Attila

OK, so I'm the dumb ;D Anyway, I came up with a new design, and I have only 9 bridges on it and it will fit better in my amp (first clue to my question). Is it better?

I tried it before posting this whole thing. The autorouter always failed at 70-80% (depending on the parts placement), so I sat down and routed the PCB myself. JP1-JP8 are close as possible to their IC pins. BTW: do you know, what's this?

Have a look @ this: http://www.redcircuits.com/Page8.htm

I am interested in the PCB routing techniques. I've recently made a simple PCB with Eagle. The autorouter could not finish the board with only one layer, so I went to do it myself. I ended up with 11 bridges. Here is it: Is there any possible solution to reduce or eliminate the bridges? I would send the Eagle project file. Is there any better program that has a better autorouter?

I figured out yesterday, that I need a DINx1 module to have a control surface. OK, that doesn't matter, but I don't have PCBs now. Is it possible to use a DINx4 board with fitted components only for one DIN module? And when I'll upgrade my config to a full control surface, I would only fit the other parts. BTW: SmashTV, do you ship to Slovakia? I don't see it in countries list. And is there any other solution with the payment?

There is a big problem with SmashTV's or voti.nl webshop. They all accept only those forms of payment, that I don't have: credit card or PayPal. I have only cash (and not very much) since I'm a 16-year old student. Would be anybody so kind to send an encoder to me? I would pay the postage (within the EU) and the encoder by "cash-on-delivery" method. If somebody could help me, please drop me a line. Thanks!

Fine! I'm not in school. :) I've got a cold and just sitting at the PC or watching TV. But I have all the thing, except for the rotary encoder. I don't know it's name in slovak or hungarian (they speak both in the shop, me too). When I was in the shop, it was a bit like Activity: it's like a pot, but when you turn it to the left, it connects the common pin and first pin for a while, but when you turn it to the right, it connects the common pin with the another pin. I also have the PCBs, and started assembling the core module. I've got a nice 30w soldering iron and a MIDI cable to my PC. Next week I'll get a MIDI cable to connect it with my synth (Yamaha PSR-540). Anybody some suggestions? Or are you ignoring this topic?

I have all the parts for the core module, except for the optocoupler. They had only 6N136 and I was unsure, if it will work. Also, they had only 1,5A rectifier, but it's the same as the 800mA. Tomorrow, I'm gonna buy the missing parts (especially the optocoupler) for the core module and for the SID module.... and I'll be happy, if it will work :) I have cannibalized some 2200uF caps from Commodores, but they are only rated for 16V. The orderlist says 25V caps. Can I use them? So far, I spent 160 Sk for the PCB, 295 Sk for the PIC and 85 Sk for the parts. That's 540 Sk alltogether, or in euros €14,50. Pretty good, isn't it?

Hooraay! The PIC has arrived friday! I can't believe it. Today I'll get the other things and probably tomorrow I will start putting it together. Is it possible to get it working on one afternoon? (3-4 hours) Are there any uncommon parts as the PIC was?

I think FireWire is much better. It's 400MBit/s full duplex. USB 2.0 is theoretically faster (480MBit/s), but it's half-duplex. Because of this FW is more stable I think, but I can't test it, because I don't have a FW port and device. I have a question, that is a bit off-topic: does anybody know some affordable RS232 to USB adapter chips? I would like to build an IR reciever, but for USB.

I am a bit angry now. Still waiting for the PIC, that I have ordered a month ago! BTW: Is it possible to build the whole thing with the PIC16F877 and then when I have the PIC18F452, I just change the PIC and the crystal? Or do I have to made some other modifications? Tomorrow the PCBs will be done... There will be a school exhibition of circuits in the school, and I want to show up there with the MBSID. The only problem, that this will be on the 16th of february... :( anyway, I try to be there... if not with the MBSID, then with DLV (my homemade NE555 based synth. The name comes from transcribing 555 to roman numbers)

What is the configuration of the PC? You could use it as a home jukebox. Get an LCD display (at least 2x16 - bigger is better), build an IR reciver (I suggest this one: www.cesko.host.sk/girderplugin.htm), hook it up to your stereo and you have a good MP3 player. Or if it's a stronger PC, you could use it as a HTPC. I suggest this minimal config: 700MHz CPU 128MBs of RAM (256MB should be a LOT better) 20GBs of HD a DVD-ROM drive a graphic card with TV-out and alternatively a TV tuner card. Install Win2K or XP (only with 256 megs of ram), and some HTPC application, such as PowerCinema or Intervideo Home Theater. Or give it to me ;), I would pay the postage, if you are in the EU...

A really simple metronome could be made with an NE555, but I'm afraid that you cannot adjust the accent or mount a BPM display. Anything can be made with this chip... Or use a really simple and common PIC. I don't have other ideas, but I bet there are lots of these circiuts.

Pfew! It wasn't easy to understand and it won't be easy to do it. Anyway, I found a cheap method to use: jumpers... as in the pc, but not 2 or 3 in a row, but 13 in 8 rows. In the local shop they sale 40x2 pin DIL (am I right???) connectors for cheap. I'm gonna get a couple of them. Thanks! I had only one schematic of a 555 in astable mode and 3 equations: (am I right??? are those equations???) one for frequency: f=1,44/(R1+2R2)*C one for HIGH time: t=0,69*(R1+R2)*C and one for LOW time: t=0,69*R2*C where R1 is a resistor between Vcc and pin 7, R2 is between pins 6 and 7 and C is between pin 6 and ground. Also I'm only 16 years old... :) and electronics are my life. I started from nothing (ok, I knew a bit of soldering, when I was 13) and the only person who understood electronics was my dad. He doesn't know all the equations (as above) but he knew it only practically, BUT VERY WELL! (I wasn't shouting ;)) I will discuss this SRAM thing with my friend and decide if it worths for it. And sorry for my English ;)

I have to use 104 switches for an 8 step sequencer! Why would I expand it? Btw: has anybody an idea how to reduce the number of swithces/buttons from 104???