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


TK.
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Finished my 5x5 interface on the weekend.  It worked first time whooot!!

I soldered 10 midi cables.....never again.  Take TK's advice and buy some cheap ones instead.  I used a plastic case and mounted those metal panel mount sockets on the front.  It all sits around the back of my rack so need for it to be pretty.  Now every one of my rack units has an individual in/out. 

Thanks ploytec and TK. 

One question, is the firmware in the GM5 upgradable or is it masked?  I'm wondering if a fix for the device names from eprom is feasible.

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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

That's exactly what I'm doing with mine (if the bulk-order goes to a second round). We recently disposed of some old IT gear at work, including a couple of Planet Ethernet (urgh) 24-port switches in nice shallow 1U cases. As soon as i saw it I thought "GM5".

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?

Activity lights sound pretty useful to me - especially one pair of I/O lights per port.

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Speaking of cannibalizing other gear....

I have an old MOTU MIDI Express Mac (serial version) which, for many years, has been relegated to glorified thru box as there have never been any drivers for USB use. Old 4-in, 6-out beast.

Well, it seems kinda handy.... 6+4 = 10. 5+5 = 10. I know, the math is astounding! ;-P

I even have the board mounted jacks there to cannibalize, although I'll need to space things correctly on my boards to line up....

I must say that I'm very interested in the activity lights idea.... Already have the front panel room for that too! ;-P

Gav.

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Hi:

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

There were some people working on it, and they even post some previews, but I don´t think

I see the finished ones (eagle files, jpg, pdf, or whatever).

I already have the chips and PCB by Ploytec, and I will start soldering soon (I need to practice

a bit in SMD soldering). Later I want to start with the expansion. My idea is to mount the

original pcb in a tiny enclosure to use with my notebook, and have a connector for the expansion

(mounted in a bigger box) to use in my studio.

Anyway, if somebody finished the design of the PCB, it will be great to have it.

Thank you.

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Hi:

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

There were some people working on it, and they even post some previews, but I don´t think

I see the finished ones (eagle files, jpg, pdf, or whatever).

I already have the chips and PCB by Ploytec, and I will start soldering soon (I need to practice

a bit in SMD soldering). Later I want to start with the expansion. My idea is to mount the

original pcb in a tiny enclosure to use with my notebook, and have a connector for the expansion

(mounted in a bigger box) to use in my studio.

Anyway, if somebody finished the design of the PCB, it will be great to have it.

Thank you.

Did you look here?

http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php/topic,12155.0.html

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