the becoming of a midbox sid.

[Wisefire]

ok.. thats good thinking (obviously) but how do i make my second sid speak when link is enabled..

[TK.]

Check the MIDI channel and the selected patch...

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Wisefire]

midichannel is both the same.. both are on channel one..

[Wisefire]

on another note.. i got some new sid chips.. finally got around to testing them.. one of them works.. the other one doesnt.. volume is 2 damn low..

the filter doesnt respond but the different waveforms seem to work (as far as i can tell.. the sound is smothered in noise when i put my volume to full)

its not the core or the sid module as they work with other sid chips..

what am i doing wrong?

[TK.]

well.. i temporarily used one of my 10 buttons on my box.. and tried the link function.. when engaged it manages to shut one of my sids up.. and only speaks through one output.. no trace of the second sid.. but when i press both sid buttons (sacrificed another 2 of my selectionbuttons) it does work..

what trickery is this??

I still cannot figure out why the second SID should be silent in this case, regardless how many times I ready your description. Either you forgot to mention an important point, or your temporary wiring is not doing what it should.

Normaly there is no trick behind these buttons. Especially when you've stuffed the (strongly suggested) LINK and SIDx LEDs, so that it is very clear, when a certain function is selected or not (read above, why I decided to realize this in this way and why I don't provide alternatives)

To sumarize the functions: the LINK button enables the MIDI merger, so that incoming MIDI events to the master are merged with internal generated events.

Both streams are forwarded to the slave - there is no filter mechanism, no trick behind this... the function should be really obvious

This means, that once LINK is enabled, the slaves will receive everything which is sent to the master. It works like if you would send it directly to the slaves (and not through the master).

SIDx buttons: they are used to tell the control surface, which SID(s) should receive parameter changes. This is not related to the incoming MIDI stream, therefore I've absolutely no idea, why "it" (what exactly?) should work when both SIDs are selected.

Could you please doublecheck, if the slave SID still works when your PC (or keyboards) is directly connected to the MIDI In of the slave, like you've tested it before?

If this still doesn't work, could you please try to explain the problem in different words?

on another note.. i got some new sid chips.. finally got around to testing them.. one of them works.. the other one doesnt.. volume is 2 damn low..

the filter doesnt respond but the different waveforms seem to work (as far as i can tell.. the sound is smothered in noise when i put my volume to full)

I've a SID which behaves similar - filter is nearly not working, output is distorted. It's a MOS6581 4084 (CW 40/84) - I guess it's an production error, 84 seems to be a bad year...

what am i doing wrong?

There are "good" SIDs and "bad" SIDs. Maybe different caps at Pin 1-4 could improve the sound a little, but in general these chips just got some damage over the past 20 years... it's analog stuff!

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[experimental]

I've a SID which behaves similar - filter is nearly not working, output is distorted. It's a MOS6581 4084 (CW 40/84) - I guess it's an production error, 84 seems to be a bad year

I just got a 2384  MOS 6581-  what are the odds it will be a dud?    >:( 

[Wisefire]

actually this one is a sid from 87.. its an  8580..

[TK.]

well.. i temporarily used one of my 10 buttons on my box.. and tried the link function.. when engaged it manages to shut one of my sids up.. and only speaks through one output.. no trace of the second sid.. but when i press both sid buttons (sacrificed another 2 of my selectionbuttons) it does work..

what trickery is this??

ok, after the christmas holidays with a "free head" for such issues, I remembered one case where the link doesn't work: if the device ID of the first slave SID is not 01

So - could you please doublecheck the device ID? Easiest solution: connect the MIDI Out of Slave1 with your PC and check the MIOS device ID (which is identical to the SID device ID)

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[TK.]

Another possibility: check the banks of both SIDs, they should have the same value (e.g. A)

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Wisefire]

hey TK,

thnx for your answers, however dont have time right now to get up and check it all.. it'll have to wait a bit..

on another note i got this PM:

Hi!

I just have some questions that I'm afraid to ask on the forum, because everybody would post RTFM-type posts... I've chosen you, because your MBSID is the closest to my plans. The questions:

- I have made a part list. Is it correct? It can be found here: http://somewebsite with an xls document.xls I hope, you have installed MS Excel...

- What is needed to create the Step A control surfce? I already have a 2x16 LCD.

- Does it worth for the work and money?

I have done several DIY projects, so i think it won't be so difficult, except for the english documentation. I'm learning english for 7 years, but it still not perfect. Smiley

Hope you'll write back soon and good luck with the MBFM!

Attila

my reply to it was this (and i put it up so others could hopefully benefit from the answers i gave him)

hi attila,

first of all dont be afraid to ask.. people here are very nice.. and rarely give the rtfm finger to newbies.. still rtfm is a good tip for anyone new here.. or anywhere else..

parts lists are available on ucapps.de.. also with a webshop like that of smashtv, its even easier as he supplies all the parts needed for PCB. a list for parts that you might need outside of the supplied parts by smashtv, is on ucapps.de.

step a: LCD, some buttons, and a rotary encoder. and ofcourse the 2 PCBs.. i wouldnt recommend 2x16 as its a bit small, but its workable.. rotary encoders can be found at smashtvs webshop.

is it worth building.. that is a question you have to decide for yourself.. do you want to spend time building it? will you enjoy building it? do like the sound the sidchip makes? is 100 euros a lot of cash or do you consider it well spent on something you build yourself, can take pride in building it yourself, and have a cool synth at the end which will be comparible to the SIDstation from elektron..

as for your english.. ive seen far worse .. even here on the forum.. but hey.. doesnt matter, if there is something you dont understand, there are plenty of people here willing to help..

HOWEVER dont make a habit out of PMing people for help.. others might be struggling with the same questions and its better to ask publicly so anyone can be helped by the answers you get..

good luck with your decision.

and maybe with building your MBsid..

 

[Wisefire]

it has been too long.. REALLY TOO LONG, AARGH..

well there has been a lot of changes in my life.. i graduated, and im now a certified bachelor of art and technology..

as well as an audiodesigner.. but thats not what this thread is about.. its about my build of a sid synth..

i am surprised its still stickied, and i am grateful that it is.. cuz now we come to the another phase..

A frontpanel..

boy oh boy, this is probably the hardest thing for me.. you can see in previous posts what kind of buttons i want to use.. they are rectangle.. and i've got a different LCD .. so thats the reason i'm designing my own frontpanel.. designing isn't even the hardest part.. i mean.. it takes time and a lot of forward thinking.. but beside that.. where to get the frontpanel made cheaply? imho schaeffer is too expensive.. i did find another source who says he could do it for about half that price.. but he quit.. so i'm back to square one (btw.. just found out he quit.. as i was writing this to confirm he still existed.. i found out he didn't anymore.. D*mn.. ) i guess i will just have to cough up the 100+ euros it costs to manufacture the frontpanel.. unless someone has a better price to offer me.. i was designing my frontpanel in FPD.. cuz the guy who could do it for half the schaeffer price preferred this format.. but maybe the next guy doesn't.. and wants it in autocad or something.. if that is going to be the case i'm screwed.. cuz im not re building the whole thing in another program..

also im hesitant to complete this build as the sid2 is coming and i don't know what features that will carry.. there may even be a possibility to extend the control surface.. who knows..  i would love to see an extended control surface .. but who doesn't..

we'll see..

as for some other projects.. there are a couple of projects on hold which are going to be pretty cool.. imho at least.. when things get settled in my life some more, you can expect some cool things..

for now.. this is the list..

MBsid

MBfm (i'm too afraid to hook it up :P)

MBC64 controller update (fix the loopback when pressing multiple buttons(hellish task)

MBaxe (its mostly assembling and programming it.)

MBikeaSaladBowl (concept project, the cool thing i was talking about)

other stuff (stuff thats preconcept but pretty fun none the less)

im not dead, and even if i was, i'm resurrecting.

greetz,

wisefire

[tarzan boy]

i wondered what happenned to you! I had to take a 6 month break myself, and started up again last week, and now I'm RAELLY close to finishing the whole lot.

Post your front panel design, i'm sure more than just I am curious.

[stryd_one]

it has been too long.. REALLY TOO LONG, AARGH..

well there has been a lot of changes in my life.. i graduated, and im now a certified bachelor of art and technology..

as well as an audiodesigner..

Welcome back and congrats!! :D

[Wisefire]

ill post my frontpanel when its organized.. right now its a disarray of different parts..

@tarzanboy id love to see it when its finished..

@stryd_one

thnx :D

[Wisefire]

well, here it is then.. its obviously not finished.. and im not very happy with it as of yet.. there are parts i do like..

i like how the LCD is in the center and i like the matrix.. thats it really .. i hate the fact that i couldnt fit it all on a 3u frontpanel.. this one is 4u and its a tad too big.. there is wasted space.. as for the button holes i need to make them a tad bigger.. im afraid with this size they wont fit (the holes are exactly the same size as the buttons..) also i wonder how far TK has come with sidV2 and if there are any frontpanel changes i can make (naming things.. 16 step sequencer under it... that i can fit..) i know TK doesnt want to change his frontpanel.. but i still can.. so thats why..

obviously this will be a sidv2 if it comes out.. but thats not gonna be TOO soon.. well thats about it for now..

frontpanel alpha.GIF

[TK.]

I had a conversation with Wilba in the last days about the requirements for an alternative frontpanel, which takes the features of MBSID V2 into account.

The result can be found in the Wiki: http://www.midibox.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=wilba_mb_6582

Hope it helps. It's really very very very difficult for me to finalize the specs for an enhanced frontpanel, when the project is still in the starting phase. :-/

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Wisefire]

thnx TK,

i can indeed see little differences.. some extra stuff.. all the holes around the selection knob i dont get.. doesnt matter i suppose.. i didnt see the 303 mode.. which i really like about what you are doing with the sid.. would love to see a seperate mode just for that..(i would even get an extra core just for that stuff)

i know that you dont do eta but any indication.. less or more than 1/2 year or 1 year is an indication to pursue this front panel or wait and focus on other midibox projects that i have laying around..

[TK.]

The 303 mode is the "bassline" engine, but much better than in MBSID V1, especially the sequence editing should be improved :)

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Wilba]

I've updated the panel previews to the final version, what I've already ordered  ;D

Note: none of the differences to the original design are planned and official MB-SID V2 features! They're just what I would like in my MB-SID, and what I will code myself.

[Wisefire]

ive just received an PB, from someone who wondered if it was ok to hijack this thread to post his own build..

just to make it clear, my sid is not done yet, and i will be continuing this thread as soon as i get some free time again.

or when i get the parts from smashtv for the wilba PCB.

also its generally not a very good idea to mix builds.. as things tend to get convoluted..

for anyone beginning a new build.. make your own topic.. give a great name and start posting your updates..

you got a fresh topic, not some old dinky one with dents and scratchmarks from the previous owner.. no rust.. no old gum

wrappers on the floor.. well you catch my drift.. its easier to follow your build that way..

and of course good luck with your build..

[natemccoy]

i made a simple quick and dirty video of making my MBSID if anyone is interested.

take a look here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0xPzbNRR5Q

:) ;) :D ;D >:( :( :o 8) ??? ::) :P :-[ :-X :-\ :-* :'(