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GM5: Least-cost USB-MIDI Interface Chip for 4.50 EUR


TK.

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I was just about to ask you a silly question Nils,

Re: why a 5x addon board instead of a 4x?

But obviously in this case you would not use 2 midi sockets on the GM5 PCB right?

And by other sizes you meant a 4X, and possibly an 10X for use with 2 GM5 pcbs?

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Nils: you could add an USB socket as well, and maybe align the connectors, so that the MBHP_USB_GM5 board can be plugged onto this "doughterboard" upside down. The 5th optocoupler can be ommited for such a solution.

Best Regards, Thorsten.

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Re: why a 5x addon board instead of a 4x?

To have all the sockets on one pcb ;)

But obviously in this case you would not use 2 midi sockets on the GM5 PCB right?

Correct.

And by other sizes you meant a 4X, and possibly an 10X for use with 2 GM5 pcbs?

I meant 1x, 2x, 3x and 4x.

Nils: you could add an USB socket as well, and maybe align the connectors, so that the MBHP_USB_GM5 board can be plugged onto this "doughterboard" upside down. The 5th optocoupler can be ommited for such a solution.

Whee! Great idea! Will do that some time next week!

Cheerio

edit: (see attachment) Not exactly what TK suggested, but still a neat idea - the gm5 motherboard has the headers on the solder side and gets piggybacked onto this one (in the top right corner).

3548_gm5piggy_pnga772a5e162b0a1d2e29b2ea

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I have searched for information about that optional eeprom on this PCB ( Serial EEPROM 24C04 (Optional!) 24C04 BN6) but alas, have not found a single word about it.

So, what does it do?

Also, there is a lot of talk about external power -should I get one for every one I build? I am going to use them all over the place, also with MidiboxSID and old Roland gear.

Thanks,

Nestle

Ps. If this is documented somewhere, just collectively shoot me  :D

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Isn't that mentioned just in this thread? If not, some other thread about GM5 has the info. It is an optional EEPROM to store a dedicated device ID (name?)

Oh, ok. So it just makes things easier at the device manager etc. That makes sense.

Maybe it is somewhere in this thread... But thanks akcija!

Now back to solve my tube amp problems  ???

See you!

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Does somebody know a good looking, easy to handle and cheap housing for such a 5x version?

I'm looking for some days, but haven't found the perfect solution yet.

I'm going to mount mine on a 1U 19" rack face plate. I will not be purchasing a complete rack unit though, as the electronic componentry is so small. I will construct a slim enclosure on the rear of the face plate, to cover the electronics, and provide rear connectors, power socket etc. Don't know if that helps for your situation, though. All my midi sockets will be panel mount, not PCB mount.

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(see attachment) the gm5 motherboard has the headers on the solder side and gets piggybacked onto this one (in the top right corner).

piggybacking is nice... if considering given unit internal space limits. If space is not a factor, simple cable with connectors at both ends is way to go.

me thinks, former 1U ethernet router should be fine for this project.

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I'll put mine in a small as possible plastic case - it will bounce around in the back of a rack. Connectors will be 2x 9pin D-Sub for MIDI and 1x USB. The D-Sub plugs will be soldered to Reichelt MIDI cables cut in half. This is going to be sooo cheap and small!

Best regards, ilmenator

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... if i ever get my gm5's which seem to have been lost somewere between switzerland and sweden...

Dear Johan

Please stop to spreading rumours here before we don't know more! It's not even 2 weeks ago (yours went out August 26th - "Economy" delivery)... customs can take long sometimes. - Search the forum for other experiences.

I didn't get a not yet from the other 4 guys (3 have tracking/insurance) about they received it.

Greets, Roger

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Dear Johan

Please stop to spreading rumours here before we don't know more! It's not even 2 weeks ago (yours went out August 26th - "Economy" delivery)... customs can take long sometimes. - Search the forum for other experiences.

I didn't get a not yet from the other 4 guys (3 have tracking/insurance) about they received it.

Greets, Roger

Sorry. Didn't mean no harm. I am sure it will turn up eventually. Just didn't realize it could be interpreted in that way. I will try to think before writing next time ;)

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Strohplex: Good boy.

Shipping can and does often take longer than expected for no apparent reason, so before you post/write PMs always remember that "Patience is a virtue" and put yourself in the position of someone spending a lot of time packing tons of boards/chips/kits and sending them out *just to help you* - instead of spending time with their family/friends. 

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family.. friends?

is there a bulk order for them? can i have a social life sheet packed together?

EDIT: ok i ve been waiting already for 30 seconds where is my family, where are my friends and can i please get back my social life?[me=cimo]goes and sob in the corner (Elizabeth Anka Vajagic plays in the background)[/me]

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family.. friends?

is there a bulk order for them? can i have a social life sheet packed together?

EDIT: ok i ve been waiting already for 30 seconds where is my family, where are my friends and can i please get back my social life?[me=cimo]goes and sob in the corner (Elizabeth Anka Vajagic plays in the background)[/me]

Come on... The point with my post was that I will organize the five ins and outs of my midi interface on top of each other (a 2x5 pattern) makeing it easy to find a fitting case. The impatience thing was a (stupid and unlucky) paranthesis. I am not blaming anybody for anything except the mailman for being slow and me for being impatient.

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Come on... The point with my post was that I will organize the five ins and outs of my midi interface on top of each other (a 2x5 pattern) makeing it easy to find a fitting case. The impatience thing was a (stupid and unlucky) paranthesis. I am not blaming anybody for anything except the mailman for being slow and me for being impatient.

cmon you Strophlex, i just wanted to write something funny cause i am bored, i didn t mean anything else than that, everything is fine, we all love each other and we just like to spam this forum with random bs.It s Sunday morning, i was at a really lousy party yesterday night and i am not Mr Reed and Nico s died some years ago.

Amen.Long life to MIDIBox.

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I picked up  a couple of 10Mbit 1U hubs/switches this week for £5. They have nice internal power supplies if needed, and can be 'repanelled' with some alloy. I was lucky, they we on their way to the skip, (but I always pay the scrap man, that way he saves things for me).

I'm thinking of bodging up a simple MIDI activity light system, (probably pulse stretchers based around 4069s). Is this of interest, and are separate in and out lights best?

Since I'm thinking professional for my multi in/out system, I'm using metal DIN sockets, with plug on leads at the board end, It only needs one tripped over MIDI cable to write off a DIN socket, and de soldering the board mounted ones is a nasty job. The basic single in/out one is going in a the smallest box I can fit it in for laptop and test use.

Ther is a lot of good raw MIDI advice and info at Hinton Instruments. Especially the worlds cheapest MIDI tester.

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