Dolphinicus

Having been out of touch with the forum for the last few months, I have a couple of questions, that I don't know whether have been answered or not, in other threads. :-\ 1) Can anyone tell me whether I can move up from the V2 PIC, to the V3 PIC (with appropriate software uploaded, of course) in the V2 motherboard? (I haven't completed my V2 system yet, as I've been concentrating mainly, on building more modules for my modular synthesizer. ;) ) 2) Also - could anyone tell me whether I could have more than 8 CVs and Gates from the V3? My primary sequencing concern IS for CVs and Gates, as I eventually hope to have my modular synth large enough, to not need any other synthesizer equipment. ;) (It's currently big enough for 3 voices, not including drum sounds.) Thanks for any possible answers on both of these questions. :) I hope to get my panel done soon as well - if all works as I hope, it'll be a panel that no-one has seen before. ;) ;D Ryk http://www.sdiy.org/damian - my modular synthesizer's homepage

Not just for a modular synth or something near that, but for anything? I came up with the idea yesterday, of building my MIDIbox SEQ into a curved wood panel. Such that with the panel mounted into it's cabinet, looking down at it, it'd be curving to the inside of the panel, from top to bottom. :) I'm just in the midst of trying to find out the best way to make it. Curving the 1/4" to 5/16" thick wood, or making it out of sheets of veneer, glued together, to bring it up to the required thickness. Shall see. :) Curious as to whether anyone's done anything like that. :) (After seeing so many other user's machine's photos here, I want something different. :D )

Thanks for mentioning that the sanded Acrylic tending to become more clear with finger oil! :o :o I was going to go out to a local plastics supplier this week to GET a rod, for my buttons. Now - I'll be asking them about a polypropylene rod. :) Great looking buttons from your end! :) I'll need one big enough for 5mm LEDs though, if I do the inside drilling bit. No troubles. :)

When first powering up a 2x40 (BG Micro) display - has anyone out there every seen it displaying from left to right: 3 black blocks, 1 space, 4 black blocks (character sized) and then over 3 or 4 seconds, the blank space filling in vertical line, by vertical line - and the display turning off finally? I haven't yet changed the system to know that it's gone from a 2x20 display to a 2x40; I haven't hooked up the ICL7660 chip, to change the +5V to -2V for the proper power; I HAVE checked wiring from core to 2x40, 3 times (maybe 4) now - and it's all correct. (Though - realized at work yesterday - I'll have to check and see if I have the 10 pin connector plugged in correctly. ;) ) I'm just hoping that I haven't statically destroyed the display - by not being grounded when removing it from it's case. :( Also - (remerbing reading this in the troubleshooting section) - I wondered if somehow I DO have the +B/-B connections backwards, as I DID see the backlight (dimly) come on for about 1 second and then shut off, after rebooting the core - two times. Curious as to whether anyone else has seen this or not. Thankfully I bought 4 of the displays. :o My original intentions though, were to eventually have 2 sequencers. I'm just hoping I haven't killed one of the displays, by not having an anti-static strap hooked up. :o :( Thanks for any possible help. :) Oh! Also! Does anyone have pics up anywhere, as to how you've hooked UP the 2 2x40's? I'm trying to think of a neat/clean way to do it. :o :o

Yes, you can. :) My first 4 wired encoders are showing up on the LCD, using the MIDIO128 app. for control varification. :)

can I also use that app. to test encoders? I'm just about to layout my PCB for my 16 steps of buttons and rotary encoders and wondered if I could test the encoders with the currently loaded MIDIO128 app? Or - should I just upload the MIDIbox SEQ app V2 that I'll be using, for testing purposes? (I'm doubting the latter, as I haven't set up the Start / Stop / etc. button layouts yet.) Thanks for any help. :) (I just did a forum search for 'test +encoder' and didn't find an answer.)

Y'know? If I had an easy way to recover the copper from used PCBs - there's a HUGE WEALTH of 4 layer PCBs (BLANK!! :o :) ) at work that I could salvage. ;D In the mid 90's though, I bought a 4' x 3' piece of single layer copper board for only $86 Cdn. I still have over half of it left. It's been wonderful for all of my PCB manufacturing ever since - so, no mining to do. ;) :D

That's excellent info. that I'd been searching all around the place, FOR! :D Thank you greatly dcer!! :) :) In reference to connecting the Core to my first completed DIn module, it took me a few hours over 3 days to realize why it's not working - was due to my hooking up the 'SO' to the 'SO'. Figured that out yesterday, and my first perfboard of 8 buttons now works fine, in testing it with the MIDIO128 app. :) (Seeing Ultra's mention of that, in his message). I'll just have to pick up some 5 pin SIL connectors for ribbon cable, this weekend. :) Off on a minorly related tangent ...... still trying to figure out the best way to enclose my LEDs above my tact switches. (Which have 9mm stems.) I'd originally thought of and tested clear silicone, which works wonderfully - but the thought earlier this week that occurred to me were: could repetitive touching of silicone, leave any type of residue on my finger(s) that would be poisonous? I'll have to go and search for the MSDS sheets for silicone to find out, before making ...... 37 LEDs (for switches) like that. :o (To see if it's safe. I hope it is, because they sure look great! :D ) Off on one last minorly related tangent ....... I tried a test today, for labelling my panels (which are wood). I applied a few colours of pencil crayon to the panel which I may be using for my MIDIbox SEQ. (Which I colour my knobs with - see my webpage in my sig for a photo example). I then applied a portion of water based purple stain to the wood, to see if the pencil crayon colourings would REPEL the stain - so that they show through. It looks like the pencil crayon markings DO! :D I'm going to test it on the wood again, once I sand it, before colouring with pencil crayons - to stain it again. If it works as well as I hope - all of my panel labelling for my entire modular synthesizer will be done with pencil crayons. :) (Including relevant art / etc. for each panel mounted device.) K. Sorry about ranting ..... :o :) Just remembered: I went to www.maximic.com to see about ordering 2 MAX525's as samples, but I couldn't. :( They exceeded the sample amount limit. :( :( (Bummer - as I've ordered samples from them before.) I'll be checking back with them later to see if I can purchase them directly from Maxim. Oh well. :)

IGNORE below the line! :) I just figured it out! :D :lol: I was connecting the Core J9 to the SI on the DIn. NOT the SO! ;) Just thought of that - tried it, and DUH. That was my mistake in the first place. All 8 buttons are working fine in the test! :) Back to constructing the rest of this unit. :) --------- My brain, is in pain. :o The MIDIO128 app. was successfully installed, after TK told me which file to upload to the core, from the MIOSStudio software. In verifying connections, I've found: - ground is properly connected through my 8 tact switches on my perfboard, making connection to the DIn (SmashTV) module - using my multimeter, I verified button 4 (D3) dropping pin 13 on the '165 from 5V to Ground. - I built a new temporary cable with 2 x 5 pin connectors to go from J9 only on the core, to J1 on the DIn (I had previously hooked up 10 conductor ribbon cable to connect J8/J9 to J1 on the DIn). (All 5 lines on the new connector cable, verified by my multimeter, for conductance on each of the 5 wires, from connector to connector) I'm showing absolutely nothing in the MIDI monitor in MIOSStudio, when I press any of the 8 buttons. :( All connections have been verified by the multimeter in the cabling. I've been searching everywhere except for this Troubleshooting thread for ideas to test things. What else could I try? I even fired up the 'MIDI keyboard' in MIOSStudio, trying different functions, which all displayed properly on my 2x20 LCD. This may sound silly but - I've assumed that the connectors for the 5 pin cable are going from Pin (Core - J9) to pin (DIn - J1). No? I'm stumped as where to look next. (Photo(s) available if req'd).

Thorsten - I'm having very similar troubles right now. :( I'd uploaded the MIDIO128 application from the Serge software as well - and got the same response that Durch had posted about. My 2x20 display just sits there, still saying 'Ready' after doing the upload. (getting to 500 and that's it). I've set up 8 buttons (common ground, to the Vss pin / etc.) and none of the 8 show up in the MIDI In / Out monitors in the MIOS Studio. I checked the ribbon cables that I've built, and everything's hooked up correctly from the core's J8/J9, to one of the dual row 5 pin connectors on the SmashTV DIn PCB. Nada. Nothing. When I went originally to upload the MIDIO128 .syx file, the MIOSstudio is only looking for a .HEX extension file. That's why I went and downloaded the Serge application. Now - here's my question - do I just load the MIDIO128.syx file inTO the MIOSStudio app. for uploading (properly) to the core? (The SmashTV core, has the Bootstrap loaded in the PIC already). Thanks for any help. :) I'm trying to design the layout for the buttons w/ silicone'd LEDs above them, and am currently using a piece of perfboard, with the 8 buttons mounted. I wanted to test them first, before going any further. (Soon after, taking out my 2x20 and installing my first of 2 2x40's. :) ) Signed - feeling stupid. :o ;)

Shipping time from BG Micro in Texas, U.S.A. to Southern Ontario, Canada was 20 days! :o :o I received my 4 displays yesterday though. :) Very impressive. NEW. A little bit of desoldering as well, but that'll give bonus parts! Woohoo. :) Shipping from them to other parts of the U.S. will definately be quicker. :O :) Shipping costs to Canada (for other Canadians) were $10.00 U.S. Shipping outside of North America is listed at, at least, $15.00 U.S. Just so any others, know. :) Now to get started on laying out my tact switches / siliconed LEDs above them, circuit board. :) I hope to have this entire unit together, before Christmas. :) I'll have to make some custom knobs for it as well. :D Speaking of that - I'm making my own knobs for my modular, out of wood. If anyone would like to see my first examples, I have a new pic up at my website, showing the 28 that I have done, out of the 145 that I need right away. :) http://www.sdiy.org/damian/index.html

Has anyone out there had any bad experiences from BGMicro? I still haven't seen the 4 2x40 displays that I ordered, 3 weeks ago. I sent them email inquiring about shipping time / tracking # / etc., almost a week ago, and haven't had a reply at all. The order were under $20 U.S., but I'm still a little bit concerned, as the final parts that I need for my MIDIbox SEQ will here any day and I'd like to build the unit with more than the single 2x20 display that I have at the moment. :o Thanks for any help / thoughts. :)

Thanks greatly for posting that! :) I found it in my searches on here for the availability of 2x40 displays, in North America. :) I've placed an order for 4 of them. :) Under $20 U.S.! Woohoo! :D By chance - would you have a photo of them in operation, so I can see what they look like in action? I read something about 'blue / black / grey background' in their display mention. That'd be even cooler to me, as I was hoping to get away from the yellow background type of display. :)

Hey sir. :) No trouble in enabling J5 to be enabled. I've been browsing the code, learning / becoming used to things. :) THANK YOU for explaining the lack in MBSEQ V2! I'll continue finishing the unit then, as V2.x exists and use my MPU-101 for the moment and get used to the entire system. I'll either build a new system later for the V3 functionalities, or update this one, with the new processor and grab an MBHP_IIC_MIDI module. :) Thanks for your help! :)

Thank you! Now THERE, is an excellent way to implement it! :D I don't have any busswire, but I'll strip 24g wire, wrap it around each leg and use that as the connection for each of the legs! Thank you for that suggestion. I don't want any of my LEDs crashing like a Comet brand plane. :P Once I work out what appears to be the most workable connection, I'll photo the progress of assemblage, and put it up on my webpage as well in the 'Eventual Builder's Guide' section. :)

Very true! I'll bending them in such a way, that there's as little tension on the legs as possible. One thing that I like about the tact switches, is the small amount of movement required, to activate the switch. With the legs at approximately 90º, there should be as little movement as possible. :) Of course, I'll be monitoring it through usage as well, and adjusting the angle as per possible requirements. :) Sure it make take a few extra bends in the legs, to get the best combinations of angles, but it should work out. :)

Hey all - I'm getting ready to order the final modules that I'll need, to use my MIDIbox SEQ MAINLY for CV / Gate outputs for my modular. Looking through the data that I've been able to find here at the site as well as for available modules from SmashTV's site, I have a couple of questions: In looking at the Core outputs - I hadn't seen any CV or Gate Outs ...... Looking at the AOut LC (preferring not to use the Maxim DAC one, at $25 each. :o ), seeing support for 2 CV Outputs per module - but no Gate Outputs listed ...... my original thought this morning, were to go for 4 of the boards, to give me 8 CV Outs along with 8 Gates but ...... Could someone help to straighten out my noobieness in this regard? I don't think I'd be using an AOut LC as a single CV + Gate, would I? I'd read about the core setup having the ability to spit out 2 Gates and 8 CVs, but checking the output terminal listings, I didn't see any listings FOR that ...... ? I'm going to be sending in my order to SmashTV tomorrow, for the last things that I'll need for this. One board that I do not see listed at his site though, is the AOut LC. I'm ok at laying out the PCB by myself for each of them that I may need - but if I could order premade PCBs, I'd much rather do that. :) Finally - I know what I need to complete the rest of the standard MIDIbox SEQ system (as far as DIn and DOut modules goes); rotary encoderes / etc. My only remaining question is what I need / where to get from, the modules for spitting out 8 pairs of CV / Gate. (This is of course presuming - that the sequencer code already existing, can be applied to CV / Gate outputs as well as MIDI channels). Thanks for any possible help here! :) I'd rather, stay away from sending MIDI to my Roland MPU-101 4 channel MIDI to CV interface, for my modular synth. :)

The technique that I used for placing the LED into the hole with the silicone were: (Presuming the hole in the Plaster of Paris is properly ready - dry for 90 minutes, seemed okay to me.) - I squeezed in between 1/8" and 3/16" of the silicone (on to which I placed a label). - I then dropped the LED in, resting my fingers on the top of the plaster, grabbing the LED legs with my figures, so that I knew exactly how deep the LED were in the socket. - While holding onto the LED, removing it from the socket, I filled the hole about 2/3 full with silicone. - I then moved the LED down into the hole until my fingers JUST barely touch the edge of the plaster. (To keep the LED at the height / position that were determined earlier.) - Finally, I centered the LED legs standing straight up and filled the rest of the hole, just slightly over the edge. How much ever silicone is not needed later, can be trimmed off. :) I far prefer this idea, to mounting the LED separate from the silicone itself, as the LED's legs will operate as the spring for the switch itself. :D

I just tested the cork (dead) button, as well as the top and the bottom of the normal buttons (all with 5mm LEDs inside). I have a fair amount of extra silicone below the LEDs in all of them, so that I could trim off any excess that I don't need, when I'm mounting them above the tact switches. The stiffness of the silicone above the LED (about 1/8" to 1/4" thick) has roughly the same tension, as the 1/4" to 1/2" below the LED. A very nice stiffness. I had also tested the silicone (about 12 hours cured) around a circle of LEDs in a lighting design of mine, and it's still very soft. In another 12 hours at least, it'll be as solid as that around the LED buttons. Dimensions of the silicone of MY buttons, for hopefully extra clarifcation is: Length: 1" Width: 13/32" (just the slightest hair under 7/16") (cork) Length: 1 1/8" Width: 3/4" I hope that helps somewhat. :) For 85ml, the tube of clear silicone was only $2.99, at least. So it's not an expensive test, at least. :)

MOST definately! :o I'll steer towards an older person though, figuring the chances are greater for success within those regards. ;) :D

Thankee muchlee, Mr. Modnar! :D A posting I shall do. I'll try as I might, to get the best lighting setup for my digital's pics as well as video, to show the button's light, as accurately as possible. Next time that I'm at Canadian Tire, I'll ask them for MSDS and possibly WHMIS sheets of this silicone product. Hopefully, that may have the datum that you're after. :) Me - being a newbie in these regards, am just happy with the feel / functionality of the button, at this size. :D Realization as to the cloudyness / non-clearness of the 'clear silicone' will be due to it's being seated within the plaster itself, causing micro and larger 'holes' in the silicone, which will be giving it that 'cloudy' effect, which works quite well to hide the LED inside of the switch area itself, as well as disperse the light in all directions. :)

Shore A Hardness. :( Sorry. There's nothing listed on the package of Silicone at all; the online site for the company from which I bought it (Mastercraft Product from Canadian Tire) doesn't even recognize it's own product, by it's product name or identification part number. :( The only other info. as to id'ing it - were that it's been manufactured in the U.S. No company ID or anything. (Was hoping so - to see if I could find it's MSDS / WHMIS sheets.) The best that I can do - is type the product info. from the package. ?? Edit: All of the pics through the manufacture of the test buttons, are now up inside of this section in my webpage: http://www.sdiy.org/damian/EBG/ebg.html

Actually, no - it's a fair bit harder than I HAD expected it to be. But it IS a very nice firmness with just the slightest bit of give, which feels very comfortable when pressing down on it. It's not so much give, that you'd have to press harder, to activate the tact switch. No problem there. :) I'll check the data on the box in the morning and post it. If it's not there, I'll head to the Lepage website and search for a data sheet on it. :)

Ya know? When you accidentally touch both ends of an Ultra Violet LED in a silicone 'button', to the fresh bran spankin' new 9V battery, it very quickly (1/20th to 1/5th roughly, of a second) glows bright green, which just as quickly switches to a bright yellow (what happened to the Violet? Didn't see that at all. :P ) before releasing the magic smoke, through the silicone. :o :( :-X :'( And that was on the only fat one, that I'd done. :( (With the cork). 3 of the other 4, are the Sea Green shade, which through the clear (cough cough, right) silicone looks LOVELY. :D The LABELs however, do NOT work at all. :( You're clearly able to see blockage of the light, which takes away from any attractiveness of the button itself. Without the label of paper inside, it'll look FAR, FAR better. :o :) The imagine quality / colouring aren't the greatest. I'll have to try photoing the next LEDs against better backgrounds or in complete darkness or something. 3 of them had been done with Sea Green LEDs inside; the 4th, with a Yellow and the fat one with the Violet. The button FEELs great from the top though! This is definately going to be, how I make my buttons. :)

Well - over a 6 hour period yesterday, I got my first 5 LEDs in silicone done. They're currently curing and I hope to be able to extract all of them after work, tonight. :) I've also been photographing the entire procedure from the very start. I'll more'n likely be posting the pics of the entire event at a section in my webpage, to not tie up the transmission time to viewers of this thread. :) Some bits of possible useful info. so far: - In a brief (roughly 2 hours) test of the silicone sitting on top of some 'dry PoP', it removed easily. :) I'm hoping that the same will hold true, once both the silicone and PoP are properly cured. :o :) Otherwise, I'll have to break apart the PoP mould, to free the silicone'd LEDs. :o - the softer wood, wooden spoons that I bought to put into the Plaster of Paris, do NOT adhere to the PoP; they remove fairly easily, after the PoP has been curing, for just over 1 hour. (The PoP is almost rock solid, though still feeling damp. Requires a 24 hour curing time.) - CORK however, CAN be extremely difficult to remove, due to it's breaking apart easily. :( I wanted to do a larger test button for my 'Play Stop Pause Forward Reverse' buttons and used a pair wine bottle corks (1 on top of the other, for a 1 1/4" depth). The top one removed quite easily. The other one below it, inside of the PoP though, wouldn't come out. It had to be broken apart inside the hole in the PoP to get all of it out. This made me possibly realize another trouble. Due to the extra thickness of the siliicone in the cork hole, it may itself require longer than the standard '24 hour' curing period for silicone, that is used for sealing spaces along your house's window installation. :( I'll find out after work tonight, when I try to remove the first of the 5 LEDs in silicone, from the PoP. :) - I made the entire wooden LED mould master, 1" long. This gives me enough length to have approximately 1/8" of the rounded tip, sticking above the panel for pressing. There's enough of a length after the 5mm LED body, to trim the unneeded silicone away, when I come to finally mounting to the silicone'd LED, over the tact switch. - I have NO idea what the printed and handwritten paper labels inside of the silicone will look like yet. Shall hopefully find out tonight. I'll be taking pictures of it all regardlessly, to put into the set of pictures of the entire construction. - Another thought that I had: I hope that finger / skin oils, don't muck up the clarity of the clear silicone, when in use. If it does, that'll basically kill the silicone idea. Shall find out over time. :o I'd MUCH rather have 'soft feeling' buttons though. :D - My girlfriend pointed out one possible advantage, to the 8 ounce margerine container, full of PoP, that had dried too fast for me to be able to put the pieces of wood into: once the shape is cured, I can just DRILL new holes into it, for putting new LEDs and silicone inTO! :D The very tip of it wont be properly curved, the way the wood from the wooden spoons is, but once I remove the silicone'd LED from it, I could cut the tip to the curvature that I like and all will be swell! :) That's all of the info. for the moment. Hopefully - the silicone'd LEDs will remove from the PoP tonight, and I'll be able to use the PoP mould for more buttons! :D I'll type more on the development tonight, after work. :)