jordy13

Update! I was actually able to load sysex files one by one using sysex librarian. Only problem is that I have to download the command and then save manually. Better then nothing :) but I still can load in the large 129 slot default patch set. Any thoughts? - Jordan

Thank you Thorsten, I think I'm now on the right track, however it is still giving the same error. I've installed the MMJ and I'm using an m-audio profire 610 interface for the midi i/o, and I'm watching that data is sent using mios studio. I can see that it is transmitting and the midi connections are working. I'm now getting a new message just before the "check all connections" error, "mbsid says: received less bytes then expected" then it quickly gives me the check connections error. Does the midibox sid have to be put in a special receive mode for this to work? Sorry for such novice questions, but I've made it this far lol! All the best, Jordan

Hey, I'm having a similar problem using the editor on a mac getting the check all connections error message. I tried using http://www.snoize.com/SysExLibrarian/ but nothing is happening... what am I missing? Would love to load some patches into my bank stick! Such an awesome little synth, but I'm not so good at programming the sounds lol. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks TK! Got it going just fine now. Really makes a difference to be able to save :) Now to add more SID's ..... Best, Jordan

Hello, I just got my bankstick working and formatted, but when I go to the ensemble menu, or the synth root menu they both lack the SAV function. Ensemble ends with EXT, and the root menu ends with RND. I did a search, and looked through the change logs, but haven't come up with anything thus far. I'm also missing the DET parameter on the OSC menu (it ends with GSA). In all other cases the buttons, and encoder work fine, through the full range. The LCD is a 16x2. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated :) A little bit at a time this is coming together... Best, Jordan

Thank you so much. I got it working :smile: Now so much to learn about changing the parameters... Another thing that I don't understand is that I don't seem to have the detune "DET" parameter. My menu just goes to "GSA", but no further. Any thoughts? There is also no SAV, but I'm assuming that is because I haven't attached a bank stick yet. Again, thank you for all your help. This forum has helped make this really fun. All the best, Jordan

Hello, I have been messing around with my SID for a bit now with just a keyboard controller, but now I would like to build the DINX1 so I can control the parameters such as LFO's and go through other menu items. I already had a 74hc165 lying around, so I thought I would build just the DINX1, and use it until I order the DINX4 from smash. I am horrible at reading schematics, so I was hoping i could get some help with this one. http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_dinx1.pdf I'm sorry for such noobish questions: 1. Where does the +5v after the resistors on J3 connect to ? 2. Same w/J4 3. Where does the ground and +5v at C1 connect to? 4. Where does the +5v at R9 connect to? 5. I have a rotary encoder and a few buttons, and I would like to just minimally be able to change parameters. What is the best way to go about connecting them? All the best, Jordan

Thanks again Jbartee, I'm ordering the bits for the minimal control surface now, but paypal is giving me a hard time... I'll have to try again in the morning. I'll try the SysEx editor for now, just to see if I can do it. I'm addicted now, so I have a couple more SIDs that I'll throw in the mix after I get the control made. All the best, Jordan

Hi Everyone, I now have my Midibox SID up and running, and having the best time ever thanks, to some other members of this forum. Without their help I'd still be pulling my hair out... I'm using a m-audio keyrig 25 to control the box until I can build the controller component, and I can adjust most of the parameters on this chart: http://svnmios.midibox.org/filedetails.php?repname=svn.mios&path=%2Ftrunk%2Fapps%2Fsynthesizers%2Fmidibox_sid_v2%2Fdoc%2Fmbsidv2_cc_chart.txt (CC implementation chart) But I can't seem to get the Arpeggios or lfo's to function. Is there a trick to it? I've looked through the forum, and haven't come up with anything. Any thoughts on this topic would be greatly appreciated. All the best, Jordan

It was really thanks to you. I'll keep trying to figure out what is going on, but if I remove the lcd it stops functionin. So it has something to do with that... The other thing I did (not sure if it made any difference was I used the 9v setting on the walwart for the core. Maybe my regulator is messed up and 9v - the lcd is giving me the right voltage for the core? Just a guess. I'll look into the resistor issue as well. I'll keep you posted. Best, Jordan P.S. Got an M-Audio KeyRig 25 hooked up to it now. :) :)

Major success!!! :frantics: After I plugged in the lcd and reboot the pic the thing came alive. I'm not sure why, but the lcd seems to make a difference (I'm afraid to disconnect it now). Wow, sounds great! How do you change the patches with no controller? I'm so afraid to touch anything now... Joy. Thanks, Jordan

I'm on it. I'll post the results. Thanks, Jordan

Hi, So I've been messing around with the 'box this morning. It's still doing the same thing as far as the sound is concerned, but other then that it seems pretty stable. Here is the story on the sound. I have attached an mp3 file to illustrate :) When I load the test tone it comes out loud and clear high volume. (first sound on the mp3) The second series of sounds (and all the way to the end of the recording) are the clicks and tones. I discovered that I must hit the key just after the second click to get a note. If I just press them randomly nothing is heard. As you can tell in the recording, there is a pause after I press the key and the note. They are exactly spaced out. If the key is not hit at the right time there is no sound. Also I turned up the gain as far as it would go on my computer for the sounds after the test tone, but the test tone was recorded at a regular level. The key tones are very, very quiet. This being said, I have another SID in a working commodore that I could try. I kinda afraid to fry it though. The SID I'm using in the midibox now came from a non functioning, untested commodore, so there could be something wrong with it. Let me know your thoughts on the subject, and again thanks for your time. Best, Jordansidtest1.mp3

Success!!! Major step forward... The SID is producing a test tone using the test tone application, loud and clear. :smile: However, when I upload the SID application there is a huge lag time and the notes are very, very quiet. I'm using quite a large amp, and it has to be turned up all the way to hear them at all. The clicks between the notes are loud at that volume, but the notes are extremely quite or non existent. I'm using a mac with mios studio. I don't have any kind of controller yet. Any thoughts? Wouldn't have been able to get this far without your help. THX - Jordan

Nice, That's what I'll do... - Jordan

will do... thanks for the heads up on that one :) And it can go to j1 of the core too? - Jordan

I'll try another power supply and report. I have a 17v 800ma to try. Thanks again. - Jordan

This seems like something I should be double checking... I've connected the regulator on the SID (pins 2 and 3) marked In and vs and I am getting 12v when there are no ic's present. But when I have the ic's in and everything is functioning I get erratic readings at the regulator. Jumping around .5 to 1 to at the most 3v. This has got to have something to do with it because the SID won't have enough power to operate. Am I correct? - Jordan

Hi Jbartee, Well, I'm sure that was part of the problem, but I changed the connections and tested them with the meter. But same thing... There is no heat at the chip or regulators, and the upload request is ticking along. Maybe my power supply is not strong enough (12v 300ma)? Again, thanks for the help. Once I get this organized, I'm going to add a controller, then some more sids. But I've got to at least master this first :) - Jordan

Just tried it, with no difference. I'm still getting the heartbeat and everything... Applications take a long time to upload, and there is an error when I try to upload something big like the SID application. I'm sure that I am doing something really silly and noobish! The md pin on core J10 is still unused, and when the whole system is turned on the SID and regulator don't get hot at all. Can I go to J1 Sid power instead of directly to the voltage regulator 7812? I was hoping that there would be some kind of hook up diagram on the Smash site to hook up the core and SID modules... but I guess there are a lot of different ways to do it. When I remove the ic's and check the voltages they are all fine, with 5v at the IC's and 12v at the sid regulator. Should i use a separate power supply for the core, and 12v Sid? Best, Jordan

Thanks Jbartee, Sorry about the link problem, not sure what happened...I was going off the mbhp_sid_c64_psu.pdf on the SID build page, so not the optimized version. So I won't use the core J2, and I'll connect vd and vs of the core to vc and vs on the SID board. I'll report back success/failure Thank you so much for taking the time to help me. - Jordan

I connected the 12v output of the PSU to 2 and 3 of the regulator as nILS described. I'm still a little confused about the schematic : http://www.ucapps.de/index.html?page=midibox_sid_manual_hw.html It shows a connecton between SID J2 (vs and vd) and core J2 (vs and vd) J10 core connections (on my board) are: vd vs clk sc mu rc mc so J2 SID connections (on my board) are: sc mu clk vc vs rc so Are the vd on the core and vc on the sid connected? and the other question I have is should I be running two separate walwarts, one for the core, and one for the SID? Thanks for all the help, I feel like I am getting somewhere :smile: - Jordan

one other thing... with the chips out I get 12v at the regulator just fine. Jordan

Hi Nils and Jordan, Thank you for your much needed input (and yes, us Jordan's have to stick together!). I followed all the steps listed, and got confirmation that at least the PIC is alive! Bootloader is up and running. I had the test tone loaded, but there was no sound from the audio out except a heartbeat type sound that coincided with a midi event on the "in" side of mios studio it reads "f0 0000 7e 40 0001 f7" over and over again... I tried to load the sid program, but it was taking for ever and finally failed, as it seemed to be loading each line in between each "heartbeat". Needless to say my wife thought things were pretty weird when she saw me operating on the midibox with a heartbeat!. Here is the new info: I tested the walwart that I had lying around, and it was giving be more like 18v at 800ma, so I bought a 12v 300ma regulated walwart and tested it at a steady 12v made a switch and sent power to both the core(J1) and the sid(at the regulator), wasn't too sure about Core (J2) and vs and vc or sid(J2) (one says vs vd, the other vc vs) but I connected them together vs-vs vd-vc took all the chips out and checked all voltages, and they were all at 5v put all the chips back in and tested for sound... just the heartbeat sound. I decided to check the voltage at the regulator (from the wires) and it was all over the place, not 12v, not even 7v just jumping around. I have attached a picture, I scrapped using the psu I built, so I'm just using the switch on the left. Thank you for all your help. - Jordan

Oh, one more thing... There was a low hum on the audio out when the core was working (before I fried the psu's)