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Idea: Ethernet + SD-Card PCB


sylwester

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Hey,

I've been thinking about making some PCB which contains both the ENC28J60-based Ethernet Interface

and a SD-Card adaptor (think of putting this on the rear side of a MidiBox Seq v4 etc.).

What do you personally think about such an idea? I've seen the existing solutions (e.g. using an

old floppy adaptor cable as a socket for prototyping, using a "break out board") but I'm looking

for some kind of "solid-state" solution.

Best regards,

Sylwester

PS:

Right now I'm building my first MIDIBox device -- the STM32-based MIDIBox Seq v4. Today I've ordered

the front panel from Schaeffer (which probably is the most expensive part of the sequencer. I've

ordered PCB kits from SmashTV, due to lack of time. It seems like the german customs have stopped

them from arriving here. But hopefully I can show you some results soon.

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Welcome to the forum ;-)

Good idea - i did this (excluding the ethernet part, which is still missing) on veroboard, but a pcb is always better.

It would be cool, if you could create a small-size PCB, such as the IIC MIDI PCB, which also allows for installation in "crowded" cases.

Edit: "small" meaning only as wide as necessary to just contain the ethernet port and the sd card slot.

Bye,

Peter

Edited by Hawkeye
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A combined PCB is a nice thing and TK and me discussed it in the design phase of the ETH and SDCARD module. But the decision was made against it because separate modules are much more flexible in several use cases. E.g. I guess that other than for the fun of trying it out, not more than 10-20% of the MBSEQ builders will ever use OSC/Ethernet in practical work, maybe SD cards might replace the Banksticks for other projects in future etc. Plus panel placement is more flexible if you're not using premade cases (as a sidenote, I think it's a bit sad that all these hundreds of kit builds of complete projects are killing the design creativity of the community nowadays, but that's another story and only a rant from a long time member :whistle:). If some time there'll be something like a complete MBSEQ kit, such a combined PCB might make sense - although I'm wondering why we shouldn't do a complete SEQ "Base board" instead that contains Core 32, SD, ETH and all connectors (maybe even additional I2C MIDI outs etc?). But all this is a bit premature as long as not even the CS PCB is available (nudge nudge W ;))

S

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Thanks for your answers.

Seppoman, I agree with you that OSC/Ethernet is rather a "Playground" feature than some feature

that is going to be used "in production" by practical users. I really like the modularity of

the project. I rather had this in mind for my rear-panel layout and was thinking that there might

be somebody sharing my idea ;)

PS:

Today I've soldered the STM32-based core and 3 x DIN4X modules. As soon as I'm not ill any more

I'll start working on the DOUT module and the front panel wiring.

Any suggestions where I can get a 2x40 LCD with backlight for cheap? Got about 20-30pcs of 2x40 LCDs

w/o backlight in case somebody needs one for experimenting (HD44780).

Edited by sylwester
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Hi guys,

While I wait for some suppliers to ramp up (bourns) and others to answer email (albs) for the seq kits I have spent some of the 'hurry and wait' time on a board layout with four IIc MIDI outputs, Ethernet, and SD.

Currently if built with off the shelf boards it takes 6(!) modules for these three things, so given the SEQ use case it makes sense (and saves a lot of complexity) to put them on one board. I still need to build/test the layout, but I will probably be done with that before I am done collecting all of the parts to make up the kits.

Availability and turnaround times from some of the parts manufacturers is still poor, so I would rather not comment on things until I have -everything- in hand. I simply will not GUESS on things like will Bourns make enough encoders by the end of January or will Balthazar ever return any email, so please don't ask me to.

I will say I have thousands invested in parts to make the SEQ kits already and it is consuming more by the day, so I have a strong motivation to do this as soon as possible while taking the steps to do it right.

I realize the SEQ kit is news to most of you, and if you will hold tight I will post more info here on the forum when its time. This means I will not respond to any emails or private messages or forum posts asking when/what/price etc.

Sorry I don't mean to sound hostile about this, it's just that I either have time to answer a lot of questions about things that are not etched in stone yet, or time to work the chisel and hammer, not both if you want it anytime soon. :)

Seppo thanks for the nudge, but I would really rather do this without the attention (did you forget our conversation about the SEQ kits?)

Best regards

Tim

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