New SIDDHARTHA midibox: help with CS design please

[Platz]

Hi Midiboxers!

First of all, I must thank Thorsten and all of you guys for being such a valuable source of information and fun!!

This is my first post...  I really went nuts with the midibox project, can´t wait to start building it, fell in love with the SID... I decided to build my own MB-SID about 3 weeks ago, each day I´ve been deeply researching on uCapps, the forum and the wiki and i´m quite sure that I understand the basics, learned lots of things -being totally a newbie on electronics and DIY-.

At this moment, i have a working C-64C with an 8580 SID inside.

I decided to go for a custom control surface, based on step 3 CS, but with 5 + 4 encoders instead of 10 + 4, which control OSC ENV, OSC MISC and ASS ENV1 and 2 (the remaining 4 controls lfo rate-depth and filter cut-res).

It is very similar to the MB-SID made by Clemens (my favorite).

Here you can see a preliminary panel design to get the idea (click to enlarge):

Specs:

------

1X 8580 SID module,

1X DIN module, (all 32 inputs used)

1X DOUT module, (24 inputs used)

2x20 LCD w/5 selection buttons + menu button

1 menu encoder

5 encoders for OSC ENV, MISC and ENV control

2 encoders for LFO Rate n Depth

2 encoders for Filter Cutoff n Resonance

C-64 original PSU

1X bankstick

As you can see, it's a reduced step 3 CS; no mod matrix, no OSC R/S, no LFO shape select and the most important: NO ASSIGNABLE ENCODERS... this is my main doubt about the design... I cutted corners to make its assembly/costs as simple as possible.

The idea is, as the normal CS3 does, to scroll through encoder functions by pressing the "select" button, but here I replaced the "assignable" function for the env 1-2 control.

Does this design make sense to you? I am missing something crucial?

I know that I will have to modify the app. code to get this working -*that* will be my major problem-

I think the easiest way to do this is by replacing the "assignable 1"  function by "env control", and keeping the same DIN and DOUT pin assignments... I am right or it isn´t that simple?

Any suggestions? tried to figure how to modify the code by myself but it´s written in chinese for me! ( Thorsten or Clemens could you please give me a hand with this? ;) )

Do you think I´ll miss the assignable encoders function, and why? (not really sure about their importance)... do you miss something else on the panel?

Well, these are my first questions at the moment... just have to tie the "loose ends" to order the kits!

Thank you in advance and take care.

Greetings from Chile!!

Cristóbal Platz

PD: sorry for my english :(

[moxi]

hi,

at least, you have found a realy great name for your gear  ;) !

Other sides of your project look great too..

[Wilba]

First, let me say it's a nice design  ;D and a great name (I used to eat out at an Indian restaurant called Sidhartha).

Now I'll make suggestions...

You need to check that there's enough space between the LCD and the buttons below it, and the encoder to the right.

There's a lot of empty space to the left of the LCD, perhaps you could use a 2x40 character display with 10 buttons underneath?

The label for envelope "rate" should be "depth"

The label "aeg" is a bit obscure for me, but if it makes sense for you then use it, it's your box! Personally I'd just use "env".

You can still use the five encoders as "assignable" encoders, even if you don't use a LED to indicate this... the "select" button can toggle through osc, aeg, misc, env and assign.

I can help out with the coding if it's too hard for you. I think you just need to add an extra "mode" to the Osc Env/Misc/Assign modes... in theory it shouldn't be too much work.

The missing SID buttons and "Link", "CC", "Edit" buttons will have extra uses in MB-SID v2. Even in MB-SID v1, you can only play a demo note or play a bassline sequence by holding down the SID button and the menu button (or from an incoming MIDI Note On event). You should also plan for getting more SIDs! So I would suggest you add the buttons/LEDs for SID1,2,3,4 and Link/CC/Edit to the design, and maybe wait until MB-SID v2 is officially released before making the panel  ;D

One final interesting point: The next (final) MB-SID v1 release (and MB-SID v2) will support buttons and LEDs (not encoders) in a matrix so you can use less DIN and DOUT modules. This means you are not so restricted with the number of buttons and LEDs you can have with just one DINx4 and one DOUTx4 module. I can explain it more later, but basically, with one DIN (8 inputs) and two DOUT (8+8 outputs) you can handle up to 64 LEDs and 64 buttons.

[stryd_one]

For the non-hippy-scum amongst us, that's name of one of the Buddhas (The one people usually mean when they say "Buddha" as though it's a name of a person)

Soon to come: MIIDBox Jehova and MIDIBox Allah. Actually they're the same box but don't tell anyone OK? ;)

Well it's 4am and time for going back to work, like the Buddha said, "A day without work, is a day without food". Which all of us welfare taking musician types know all too well ;)

Amitabha

[Platz]

Hey guys thanks for your comments  ;D

Wilba thanks for your suggestions and the help offered:

You need to check that there's enough space between the LCD and the buttons below it, and the encoder to the right.

There's a lot of empty space to the left of the LCD, perhaps you could use a 2x40 character display with 10 buttons underneath?

Yes, in fact I was thinking to keep that space for adding the missing SID 1-4, CC, Link, Edit buttons n LEDs. I´ll re-check the space between buttons and LCD (I hadn´t the real dimensions when i did the drawing, now i´ll copy-paste them from TK´s contol surface to get them ok)

You can still use the five encoders as "assignable" encoders, even if you don't use a LED to indicate this... the "select" button can toggle through osc, aeg, misc, env and assign.

I can help out with the coding if it's too hard for you. I think you just need to add an extra "mode" to the Osc Env/Misc/Assign modes... in theory it shouldn't be too much work.

That´s good news for me, I will really appreciate your help with the code... I`ll add the "assignable" LED for sure too.

The missing SID buttons and "Link", "CC", "Edit" buttons will have extra uses in MB-SID v2.(...) You should also plan for getting more SIDs! So I would suggest you add the buttons/LEDs for SID1,2,3,4 and Link/CC/Edit to the design, and maybe wait until MB-SID v2 is officially released before making the panel  ;D

You´re definitely right... it´s better to make it "expandable"... I don´t want to regret about it later... I´ll better add a DIN and DOUT to my SmashTV order...

For moxi and styd_one: It´s a beautiful name, isn´t it? i was thinking of a name starting with "SID"... then the name "Siddhartha" came inmidiately to my mind! I´m not a Buddhist myself but i have many friends who are, I´ve read the story of Siddhartha Gautama also, so I found it to be a meaningful name for the box... Glad to hear that you like it too.

Let´s keep in touch!

Cristóbal

[TK.]

Please note that the assign layer of the OSC section is a *must* for MBSID V2, as it contains the free assignable "knob" functions - each patch will have its own assignments which allow interactive sound control of specific parameters which are relevant for "cool sweeps"

Without this layer, you can only control these "knobs" from an external MIDI controller, or with your PC

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Platz]

Please note that the assign layer of the OSC section is a *must* for MBSID V2, as it contains the free assignable "knob" functions - each patch will have its own assignments which allow interactive sound control of specific parameters which are relevant for "cool sweeps"

Without this layer, you can only control these "knobs" from an external MIDI controller, or with your PC

Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi Thorsten, thanks for answering!

Lately I´ve been remaking the layout of my control surface, and I finally will go with 5 osc/misc/assign + 5 env/assign encoders (I had to buy another DIN module anyway, so why not?). This way I don´t have to modify the code, only the pin assignments ;D

I was totally wrong about the real dimensions in my first drawing; in fact, the LCD display is much bigger and the space between encoders tighther in the real world, so I figured out that I actually had space for 5 extra knobs on the surface.

I´m doing the artwork in Adobe Illustrator, later i´ll transfer the design to the aluminium sheet with epoxy paint, then heating it in an oven to get it permanently printed (I think this method is called "sublimation") -I found a local company that transfers logos, advertisement etc to pens and promotional gifts... I asked them and they can do this in aluminium sheets too)

This way you can get professional results much cheaper than engraving it (making the matrix + printing is only USD$40, you can print copies for only USD$4!!) The paint won´t scratch out from the surface.

I´ll drill the holes by myself with a special drill.

I´ll take pictures when I do the transfer, I think it could be interesting to some Midiboxers!

Regards,

Cristóbal

[stryd_one]

I´ll take pictures when I do the transfer, I think it could be interesting to some Midiboxers!

Please do! :)