Totally lost

[indeep]

Hello, this is my first post so bare with me and prepare for some dumb questions.

Well first let me properly introduce myself .

Im an musician with some interest in circuit bending an electronics, mostly electroacoustic and idm, i also own the beep-glitch blog, and im very happy to join this community.

some links about my work

http://beep-glitch.blogspot.com/

http://www.myspace.com/tsukisound

http://www.myspace.com/kringlescat

http://www.myspace.com/mosquitoburn

http://www.enpeg.com/artist_page.php?name=polar

Back to the questions, im thinking (made up my mind today) building one SEQ v3, i have read the most important things related to it (hardware options, design etc..)and now im preparing to go to fase 2 (the buying), i choose the mikes-elektronikseite.de because they have all the kits and they are in europe (im from portugal) but unfortunatly they dont have an email...this because i would like to make an order of all things necessaryfor building a SEQ (knobs, leds encoders,pcb etc..), because im a little affraid that i came short on the components and theres is a lot of things i can choose from( i really wish that the store would have a kit with all things in it including the nobs leds etc..).

So i make a list.

1 x MBHP_CORE, (Mikes shop)

3 x MBHP_DINX4 (Mikes shop)

1 x MBHP_DOUTX4, (Mikes shop)

3 x MBHP_IIC-midimodule (Mikes shop)

1 x PIC 18F4620  (Mikes shop)

2 x LC Display 40x2 with backlight  (Mikes shop)

44 x buttons (sort colors) (Mikes shop)

32 x leds (sort colors) (Mikes shop)

17 x encoders (dont know were to buy)

16 x knobs (dont know were to buy)

1  x data whell (dont know were to buy)

3  x Eeprom 24LC512 for banksticks (Mikes shop)

3  x Vectorboards (i dont know what this is or were to buy)

Panels and case will be the last thing, maybe i should build myself one in wood :)

Im missing something ?

[stryd_one]

Welcome aboard, and welcome to DIY! hahaha I'm afraid there's only one thing to do here - search until you find the parts that are right for you. I wish there could be an easier way, but unless everyone built an identical box, it wouldn't work....

Aside from the parts mystery, you're doing ace, keep it up and good luck :)

[Futureman]

Well, I'm pretty new here, and I built my first MB project (The SEQ3) not long ago, and I'm about to start building another one + helping 2 friends build theirs.

I'm not sure if this will help, but here's what I did for mine.

1 x Core kit + PIC 18F4620 - from SmashTV

3 x Din Kit - Smash

1 x Dout Kit - Smash

1 x Midi Kit - Smash

17 x Encoders - Smash

8 x  Eeprom 24LC512 for banksticks

50 x 10way IDC connectors - ebay $12

2 x 16Way IDC connectors - Electronics store

5 x Large bits of veroboard. - ebay $15

2 x LCD's (40x2 backlit) - ebay $15 each

2m of Ribbon cable - Electronics store $5

50 x Push buttons with built in LED's - ebay $50 (I didn't need that many buttons, but they were cheap)

50 x Push buttons - ebay $10

1 x Large Knob - Pinched it off broken VCR

16 x Small knobs - had them lying around.

1 x Case - Built it out of nice wood, while hanging out with my dad. ;]

Veroboard is a prototype bit of circuit board in which you can build circuits up..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veroboard

Check out these people on ebay for some parts you might like / want / need.

http://stores.ebay.com.au/PARTSPIPE_ALL-SWITCHES_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ11012343QQftidZ2QQtZkm

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/10pin-IDC-Socket-x-50pcs-Tin-Plated_W0QQitemZ350067001665QQihZ022QQcategoryZ117488QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD2VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em122

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/HD44780-40x2-STN-LCD-w-LED-back-light-Pot-TEG16610_W0QQitemZ130227742308QQihZ003QQcategoryZ26206QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD2VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em122

Goodluck!

Mike

[cimo]

hi

www.voti.nl usually stocks encoders

for all the rest here in Spain there is a "sub-company" of rs-components called www.amidata.es but you can also buy from www.conrad.com although their web is not really user friendly

i see you live in Lisboa, there are a couple of shops in Lisboa center i don t remember the name of the street but i can tell you that they are in the same street as "casa do alentejo" or something similar, and there is also one of those famous ginja shops ;)

the street could be called Rua das Portas de Santo Antão.

I am listening to Tsuki, nice stuff, i have a friend in Lisboa, Pedro, he runs the test-tube label, do you know it ?

Simone

[indeep]

Of course i know Pedro from test tube monocromatica, he is a great friend of mine (the world is so small)

Theres a shop Dimofel, but they are not cheap the other one that you talking about im going to investigate next monday.

About the designs..ive seen lots of designs and http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php/topic,10427.0.html this one its my favourite, but opting for one of this design its more trouble for me ...right ?

[cimo]

cool !

Pedro introduced us to the ginja ritual while talking about field recordings and the situation of modern Portuguese electronic scene, after 4 or 5 we were all very happy ;) and Lisboa is BEAUTIFUL !! too bad we missed a gig we were suppose to play in Bairro Alto at the Ze something, it looked like a nice place..

Simone

[indeep]

Thanks Futureman for all the ebay links, there are toons of switches, and i dont know were to beguin :)

Its going to be a strugle for me assembling this sucker, but i feel a lot of support coming from this forum.

[Rio]

Mike's shop is really ok and sufficient for DIY projects. All my device running fine with his boards ;) and his support is great.

The rotary encoder you can get from voti. They are called SW-ROT-1.

http://www.voti.nl/shop/catalog.html?SW-ROT-01

You have forgotten the bankstick-board from Mike too! And if you want to buy more than 3 EEPROMs, you can buy these somewhere else (they will be a lot cheaper e.g. at conrad)

knobs and datawheel you can get e.g. from ALBS Electronic, but they only accept big orders... maybe you can order somewhere else these things or you canibalize old/damaged electronic devices like mixer etc. ;)

Greets,

Rio.

[indeep]

Anyone had problems with mike´s shop, im asking because i made my shopping, and so far i didnt have any kind of reply (even a receipt, or even the payment status).

[MTE]

When have you ordered ? Because mike is at holiday since last weekend till 28th june ;)

[indeep]

I have ordered it in monday.

But probably like you said is on vacation and didnt check the store.

Thanks for the info

[Rio]

If you get no reply after longer delay, let us know..

Best Regards,

Rio.

[indeep]

So far nothing.

Should i make the request again ?

[indeep]

Finally...the kit as arrived and im excited to get to work.

Ive order two extras midi kits (iic midi-module).

the Lcds came in today, so now i have a journey to begin :)

[indeep]

First stop :(

After i finished the core module i begin to work in the doutx4 module, i put in the ic holders and resistors, but i can see from the image in this page http://www.ucapps.de/index.html?page=mbhp_dout.html were does the caps go...also i have tried to take the brd file and does not open with my version of eagle.

Can someone point me the caps location in the doutx4 module, speciality  the 100uf cap which is polarized, or a brd file that works.

Thanks

[nILS]

1) It's most likely not the board file that isn't working, but your version of eagle. I just tried it with 4.13, 4.16 and 5.0 - worked fine.

2) ucapps says (on the page you linked): "Add also the four additional Bypass Caps between Vdd and ground (Vss) of each chip on the bottom side of the PCB as close to the +5V power input of the 74HC595 as possible. Add an additional cap (100 uF) at the power input of the DOUT module."

That means: one of the four 100nF caps per IC, between ground (for instance Pin 13) and +5V/Vdd (Pin 16). Exactly as described and shown on the pdf (also on the page you linked): http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_doutx4.pdf

[ilmenator]

If you are unsure how to solder in the 100µF capacitor, you could try to leave it out in the first place. There are three reasons why I suggest this:

1) You seem to be a beginner and the cap is an addition to the original board design, so there are no holes for it on the board. Makes things slightly more difficult (not much, though).

2) With the 100µF capacitor, the board becomes really ugly and clumsy. No visual joy.

3) None of the six or more DOUT boards I have built over time actually required this capacitor. They all work flawlessly without it.

If you experience any problems with the board, you could still add the 100µF cap at a later time.

Best regards, ilmenator

[indeep]

Ok, i have missed the pdf...thx for pointing me to it podewskl.

Im going to solder all the caps (better now then later).

Another question,its a remark, when i tested the core module i have notice that IC1:Vdd(32) - IC1:Vss(31) = 5V its actually IC1:Vdd(30) - IC1:Vss(29) = 5V, according to the eagle schematic.

My version of eagle is 5.1.0 and does not read the brd file its says (data structure is older than version 4.1.1)

[nILS]

If you count the pins the right way, you'll notice that it's actually 31-32 as described in the schem and board.

Counting pins:

  40 39 38 37 36 35 34 ..  21 20
 _:__:__:__:__:__:__:__  __:__:_
|                               |
 )                              |
|                               |
'-:--:--:--:--:--:--:--  --:--:-'
  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  ..  18 19
[/code]

[indeep]

i was counting the right way..only the pic was upside-down ::) (im i dumb or what) lol

Thx again.

Back to work

[indeep]

I have finished the core, dout, din, iic midi.

Im waiting for the pots, leds, buttons, and a couple of accessories.

So i have noting to do (just a waiting) so i have decided to get to work on the panel, but soon as i downloaded the .fpd file i have discovered there is no application of this program for mac osx :(

Does anywone know an app that opens fpd files (front panel designer) for mac ?

[Tanstaafl]

yeah, that was my problem....

luckily, i am a pc tech so have pc's also.  I grabbed the image in 'FrontPanel' then saved it as a gif file.  pulled it into photoshop on my mac and scaled it to fit a 19 inch rackmount.  at least the dimensions are correct... it's not pretty, but if you would like a copy, i would be happy to email it to you.  pm me.

good luck,

gb

[nILS]

No idea about the FPD on MacOSx. But if you just need a high res picture of it, let me know.

[indeep]

i have to start to work on the fpd, its all good when you have a pc ... now my idea its to get some nice tact switches to go into the design, i have see a couple but theres lots and lots of them, so i have decided for the functionality of the machine its better to go with the tact switch like this one

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/4-OFF-ON-ON-OFF-Led-Light-Momentary-Switch-PB86_W0QQitemZ300185382138QQihZ020QQcategoryZ58166QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

I really like this one and its really close to the switches in the virus (wich are great), but i like the ones used in the machinedrum (but i cant find that ones.).

So if anyone got an opinion on what should i use, better speak now :)

Also with this ones i could save the leds (i think so).

[arumblack]

I am using the same switch and some different button caps, and some with two leds for the BLM. Havent got them functional yet but I like the feel just pressing on them.

AB