Hermes

thx!! :D this solves the problem!

Hello every1 I am going to buy some blue leds (about 100 pcs) for my sid panel. I have found some very appealing auctions on ebay. I just want to ask if anyone could suggest how high the luminance should be in order for the leds to light up properly when mounted on the panel, while at the same time not drive the user blind. I jave the current options (I will be usinf 3mm leds): 4500 mcd, 6100 mcd and 7000 mcd. Which type should I use? Will the 7000mcd ones be too bright? :-/ Thanks Hermes

Hello every1 Just bumped on this auction http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5737821569 I thought I should mention it in the forum in case anyone is interested in using a blue LCD on his SID panel - I am definitely getting one 8) Cheers

I am interested too if you can post to Greece thx hermes

thx v.m. chriss btw. - your 4xsid is amazing !! 8) Cheers hermes

thx moebius I put this topic in both design and parts sections, because I think it has to do with both subjects. I relize it is a bit expensive, but wouln' t it be of very high quality? - And wouldn' t it simplify the process of building a whole filter module from scratch? I am not at all sure i am right i just take a rough guess... Cheers hermes

Just out of curiosity: What type of caps do you use Jurbo? ceramic ones or styroflex ones? cheers hermes :)

Hi guys I am going to order a custom PSU for my 4xSID, since I have not been able to find a c64 PSU (i HAVE 8 sid CHIPS, 4 X 6581 AND 4 X 8580, but no c64...) The question is: Must I build the PSU with separate voltages: 5V DC and 9V AC and use TKs sxhematic for the improved C64 or does anyone have a better suggestion? An answer to this question might clear up things for everyone who cannnot find a c64 psu and has to order a custom made one... thx hermes

Hi guys I was taking a look on ebay about roland analog stuff and i came accross an auction of a Roland IR3R05 custom vca/vcf (this is use in the Roland MKS 80 analog synth module and MKS 70 digital analog hybrid synth module). The seller claims that this chip could be used in a custom design as a moog filter/curtis amp (a 2 in 1 package) :D The question is: Does anyone have any idea if and how this could be of any use to the community? If you want to take alook the link is: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=64386&ite m=3760323550&rd=1 When I saw this I just imagined a 4xSID output going thru this filter amp - crazy or what? 8) Cheers Hermes

Hi Chriss Thanks for the info! :D Just wondering: where must I connect the extra buttons and leds in the din and dout chain? Are these buttons and leds the last ones in the row? Cheers Hermes

Hi guys I was taking a look on ebay about roland analog stuff and i came accross an auction of a Roland IR3R05 custom vca/vcf (this is use in the Roland MKS 80 analog synth module and MKS 70 digital analog hybrid synth module). The seller claims that this chip could be used in a custom design as a moog filter/curtis amp (a 2 in 1 package) :D The question is: Does anyone have any idea if and how this could be of any use to the community? If you want to take alook the link is: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=64386&item=3760323550&rd=1 When I saw this I just imagined a 4xSID output going thru this filter amp - crazy or what? 8) Cheers Hermes

thank you v.m. !! I ll try it this weekend, when I find some time off work :) Cheers Hermes

thx moebius!! But how can I supply the negative voltage?

HI guys Some time ago I bought 2 pieces of Batron BT22008 LCDs on ebay. When I connect them to the core of my mbsid they light up and I can control the brightness, but there are no letters or even black rows at all - and of course I cannot control the contrast - or so it seems. Could anyone please tell me if they are hd44780 compatible? And if they have, do they need a voltage inverter ( do they need -5V?) Here are the specs datasheet http://www.data-modul.de/upload/displays/pdf/BT_22008.pdf Thanks in advance

Hi everyone The other day I saw photos of chriss' s 4xSID CS step 3 on the forum on the "Midibox of the week" section and I realized that he has implemented two more dedicated control buttons and 5 more leds, probably to control the new functions of the MBSID version 1.6 final. I was wondering how can something like this be realized? (I am currently constructing my CS). Does it require modification of main.asm and if yes, how can this be done? I would be nice to be able to control more sid functions from the control Surface - I do not at all say that it is not fantastic in its current state :D Cheers

Hi to everyone1 I happened to notice that in chriss 's midibox 4xSIdCS 2 more buttons and 5 more leds are implemented ( one button and two leds controlling the LFO sync ) and one button and three leds controlling the env curve) Are these buttons easily implemented in MIOS software and if yes how? and are they really necessary? - I mean I would like to control lfo sync and env curve with a simple move, but is the effort greater than the results? Cheers :D

Hello to everyone! I am building a 4xSID midibox (So far I ve completed 1core + 1 6581 SId module - the sound is incredible 8)) . I understand that the best solution for powering the whole thing is the TK's improved C64 PSU. Instead since I don' t have such a PSU I am using 2 PSUs a) a 9V 500 mA PSU for the core (and for the rest 3 cores connected in line) and a 12V 300 mA for the SID (and the rest of the SIDs connected in line. Is this wrong or does this have any dissadvantages compared to TK's solution. So far I have experienced no problems with my single SID Midibox synth (no lcd yet) and the SId output does not have a big deal of noise. Will I have any problems if i connect  the other 3 modules to each PSU? :-/ (I will be having 2x6581 and 2x8580 sids) thanks in advance Best regards Dimitris

Thanks again!! I happen to have acrobat too, so things have become easy for me :D- although I am not sure yet if I must have my panel made somewhere or if I should make the drilling myself. I would definitely do it if the problem wasn' t the square hole for the 2x20 lcd. Also another question is how many more holes compare th the initial TK's design (in *.fpd) should be included in the panel :-/, since I saw that chriss' 4xSID has some more buttons (selection for non- linear envelopes and sync - probably the addition that were made in MIDIBOX SID 1.6 (I am posting another message for that in the design section) All the best :)

Thanks d2k!! Very fast reply - I thought the conversion was not possible without the schaefer plug-in. I should also say congratulations on your projects - I am currently building a 4xSID CS synth (1 core + 1 sid ready as of today - what a sound!!). Best regards Dimitris

Hi Does anybody know if there is any way of converting *.fpd to *.dxf? Thanks Dimitris

Thanks Tim! I ve serched the forum but I have not found a case similar to mine. The BC337 doesn' tget hot, nor does the regulator. One thing I ve noticed is that my 6581 becomes very hor within minutes after i power up. I think I have uploaded everything ok, when I power up I get this long message in the midiox monitor: TIMESTAMP IN PORT STATUS DATA1 DATA2 CHAN NOTE EVENT 000049AF 3 -- F0 Buffer: 8 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 7E 40 00 01 F7 00005268 3 -- C0 00 -- 1 --- PC: Acc. Grand Piano 00005268 3 -- C0 00 -- 1 --- PC: Acc. Grand Piano 00005269 3 -- C0 00 -- 1 --- PC: Acc. Grand Piano 00005A98 3 -- F0 Buffer: 11 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 7E 46 01 0D 00 00 00 F7 00005AA0 3 -- F0 Buffer: 11 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 7E 46 01 0D 01 00 00 F7 00005AA8 3 -- F0 Buffer: 11 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 7E 46 01 0D 02 00 00 F7 00005AB0 3 -- F0 Buffer: 266 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 7E 46 01 02 00 49 6E 74 65 72 6E 61 6C 20 50 SYSX: 61 74 63 68 20 20 7F 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 40 00 SYSX: 00 00 40 40 40 40 02 00 04 40 00 00 00 00 7F 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 40 42 02 00 04 40 00 00 00 00 7F 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 40 3E 02 00 04 40 00 00 00 00 7F 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 7F 00 00 7F 00 00 7F 00 20 10 2E 00 00 00 07 10 7F 07 SYSX: 20 00 01 03 7F 01 40 00 01 50 7F 01 60 00 7F 40 40 40 SYSX: 40 00 60 60 20 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 38 F7 00005B05 3 -- F0 Buffer: 11 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 7E 46 02 0D 00 00 00 F7 00005B0E 3 -- F0 Buffer: 11 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 7E 46 02 0D 01 00 00 F7 00005B16 3 -- F0 Buffer: 11 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 7E 46 02 0D 02 00 00 F7 00005B1E 3 -- F0 Buffer: 266 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 7E 46 02 02 00 49 6E 74 65 72 6E 61 6C 20 50 SYSX: 61 74 63 68 20 20 7F 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 40 00 SYSX: 00 00 40 40 40 40 02 00 04 40 00 00 00 00 7F 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 40 42 02 00 04 40 00 00 00 00 7F 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 40 3E 02 00 04 40 00 00 00 00 7F 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 7F 00 00 7F 00 00 7F 00 20 10 2E 00 00 00 07 10 7F 07 SYSX: 20 00 01 03 7F 01 40 00 01 50 7F 01 60 00 7F 40 40 40 SYSX: 40 00 60 60 20 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 38 F7 00005B73 3 -- F0 Buffer: 11 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 7E 46 03 0D 00 00 00 F7 00005B7B 3 -- F0 Buffer: 11 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 7E 46 03 0D 01 00 00 F7 00005B83 3 -- F0 Buffer: 11 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 7E 46 03 0D 02 00 00 F7 00005B8B 3 -- F0 Buffer: 266 Bytes System Exclusive SYSX: F0 00 00 7E 46 03 02 00 49 6E 74 65 72 6E 61 6C 20 50 SYSX: 61 74 63 68 20 20 7F 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 40 00 SYSX: 00 00 40 40 40 40 02 00 04 40 00 00 00 00 7F 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 40 42 02 00 04 40 00 00 00 00 7F 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 40 3E 02 00 04 40 00 00 00 00 7F 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 7F 00 00 7F 00 00 7F 00 20 10 2E 00 00 00 07 10 7F 07 SYSX: 20 00 01 03 7F 01 40 00 01 50 7F 01 60 00 7F 40 40 40 SYSX: 40 00 60 60 20 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 SYSX: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 38 F7 Does this mean I have already up;oaded the mbsid appl.? I m confused... Every help appreciated thx

Hi everyone Yesterday I finished my my first MBSID (1core + I SId module + 2x20 LCD). I burnt the bootloader with my JDM, I then uploaded MIOS 7.1 via Midiox and then I uploaded the main.syx file  of the MBSID firmware. WHile everything seems to be ok in the midi monitor of midiox I have two serious problems. 1) The lcd only shows black squares (two rows) AND the backlight does not work, UNLESS I connect the anode pin of my LCD to the ground (the backlight gets very bright then) of the core OR to another pin of the LCD  (the backlight lights up but it is not as bright) 2) the SID output produces no sound, but only noise and a continuous high frequency sound. I am almost sure that I have my connections right, so what must be the problem? What sysex message should I get in the midiox monitor when I power up if I have succesfully loaded the MBSId application? thanks dimitris

Hello everyone I am very glad this discussion is growing Jim I have not yet connected anyhting to the MB circuit. I have just completed (almost) all the soldering of the components on the PCB, so I am now at the process of designing the actual case of the controller (I think I ll make it out of wood - it adds a more "vintage" touch) and afterwards I will connect the pots and buttons. It is more convenient this way, since, after you have the housing of the project ready, you can calculate more accurately the length of the cables, where you want your PCB to be screwed on etc. I had actually made a desing for my case, when I bumped on this B4 discussion, so I have started making alterations. The most important one is the use of real drawbars like Andreas is doing. Andreas (and everypone), I think you don' t need 58 digital inputs. If you look at the B4 midi implementaion chart (if one does not have it I ll be glad to send it via e-mail), only 6 of the controls require a "push button". The other controls can all be analog (potentiometers). In addition, you don' t really need switches for the presets, one can program manually some 20 presets and store them to the midibox memory (Bankstick). The only thing that is needed is a rotary encoder for selecting fast every B4 software preset (I think there are about 128 presets). The rotary encoder will be programmed to send prgr. chage + and prgr change - messages to the B4 software, so that with 3-4 turns or so of the encoder, you will be able to jump from preset one to preset 128. A rotary encoder only needs 2 digital ins. With the addition of the 4 menu buttons this is a total of 6+2+4= 12 digital inputs needed. The rest 52 digital inputs are sufficient for connecting a bass pedal board (unfortunateluy not a manual keyboard). Thus I think that a full B4 control device is possible with only one core!! Still I don't get how one can use the 240+ multiplexed LEDs, since the LEDS of the MIDIBox are not programmed to respond to analog in values, they respond only to digital in values. So the only way to have LED bargraphs the way Andreas intends is to use Rotary encoders connected to the digital ins of the MB64 or MB128. But this way it will not be posiible to use real drawbars :( What I am saying is this: Even if one can achieve to program the MB simware as to set the multiplexed LED bargraphs to respond to the control messages receivedby the MB midi in, the problem will be that if real drawbars are connected to the analog inputs (like me and Andreas are going to do) then the move of the drawbars wll not alter the indications of the bargraphs in real time. (Again I really hope I am completely wrong, but this is the impression I have -I really want to have LED bargraphs). Anyway I guess it will be also difficult to program the multiplexing, so as to fit all those leds into a one core project - I do not have any programming experience myself! Best regards Dimitris

Hi everyone (Andreas, thank you very much for letting me know about this thread) You can add me too in the MB64-B4 project. I have almost finished the whole MB64 circuit and I am in the stage of designing the case before soldering the pots and the drawbars (I am using actual drawbars, borrowed the idea form Andreas - borntob4). :D After reading the thread, I agree with Andreas that the MB64 - B4 application must be designed so as to fully cover the controls of the b4 software. Upon the realisation of the I have a suggestion to make derived from my own experience with my b-4 project.: I am going to to incorporate to my project only the controls of the B4 panel - NOT the manuals (I will be using two Roland 76-key Keybords for the 2 manuals and will later at some point buy or build a midi pedal). In order to achieve full b4 panel control PLUS control for the bass pedal only one MB64 (one core) is needed. If one wants to midify 2 manuals (e.g. two Hammond manuals) then the most appropriate platform for achieving this is the MB128 . Every key will need to be connected to a digital input. So in order to connect 2 manuals one one needs 61 + 61 = 122 digital inputs. The MB128 has 128 digital inputs, so you can connect 2 manuals and have 6 more digital inputs to use for somenting else (e.g. 1 rotary encoder for prgr change and the 4 menu buttons). So I would suggest if one makes a MIOS B4 application, the entire panel control should be designed for one core (one MB 64). If one wants to midify 2 manuals this is already achieveable by using the MB128 and program it to send just midi note on messages when the keys connected are pressed and midi note off messages when the keys are not pressed. To summarize, full B4 control can be achieved with MB platforms this way 1 x MB128: the 2 manuals only 1 x MB64: Everything else One more thing: about the multiplexed LEDs idea, I think that this cannot be done with the current MB64 firmware because the LEDs are designed to respond to the digital in functions and NOT to external messages (I hope I am wrong). If it could be possible to alter that, then I think that the 64 Digital outputs of the MB64 are enough for thsi job I hope we make something good out of this exchange of experiences!! :) Best regards Dimitris

thanks pay_c But what about the voltage differencies (1% tol, 630V v. 2,5% tol. , 160V) Does the voltage value affect the behaviour of the capacitors and consequently the filter? BTW the design of your MBseq is absolutely fantastic!!