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Hermes

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Posts posted by Hermes

  1. styroflex caps tolerance (SID module)

    in Parts Questions

    Posted

    Hello

    Just a question about tolerance values:

    In www.farnell.com I have found 470pF polysterene (Styroflex) caps with 1% tolerance (630V) as well as  470pF poysterene caps with 2,5% tolerance (160V). Which ones are more suitable for the SID module? (There are also different tolerance values (1% and 2,5%  for the 6.8nF caps used for the 8580 chip)

    TK suggests 2,5 tolerance. Would t the 1% tolerance make the filter more accurate?

    Best regards

    Dimitris

    Best regards

  2. SID low noise guide

    in Parts Questions

    Posted

    Hello everyone

    One of the most important issues with regard to the costruction of a MB SID synth is, undoubtedly, how you are going to achieve as low noise output as possible.  Being on the process of constructing my own quad MB SID, I have searched the forum, as well as www.ucapps.de, but I have only found scattered information on this subject. :-/

    So I suggest we use this thread to set up the principles one must follow to get low noise out of his SID synthesizer output(s). Some of them can be already found in some threads, for instance the use of TK's  modified C64 PSU or the use of a metal box for better grounding (tip from pay_c)

    So are there any specific parts or soldering methods or any other tips in general that result to low noise?

    Does the use of the SID inputs affect noise?

    I hope something good gets out of this thread...  :)

    Best regards

    Dimitris (Hermes)  

  4. PCB for Midibox SID

    in Parts Questions

    Posted

    Hello everyone

    I am building a quad midibox SID and I was wondering about the following subject:

    If I etch my own pcbs, using Thorsten' s *.pdf files, will that affect the sound quality of the SID synth?

    Would it be better to order the pcbs from mike' s shop? I am looking for a cost effective solution - I know how to etch pcbs, but I don' t want to jeopardize the sound quality!!

    Thanks in advance

    Best regards

    Dimitris (Hermes)

  9. Differences between 6581 and 8580 chips

    in Parts Questions

    Posted

    Hi

    I have searched the forum but it seems that there is no topic about the differences between the 6581 and the 8580 SID chip.  So apart from the different filter, are there any other differences, or advantages -dissadvantages between them?

    I am starting the contruction of a quad Midibox SID and I don' t know if it is better to try to to find 4 x 6581 chips or 2 x 6581 and 2 x 8580 chips.. ???.

    Thanks in advance

    Best regards

    Dimitris

  11. Difference between PIC18F and PIC16F based slave S

    in Parts Questions

    Posted

    Hello

    I was just wondering if there is any difference between  between PIC18F and PIC16F based slave SID synths. Thorsten mentions somewhere that with a PIC18F core  the 3 voices of the SID can be addressed to different midi channels. Is this referring to the primary SID synth or to the slave SID synths as well?

    And apart form this, are there any other differences between the 2 realisations?

    Thanks in advance

    Dimitris

  13. Suggestions and questions about MB SID (Step C)

    in Design Concepts

    Posted

    Hello to everyone

    Just some ideas about modifications regarding the MB SID Control surface

    1) Would it be possoble for one more rotary encoder to be added, which would be dedicated to selecting patches from the Bank Stick?

    2) If rotary encoders with a built in button are used, could this built in button be used to change the function of each encoder individually?  (i.e. one press would switch the function from decay to transpose, a second press would swittch the function form transpose to assign #1, a third press would switch the fuction again to Decay etc.)

    If 1) and 2) are possible will it be necessary to add more DIN modules?

    3) Is it possible for a Potentiometer  to be added as well, so as to contol the overall volume output of the synthesizer?

    Thnks in advance

    Best regards

    Dimitris

  14. Rotary encoders with built in button in MB64 ?

    in Design Concepts

    Posted

    I found my encs on an Ebay auction which I won (in Greece it is very difficult to get your hands on ALPS products, unless you order massive quantities). I have not yet received them, when I do I will post the specs (provided there is a specs sheet in the parcel).

    In the meantime you could also try e-bay search with such keywords as "rotary encoder*", "encoder*" or "Impulsgeber" (the german term for encoder) etc. (The encoders don't necessarily have to be ALPS, they could be i.e.  panasonic or another brand)

    Good luck

    Dimitris :)

  16. Rotary encoders with built in button in MB64 ?

    in Design Concepts

    Posted

    Hello to everyone

    Having read the previous postings regarding the incorporation of rotary encoders in MB64 (Not MB64E!), I decided to use some encs in my currently-being-created MB64. I have bought 20 ALPS STEC16B363 encoders with built in button and I am wondering about two things:

    1) Will I be able to use a rotary encoder instead of the two menu navigation buttons and use the built in button as "select button" and if yes, how is this possible? (In MIOS the menu buttons have been reduced from 4 to 3, is that right?)

    2) If I use, say, 4 encs in the place of 8 buttons, do they need to be connected to a special place (i.e. do they need to be connected to one specific DIN module, or can they be connected to any digital inputs I choose? :P

    Thanks in advance

    Dimitris

  17. Schaeffer Apparatebau - Impossible to contact?

    in Parts Questions

    Posted

    Hello everyone

    I am procceding with my MIOS midibox64 - I have created a panel with front panel designer and I was hopoing to be able to order the panel from Schaeffer Apparatebau. Unfortunately, while I have e-mailed them twice about shipping costs to Greece, I haven' t had any reply from them - It has already been 10 days since my first e-mail.  ???

    Does anyone know how I can get in touch with them?

    Thanks in advance

    Dimitris

  19. Which LCD to use for MidiBox64?

    in Parts Questions

    Posted

    Hi

    I am building my MIOS midibox 64 "Hammond B-3" (I plan to adjust my design to the control needs of the NI B-4 Hammond Organ software emulation). 8)

    At the moment I have most of the parts, but I am not sure which lcd to buy. I want either a 2 x 16 char. or a 4 x 16 char. backlit lcd. The questions are:

    1) can I use a bigger lcd (i.e. 4 x 20 char.) for the midibox 64 (MIOS)?

    2) Must I necessarily use a lcd compatible with the Hitachi HD44780 standard, or can I use any type of 2/4 x 16/20 char.? ???

    Thanks in advance

    Dimitris

    -Btw. thanks again to everyone who has replied to my previous postings

  22. Faders - Reversed Polarity (Hammond Org. emulation

    in Design Concepts

    Posted

    Hello

    Does anyone know if there is any way to reverse the polarity of the faders (so that when the fader is fully up the value will be 0 and when it is fully down the value will be 127), without changing the connections in the hadware? Is there (or could be) an option in the software, a special mode (i.e. "reversed mode" like "parallax mode" etc.). If this could be done the MidiBox64 (and generally the MB) could undoubtedly become an amazing Hammond Organ emulation controller (I would like to use it with Native Instruments B4) 8)

    Thanks in advance

    Dimitris

  23. Menu buttons etc connections

    in Parts Questions

    Posted

    Thanks Ian & LO

    This is great help :)  (I hope I manage to build a metal panel cheeply...)

    I forgot to ask if anyone knows if there is any way to reverse the polarity of the faders so as to simulate the Hammond Organ drawbars for use with i.e. Native Instruments B4 (It would be ideal to have this as an option in the sofware). Anyway I will post this in a separate topic.

  24. Menu buttons etc connections

    in Parts Questions

    Posted

    Hello

    First of all congradulations for this excellent project!! :D

    I am in the process of building a MidiBox64 - using the old PIC16F877 (unfortunately it is impossible to find the PICF18452 in Greece for the time being). Since I am relatively new to both this project and electronics, I have some questions, which apparently have to do with basic matters, but to which I haven' t yet found an answer, neither in www.ucapps.de nor in this forum.

    1) Can I assign the LCD menu functions to any 4 buttons I want, or must I choose these 4 buttons while I will be making the connections in the DIN module? In other words, are there any special connection points for the 4 menu buttons in the pcb, or can I decide which buttons will be used for the menu functions and program them after I build the MB64? ???

    2) Can I use a on/off switch to the place of a pot? Can I use the switch to the place of a push-button?

    3) I have not been able to find the 6N138 Optocoupler for the core module. Is there any suggested replacement for it? (I have found the 6N139 Opto.)

    4) I want to place a fuse between the power supply input and the pcb. Which type of fuse should I use?

    5) I am using the old pcb of greg macmillan' s (It is very convenient to have to make only one pcb). Is there anything I should note, apart from the instructions contained in the *.zip file?  

    I hope you find some time to answer to these questions

    Thanks in adnance

    Greetings from Athens, Greece

    Dimitris

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