Midio 128 pipe organ control

[Davidmarks]

I have after a few false starts constructed a midio 128 board with 64 outputs driving darlingtons. These will operate solenoids to open the organ pallets and admit air the to the pipes.

I would like to have the main chromatic scales driven by this board and then construct another to control some "accompaniment" pipes. It would be useful if I could have each of the two core modules operating on different channels. Can anyone tell me if this can be done with the original (16F877) boards as although I would like to try the new system I just can't get my ancient brain around MIOS and I can't even understand if MIOS can do this.You will probably gather that I am clinging on to an understanding of midi by my fingernails ! Any helpful comments would be greatly appreciated.

[TK.]

Hi David,

yes, even the PIC16F877 based solution provides a configuration mechanism, which allows you to alter the channels (and even the MIDI events which are sent). Details can be found in the mk_syx_midio128 script, which can be downloaded from the MIDIO128 page

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Davidmarks]

Hi Thorsten.

Thanks for that. I have not been able to figure out how in the ini file to set up which channel to use. One other question regarding channels. Is it possible to specify a specific channel for individual notes if so what for example would be the code to enter in the table tthe instruction output to pin 5 midi note 60 on channel 3.

Sorry to be a pin.. I am still struggling somewaht (but gradually getting there !)

Cheers

David

[TK.]

Hi David,

the table lists an ON and OFF event for each individual input:

[tt]

[MIDI_OUT]

##########################################

# Pin  # On Evnt # Off Evnt # Behaviour #

##########################################

    1 =  90 30 7F  90 30 00  @OnOff

    2 =  90 31 7F  90 31 00  @OnOff

    3 =  90 32 7F  90 32 00  @OnOff

...etc...

[/tt]

The "90" stands for "Note On at Channel 1", if you want to send a Note On over channel 2, then just replace 90 by 91

It's hexadecimal coding, and we are counting from zero.

Means: 0...9 = MIDI Channel #1-#10, A = MIDI Channel #11, B = #12, C=#13, D=#14, E=#15, F=#16

MIDI Note 60 is hex 3C, if it should sent over Channel 3, then write:

[tt]

    5 =  92 3C 7F  92 3C 00  @OnOff

[/tt]

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Davidmarks]

Hi, Once again many thanks Thorsten that's brilliant, exactly what I need. The example you gave was for midi out. I am using midi in to switch solenoids via darlingtons but I presume the same principle applies.i.e. If I want the midi note C5 on channel 3 to operate pin two then the instruction is:

2 = 92 3C

[John_W._Couvillon]

hello Davidmarks,

I have just completed installation of midibox cores with digital outputs driving darlington drivers (ULN2803A). Works great! Check out Smashtv's lineup of available kits  (MBHP.avishowtech.com-home) There is a dout designed and configured to have the darlington chips on the card with the shift registers.  Works Great!

You did not describe how you are developing the key signals. Are you using jOrgan or a virtual program?  I find that jorgan functions perfectly as a pipe organ master control program.  Not only that, It functions as a hybrid, with electronic stops as well as real pipe ranks. My setup uses a midio128 with 64 outputs for a 16' bourdon, 64 outputs for an 8' open diapason. A second midio128 will give me 64 outputs for a dulciana with many available as spares. These are daisey chained, midi out to in, and finally to a midisport 2x2 output port.

Regards,

Johnc

[Davidmarks]

Hi, Terribly sorry for the long delay in responding, I have not visited the forum recently and have only just seen your post. The organ I am building is a street/fairground organ so the input will be direct from midi files which control the pipes. I have at present a design which uses 120 pipes which comprise 8 bass bourdons 11 accompaniment bourdons, 32 melody double bourdons, 32 melody flutes, 22 counter melody bourdons and 22 counter melody flutes. Sinc I wish to add some percussion, including glockenspiel and some animated figures I am going to need more than 128 outputs. I am proposing to add a second core module and differentiate between outputs by allocating different channels. What I am not sure about is how to connect two core module to the midi player. Can I jus connect the two midi in sockets in parallel  ? Any help would be appreciated. When I have this beast working I will be making all the details available for anyone who is interested. Incidentally I have found that many of the models of Palm hand helds which can be bought very cheaply on ebal can be used with the ITTY midi software to cat as a very successful midi player to drive the system

[John_W._Couvillon]

Davidmarks,

Still don't understand what you are doing.

What is the source of the midi stream that you are decoding with the midio128 to drive the pipes?  Is it a computer running jorgan, miditzer,or some other virtual organ program?

To connect two cores together in an output application,  assuming core 1 receives a midi stream from some remote source, you connect the midiout of core 1 to the midi in of core two.  That way anything coming into the midi in of core 1 will pass on through and be decoded depending on your ini file setup.

I am doing the same thing with three ranks of pipes.