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BLM 16x16+X build guide


latigid on
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Well, on the hardware side you could check resistance from the common cathodes (each group of four are all connected right?) and the mentioned pins on IC18. Left of centre (viewed from the PCB rear) to pin 2, right of centre to pin 4.

I'd still look at RN18 and plug in a miniCore to be sure. 

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This is a protection for people who don't refresh the page to ensure that they won't download the wrong version... :rolleyes:

I clearly stated that the new version is called blm_scalar_v1_1, you even quoted it!
-> if you see the version blm_scalar_v1_0whatever, you obviously haven't refreshed the page in your webbrowser.

Best Regards, Thorsten.

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1 hour ago, TK. said:

This is a protection for people who don't refresh the page to ensure that they won't download the wrong version... :rolleyes:

I clearly stated that the new version is called blm_scalar_v1_1, you even quoted it!
-> if you see the version blm_scalar_v1_0whatever, you obviously haven't refreshed the webpage.

Best Regards, Thorsten.

ok thanx, ok works.

still the same problem with the 8bit core..... ok so then lets check the backside of the PCB.

it was RN18 soldering problem---

 

a new BLM is born!

Edited by Phatline
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Hi jbdiver

i think you're talking about the separate dedicated zone for BLM on the quad IIc from smash TV?
this zone was designed for J11 on the old core STM32F1 who support this purpose NOT stm32F4!

as you see it's not direct pinning compatible with the stm32F4 and not direct compatible with J2 midi IO! it make bugging ours heads!:decayed:


no problem you have to adapt!

use regular crimp connector on J2 and the other side of the cable solder directly on the BLM zone the 4 used pins (mi1 mo1 vss vdd) isolate unused pin cable.
it make a  special cable between MI1 /MI2 from BLM zone to J2 MI3/MO3  to use midi in/out 3 from the midi IO chain... ( if your setup is only 1 midi IO board).


if you have two midi IO board in your setup , you have to reserve one midi in and one midi out (exemple: midi IO4 on your midi IO chain) and don't stuff the components on the quad IIc BLM zone (the required midi components are already stuffed in  the midi IO board) but wire directly midi sockets to the BLM conbined midi socket.
.

Edited by tashikoma
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I've spent a couple hours today trying to get the quad iic blm din -> blm din connection working. No luck. 
 
Here's how I've wired up the quad iic blm connection to the midi io module:
 
Midi io (J2) -> Quad IIc (blm)
 
1 (Vs) -> 1 (Vs)
2 (5v) -> 10 (5v)
4 (MI3) -> 6 (MI1)
8 (MO3) -> 8 (MO1)
 
I'm able to power the BLM through the quad IIc + core. However, the midi data connections are not working because the mbseq app does not report the BLM as connected. I setup a breadboard between the quad IIc and BLM to swap around the wiring config, testing out different combinations. Is there a way to confirm that the proper midi signals are being passed by the quad IIc blm din port? What should these signals look like?
 
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I successfully connected the BLM to my sequencer a couple weeks ago using a set of temporary midi input/output ports on my mbseq. Last week I upgraded from a LPC17 core to a STM32F4 core with a midi io module and quad iic module. Now, I'm trying to wire up the permanent midi connection to the BLM using the blm interface on the quad iic module. 

In the midi config page, I'm assigning the BLM_SCALAR port to IN3. I believe this corresponds to the blm port on the quad IIc module when it is connected properly to J2 (MI3/MO3) on the midi io module. I've been waiting approx 20 secs during my wiring tests to see if the cores connect (i.e, "found").

The optocoupler is installed on the quad iic board. I was able to find an 8-pin din jack on ebay that properly mounts to the board, so I didn't have to wire up a female din connector.

I've verified the minicore->blm din wiring, and it worked with my test midi connection. I'm not sure how to troubleshoot the quad iic side. I had to build a custom ribbon cable to connect the midi io J2 header to  the quad IIc blm header (detailed above). I know that the power is being provided properly on the quad iic blm din port and I can successfully power the blm. It's the midi data part that's causing me trouble. I'm not sure how to test if the mbseq core is actually sending/receiving midi data properly on the quad IIc blm din port.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, jbdiver said:
Here's how I've wired up the quad iic blm connection to the midi io module:
 
Midi io (J2) -> Quad IIc (blm)
 
1 (Vs) -> 1 (Vs)
2 (5v) -> 10 (5v)
4 (MI3) -> 6 (MI1)
8 (MO3) -> 8 (MO1)
 
 

ok for me
you've got one mdi IO board.

change the optocoupler.....

verify your midi signal path for short... exchange the ribbon cable... between core and J1

you could try monitoring your midi port with a external midi interface and midi cable in mios studio...

you could test with midi IO 4 or midi IO 1

 

Edited by tashikoma
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Note that MBSEQ MI3 has to be connected to BLM MO1, and MBSEQ MO3 to BLM MI1 (like a common bidirectional MIDI connection)

One possibility to check that at least the BLM MO -> MBSEQ MI connection is working:
Enter MENU->MIDI, change to the Misc page (where BLM_SCALAR port is configured), and then press GP16 to enter the MIDI monitor.

The IN3 item of the MIDI monitor should show a MIDI event whenever a BLM button is pressed.
If not, troubleshoot the BLM->MBSEQ connection first.

Once it's working, there are not so many options how the MBSEQ MO -> BLM MI connection has to be done -> less troubleshooting.

Best Regards, Thorsten.

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Got it working! Thanks for the troubleshooting hints guys. TK's advice to use the midi monitor was especially helpful. It looks like I wired up the din jack on the blm incorrectly. The wires are "backwards" and using a breadboard to troubleshoot the problem made it clear.

Now I just need to construct a new back panel for my mbseq case and somehow mount the new boards in the box! 

IMG_20160106_174355.thumb.jpg.1390c87c17

 

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its fun to program that toy... blink blink :love:

 

my 10K faders are jumping... especially in the low end (MidiValues under 20), they messing up the midistream, and my blm hang then up sometime....

new faders jumping, can be, shouldnt be? hmm are there any parts except the faders - which can cause such behavior? as far i know there are only +5V ground and a fader between it...

The crimped wires are about 4 cm long... short enough.

The J5B ports are Jumpered, and in mios32_config.h only J5A is activated...

anyhow I tend to deactivate them in mios32_config.h...and desolder them, because of not totalrecallable of fadersstates ;)

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ok so i cut the +5V Leg of the Fader, wire it with 3,3V from core, and thats it...easyer said then done...

since i dont liked that big fader towers anyhow, i decide to do the easy way: jumper all J5 Channels, disable them in the BLM_Scalar software, and removed the fader-callback in my application

BLM_cover-the-faders.thumb.JPG.2faf531da

Cut the Fader Towers, Gaffa-Tape above, and here we go:

BLM_cover-the-faders2.JPG

Edited by Phatline
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2 minutes ago, workspace said:

Finally all the soldering is done!

Now I trying to figure out how to get the blm_scalar app onto the PIC.

I read somewhere that I can do this via the SEQV4. But I can't find it anymore (was it on the wiki?)

Or should I upload the app with my RME Fireface?

 

Nice! You can use two instances of the SEQ MIDI router e.g. USB2 to MIDI in 3 and MIDI out 3 to USB2. Then connect using MIOS to USB2 and you're talking to the miniCore. At least it's how I remember it, maybe if you check back a few pages.

Yep that's right, page 3. This assumes you're using the Quad IIC board and the DIN8 is wired. Another option is to use an old Core8 as it has normal MIDI ports.

Edited by latigid on
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2 minutes ago, latigid on said:

 

Nice! You can use two instances of the SEQ MIDI router e.g. USB2 to MIDI in 3 and MIDI out 3 to USB2. Then connect using MIOS to USB2 and you're talking to the miniCore. At least it's how I remember it, maybe if you check back a few pages.

Yep that's right, page 3. This assumes you're using the Quad IIC board and the DIN8 is wired. Another option is to use an old Core8 as it has normal MIDI ports.

Thanks!

I have the Quad IIC board, but I just realized that the DIN8 Socket I got from Mouser has another pin layout. So I will have to play with wires....

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