toneburst

Ah, ok. So it's an external box hooked up to the expansion port, then.... But would I be able to connect one of the headers around Core 1 to the expansion port, to control the AOUT_NG circuitry, or is Wilba's MB-6582 not able to output the correct data for this? a|x

Ha! If we were all audiophiles, we wouldn't be here ;) a|x

Ah, so it WAS a jumper... Thanks very much for that Wilba. Apologies for not reading the docs properly. I will try that as soon as I get a chance. I think if you listen to something for long enough, you can convince yourself you're hearing all sorts of things! Thanks again for the info! Cheers, a|x

Now I remember what had me scratching my head, and eventually pulling out my hair, for weeks last time around, when I was making my first Core + SID modules..... and I've hit the same issue again. No MIDI. I'm not getting any MIDI output from the mainboard when I turn it on, though I still see 'READY' on the display. Also, I haven't been able to upload the test-tone application using MIOS Studio, either by using 'Smart' or 'Manual' modes. I guess this means both MIDI In and Out are not working. I'm getting an output from the MIDI interface (an M-Audio MIDISport 2x2) when I try to output the test-tone application, but there are no flashing LEDs on the interface indicating anything coming out of the mainboard. I've been through the tests on http://www.ucapps.de/howto_debug_midi.html though I'm a bit confused about this one http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_core_5.jpg Maybe I should be installing some more jumpers? I've also swapped-out the optocoupler for one from the Core module I eventually got working before. Anything else I should try? a|x

Yeah, usually you'll need to find the datasheet for that particular unit- not always easy if you got it 2nd-hand, or on eBay. I was helpfully printed on the back of mine though. a|x

Now that's a cool idea! Any info, anyone? a|x

Very nice!! I like the day-glo paintjob. I'm thinking, if I ever make another MB-6582, I might do it in white. I've seen some nice black-on-white LCDs, but actually, blue LEDs and LCD also look nice in a white background. I decided to go with a blue-on-black scheme this time around mainly because it seems to be really hard to get hold of reasonably-priced 20x4 LCD character displays in anything other than white-on-blue, but next time I'll make more of an effort to source one in the colour I really want, I think. Good work! a|x

Interesting.... I'd assumed you'd glue it via the sticking-out flange around the bottom of the cover, which would be pressed against the back of the panel by the LCD pressing against it from the back, anyway, so it shouldn't move too much. Maybe it wouldn't even need gluing. a|x

Silly question, probably, but I'm wondering if I'd need extra hardware in order to use the MB-6582 to control analogue synth gear. I'm planning to install the expansion port socket on the back of the unit, but I'm not sure whether I could connect this up to any of the headers on the mainboard in such a way that I'd be able to send out CV/Gate signals directly, or if I'd need to connect the expansion port to another box containing more MIDIbox circuitry. Sorry if this has been covered before... a|x

Well, I finally finished all the soldering on the mainboard, with the exception of the resistors for the Control Surface LEDs, which I will leave until I start work on the CS, and one of the transistors on the SID section, which I seem to have mislaid somehow. I used machined-pin sockets for the SID filter caps, just in case I fancy experimenting with different types later on. Last night, I populated all the IC sockets except for the SIDs (still waiting for my order from Wilba), and the Core chips. I added the first core PIC, connected an old LCD I had left over from my last bout of MIDIBoxing, hooked up my trusts C64 PSU brick, held my breath, and.. turned it on. Initially, I got nothing, and my heart sank. Then, it occurred to me that I probably needed to adjust the LCD contrast pot, so I dug out my a screwdriver, tweaked adjusted the pot slightly, and, with immeasurable relief, saw: I then dropped in the 2nd Core chip, connected the LCD again, and: I'm so glad everything seems to be working, so far! Here's a photo of the whole board, as it stands at the moment. You may just be able to see the missing transistor on SID #4. I also noticed after taking the photo, that one of the capacitors for SID #1 is also missing. I've now soldered that in. I tried to keep everything as neat as possible, on the top of the board, at least, but it is very hard to keep all the components straight, I find. All the ID sockets are slightly crooked, the capacitors and transistors are at slightly different angles, which bugs me a little, I must admit. Not enough for me to want to resolder everything, though. My next move will be to drop in one of the SIDs I have left over from my previous attempt, and see if I can get the SID application uploaded, and get some sound out of it! The SIDs are a pair of 8580s I salvaged from eBay-bought C64s, so they should have the same power and filter-cap requirements as the 6582 revision chips that will eventually be installed. When the chips from Wilba arrive, I will compare the sound from the two different types, and may leave a pair of 8580s in there, just to have the option (though I guess this might have a detrimental effect on Super-Poly mode operation- thoughts on that, anyone?). Unfortunately, I have other stuff to do at the moment, and probably won't get to work on the MB-6582 again until Tuesday evening, but I'm looking forward to moving on to the next stage! a|x

Cool. I might go for that then! First to find out if my mainboard is junk or not though ;) Some of my solder joints look terrrrible... :( a|x

Ah, it was YOU, bugfight... Just out of interest, did you get one of these made, and if so, how much did it cost, roughly? a|x

That would be great That would be great, actually! a|x

Hi Wilba! That's what I was thinking of, in fact. I just like the idea of the cover being flush with the top of the panel. I'm not sure I'm competent to cut clear acrylic that accurately, though. Maybe there's someone out there who could make an exactly-fitting 1.5mm acrylic cover... a|x

Thanks for all your replies, guys. The pinouts for my LCD are actually printed on the back of the unit itself, which is handy. I was mainly wondering if the basic orientation was correct, really. It's hard to tell from the photos if anything has been flipped. a|x

Just a quick query: Is the LCD cable wiring described in this document http://www.midibox.org/users/jim_henry/building_a_midibox_lcd_cable.pdf correct for the display on Wilba's MB-6582? I don't want to end up frying another LCD by connecting things the wrong way around. a|x

Oh, hang on, is this the unofficial 3rd-party Live API you're talking about? If so, it's just ruled itself out, sadly, since I'm a Mac user, and it's Windows-only, apparently. :( a|x

Mainboard nearly finished, at last! It looks pretty horrible on the back of the board though, so fingers crossed it actually works... Gotta solder-up the LCD cable next. I seem to have mislaid a transistor, too somewhere along the way, so I may have to order a replacement, which is a drag. a|x

I saw someone say in another thread, which I now can't find, that they were able to source a transparent cover for the LCD on the MB-6582, presumably to fit exactly into the hole in the Frontpanel Express panel. Anyone any more info on this? I'd be really interested in getting hold of one of those, to add that last little bit of professional polish to Wilba's excellent panel design. a|x

I guess because it's partly analogue under digital control, it's more likely not to glitch out when you edit sounds than, say, an old FM synth, which is completely digital. Wild speculation, of course, but I do know the TX-81Z, an otherwise quite cool synth, never responded very well to realtime sound-editing attempts via sysex. a|x

Thanks for all your responses, guys! This is all very helpful stuff. I'm now thinking maybe I should go the route ultra suggests, and try making something using the Live API. I'm still a little unsure that I'd be able to do what I want this way though. I'm definitely veering off-topic here, but what I want to do essentially is: • Send CCs from my controller to Live (using a new custom template I'd design myself) • Record CCs in Live • Have a plugin to take the MIDI output of a channel and translate the CCs into Sysex before outputting them to the EX-8000, along with any recorded note data. This would hopefully allow realtime tweaking of controls when in Monitor mode, and playback of pre-recorded control-tweaks. Is this possible? In terms of the hardware approach, the advantage of this would be that potentially, I could install a MIOS-based hardware mod inside the synth case to retrofit MIDI CC support, which would work in any MIDI sequencer. Unfortunately, I'm at work at the moment, so I don't have access to the actual Sysex strings the synth uses. I do have documentation on it though, as I made a custom template for my Novation XStation to send out the relevant data. I'll dig them out as soon as I get home. Cheers guys, a|x

Actually, the EX-8000 seems pretty good in this respect. You can tweak controls via sysex in realtime, while playing notes and it doesn't seem to introduce any particular latency or glitching. And you can alter parameters while a note is held (filter cutoff for example). a|x

Hi, this is slightly off-topic I'm afraid, but doesn't really neatly fit into any of the MIDIBox forums, so this one is probably the nearest match. I have an old rackmount synth (a Korg EX-8000), whose sounds can be edited via sysex commands. Unfortunately, while I have a MIDI controller what can happily send out the relevant strings, my sequencer of choice (Ableton Live) not only won't record my sound tweaks, it actively filters them out. Soo.. it just occurred to me that I could possibly use one of my spare MIDIBox Core modules to translate standard MIDI Continuous-Controller messages to the correct Sysex strings, so that could tweak the sounds by sending CCs from my controller and record my changes in Live (since it will happily work with this kind of data). Just wondering if anyone out there has done anything similar, or knows if this would be a feasible thing to attempt. I've never tried coding anything for the MIOS platform before, but I have some experience of PHP, JavaScript and a few other interpreted languages. Anyone any thoughts? a|x

Well, I've managed to complete the desoldering of the 8 misplaced capacitors now. I eventually found it easiest to add molten solder to the base of the legs from the top side, once I'd snipped the cap in half, then pull the legs out with the pliers. The only problem then is clearing the excess solder from the holes, which I eventually did by holding the board on its side, heating the hole from one side, and sucking the solder out the other. I've done all the other SID section caps now, and basically have only the SID transistors, and the caps next to each SID chip socket (which I'll mount in machined-pin sockets I think) to do, and the baseboard is finished. Then the troubleshooting will begin, I suspect! There are still quite a lot of really horrible-looking solder joints on the back of the board, and I'd be very surprised if at least some of these don't cause problems. I have some liquid flux on the way though, so hopefully I should be able to resolder in a more satisfactory manner, where necessary. Oh, and I still have to do the resistors for the CS LEDs, but I'll leave them until after I've wired up the LCD and tested the rest of the board. Incidentally, what kind of potentiometers and caps should I get, to implement adjustable feedback, as Wilba has? a|x

I'm sure they will do it. As Wilba says, don't stress. a|x