macroman

Ok, someone has managed to get a connection with chinese chipseller, which is quite rare, isn't it? Of course that's a lot cheaper. But fine, I adjusted the price to 10€.

*SOLD*

"Both, 24LC256 (32k) and 24LC512 (64k) are supported BankSticks, but 24LC512 are recommented, as it can store 128 patches." So 24LC256 stores only 64 patches? And I was absolutely sure that I got 128 patches when connecting only one of them :-D Perhaps that was hallucinations... Thanks for the clarification! ps. I guess there's no easy way to connect two 32k banksticks as one 64k by putting in serial? I find it annoying that core tells <no bankstick> after 64 patches. One solution is to get few 24LC512s..

I've put 8 pieces of 24LC256 chips to Mike's board. Since I have only one SID connected, I defined #define DEFAULT_ENS_BS_CS -1 Now the core tells me that A-H banksticks are available, which is 8 pieces, correct! BUT, each of them gives me only 64 patches instead of 128? Is this normal or is it because of the pinning on the 8-banksticks-pcb? Earlier when I had only one bankstick connected, I got 128 patches. Although I'm planning to add those banksticks behind a switch, so if this is caused by the pinning, it's solved later on..

Actually it could be more useful, that you could move encoder with shift button pressed, and in that way the menu doesn't change but the encoder change would happen in the background. This way you don't have to find your way back to the previous menu if just adjusting some parameter in some other menu with encoder. (or perhaps shift2 (etc.) button, if shift controls the encoder speed by default) In this way you could also not press the "shift" with encoder move, and you will get the correct menu with visible values.

Is it easily doable, that the screen doesn't change, but parameter will alter in the background by moving encoder?

Oh my god, I finally got it and this solves my problem ;D I didn't realize that there's a possibility to chain DOUT modules with DIN, so I have soldered the connection for the core to the wrong side of J1 on DIN pcb. First this seemed to be ideal way to connect pcb "serial out" to "serial in" (like you do with MIDI) :-) I didn't consider why there's double holes on the pcb. Thanks everyone!

Is there outdated information in schematics since DINX4 J1 is labelled with "SI" pin and not "SO" pin like mine (version R5)? Does those stand for "Serial in" & "Serial out" ?

Okay, now when the software part is taken care of, I'm back at the point where I've soldered the DIN module. I've connected it to Core module and I've connected only one button on the DIN, which is the menu button on mbsid code by default. The problem is that nothing happens when connecting vss to some D0-D7 pins. Every D-pin has 5 volts. I've uploaded interconnection test, but modulation wheel doesn't have any effect on screen. Any advices?

That was it! Thank you TK! Now I'm also more aware about the structure of software hierarchy on the PIC so this helps me with later problems to know that it's not the end if fooling around with software uploads.

Jimp&TK: the PIC looks like jammed somehow, because it doesn't react to any MIDI command. Like Jimp said, it sends the upload request, but it doesn't respond to software upload when using smart mode (manual mode doesn't work either). TK: it's the same thing when trying to read SRAM, nothing's coming in. I've done some research. I changed the optocoupler, no solution. I tried PIC18F452, and it worked. So there's something wrong with PIC18F4685. Perhaps it's not receiving midi? While problem solving the 4685, I can continue building with 452.

Okay, here's my story that makes me feel total newbie and a bit shamed by testing everything in problem solving. In the positive side this is probably the best way to learn about things ans mistakes :-) I managed to get Core and Sid with LCD fully working. 8 banksticks were formatted fine. Then I let myself to have a pause while waiting DIN & DOUT parts to arrive. I soldered the DIN module and connected it to Core. Core was using the newer MBSID (V2.0 RC14) since it's PIC18F4685 so I assumed there was everything set that the DIN module works with "basic settings". I tried few buttons, but no activity. I tried if things could be better with older MBSID software. Uploaded it in and after the boot it started to format banksticks again. It jammed on bankstick C with patch 67, rebooted, started to format bankstick C again, jammed on patch 67, rebooted, started to format... and this happened continuously. I didin't find any other way out than upload the newer MBSID again (stupid be that I didn't unplug the bankstick module to stop that looping). The new software uploaded fine, but after the boot the LCD gave black boxes on the upper line. I heard the formatting sound again but no visual. After the formatting sound I rebooted the system, but this ongoing situation started: only black boxes on the upper row, and no sound. Everytime the system is powered up it sends Sysex message: F0 00 00 7E 40 00 01 F7, but that's the only message for some sort of life in there. Could the PIC be dead? Every other second I fight my way to get it work and finished no matter what it costs, but every other second I consider to give up with it and find another hobby. :-|

Okay, I've found schematics for soldering one bank stick and for soldering eight banksticks in serial, but how about only two or four banksticks? Can I just follow the eight banksticks schematics and solder only the A0-A1 or A0-A3 and forget the rest of it?

Haha, actually my Core module is not sending anything from midi (and that's another problem solving episode), so loop is not possible. I've uploaded the applications without smart mode. But I'll try what you've suggested. edit: Is it normal, that when you're running interconnection test, and scroll up-down the modulation wheel in MIOS studio, the LCD on core gets nuts and gives only black bars on the upper row? :-D I'm I having a crazy PIC or what.

Yes, those are the measured voltages on the SID chip. As it's said in the main.asm file "By default all unselected pins are 0V, except for the CS# pin which is 5V". On my circuit the CS# is too high, and all the pins are giving volts. I have 12V for the 6581, like it's instructed: IC1:Vdd(28) and IC1:Vss(14) - it must be 12V for the 6581 SID IC1:Vcc(25) - IC1:Vss(14) = 5V IC2:Vdd(16) - IC2:Vss(8) = 5V IC3:Vdd(16) - IC3:Vss(8) = 5V

Thanks, I've now connected them like above, but get no sound out of 6581. Testtone application doesn't say anything, and interconnection test gives quite odd values, any ideas what might cause that? Here's couple examples: Pin: A0 CS# 7,5V RES# 5,14V A0 5,14V A1 5,14V A2 5,14V A3 5,14V A4 5,14V D0 5,14V D1 5,14V D2 5,14V D3 5,14V D4 5,14V D5 5,14V D6 5,14V D7 5,14V Pin: RES# CS# 7,5V RES# 5,14V A0 0V A1 5,14V A2 0V A3 0V A4 5,14V D0 0V D1 0V D2 0V D3 0V D4 0V D5 0V D6 0V D7 0V Pin: D0 CS# 7,5V RES# 5,14V A0 0V A1 0V A2 0V A3 5,14V A4 5,14V D0 0V D1 0V D2 0V D3 0V D4 0V D5 0V D6 0V D7 0V Pin: D3 CS# 7,5V RES# 5,14V A0 5,14V A1 5,14V A2 5,14V A3 5,14V A4 5,14V D0 5,14V D1 5,14V D2 5,14V D3 5,14V D4 5,14V D5 5,14V D6 5,14V D7 5,14V

I've found couple of confusing points when connecting SID to CORE. I've got SID R3A and Core R4D, and their interconnection ports look like this - What is "MD" that doesn't exist on SID board? - Does the SID's "VC" stand for vdd like the same spot on the Core? Frankly speaking: which pin connects to which pin? And is there some other pins on the board that should be connected to Core<->SID board? Thanks in advance!

I doubt, because I've measured the AC voltages from the cable's plug = 9VAC, and after it's been plugged in to the original C64 female connector = 9VAC. So I'm sure i'm doing something wrong after that, but don't know what exactly, yet. EDIT: Actually you were basically right! 9VAC pins were okay, but the switch I added didn't connect line when it was switched on, so the circuit didn't receive the other part of 9VAC. I removed the switch and now I get 14VAC!! Great success, now I can power up both SID and Core. Thanks TK!

That's something I can't accurately tell; I found a bad soldering on rectifier and fixed that up, changed the power cables to core module and measured how the values should be behind it, changed the power cables back to sid module and got 15V, then I removed the power and for some reason put it back after few minutes and it wasn't 15V anymore. I think that's not helpful, but I thought could that voltage behaviour tell something about some specific component's fault. :-) edit: other funny thing is, that I've soldered up the following psu board exact way, but I'm not getting 14V out of schematics' 14V line :-S It gives something around 5.10V and 5,20V http://www.danielprice.org.uk/synth-diy/images/sid_psu_layout.jpg. This makes me doubt my logical thinking, but I'll not give up and will do some research later..

Thanks for the previous help, really appreciate it! ...but damn, now I'm suffering problems with SID module's power. I've powered SID module like this http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_sid_c64_psu.pdf. First I measured 4,10V behind rectifier, then after "fooling around" I actually got 15V. Then few minutes later it was 4,10V again. Could it be faulty rectifier or bad soldering somewhere? If it's soldering or other component, which components should I check first since I've already tried to find the reason? :-)

Thanks guys for your help. Now I've connected 2x16 lcd screen to core board, and everything seems to be okay as it states "READY". I also uploaded the SID-software and it went fine. Now there's mbsid running. What's funny; I still don't get any messages to PC Midi in monitor when I power up the core module. So whether I've succeed to upload the mbsid, it could still be that the core's midi out isn't working. Right? Well however, I still keep on going and the next step is to connect SID module to core module. We'll see the midi out functioning later...

Maybe I should build up the minimal control unit (http://www.ucapps.de/midibox_sid_cs/mini_unit.jpg) to make the problem solving easier, and since I'm going to add the control unit after all. edit: a little research exposed that I should only get an LCD panel. No need for the whole control surface at this point (?)

To be more specific what the problem is: the core module isn't sending any midi information to computer. Module is Core R4D. Yes, PIC is pre-programmed with BSL 1.2B and MIOS V1.9F (with ID headers 0000 0000 0000 0000), as it's also labeled on the PIC. In ucapps troubleshoot instructions (http://www.ucapps.de/howtodebug/mbhp_core_extract_measuring_vdd.gif) is said that TX and RX lines are steady 5V when nothing is sent. I connected a LED to IC1/12(vss) and IC1/25(tx), and it gave steady 5V and no blinks on light. Shouldn't the MIOS send a signal once after power on? According to schematics (http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_core_v3.pdf), is TX even going through the optocoupler? As far as I see it, it doesn't? So perhaps the problem is with the PIC.

Hi and thanks! I'll go through all the solderings once more. I'll also check the voltages on other parts of the board, but that needs more investigating to know what the values should be on a certain points. MIOS and Bootstrap loader should be already on the PIC, since its PIC18F452. Do you know if there's some measuring tests to make sure if optocoupler is dead?

Hi, just registered on the forum and wanted to bring out the problem I'm suffering with. First of all I'm a sort of newbie with electronics and doing the learning by the hardest way (try/mistake/learn) :-) I've just soldered up the core module, but I'm not getting anything from the MIDI (MIOS studio, midi in monitor). I'm using C64 -power supply. 9VAC is connected on the board. Voltages on the measuring points seems to be okay (~5,06VDC). I did the midi LED-test, but no activity going on. I've doublechecked the solderings. Could this indicate to dead IC1/IC2? I'm not sure what more information is needed to bring out for a possible help, but these are for starters.