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

[nILS]

...but that is a project to do a professionally made PCB, double sided, that is meant to

solder the Ploytec chip directly on it, and there is no eagle files, jpg or pdf of the PCB design only an overview.

That's why there's going to be a bulk order for it ;)

[Sebo]

That's why there's going to be a bulk order for it ;)

Well... if you read my post about 3 or 4 post before this, you understand that the design of that thread

don't fit my needs, because I want to keep the chip mounted in the original Ploytec PCB and I want a

expansion PCB to mount in another box.

Also at that thread says that you alredy designed de DIY etching PCB and links to a post of you, where

there is a preview of the PCB, but only that.

If you could post some eagle files, even if they aren't finished, I would apreciate it a lot. I'm not very good

using eagle, but I could for sure modify or finish an already started project.

Thank you.

[nILS]

I did read your posts. And I can only finish one layout at a time. And I hate giving out unfinished stuff.

That's why you'll either have to make one yourself or wait until I am done. If it's not up in, say, a week from now a friendly reminder PM would be greatly appreciated ;-)

[Sebo]

OK, thanks a lot :)

[madox]

Hi:

Anybody finished the design of the expansion board PCB for DIY etching?

Have you considered just using stripboard for the expansion? Is it required to fit a particular form factor?

I will also house a number of components on an expansion board, and use panel mount MIDI sockets. The interface hardware is really simple, readily available in through hole, so there should be no problem in a stripboard design. This would probably be a fast route to a working result, and is very unlikely to perform any worse than a professionally manufactured PCB.

I use a cheap stripboard CAD program called VeeCAD, for which there is also a functional free version available. It can import netlists from schematic capture programs, provided one uses compatible schematic symbol/device footprint libraries in each program.

[Sebo]

Stripboard is an option, but since isn't a big effort to etch a small to medium size PCB myself,

I usually go that way.

[metabit]

Does anyone know which Atmel USB chip the GM5 is using? Thanks.

[Kartoshka]

Does anyone know which Atmel USB chip the GM5 is using? Thanks.

here (thanks to bugfight):

http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php/topic,12155.msg100870.html#msg100870

[seppoman]

here (thanks to bugfight):

and even here in this thread (thanks to seppoman ;)) http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php/topic,11387.msg90474.html#msg90474

S

[pmestrez]

Hello,

I'm new here and would like to order some GM5 chip.

What must I do ?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Pierre (Belgium)

[Twin-X]

Hello,

I'm new here and would like to order some GM5 chip.

What must I do ?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Pierre (Belgium)

Hello Pierre you must do this;

Order won't be started before compliance check passed under Windows and MacOS, at least 250 chips are in the waiting list, and everybody has prepaid

So, please add your name and the quantity of chips to this list

  -> http://www.midibox.org/dokuwiki/tk_gm5_bulkorder

First come, first serve! We need n x 250 chips, if more than 250, but less than 500 chips are preordered, you need to wait for the next run

[Therezin]

We're now at 266 chips and 180 boards, any news on when the next round will start? (IE, asking for payment etc.) Don't want to seem like I'm rushing anyone, just wondering.

[madox]

We're now at 266 chips and 180 boards, any news on when the next round will start?

I'm not sure that the current round is actually completed yet.

[TK.]

I asked Ploytec: it's no problem to order 250 chips + PCBs now, and the next batch some weeks/months later. :)

So, I will order them very soon.

Please check the number of PCBs:

http://www.midibox.org/dokuwiki/tk_gm5_bulkorder

if you ordered an extension board as well:

http://www.midibox.org/dokuwiki/gm5_expansion_5x5_board

the small PCBs are not required - just remove the requested quantity from the tk_gm5_bulkorder list.

Another - very sad - note: it seems that the package I sent to Wilba is lost. Therefore the australians haven't got their order yet. The package contained 46 GM5 chips and 34 PCBs and wasn't insured (damned!), accordingly I lost ca. 300 EUR! :(

I sold the chips/PCBs for non-profit, which means that I have no margin to compensate the loss. But all affected people can be sure, that they will get their ordered parts soon w/o paying again (I just added them to the beginning of the list), and this time I will send it directly for fast and more secure shipping.

This opens the question, which possibilities I have to get back the lost money:

• paying it from my own pocket since I was so naive to send the package uninsured and w/o tracking - in this case, I'm not sure if I'm willing to handle the next orders anymore due to the high risk of money loss
  
• or asking you for donations
  
• or increasing the price of GM5 from 4.17 EUR to 5 EUR, so that I'm able to get a margin to cover the costs
  

Opinions?

Newsflash: see http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php/topic,11387.msg102356.html#msg102356

Donations have been refunded - thank you anyhow!!!

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[bugfight]

...paying it from my own pocket ...

no way!

[*]or asking you for donations

mine is coming right up...

[*]or increasing the price of GM5 from 4.17 EUR to 5 EUR, so that I'm able to get a margin to cover the costs

i think you should do this as well.

and anyone who already ordered should be clicking that paypal dev button above right now...

[madox]

mine is coming right up...

i think you should do this as well.

and anyone who already ordered should be clicking that paypal dev button above right now...

Yes, I agree. This should not come from your pocket. You do so much for everyone here already. I will be sure to send some compensation your way.

I think 5 Euro is still a good price. Hopefully people in the second round purchase won't mind helping to cover the losses.

Maybe any future group buys should run with a small margin, to be used as a running float fund. This method is still not for profit, but it covers operating costs more effectively.

I need to sort out an issue with my PayPal account, but I will donate some money as soon as possible.

Maybe you could keep us posted as to how this situation progresses, and let the community help you out.

[Kartoshka]

I would like to help out by sending the spare pcbs i got.

Either to you (TK) or to the people who ordered them - from Australia.

i can send 4 pcbs.

Please reply me with instructions. (in pm)

Vlad

[Screaming_Rabbit]

• paying it from my own pocket since I was so naive to send the package uninsured and w/o tracking

... this is what I would suggest  ::), if you wouldn't be TK, who made all this possible for free with tons of hours of work.

Normally (like 5 Chips or so) I would say, that the receiver has to decide what kind of delivery he wants and therefore is responsible.

In this case, should it be Thorsten or anybody else, I think the social spirit of a community should come into the action.

My suggestion would be, that everybody who already ordered and orders in the upcoming batch, donates €3 (... and while already donating and never have before, some bucks more  ;) ).

Greets, Roger

PS: ... and don't forget the insurance next time, Thorsten  ;D

[amp1ron]

Another - very sad - note: it seems that the package I sent to Wilba is lost. Therefore the australians haven't got their order yet. The package contained 46 GM5 chips and 34 PCBs and wasn't insured (damned!), accordingly I lost ca. 300 EUR! :(

Sorry about the lost package and the 300 EUR it cost you.  I've sent you a little money through paypal to try to help.

[Enth]

5e sounds still a very good price. I could also send the 3 PCB's I got from earlier order as I'm going for the 5x5 :P Just PM me for address.

And I could pay a margin from the earlier GM5's. Maybe add it on top of the 2 more I'll be getting.

[Doug Wellington]

I'm also planning to get the expanded boards, so if I can contribute the boards I got to some needy Aussie (and aren't they all?) just let me know where to send them...

[SLP]

I'm also planning to get the expanded boards, so if I can contribute the boards I got to some needy Aussie (and aren't they all?) just let me know where to send them...

same here. got 3 unsoldered boards I could give away for free

[Kartoshka]

seems like we have concensus here... a wiki with pcb contributions there, anyone?  ;D

[TK.]

Newsflash: see http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php/topic,11387.msg102356.html#msg102356

Donations have been refunded - thank you anyhow!!!

You guys are so great! :)

A big thanks to all donators: Bugfight, Screaming Rabbit, Levon, Narwhal, amp1ron, SLP, kokiPsiho, StrydOne, /tilted/, Jack, Kartoshka, Enth, Doug Wellington, Flemming, Lief, Jan Forsmark

I counted 22 PCB donations + ca. 200 EUR, which means that the loss is almost covered! :)

Please send the PCBs back to me - this should be easier to handle, and it also gives me the possibility to mix new with old ones (why? details see below)

Ok, I just have ordered 250 chips + 200 PCBs (I will hold some PCBs in stock for the next run)

Final price: GM5 = 4.50 EUR, PCB = 3 EUR

You have to pay within 3 weeks once I got the goods from Ploytec (I will inform you later about the expected delivery date)

You will get a PM about all the paying/shipping options once this happens - don't ask now

Updates on GM5: the new firmware allows full access over the EEPROM, so that up to 5 IOs can be defined with an own VID/PID and Device name - nothing else (yet).

The EEPROM option itself is only a minor feature. It helps to separate the modules in the device list if more than 2 devices are connected to a PC, so that they don't appear under the same name. Instead of midibox.org or ploytec.com you could give it the name of your wife/girlfriend or whoever ;)

Updates on PCB V1.2 (see MBHP_USB_GM5 page):

- USB socket now grounded (but it will also work w/o this connection - it's just better)

- two additional holes for shield of MIDI sockets (there are two different types, both are compatible now)

- new jumper J8 which allows to select between midibox.org and ploytec.com configuration

Note that the firmware of the previous GM5 run already featured the midibox.org configuration, but it wasn't communicated to me. Means: you can already select the midibox.org configuration by grounding IO4 with a small wire.

The australians will partly get the new and donated PCB - only noticeable difference: some will appear as "ploytec.com", some others as "midibox.org" device by default.

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[ping-]

I put in a little donation also now! Hope it helps :)