Jurbo

Don't have time to check right now, but on the main site there is a default wiring schematic for the DINX4 modules of a MBSID Step C. If I remember correctly, there are a lot of unused pins on the third DINX4 module to accomodate your 5 extra buttons. BTW, I'm also in the process of building a Step C. Six months so far, less to go, I'm sure! :)

Correct me if I'm wrong - this is what I have come up with the SID types: a C64C (C64-II) with a beige case held together with plastic clips (no screws) and a latest style keyboard ('round and thick' letters, graphic symbols on top) will always have the 8580 SID. So will a C128 with the same type of keyboard, and the C128D (plastic case model, there was an earlier model with metal casing). Other, older C64 and C128 revisions have the 6581 chip. Actually I haven't found this info anywhere on the web - it's based on my own limited experience. Feel free to comment and correct, this will help everybody! :)

Yes, you are right - 40 x 2 lcd accomodates 10 menu items on screen at a time, so 10 buttons under the lcd. If you use one DINX4 board, you get 32 inputs, so if you are building a one SID machine with the minimal control unit (only added with the larger lcd), you will be using up 13 of the 32 available inputs (10 menu item buttons, the back button and 2 inputs for the encoder). Cheers, Jurbo

David - after spending today with my father in law and an ancient bench drill making the front panel holes of my MBSID, I can only say that maybe I should have chosen the same way of construction (both my father in law and the drill are great but man it sure was some work )! Gets the job done, is cheap and fast to build, plus you can put a sandwich in it, too! :P Ludo - a very cute and tidy professional design! Was the case premade, or just very neat DIY? What about the transformer so close to the boards - did you manage to avoid magnetic interference? Anyway, a beautiful little box! :)

About the MIDI DIN sockets: if you are ordering the kits from Claudia's, you will get the sockets in the Core kit. So you don't have to search them from somewhere else (I did - and after getting my 2 Cores I ended up with 4 surplus MIDI sockets). :)

Sorry for not knowing the split technique and forwarding misinformation. As my MBSID is still in the works, I haven't been able to fully explore the system's capabilities, I have only managed to scratch the surface so far (enough to enjoy the presets and wiggling a little with the filter and so on - basically to check everything works - my bankstick system doesn't fully do so, just one stick works so far). About prices of the parts - I think I spent about 130 euros at Claudia's (LCD, 2 core kits , 2 sid module kits, 3 DIN kits, 2 DOUT kits, JDM, ribbon cables, some midi leads etc. plus shipping), then I spent maybe about 90 euros at Voti's (encoders, breadboards, leds, push-buttons etc. plus shipping). I got my sids for about 12 euros a pop. Then I spent some tens of euros at Farnell, some tens of euros at Elfa, some tens of euros for miscellaneous parts and accessories all around the neighborhood. It's surprisingly easy to make it 400 euros... Once I'm finished, I will be able to check the costs very precisely. Not that it matters - the sid sound justifies the costs and the trouble! :)

My dual SID 8580 with CS will total about 400 euros. All modules as kits from Claudia, housed in a self-made metal case, C64 psu. The amount includes some neat things like a joystick for filter which alone was 20 euros. Yes, I'm spending more money than I thought at first, as I thought I'd get by with about 200-250 euros. But the main cost is time - actually a large part of this whole thing is the building and learning experience. I started my project in last August (hopefully finish in about a month), first I went through these pages for about two weeks, then ordered (most of) the parts. I have been building slowly and always thinking ahead - and everything has went well so far. Enjoyable brain teaser, this project. About the polyphony - yes the original SID music is done on a single SID chip, but the MBSID doesn't really let you play three different instruments on one SID, so several are needed in my opinion (I have two hands so I decided to make it a dual SID). ;D

I don't know how it is with SmashTV's kits, but Claudia's CORE kits contain the midi sockets as standard, so check if SmashTV also includes them already with the kit. Although it never hurts to have spares... :)

Is your device ID the same on the Bootstraploader and the Mios file? This is just a quick thought...

The shooting was absolutely the kind of thing that never should be able to happen. I was never a big fan of Pantera or anything, but Dimebag was definitely one of the very few guitarists that were able to make the guitar talk in a totally unique, distinctive way. The song Cemetery Gates represents this unique, colourful sound to me. At least the world was given more time to enjoy Dimebag's talent than that of Randy Rhoads'. RIP.

Ok, I FINALLY managed to upload the preset patches! Here's how I did it: Since JSynthLib doesn't work on my system, I only used it to manually extract each patch of the bank into a sysex file. Then I used Serge's SysExBox to manually upload each path into the MBSID. So, 76 times extract, 76 times upload. Took an hour and a half but couldn't do it any other way... And it's nice to know, that my MBSID succesfully uses at least one bankstick. ;D

I'd love to try your program since JSynthLib doesn't seem to work with my computer, but the file is unavailable... ???

Thanks again Justin, I'm really glad you are trying to help me out here! I took out the bankstick eproms, just to get to see if the basic data transfer works. Observations without Banksticks: I can't Get a single patch from MBSID, but I can Get the Bank from the MBSID, including just the Internal Patch. But when I go to Patch Edit screen, JSynthLib freezes up in a couple of seconds. All this is similar to what I have experienced with Banksticks connected. When I change the name of the Internal Patch and Send it, the MBSID doesn't blink an eye (with or without the Midi Out of MBSID connected). Another example: With one Bankstick connected, I try to Send a Test patch to let's say patch 3. Nothing happens. When I choose an empty patch on MBSID, and Send, the MBSID returns to patch 1, nothing else happens. Is it the JSynthLib that's acting up on me (I'm beginning to seriously think it is)? Is there any way to make the preset library into a SysEx file that I could upload with MidiOx - I can change the patch number on MBSID lcd by sending commands in MidiOx. My MBSID is going to get the full CS so I don't really care that much for a PC-based patch editor program, anyway. Edit: I was able to export the example bank from JSynthLib into a .syx file, but sending it to MBSID with MidiOx doesn't seem to do anything - I guess the MidiOx would need some kind of a MBSID driver program to accomplish this? On a brighter note, my Bankstick seems to work ok, as I just fiddled around connecting pins on my DIN boards and ended up saving something to patch number 2, and the patch name stayed there after turning power on and off. So my problems are definitely on the communications side (JSynthLib probably).

Thanks, but I don't think I'm making progress... I can change the patches with MidiOx, but don't know if I'm changing banks, as the lcd doesn't mention banks. I still have the default sound, all others read empty and play default. Somehow my troubles seem to begin when I start JSynthLib. All actions outside it seem to work. Observations: JSynthLib doesn't find my MBSID with the Auto-Scan Function on the Synth Configuration page. When I use the Get function to load a bank from my MBSID, I get 32777 bytes. After pasting, I choose edit bank, I see the patch names, showing INT Default Patch but all other patch names as rows of squares... Then if I make let's say patch number 4 as New, and send it, the patch name on the MBSID lcd doesn't change.... I'm beginning to suspect my banksticks, although their behaviour suggests they are connected ok. (My both bankstick EPROMS have been formatted by MBSID, I get the bootup sound with both EPROMS). Other than that, JSynthLib crashes shortly in the patch edit screen, so maybe the program isn't working correctly. Don't know, I'm beginning to feel really put off bythis... >:( Running WIN98SE, SB Audigy Platinum using Midi Port II (front panel box)...

Hi again, this post has to do with my earlier, yet unanswered question - how do I upload the preset sounds to MBSID? Is there a way to change bankstick banks in the MBSID program? I have 2 banksticks connected, have seen the formatting sequence once, get the bootup tune, but that's about it. Accessing the banks (and uploading the presets to one) is a total mystery. Please, please help! P.S. I tried looking through the MBSID application files, but I didn't see (or understand) anything that would suggest the answer lies there.

Just remember that you can test only the 6581s or 8580s on a single C64... :)

Twin-X, do you have 2 banksticks, too? I'm really wondering how to change banks and if I'm kind of in the wrong bank when the patches are in the other... Confusing... My soundcard is SB Audigy Platinum, I use the MIDI ports (MIDI Port II) on the connections panel on front of my computer. All other uploads have had no problems. Please, someone help us!!!

The boot tone or melody (it's a Super Mario style rising "bloing") comes only when you have a formatted bankstick attached to the Core. The stick will be formatted the first time the Core finds it, and the lcd will go through patch numbers and give a "ding" sound on each patch number. Only after this you will get the boot tone.

I'm not an expert on cap types, but I think they are styroflex, as they are little square edged plastic boxes (at least I know ceramics are those little discs). Ceramic caps are not recommended for SID filter, because they can't be manufactured to very exact values, and the filter caps should be as equal in value as possible.

While waiting for my friend to help me with the casing of my MBSID, I'd like to know how to upload the preset patches. So far I have managed to start the JSynthLib program, and my configuration should be ok (???). Synth list shows generic device (put it to channel 5) and MBSID (channel 1). I open the library, and I can go to the Bank Screen with all the patch names showing. But, when I send the bank to my MBSID, the lcd just goes through the patch numbers 1 to 128 but the patches remain empty. When in the Bank Screen, the play command gives me a bleep from the SID, but always with the default sound, even if I have asked the program to send a different patch to the MBSID. Maybe I'm missing something here, I'm pretty confused by this. The bankstick should be ok, I get a rising sound on startup and I remember the machine doing a formatting sequence to the bankstick when I first started it up. More info: When the program sends patches, the MS-DOS window shows patch numbers etc. Some of the patches it says are Midibox SID, some Generic. Is there a problem with my JSynthLib config? I have two banksticks wired (I should have room for 2 x 128 sound patches), how do I change between them? Could this be the problem (uploads going to the wrong bank, maybe)? Hopefully you guys can help me! Thanks!

Yes, you have the correct ID (all zeroes) for a single SID, application uploads to be done through midi, and a character LCD. BTW, I recommend building the JDM. It's cheap, very easy and you don't have to worry about these things! :)

No problemo! Comparing the filter caps is the same kind of fun as changing the tubes on a guitar amp (only a bit geekier)! ;D

The cap value basically affects the frequency range that will be able to pass through the filter: larger values mean more attenuation on the higher frequencies. Small caps will open up more high frequencies. In your case, it seems to me that your caps are too large (even if they work in the C64, they might be wrong for MBSID). The distortion might mean something's wrong, but the resonance parameter basically introduces some, so I wouldn't worry about it yet. I would first buy some smaller caps (several pairs with different values) and see what happens. You will probably need 2 or 3 pairs, the values can be found somewhere on the site. So it's not too much stumbling in the dark - to me, testing the differences was a minor revelation. For both my 8580 and my 6581, I ended up using non-default values. And I suppose you have the SID program installed right (you have it set up for 6581, not 8580)?

Thanks, I know. The guy is selling 6581's and I'm looking for an 8580... So bad luck for me! :(

Damn, they are all 6581's... But that's great news for those who prefer it! :)