MIDIbox SID V2 Release + Feedback

[TK.]

Ooops, I did it again ;-)

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[rutgerv]

Hi TK,

wow, this SysEx implementation in the new version is great! The features and documentation are really helpful for developing the MBSID V2 editor.

Just a quick question by the way: can I use program changes and bank changes to select ensembles? Or can program changes only be used to select programs?

Greetings,

Rutger

[TK.]

Hi Rutger,

currently an ensemble can only be selected from control surface.

A change takes very long (ok, long is relative: ca. 250 mS), during this time additionally received MIDI data could get lost. Therefore I'm not sure if it is a good idea to provide such a function.

Another issue: which MIDI channel should be used? And which MIDI event? Program Change and Bank Change are already allocated...

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[TK.]

RC14 is available now, it contains some bugfixes.

I hope that I haven't broken anything with these changes (normaly the small changes cause the unexpected effects... ;-))

  o BankStick write via SysEx now gracefully aborted if only 32k BankStick
    is addressed and patch number >= 065
    SysEx error number 0x11 ("BankStick too small") will be returned in this case
  o the "send dump" function of the "shift menu" now sends the edit buffer
    of the selected SID, which also includes the corresponding device ID.
    BankStick content won't be overwritten if such a dump is sent back.
  o menu page automatically changed to the previous selection if SID master
    or slave selected which is running with a different engine
[/code]
Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Shadyman]

Wow, TK!

Excellent work! I just read this thread from start to finish, just to see how far it has come in such a short time  ;D

Congrats!

[TK.]

RC15 is now available, from the ChangeLog:

  o improved FIP function (linear interpolation of filter cutoff) - it
    is working now the same way as implemented in MIDIbox CV
  o F2A and V2A flags moved to new storage position in ensemble - old
    ensemble setups (where F2A and/or V2A was set) have to be adapted!
  o added new AOUT forwarding functions:
     - P2A (Pulsewidth-to-AOUT)
     - K2A (Key-to-AOUT)
     - O2A (Oscillator Frequency-to-AOUT)
    Channel assignments have to be adapted in setup_*.asm - all channels 
    are disabled by default
  o added functions to forward the 6 gates/slide/accent signals to the
    digital outputs at J5. Assignments have to be configured in the
    setup_*.asm file.
    Note that DEFAULT_J5_FUNCTION has to be set to 3 in order to
    enable the digital output function of CORE:J5
[/code]
Best Regards, Thorsten.

[bugfight]

woohoo!

thanks again again!

[Wilba]

  o added new AOUT forwarding functions:
     - P2A (Pulsewidth-to-AOUT)
     - K2A (Key-to-AOUT)
     - O2A (Oscillator Frequency-to-AOUT)
[/code]
 :o  Wow... now you don't even need a SID, just an external VCO, VCA, VCF...  ;D

[ytsestef]

I think I found a bug:

When in SIDplayer Mode the lower row of text doesn't get cleared with each new song that is played.

If for example I listen to Bionic Commando and then Super Frog, the display will read "Super Frogmando" (the ''mando'' being left from the previous song)

I guess that makes it a bug, doesn't it?  ;D

[TK.]

It's probably a bug in your SID file player

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[ytsestef]

:-[ sorry !!

[TK.]

...but I think that a workaround is possible. Some SID players don't send the "start" command, which would clear the lower line. I could also clear the line whenever the "LCD" command is sent, under the assumption that this is only done once per song

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[rutgerv]

:o  Wow... now you don't even need a SID, just an external VCO, VCA, VCF...  ;D

Wow, I really like the direction in which the MBSID V2 firmware is progressing. Every few months a stupid and insane idea crosses my mind: building a digitally controlled modular synthesizer that is entirely controlled from a (slightly modified) MBSID V2 engine. Reading this reminds me again of this plan, however it just seems to expensive and it will take an insane amount of time to design.

I imagine something looking like a Nord Modular G2, with a software tool that enables the user to route individual modules to other modules. However, the signal paths stays analog! There would be a main board with a master controller (or multiple) and several slots that voice cards can be put in and a couple of FX expansion slots to hold Flangers, Phaser, Filters, etc. The synth would also include a giant switch matrix controlled by a PIC to enable all possible routings between modules. The biggest problems:

- keeping the VCO's in tune (maybe some sort of autotune circuit can be used) !

- keeping up the signal quality with all routing options (i.e. a very decent switch matrix should be used!)

- keeping down the costs

Maybe if TK, Wilba and I retire and we hook up with Tony Allgood (Oakley modular synths) we could build something like this ;).

Rutger

ps. Hehe, sorry for sharing such crazy thoughts!

[nILS]

rutgerv: You might just wanna visit the chat some time - mbModular tends to be discussed in there quite a bit :D

[TK.]

RC16 is now available - beside of bugfixes for minor issues, you get:

  o "ENV Misc" layer added for MB6582 Control Surface
  o SIDPlayer: lower line now always cleared when new LCD message
    is sent by host
  o changed encoder speed behaviour: values incremented fast by
    default now. Incrementer is slowed down by pressing the SHIFT button
    (previously it was the opposite behaviour)
[/code]
Best Regards, Thorsten.

[rutgerv]

Hi TK,

thank you very much for fixing the SuperPoly voice behaviour (the reset on patch change)! This is really nice for me since I use the MBSID V2 for live purposes and notes getting stuck or not playing is a very big issue then.

Maybe there's another thing that could be improved, but it's up to you if you find it usefull. It has to do with the behaviour of the portamento. Most modern synths I've played reset the portamento between patches and ignore the portamento of the first note played on the new patch. This is usefull for smooth patch changes during gigs. At the current version of the MBSID V2 software the portamento resets to notes number 0 and each first note played after a patch changes sweeps the pitch from this lowest note up the note that is played. This can be a problem when switching to a lead sound with long portamento in a live situation... I would propose to ignore the portamento of the first note played after a patch change. It's up to you of course if it's worth spending on (I can live with it the way it is :) ).

Rutger

ps. I already mentioned in another thread, but maybe this is a better place: the V2 editor is progressing very well and I expect to have a beta version finished in a couple of weeks.

[stryd_one]

rutgerv: You might just wanna visit the chat some time - mbModular tends to be discussed in there quite a bit :D

Yah, search the forumand wiki for MBFX, it's not a new idea :) There's currently work being done in the background to get some more modules together for this too... Now back to our scheduled programming ;)

the V2 editor is progressing very well and I expect to have a beta version finished in a couple of weeks.

Nice one!!  :D

[timofonic]

Hello TK,

are there a portable (open source too) and multiplatform SID player out there? A simple command line app is enough, so others will can use it as a basis for implementing plugins for audio/media players and such.

Regards.

[Shadyman]

are there a portable (open source too) and multiplatform SID player out there? A simple command line app is enough, so others will can use it as a basis for implementing plugins for audio/media players and such.

Check Wikipedia: SID Emulation Links

[timofonic]

Check Wikipedia: SID Emulation Links

Sorry I'm tired and forgot to specify. I mean an app that sends the sid file to the midibox SID for playing it with the real chip, not an emulator.

[TK.]

See this article:

http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php/topic,9767.0.html

Current state: Linux version is running fine, I'm planning a port to MacOS X once I find the time to dig through the docs. Wilba started a Windows variant, but encountered issues with the MIDI API of Windows (so far I remember)

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Wilba]

Yeah the issue is that you need to set up a proper MIDI event stream if you want MIDI events to be sent in a timely fashion (instead of queued up in the MIDI buffer and flushed whenever the stupid library thinks it's a good time). Coding up a double-buffered MIDI event stream thing is low priority for me, since ASID XP works  well enough for a bit of fun... I've had to also pass on doing the MB-SID V2 patch editor... too many things to do, not enough time...

[glitched]

ps. I already mentioned in another thread, but maybe this is a better place: the V2 editor is progressing very well and I expect to have a beta version finished in a couple of weeks.

Hi:

I was happy to see how many features have been added since the last time I was here.

I updated the software and now I'm almost completely lost without a visual editor!  (Well, I can make some pretty good sounds, but there's so much depth to the OS.)

Has there been any progress with the V2 editor?

[rutgerv]

Has there been any progress with the V2 editor?

Yes! I'm currently finishing the beta version of the new MBSID V2 Editor. It will contain a librarian to send, receive and organize patches and banks on the MBSID V2 and it will contain an editor for every engine (Lead, Bassline, Drums, Multi).

I already let TK take a look at it and he had some good suggestions, which I'm going to take into account (mostly) before I release a beta version. With it I'll probably also include some nice new patches for the MBSID V2 and since the editor allows us to create patches and exchange them really easily maybe we can put up a 'patch exchange' forum, or is there already such a thing?

Greetings,

Rutger

[nILS]

Whee! I'm so glad the project is still alive, because I really don't wanna write one :D Keep up the good work, rutger!