syamajala

i'm not getting a mios upload request from my core. I checked all the voltages on the core according to ucapps and everything seems to be fine. I also know this pic works on a different core board the last time i tried it, but when i moved it to this new core it didn't work. I haven't tried it on the old again. Also, the midi jacks i'm using seem to have a separate ground that goes around the entire case, should i connect them? i only connected the 5 connections shown in the diagram.

Now that i am using the proper method desoldering smd chips is easy and i can generally do it in a matter of minutes. I used a method similar to the chip quick method but with regular solder and a desoldering iron with a bulb. i haven't tested out the chips i took off yet, but they didn't get as hot as they normally do when i desolder them, so hopefully they will work. i also decided to get a new lcd, because i wanna make my fm look cool. I'm gonna try and go with a blue and white scheme, so i got an lcd with a blue backlight and white text, and some blue and what should be white leds.

it looks like i messed up the opl3 and yac512. I tried replacing the op amps but still didn't hear anything. i also tried powering the lcd backlight from the 7805 and even that got hot. I need to get some more sound cards. I have 1 more pair of chips, but if i mess those up i'm out. anyway it should be fairly easy to get at them now that i have access to a nice iron.

after replacing the ymf262 i got sound with the test tone generator for a couple of minutes and then it stopped working. I'm only using 1 yac512, i need to get another one. I hope i didn't mess up the opl3. I hate having to desolder them and resolder them.

if i remember correctly thats what the datasheet for the lcd said the backlight needed. I don't have it anymore and am trying to find it online, but there isn't a lot written on the lcd. i hope i can use this because i have 2 more just like it.

I decided to start working on this project again. They are connected in parallel. The lcd backlight draws more than 1 amp of current when its on. I think I need a current limiting resistor in series with the backlight right? When I disconnect the lcd backlight the 7812 doesn't get hot. Now time to figure out whats wrong with the sound. I've started working in a physics lab at school that has this really neat soldering iron that looks kinda like a pair of needle nose pliers for soldering ics, that would probably help with getting some opl chipsets to test. That was the most frustrating part of this project and why i stopped working on it.

I wasn't looking for someone to do it for me, and I have actually built a 22 channel edrum on stripboard, but never fully finished it. It turns on, and the pad hits show up on the vu, but i could never get any midi data out of it. The problem with the edrum is that admir has decided to stop releasing schematics for the new versions and is only selling pcbs. I knew about the megadrum, but couldn't remember the name of it. Didn't realize it could support so many inputs. On a side note I also have a fm that I haven't finished yet either. But if get a new lcd and some new opl3s i should be good. I think I might have destroyed the opl3s i am using right now. Hopefully this summer I should be able to finish it. I have enough on my plate as it is right now.

This is an idea i've had for a while, building an electronic 5 octave marimba using 2 ain boards, core, and a bunch of piezos. I don't know if this would actually work, and may in fact never construct such a device, but i figured i'd put the idea out there maybe someone else will be ambitious enough to see it through.

Hi! I am wondering if anyone can recommend a good book for learning about microcontrollers and programming them. I have access to a msp430, and know c, but I have no idea what I am doing as far as programming this thing goes. I have been thinking about picking up a copy of this http://www.amazon.com/MSP430-Microcontroller-Basics-John-Davies/dp/0750682760/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2E3Y125SR3F5X&colid=3Q7L5URDFS2A1 but I am worried it might be too advanced. I have been reading a bunch of the articles on here http://cnx.org/lenses/TexasInstruments/MSP430?b_start:int=30&-C= and am beginning to understand how the hardware works, but I really think I need to good book that can help me get the big picture. If the msp430 isn't a good place to start, I wouldn't meaning switching to something simpler like a pic, but i would really prefer to program in c and not assembly for right now. I plan on learning assembly eventually.

its the backlight for the lcd. It needs +12v.

after disconnecting the opl3 module from the core, and connecting only the lcd to the 7812, its still heating up a lot. I'm still getting stuff on the lcd though.

the 7812 is only getting hot when the lcd is connected. If I disconnect it, its fine. I checked all the voltages with my multimeter after I connected the core to the right +5v. I'm using the bipolar power supply found here http://www.midibox.org/dokuwiki/northernlightx I had originally connected my core to jp6, but then I realized i'm supposed to connect it to jp5. I'll worry about the lcd problem later I guess I should first try another opl3. I think one of the yac512s might also be burnt out, because only 2 channels are working.

I'm having a weird problem. I hooked up a lcd to my core and its working, but the 7812 in my power supply is getting really hot. I have a heatsink on it. I also noticed that the output of the opl3 module is really loud when I hook up the lcd. After I hooked it up I loaded the test app again and couldn't hear anything, but on the lcd it said test tone generator. I also loaded the fm app and could see it changing patches when I was playing with jsynthlib, but I still couldn't hear anything. Is the lcd drawing too much current and causing the 7812 to heat up and cause the other problems? Also does anyone know if that recording is what the test tone app is supposed to sound like?

maybe its my opl3. i know all the voltages are correct.

i just wanna make sure, but is this what the test tone is supposed to sound like? http://genesis.blogdns.net/testtone.mp3

I don't think all the channels are working. It appears as though only 2 of them are. But that is just with the test tone app. I still can't figure out how to use jsynthlib. I downloaded the preset patches from ucapps and sent one to the fm, but when I try to play it nothing seems to happen. Is there a guide on how to use jsynthlib?

never mind. It was the volume on the amp I'm using. ;-D So, now its time to figure out how to use jsynthlib.

ok, now i get sysex messages in mios studio. I uploaded the test tone, but don't seem to hear anything. I didn't connect a bank stick yet. Maybe I should do that.

I think I know what I did wrong. I connected the pic to the wrong 5v on the power supply. core voltages at pic: 1 - 3.18v 11 - 3.18v 20 - 3.17v 25 - .85v 26 - 3.1v 32 - 3.13v midi out - .92v 8 - 3.16v

I got it from Smashtv. The sticker on the pic says bsl v1.2b mios v1.9f.

ok, so there is something wrong with my core. I installed mios studio and midi-ox. I'm using an m-audio midisport 1x1. I don't seem to get a sysex upload request. Maybe I should check all the voltages again. Everything seemed fine before I put the pic in though.

Hey guys! Its been a while since I have posted an update, anyway I just pulled out my mb stuff, and I hooked up the power supply and checked all the voltages. Everything seems to be good!!!! The opl3 board is getting the +5v, -12v, and +12v. I checked the voltages at the sockets for tl074s everything is good. Also checked the voltages for the core at pins listed on ucapps, and everything is fine there. So, I guess I need to put the pic in, the tl074s, and the optocoupler. Then figure out where to go from there.

ok, so worked on my fm stalled for a while, because my grandfather passed away. However, I had a bit of time to work on it this weekend and i finished the power supply. So, if i connect the opl3 module to the core i should be able to test it out.

I got the rest of the parts today, so hopefully by the end of the weekend I will have a working fm. I don't know about the cs though.

I'm interested in something like that as well.