TK. Posted April 30, 2003 Report Share Posted April 30, 2003 To finish the endless USB discussions, I finally decided to realize a MBHP USB module based on the Cypress AN2131SC. This chip has some advantages compared to ready-made serial USB solutions: 8051 compatible (I already programmed some applications with 8051 derivatives some years ago)2 UARTS (-> 2 MIDI INs, 2 MIDI OUTs)8k internal SRAM - only a few number of external pins have to be connected; this reduces the probability for failures2-stage bootstrap loader allows to transfer the firmware via USB to SRAM without the need for a EPROM or FLASH programmerno propritary USB solution, allows the implementation based on official USB-MIDI specs from http://www.usb.org therefore this module will run under Windows, Mac, Linux without a dedicated driverfree development environment & good documentationSince this quarter the chip is available @ Reichelt for 10.50 EUR, therefore it's really a long-term solutionIn the US it is available @ Digi-Key for US $10.53the whole module (components, plugs + PCB) will cost about 20 EURcan also be used as MIDI merger and processor, but further enhancements (mini MIDI controller or similar) are not planned from my side (the chip is too slow for such tasks, and MIOS is the better solution for this purpose)implementation in assembler and/or C, code will be published under GNU public licenseDisadvantage: it's a SMD chip. But this will not be my problem ;-) It has only 44 pins and the pitch is large enough for a common soldering iron with a small tip (="loetspitze")Mike wrote me that he is able to handle with the SMD size, so a PCB will be available once I've finished the firmware development.Best Regards, Thorsten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain_Hastings Posted April 30, 2003 Report Share Posted April 30, 2003 Once again... plain awesome Thorsten!*bows*A big thank you for sharing your projects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pay_c Posted April 30, 2003 Report Share Posted April 30, 2003 What else to say but: 8) :DDon´t you get bored with the time of all those "You´re the best, TK" postings?Anyhow: You are the best, TK! ;D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d2k Posted April 30, 2003 Report Share Posted April 30, 2003 yup, indeed another belter addition TK!! ;))NiceDanPs, hope u had a decent hol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sephult Posted May 1, 2003 Report Share Posted May 1, 2003 Thorsten-Do you think that USB communication could ever be used for other storage dumps such as bank information to a PC? I know a sysex dump would be the same, but do you think it will ever be possible to store a single file of bank information and retrieve it in a drag and drop manner? Awesome job with the USB, I can't wait to check it out!-Sephult ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK. Posted May 1, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2003 thanks thanks thanks - but please wait with your praises until I've finished the module ;-) I will get two AN2131SCs in the next days, thereafter I will create the layout for a prototype board, Mike will make the PCBs, afterwards I can begin with the firmware development. This procedure can take some weeks. However, I don't expect problems, since I got an example application running on a (borrowed) evaluation kit from CypressSephult: it's not clear to me what you exactly mean. Bank and firmware exchange via MIDI (resp. USB-MIDI) is already possible; Drag and Drop is something which has to be supported at the "other" side (e.g. by a windows application) and this is not my job ;-) The basics are already available - you are able to access the flash, EEPROM and BankStick memory via MIDIBest Regards, Thorsten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK. Posted May 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2003 Yesterday I received the AN2131SC and like every time I couldn't resist to test the chip without creating a PCB. However, this time it was a little bit difficult - soldering SMD on a breadboard doesn't make fun. But finally I was able to create some kind of carrier board with a lot of cables:(it looks like a neuronal experiment ;-))Some additional logic was necessary for the voltage conversion, the MIDI In/Out ports and LEDs:But this was enough to develop the EZ-USB firmware.After some hours and 100 windows crashes:...the MIDI ports have been regognized by Windows as "USB-Audioger#t" (USB Audio Device). Unfortunately the M$ driver doesn't allow me to change this name. However, the performance is cool (< 1 ms latency) and I noticed no buffer overruns yet. Hopefully the firmware will also work with other windows versions --- this will be a challenge :-/Best Regards, Thorsten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d2k Posted May 4, 2003 Report Share Posted May 4, 2003 Damn!! you don't hang about do ya :oYour fingers are gonna evolve to soldering iron tips at some point i swear! ;pFantantic stuff, just keeps gettin better n better...NiceDan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMusicman Posted May 4, 2003 Report Share Posted May 4, 2003 Hey ThorstenNice work with the iron 8)Something to put in my project queue.(maybe put it in my LC clone)Kent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest opiumx Posted May 4, 2003 Report Share Posted May 4, 2003 TC - You do all this work, and dont even have a paypal donation link on your site? I highly recomend it, unless you are totally against charity. But, you put alot of work into this stuff, unless you get some sort of strange kick out of it, hehe. I would donate! And Im sure others would as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven_C Posted May 4, 2003 Report Share Posted May 4, 2003 RE:"TC - You do all this work, and dont even have a paypal donation link on your site? I highly recomend it, unless you are totally against charity. But, you put alot of work into this stuff, unless you get some sort of strange kick out of it, hehe. I would donate! And Im sure others would as well."maybe you should tell us when your birthday is, and put up a birthday wish list so we can give you something you like, as some sort of goodwill gesture! (to put it into legalistic terms! ;) well I hope we are all having fun!bye, from Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pay_c Posted May 4, 2003 Report Share Posted May 4, 2003 Yepp!!! Would be cool, if we could give you at least *something* back for all that stuff youre doing there! Dammit, I never could be thinking of building my *own* USB MIDI device! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemonhorse Posted May 4, 2003 Report Share Posted May 4, 2003 maybe you should tell us when your birthday is, and put up a birthday wish list so we can give you something you like ...that sounds cool - i join in - the midibox-community fulfill TK's bithday wishes! - let's make it real  ;DSo, TK - what is YOUR desire ?!- laughing lemonhorse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mF_freak Posted May 4, 2003 Report Share Posted May 4, 2003 U N B E L I E V A B L E Great Job TK!!!!! :o :o :o :o :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK. Posted May 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2003 The reason why I haven't started with a public PayPal account yet is that I want to prevent that people transfer much money to my account in the hope that I would do some individual extra work for them (developing a customized hardware or something similar). Sometimes it's really difficult to explain them that I only want to realize things which are interesting for myself, which brings the running projects forward and which helps me to improve my knowledge about electronic and software development. I guess that most of the people who are working on free stuff are thinking the same. The MIDIbox projects are just my personal contribution to the public domain, my "thank you" for the free stuff which I'm using for my own work.However, donations... hmmmm.... maybe somebody of you know the good old days before internet when public domain names requested to send them postcards. It would be nice to see some pictures of the country/state/city/township from where you are coming from. I'm also very happy with CDs from your own music or from your favourite artist (I remember: Steven started with it some months ago, and in the meantime I own a nice collection of special CDs, donated by MIDIbox users, which I mostly hear during my tinkering sessions :))Best Regards, Thorsten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pay_c Posted May 5, 2003 Report Share Posted May 5, 2003 Thats some good idea. But since my MB isnt finished yet, I will send you that music in some months/weeks. (money faded away in the middle of the project ..... :-/ ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SexyBeast Posted May 14, 2003 Report Share Posted May 14, 2003 Hi,this is cool news. Can't wait to test if the device you can find under the link below will work with the USB module...http://212.223.15.152/produkte/index2_titel.cfm?titel=Bluetooth&rubrik=Bluetooth&menu=produkte&CFID=568284&CFTOKEN=91537004Imagine: a wireless Midibox.... 8)regards, SB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mF_freak Posted May 14, 2003 Report Share Posted May 14, 2003 Sometimes people just can't get enough... :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK. Posted May 14, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2003 Yes... ;-)Like every common USB device the USB module will be a client, not a host. This means that it isn't possible to get a link to other USB clients.Best Regards, Thorsten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Nick Posted June 18, 2003 Report Share Posted June 18, 2003 Hi Thorsten!I'm about to buy a MIDI-interface, but I guess building my own would be way cheaper. Could you allready give a rough estimate about the time it might take you to realease the MBHP USB module code and schematics?I really appreciate all the time and effort you put into the whole project!Dr. Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK. Posted June 19, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2003 okok, before you've to wait endless for the complete documentation, you will find now all the stuff which is required to get this module running under Concepts->MBHP->USBPlease read it carefully, this projects isn't suitable for beginners (because of the SMD chip)Best Regards, Thorsten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mF_freak Posted June 19, 2003 Report Share Posted June 19, 2003 Yuppie!!!! Geiles PCB übrigens... Gibts das schon bei Mike? Ich muss ja schliesslich auch gleich eine bauen  ;D/edited 1 day later: oooops :P I posted german in the english forum lolHeres the translation: Cool designed PCB... Is it allready available from Mike? I have to build an usb module NOW! ;DPS: very well done PCB smashtv! I'm thinking to order it from you with the panasonics when im back... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK. Posted June 19, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2003 Mike is currently on vacation, but I will ask him next week.Btw.: the PCB layout has been created by SmashTV - thanks a lot!!! :-)And of course, you can also order the board from him (he should be back on friday)Best Regards, Thorsten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noskule Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 hi thorstenjust wondering . . ..did you try the usb module under linux to ?theres a generic usbmididriver . . .http://member.nifty.ne.jp/Breeze/softwares/unix/usbmidi-e.htmlfor linux .. .. .. .. . .grz noskule Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK. Posted June 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 this USB-MIDI driver is obsolete and doesn't work with the current Linux version, the update has been partly integrated into the kernel, partly into ALSA... I will write something about the required installation steps so soon as I've some time (my own Linux installation is fairly old, I've to update the kernel, some libraries, etc. to get ALSA 0.9.3 or 0.9.4 running..). Best Regards, Thorsten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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