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MIOS on Core in minimal Setup


Bartron
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Hi there,

I'm new in this forum and I don't know if it's the right place to ask this question. If it's not please tell me.

I'm trying to build a Midibox SID minimal Setup and I'm confronted with the following problems:

I build the core with Mike's preburned PIC18F4685 and I connected it via Midi to my Computer. I ran Mios studio and tried to upload the MIOS. I uploaded mios_v1_9g_pic18f4685.hex but the LCDisplay still shows black bars. I don't know if this is normal. Then I tried to upload setup_8580.hex but the upload process was interrupted and following error was shown:

Error #11 midi-in overrun

It could be that the Midi-USB Cable is not best fitting. I'm now bidding on the steinberg midex 8 midi interface. It's on the whitelist. Maybe this is part of the problem.

Anyway. I would be thankful if somebody could give me an advice if I'm on the right way. It's very complex for a n00b.

Thanks a lot.

Bartron

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Hi and welcome!

As you´ve already got a preburned PIC with installed MIOS, the display should show "Ready". If it shows just a bar, maybe the brightness is too high (this problem occurs often) - it should be adjustable with a potentiometer.

Next thing would be to upload the setup_8580.hex (as you did), which was interupted, maybe your MIDI interface is on the MIDI device blacklist (see wiki)? If you have any other MIDI interface available (not a cheap USB MIDI cable, these things have issues :)), try that!

Bye and have lots of fun!

Peter

Edited by Hawkeye
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Hey, thanks for this fast answer.

I tried the tip with the potis. But all I did was changing the brightness of the black bars. So there are definitely black bars on my display.

And I tried to reload my MIOS 1.9g. This worked. Again. It should be on the PIC now. Is it normal that after this step the black bars are still there? In which state should they disappear?

I will manage to get another Midi-Device. Although my Cable isn't on the black list I think this will be better to erase the errors.

Another question:

If I got an preburned PIC from Mike, does this mean that a bootloader is on it or the MIOS operating System? I'm not sure.

Well, enough questions for today. Thanks a lot for everything. Nice forum by the way. All the work you guys do is awesome.

Bartron

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Hi,

you are right, when only the bootloader is installed, the black bars will be shown, when MIOS is successfully installed, a "READY" appears (after a copyright message), when the full app is installed, the display shows the application.

Probably the PICs from Mike only come with the bootloader (I thought, they would come with the newest MIOS, but I may be wrong :-)).

So normally after MIOS has been uploaded, the bars should disappear:

http://www.ucapps.de...ap_newbies.html

It is still possible, that the upload of MIOS somehow failed, so a new MIDI device may help. Did you connect IN and OUT of your core to OUT and IN of the MIDI device? :-)

If you "query" the device within MIOS studio (select the right input and output ports first), what does it show?

If MIOS Studio says, that an application is up and running, the display may be connected in a wrong way, but MIOS is running.

Bye and best of luck!

Peter

Edited by Hawkeye
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Also, if you keep getting MIDI errors, try slowing down the upload speed. If you are using MIOS Studio, there is an option to disable automatic upload speeds and set a delay after each SysEx message. I used to have this problem with my first MBSID and that seemed to fix it. I suspect the problem I had was more so due to computer to MIDI interface I was using.

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Morning guys,

well I did connect the midi in with the out and vice versa. I made a Screenshot of what MIOS Studio is telling me. It's in the attachement.

Ok, it could be that the LCD is connected in a wrong way. I mean I did it Jim Henry's howto-Pdf from 2004. Maybe I did something wrong. Is there a way to check if MIOS is running without using the LCD. A command or something that shows that the core is answering and operating?

to m00dawg:

where can I find the option to disable automatic upload speeds and set a delay after each SysEx message in MIOS Studio? I'm using it under Linux with WINE and there wasn't any setup menu available.

I'll keep trying.

Thanks.

post-11057-0-86412200-1341820587_thumb.p

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Hi there,

the boodloader is running (the display is ok then with its bars), but the MIOS upload failed, please try another MIDI Interface, these USB-Midi cables have multiple reports of not working - maybe Wine adds another problem layer (missing menus?)... perhaps you can borrow a windows or macos-based laptop from someone and attach a device on the MIDI whitelist?

As far as i know, the send delay can only be changed in the "sysex tool", which would be under Tools (in the Menu on a Windows/Mac system) - but this is only for uploading banks or patches, not .hex firmwares...

(the delay setting is necessary here, as there is no back channel for .syx uploads, notifying the sending host, that the device has written the data block to flash - the standard mios uploads have a back channel, therefore no delay setting is necessary, if the MIDI interface works correctly - correct me please, if i am wrong)

Bye,

Peter

Edited by Hawkeye
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First things first, I see a Linux version of MIOS appears to be available off ucapps here. I haven't used it but I would avoid using WINE if you have a native option.

Second, I got my MIOS versions mixed up :) The one that had delay built-in was the old one. In fact, one of the features of the new one appears to be better upload functionality (which I guess also means some manual options were removed as a result). I think trying the native version is your best bet. If you must use Windows, perhaps consider virtualization instead (I may be biased, but I have never trusted WINE, never will).

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I agree w/ Moo 100%! I gave up on WINE due to bugs. I now use vbox seamless mode for windows apps.

About the linux mios version, it's compiled for poopy ubuntu. I'm on opensuse, and it doesn't run for me unless I recompile it for my OS. Throwing it in the windows VM is easier and works, so that's what I've been doing.

The new MIOS does pause between uploads.. I haven't seen an option, but if you watch the progress, it uploads, pauses, uploads, pauses, etc.

Edited by wicked1
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Indeed MIOS Studio normally will send MIDI then wait for a reply, so the speed is ultimately throttled by how fast the device responds. In the cases I was having trouble (way back on the Java version), it was because it wasn't always getting the responses so I just did a blind transfer. It worked pretty well and I never had any issues with the MIDI OUT from the synth at any other time *shrug*. Moving to the GM5 made that problem go away though.

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Ok I ordered a new MIDI Interface which is on the whitelist. It's the M-audio Midisport 2x2. I will get it in the next few days I hope. Until then I can't do that much. I will solder the SID Modules and stuff.

Thank you Moo for the link. The new MIOS Studio is working much better as the one under wine. I use Xubuntu and I don't have no problems with it till now. I don't like Wine either. But sometimes.....you know.

I let you know what happened when I tried it with the new interface.

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  • 7 months later...

Hello Guys,

 

it's been a while since I was in the forum and since I picked up my soldering iron....but in the last days I resumed this project.

I still try to get the minimal setup working. With no success. But I'm stepped forward and managed to build a working PSU. Although I wasn't able to build the mbhp_8xsid_c64_psu_optimized.pdf, I build the following (mbhp_sid_c64_psu.pdf) from the midiboxSidV2 Walktrough. I measured the voltages on the IC's and it was fine. I connected everything like described in the pdf and my midiinterface is telling me that:  

 

Operating System: MIOS8
Board: MBHP_CORE or similar
Core Family: PIC18F
Bootloader is up & running!

 

I uploaded the 8580 hex file and tried to play some notes on the keyboard. nothing.

My Lcd which I connected by the instruction of Jim Henry (building_a_midibox_lcd_cable) got it's backlights on but nothing else. Turning on the Potis at the core has no effect. I'm kinda clueless. What would be the next logical step.

Please help!!!

 

Thanks

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Hi,

 

since the LCD outputs nothing else (even no black bar in the first line?) it's probably related to the contrast: move the contrast trimpot into the Vs direction

 

Sound: there are two troubleshooting applications which allow to debug this:

-> http://www.ucapps.de/mios_download.html

 

 

 

  mbsid_interconnection_test_v2.zip Testprogram for the interconnections between Core and SID module of MIDIbox SID (read the README.txt file for the usage)

 

mbsid_testtone_v3c.zip Just plays a 1kHz triangle wave on the SID - nice for testing the audio output without the need for a MIDI sequencer or keyboard. With the new v2 version, both MBHP_SID modules connected to a core are initialised.
In addition, a 1kHz square wave will be generated on the CS pin (#8)

 

Best Regards, Thorsten.
 
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Thanks TK for your quick answer. I tried both applications. The testtone and the interconnection over mios. No success.

MIOS gave me the following messages:

 

[32863.305] MBSID Interconnection Test
[32863.316] ==========================
[32863.332] Please play a note on any MIDI channel.
[32863.365] Pin 'A0  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32870.548] Pin 'A3  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32874.586] Pin 'A0  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32875.794] Pin 'D0  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32882.042] Pin 'A1  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32882.907] Pin 'D6  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32884.354] Pin 'D6  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32884.507] Pin 'D5  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32884.539] Pin 'D4  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32884.572] Pin 'D3  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32884.605] Pin 'A4  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32884.637] Pin 'A3  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32884.671] Pin 'A2  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32884.703] Pin 'A1  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32884.736] Pin 'A0  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32884.769] Pin 'A0  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32884.822] Pin 'A0  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32884.907] Pin 'A0  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32884.979] Pin 'A0  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32885.051] Pin 'A0  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32885.171] Pin 'A0  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32885.197] Pin 'CS#' of SID chip set to 0V, remaining digital pins set to 0V as well.
[32885.260] Pin 'D6  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32885.323] Pin 'D5  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32885.355] Pin 'D3  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32885.406] Pin 'D1  ' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)
[32885.515] Pin 'RES#' of SID chip set to 5V, remaining digital pins set to 0V (exception: CS# set to 5V)

 

What exactly does this mean? I think nothing too good. I will try another SID Module the next days. Or another chip.

 

 

Besides: Turning on the Contrast-Poti didn't affect the LCD. Lights are on, nothing else matters. I will try another LCD these days.

 

THX a lot.

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You've to measure the voltage on the displayed pin after the message has been print.

If you measure the wrong voltage, you know that there is an interconnection error (e.g. broken cable, bad solder joint, etc...)

 

It's the best test to ensure, that the SID is controlled correctly from the PIC.

 

Best Regards, Thorsten.

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