

Can I ask why people would want just the PCB when I'm also selling all the parts at bulk order prices?