A few newbie questions regarding MidiboxSIDs :)

[unrise_lyrical]

hey all,

just wanted to ask a few quick newbie questions regarding SIDs :)

1: If using multiple SID chips, they would all obviously need to be 1st gen OR 2nd gen im guessing? due to voltage differences, you wouldnt be able to have a mish-mash of different kinds?

2: I know you can have a single chip, or 2 for stereo, or 8 as I've seen the insane version of a SID box with...but could you have say....4....2 x stereo bass lines? or 5 so one does drums or something? basically, can you have any number from 1 to 8?

3: Compared to a Midibox64...REALISTICALLY....how hard is the circuitry in a SID box for a newbie to put together?

Thanks guys, appreciate it.

[Smithy]

hey all,

just wanted to ask a few quick newbie questions regarding SIDs :)

1: If using multiple SID chips, they would all obviously need to be 1st gen OR 2nd gen im guessing? due to voltage differences, you wouldnt be able to have a mish-mash of different kinds?

2: I know you can have a single chip, or 2 for stereo, or 8 as I've seen the insane version of a SID box with...but could you have say....4....2 x stereo bass lines? or 5 so one does drums or something? basically, can you have any number from 1 to 8?

3: Compared to a Midibox64...REALISTICALLY....how hard is the circuitry in a SID box for a newbie to put together?

Thanks guys, appreciate it.

Im a bit of a noob practically, but i think i can answer your questions:

1. Yes, you can have different gens of sid chips in each sid module,

SmashTV ships 2 Voltage Regulators in his Sid kitsfor this purpouse,

so you choose either the 5v one or 9v one depending on your sid.

2. Remember, you need one Core Module to control upto 2 Sid Modules. So you can have any number from 1 to 8 sid modules, provided you have enough core modules, so for 8 sids, youll be using 4 core modules to control them.

Read up on the engines in the sid manual to explain what you can have running on the different modules simultaneously, id find it hard to explain that one!

3. I cant really answer this one accurately, theyre both pretty similar, much less wiring with the sid id imagine.

The optimised psu circuit is a tricky thing because you dont have a kit for it, if youve done a midibox 64 then id say youre good to go on the sid!

[unrise_lyrical]

ahh, ok, and the SID modules are physically separate? I thought I saw a picture of someone using a single PCB with 8 SID  chips in it? or was that a custom job?

[Wilba]

It was a custom job, once upon a time  ;)

http://www.midibox.org/dokuwiki/wilba_mb_6582

but this is just one implementation of MB-SID - you can still build MB-SID with Core and SID modules.

In case you miss it in the documentation, the MB-6582 base PCB can handle multiple types of SIDs, by using PSU Option B or D.

Each Core in an MB-SID runs one "engine" and 1 or 2 SIDs. So for example, four Cores can run one Drum engine, one Bassline engine and two Lead engines. However, having two SIDs connected to a Core with the Bassline engine lets you run two sequences at once, from a shared set of 8 sequence patterns, but each with some differences to the patch (like cutoff, transpose, waveform).

If you understand basic electronics, have a reasonably good soldering iron (temperature controlled, fine tip), can solder well and can follow instructions, any MIDIbox is achievable, and in the unfortunate case that it doesn't work first time, there are many people willing to help you troubleshoot and solve your problems.

[unrise_lyrical]

Alternatively, does that mean I could get a stereo bassline with one core and two sid chips? :)

That box you made is immaculate....absolutely astonishing attention to detail mate :)

[Wilba]

Alternatively, does that mean I could get a stereo bassline with one core and two sid chips? :)

Yes.