[maniac]

I'm confused...

looking on bd50xg doughter board: analog GND is definitely separated from digital GND, but it's impossible to guess whether PIN 8 is connected or not. Unfortunately I don't have soundcard with waveblaster socket and I’m not able to activate daughter board :/

From the other hand: there are options 'receive bank' & 'transmit bank' in XG Gold editor. Don't know if it works with db50xg or not. Probably works with sw60xg / mu10 ...

[TheProf]

Thanks for that Strd. epanorama is down at the moment, but the version I posted was their latest one.

Quote

Hmmm, let's see how easy it is to follow the leads on the SoundBlaster card.

Have just got out old soundblaster card and testmeter. Answer: not that easy due to it being a multi layer board as far as i can tell.

With the AWE32 top edge up, looking at the component side, with the PC case back plate to the right.

Assuming a normal 26 pin IDC header numbering, Which for the AWE32, (whose header is horizontal), means pin 1 at the top row right.

The odd pins bar pin 13 are all to ground.  web searching for a while would seem to provide a consensus that
1,3,5,7,9,11 are digital ground and 15,17,19,21,23,15, are analogue

Pins 6, 10,and 14 are to 5 Volt.

The elektor magazine article is a bit confusing, due to the fact that they mounted the waveblaster board UNDER the host PCB, thus the pin outs on their connector are mirrored.

Jury is still out on the MIDI in.

I'll post more when I get my waveblaster boards. I thought there is one around here somewhere, best guess is in the box with the other AWE32, which I can't find either. . . .

The expansion on the AWE64 is different again - I think it's some kind of sample ROM. Turtle beach did a card that had sample RAM on it, but it loaded the samples via MIDI. Reports were that 4Meg of samples took 45 minutes....

Oh, and if anybody wants some RAM for an AWE32, I've just found about 8 sticks: free, your postage.

Mike

[SeverityOne]

Now that's a coincidence: just as I was about to post, you had posted your message about the SoundBlaster and the multi-meter.

If we take the following pin out, according to the print on the DB50XG:

1 2
3 4
5 6
...

then both pins 4 and 8 are connected. If you weren't confused before, this would be a good time.

The DB50XG has all components - without exception surface mounted - on one side of the PCB. Only the 26-pin WaveBlaster connector is soldered through-hole and sits on the other side of the board. It's a clever design, so they can use the huge grounded areas on the non-component side as a shield. (At least, that's what I presume, I could be talking total nonsense here.)

If you look closely, there are are two small leads on the non-component side coming from the 26-pin connector. They go on for about 2.5 cm/one inch and end up in through-holes (which makes them excellent to use with a multi-meter). These come from pins 4 and 8.

On the other side of the through-holes is a 74HC14A, a Schmitt-trigger inverter. From the Motorola datasheet:

Quote

The HC14A is useful to “square up” slow input rise and fall times. Due
to hysteresis voltage of the Schmitt trigger, the HC14A finds applications
in noisy environments.

Well, that would make sense. Another lead from the 74HC14A goes to pin 26, 'Reset', so that also appears to be correct.

The only conclusion that I feel is safe to draw at this moment is that you can't trust anything you find on the internet...

- Peter

[TheProf]

If oin 4 is connected to pin 8, then it means the DB50XG, has no real MIDI out, but spoofs the MIDI out connection as a MIDI thru.

Which supports Manics research, that at least a MIDI out was in the Waveblaster Spec.

As I said earlier, I'm going to start with a basic interface for external MIDI, which as least gets me a useable tool, then it might be worth looking at a MIDIbox <--> Waveblaster.

I'm not doing a 'piggy back board, but putting a cable mounted pin header on some ribbon cable because there are different daughter boards out there.

We're getting somewhere, anyhow!

Mike

[SeverityOne]

As far as I can tell, they are not connected directly to one another, but both to the 74HC14A. That's what the measurements showed.

I'l have to leave it at this for a little under two weeks, because of a holiday.

- Peter

[stryd_one]

Bon Voyage man :)

[DrBunsen]

The SoundDiver editor layout pictured here might give you some ideas for a MIDIbox XG control surface layout.

[bosone]

some infos and layout here:

http://www.frontiern...0xg/db50ext.zip

[stryd_one]

Great find bosone :)

Since this is one of those design concepts that just never dies, I am bringing that zip onsite :D

Attached File(s)

•  db50ext.zip (566.37K)
  Number of downloads: 45
•  db50ext.zip (566.37K)
  Number of downloads: 20

[JohnnieBee]

I recently saw an article in Nuts and Volts magazine (Feb 2009 edition, I think) showing a PIC based controller for the DB50XG. Had USB interface, but the PIC wasn't one we use here.

Sorry to be so vague but I don't actually have mag in front of me.

At the time I saw this I did a search on ebay and there were very few DB50XG's for sale.

John

[bosone]

db50xg are quite rare and pretty expensive. i never found ebay auctions below 50€ or so.... i think that 50€ for a computer stuff more that 10 years old and unusable on modern PC are a lot of money!!  :D

the reason is that the daughterboard can be used also in masterkeyboards such as oberheim MC1000 or similar, in order to get new sounds.

anyway, if i could find one for very low money, i would definitely buy it!  :P

[stever]

Quote

I recently saw an article in Nuts and Volts magazine (Feb 2009 edition, I think) showing a PIC based controller for the DB50XG. Had USB interface, but the PIC wasn't one we use here.

That's my design... I exchanged some notes and ideas early on with Thorsten about implementing USB-MIDI... he was good enough to run my routines through his test suite, too. The article was spread over the Feb/Mar 2009 issues of N&V.. all the code is on their site.

I'll be putting it up on my own site (www.grapevyne.com/pic.projects) in a month or so, and any new developments will go there as well.

Steve.

[stryd_one]

Great stuff stever, thanks for sharing it and especially congrats on your publishing :)

[Screaming_Rabbit]

... you can trick the subscription, by entering the pages in the URL directly.

http://nutsvolts.tex...s/200902/?pg=44
http://nutsvolts.tex...s/200902/?pg=46
http://nutsvolts.tex...s/200902/?pg=48

http://nutsvolts.tex...s/200903/?pg=40
http://nutsvolts.tex...s/200903/?pg=42
http://nutsvolts.tex...s/200903/?pg=44

Greets, Roger

[stever]

Quote

Great stuff stever, thanks for sharing it and especially congrats on your publishing :)

Thanks - I enjoyed developing the project, and being able to access and get pointers from resources such as this list made things easier than they might have been.

Steve

[Jack]

Hi,

I have found a helpful sites long time ago, for XG programming.
Maybe this is helpful for you.

XG programming:
http://www.studio4al...rameset090.html
http://www.studio4al.../welcomexg.html

alternative board design, but in german:
http://www.heise.de/.../artikel/123220

@Steve, nice project.  :)
Do you have created a board for preview?

Best Regards
Jack

[stever]

Quote

alternative board design, but in german:
http://www.heise.de/.../artikel/123220

This, or something like it, was what started me thinking about using my DB50XG for a project quite a few years ago... It was seeing the MIDI-Nator project that completed the puzzle and made me realise I could add a USB interface by using a suitable PIC device.

Quote

@Steve, nice project.  :)
Do you have created a board for preview?

Thanks for the compliment.

I've made a few changes since the initial design was published and have a prototype board back that seems to work fine... I'm working on an enclosure at the moment... I hope it will be done in a month or so (not much spare time!). The results will be on my website (www.grapevyne.com/pic.projects)... I hope to include PCB info.

Regards, Steve.

[raoulblues]

hello
with my friend we have realized the midibox db50
All parameters are editable
the program is available if you wish

photos link

http://picasaweb.goo...K2LhrnNhJ--hAE#

[stryd_one]

Badass! and a whopping 4x40 too :D

Quote

the program is available if you wish

I wish!!
(I can't find a DB50 lately, but if I do get one, I'll want this app for sure!)

Do you have schematics or anything like that? It would be really good to put this in the user projects forum I think :)

[raoulblues]

voici les possibilités
(desolé c'est en français)

1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
Units: The db50 contains 16 parts: 1 part = 1 instrument
The DB50 contains QS300 track 32: track 1 = 1 instrument
To reset: 1 part by midi channel
Part 1 = MIDI Channel 1
Part 2 = MIDI Channel 2 ETC ...
It can affect several part on midi channel 1 for several superimposed.
You can also assign a path to QS300 to a MIDI channel (menu button 4)

Color code 1 = push, 1 = encoder ENCODER partner, Fabrice = what is played on the LCD
2 MENUS
Are accessed by the push (if the order is respected)
Normal Route 1
2
3 Multipart canal MIDI
4 MENU General QS 300
5 Settings Menu QS300 amplitude
6 Menu Settings QS300 PITCH
7 Settings Menu QS300 LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator)
8 Menu Settings QS300 filter

SCREEN OF THE EDITOR QS 300
The parameters are changed by rotation encoders

MENU General QS 300 (push 4)

Premiere Online
Fabrice ENCODER 1 the name of the instuments
ENCODER 2 AND 3 EL. 0 / 1 Number of active element (under edition)
ENCODER 4 AND 5 WAV 1 / 52 the number of waveform or instrument used by the element
ENCODER 6 FLIGHT 127 The volume of instuments
M 0 The number of the instuments in the Bankstick
Second line
ENCODER 7 Voice 1 The path from 1 to 32 or the instrument will be placed
ENCODER 8 Channel 1 channel to be assigned to the track
9 Bank 1 ENCODER number Bankstick current (1 to 5)

ecran1
1 PARAMETER SCREEN FILTER (8 button)

1 ENCODER FILTER RES 127 resonnance filter
ENCODER 2 Cut 80 cut-off frequency of filter
0 ENCODER 3 LFO LFO Amplitude Modulation Filter
ENCODER 4 Curve line type curve modulation
ENCODER 5 TO 8 Rate 63: 23: 17: 0
ENCODER 9 S 64
ENCODER 10 13BP 24: 48: 72: 96 break points on 4 of the filter
ENCODER 14 A 16 LEV 64: 89: 79: 64 4 filter levels

ecran2

ENCODEUR 1  PITCH DEPTH 2 Profondeur du pitch
ENCODEUR 2  SCAL 5 Echelle de pitch 0 a 5 ( 0=100%, 5=0%)
ENCODEUR 3  LFO 0 Amplitude du LFO de Modulation
ENCODEUR 4    RATE SCALE 64 
ENCODEUR 5 A 8 Rate 63 :63 :63 :63
ENCODEUR 9 S 64    PEG RATE SCALING
ENCODEUR 10 NOTE CENTRE 60  PEG RATE SCALING CENTRE NOTE, la note centrale du pitch
ENCODEUR 11 A 14 LEV 64 :89 :79 :64 les 4 seuil de niveaux du PITCH
ENCODEUR 15 S 64   
ecran 3
ENCODEUR 1  LFO TRI Forme du LFO
ENCODEUR 2  SPD 63 Vitesse du LFO
ENCODEUR 3  NOTE CENTRE 35 
ENCODEUR 4    FADE TIME 0 
ENCODEUR 5  NOTE SHIFT 64
ENCODEUR 6  DETUNE    DESACORDAGE GENERAL (Fonction  non LFO)
ENCODEUR 7 PHASE INIT ON ?  (Fonction  non LFO
ecran5
5 ECRAN PARAMETRE DES PART(poussoir 9)

Ce Menu change en temps réel les paramètres de chaque part
Chaque paramètre est stocké en mémoire et pourra etre stocké sur un bankstick par bank de 16 parts avec 16 paramètres. (A venir…)
ENCODEUR 1  PART 1  Numéro de part en cour d’édition
ENCODEUR 2  VOL 100 Volume de la part
ENCODEUR 3  PAN 64  panoramique de la part
ENCODEUR 4    DRY 127  niveau de sec (sic !)
ENCODEUR 5  CHOR 0  Niveau de chorus
ENCODEUR 6 REV 40 niveau de réverbération
ENCODEUR 7  VIBR 64 Niveau de vibrato
ENCODEUR 8 DEP 64  profondeur de vibrato
ENCODEUR 9 DLY 64 Retard de vibrato
ENCODEUR 10 PB 66 Niveau de pitch bend
ENCODEUR 11 CUT 64 frequence de coupure du filtre
ENCODEUR 12 Q 64 RESONANCE DU FILTRE
ENCODEUR 13 A 64  TEMP DE MONTEE ( ATTACK ADSR)
ENCODEUR 14 D 64  TEMPO DE MAINTIENT ( DECAY ADSR)
ENCODEUR 15 S 64 NIVEAU DE MAINTIENT (SUSTAINT ADSR)
ENCODEUR 16 BF Contrôle de la pente du filtre (BEND FILTER CONTROL

6 ECRAN PARAMETRE drums (poussoir 11)

Ce Menu change en temps réel les paramètres de chaque instrument de batterie ( 1 par note)
Chaque paramètre est stocké en mémoire et pourra être stocké sur un bankstick par bank de XX instrument  avec 16 paramètres. (A venir…)
Si une note de batterie est reçu (canal 10) l’écran se positionne sur celle-ci).
ENCODEUR 1  INSTRUMENT 59  Numéro d’instrument en cours d’édition
ENCODEUR 2  VOL 100 Volume de l’instrument
ENCODEUR 3  PAN 64  panoramique de l’instrument
ENCODEUR 4    ALT 0  Alternative group ?
ENCODEUR 5  CHOR 64  Niveau de chorus
ENCODEUR 6 REV 64 niveau de réverbération
ENCODEUR 7  VARI 127 Niveau de variation
ENCODEUR 8 KEY 0  Key assign ( single ou multi)
ENCODEUR 9 PITC 64 (Pitch coarse)  hauteur de l’instrument Général
ENCODEUR 10 PF 64 (Pitch fine hauteur) de l’instrument fin
ENCODEUR 11 CUT 64 frequence de coupure du filtre
ENCODEUR 12 Q 64 RESONANCE DU FILTRE
ENCODEUR 13 A 64  TEMP DE MONTEE ( ATTACK ADSR)
ENCODEUR 14 D 64  TEMPO DE MAINTIENT ( DECAY1 ADSR)
ENCODEUR 15 D 64 TEMPO DE MAINTIENT (DECAY2 ADSR)
ENCODEUR 16 BANK 0 Numéro de bank en cours d’édition

config mini
16 poussoirs
16 encodeurs
afficheur 4x40
16 leds

option
8 pots