Skunk

Hi Florian, this sounds very good for me and meets exactly my original imagination! It fully fits to my plan and you mentioned one thing that is important: you used the same board STM32F4 for both -- the NG as well as the KB software. Out of the KB threads I assumed for a long time that it can only be realized with the LPC17 board and somehow there were some inconistencies in Thorsten's documentation that confused me. I also had a look on your github page that finally convinced me that I'm on the right track! Now I can sleep much better again and proceed with the mechanical work... Thanks & and best regards to Toulouse (I was there last time 20 years ago for business -- you have nice restaurants over there, for instance the Caves de la Marechale ), Andreas

Hi Famtom, thanks for the feedback! I was not aware of it. I have the STM32F4 Board already in place, so I guess the only chance to change to more than 16 velocity values is to change it somewhere in the NG software. Or is there any physical limitation for the 16 values instead of the 128 that can't be changed in the software? I didn't dig deep into the software yet... Right now I'm taking care about the mechanics, and as soon as this is done I'll take care about the software and electronics. My original goal was just to use what I have in place, and this is the TP/40WOOD and the STM32F407 board. Both I already got years ago, but didn't have the time to build a real master keyboard out of it. And now I have the time to build -- since my retirement approaches... Or do I really need the LPC17 core for the KB instead of the STM32F4? Thanks, Andreas

Hi Florian,, I have now nearly the same project in front of me: Generating -- out of a naked TP40WOOD from Fatar that I got some years ago -- a MIDI Keyboard like the Doepfer LMK4+. Doepfer charges 1500€ for this, and the solution with MIDIbox is much, much cheaper, thanks to Thorsten! I'll use the STM32F4 on a MIDIbox NG baseboard plus DIO_Matrix plus MIDI_IO plus AINSER8 (for the wheels and Pots) plus a 2x40 LCD blue plus a MBHP_DIN for the 24 Keys. So the same functions as the LMK4+ and a very similar control panel. But much cheaper. Will see how it works... Next phase is the Mechanics for the whole thing, and then the Electronics and the SW. May be I'll contact you at a later stage if I have questions. Especially the SW development might be a pitfall... Cheers, Andreas

Hi Thomasch, ist zwar auf den ersten Blick eine etwas abstruse Idee, ein USB3-SATA interface IC für einen MIDIswitch zu verwenden, aber die Idee ist nichtsdestotrotz gar nicht so abwegig, den SATA-Teil einfach tot liegen zu lassen und die 8 GPIOs mit dem CortexM3 Kern zu verwenden. Das KnowHow liegt letztendlich in dem externen SPI Memory für den M3, der Rest ist USB3 Standard-Interface Arbeit. Nicht dumm die Idee.... Mal abwarten was Ploytec daraus macht... VG, Andreas

Hi Thorsten, what about the noise of the motors during movement, the accuracy and the speed? Same as before? Cheers, Andreas

Hi Thorsten, which computer? an AMD motherboard with 2.4GHz Athlon (don't know the supplier) which operating system? WinXP SP2 which driver? Ploytek special, customer specific which HW variant? customer specific -- a special board connected via the GM5 to the motherboard and a second USB-to-Audio USB I/F with 480Mbit, also connected to the motherboard. If the 480MBit line fails, the 12MBit USB-to-MIDI line also fails sometimes In the meantime we found one possible problem for the failure: groundbouncing. During the initialization of the USB controller on the motherboard, looking for devices, a groundbounce shuts the device recognition down (it looks like that, but this is not yet proven). There seems to be no means in the GM -- only reset. Cheers, Andreas

Hi, question to all: did anybody already test the part under full load on all MIDI channels at the same time? If yes, did it work properly? I have currently an issue with this GM5 in a customer specific equipment, and under some strange circumstances it hangs up from time to time -- communication on USB and also sometimes on the MIDI ports stops. Only Power-Down/Up solves it. Cheers, Skunk

Hi Wilba, especially looking at the inside life of this great box: this is the most professional MIDIbox build I've seen! No spaghetti wiring (as seen in many other MIDIboxes), clean boards, cable minimization well adapted box outfit. Just professional. Congratulations! Cheers, Skunk

This is by far the most professional MIDIbox design I've seen! Congratulations! This fit's into my understanding of professional work. Cheers, Skunk

Right Roger, it doesn't make much sense to invent the weel twice! Look at the motorfaders from ALPS. They are just perfect and deliver an excellent quality for a reasonable price (-> cost-performance issue). Cheers, Skunk

Hot! A totally new view of the story! I'll pick it up again. Cheers, Skunk

Very professional work! Congratulations!!! Cheers, Skunk

I'd try to turn the ICs and move the JPs. It might need two or three trials. Such a simple design should be possible without bridges... Cheers, Skunk

Hi Roger, typical swiss approach! ;D Welcome back! Cheers, Skunk

Any experience about (signal & frequency) stability over temperature range? A 555 is not a very stable device... passive components direct the frequency and behaviour over temp. Try at 0°C and 70°C and look for the results and signal behavior. Cheers, Skunk