bassbinz Posted August 29, 2007 Report Share Posted August 29, 2007 Hello friends. I thought I should post a quick introduction - sorry if this is the wrong forum. Mods, feel free to move or delete this if it breaches forum etiquette.I've been a fan of SID music since the day I got my C64 at the age of 8. No other sounds move me as much as those classic arps or an awkwardly opening low-pass filter. The C64 has been part of my music-making arsenal for seven or eight years, especially a during the time I used GoatTracker and an audio cable taken from the DIN port (from what I remember). For convenience and speed of workflow, I've long since moved to emulators or sample banks, but recently I've become saddened to think of my 3 SIDs silently gathering dust.I was reminded of the SIDstation upon hearing about the untimely death of Daniel Hansson at Elektron, which galvanised my determination to get my SIDs singing again. I thought about going down the HardSID route, but those thoughts were blown out of the water upon learning of the MIDIbox SID.I found somebody selling MIDIbox SIDs on eBay at the same time I discovered this community. I have to be honest and say that the process of building my own MIDIbox SID would not be its own reward. I'm a musician, and an impatient one at that! BUT having read about the ethics of this community and the passion with which people discuss them, I'm under increasing pressure from my conscience NOT to buy one from eBay and to (gulp) make one instead.The thought of trying to build a MIDIbox SID terrifies me, not least because of the danger of wrecking my precious SIDs. Also I have terribly shaky hands. I did some soldering work on a Colour Gameboy a few years back and still have a scar on my arm (a fair price for an improved bass sound I think). That said, I think I'm going to give it a try, despite being 90% sure it will end in tears.Assuming somebody is still reading this, would you be kind enough to point me towards some beginner's tips, I mean real beginner's - assume I know nothing and you'd be pretty close to judging my level of expertise.Many thanks in advance,Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilba Posted August 29, 2007 Report Share Posted August 29, 2007 Hi bassbinz!Try not to be too terrified of building your own MIDIbox SID.There is a lot to learn about how the modules go together, and a lot of helpful information is in the MIDIbox Knowledge Base (or more commonly referred to as "the wiki").There are lots of people here to help you out during construction, either through forum posts or the chat client.You can start small with just a Core and SID module and getting them to work, gaining some practice in soldering and understanding the MIDIbox concepts. SmashTV sells complete kits for the modules in his shop. Then perhaps move on to using the MB-6582 PCBs, which puts multiple Core and SID modules on one PCB, along with the other extra circuits to use a C64 PSU, store patches, and attach a control surface (switches, knobs, LEDs, LCD display). While this PCB is large, it's a lot less work than soldering lots of individual modules and wiring them together, and does solve the usual newbie roadblock of converting the schematics for these extra circuits into prototyping boards. (I hope this doesn't appear like I'm "pimping" my own work ;D but you are sure to see references to it on the forum, with 120 base PCBs about to be constructed!)I would not worry too much about your SIDs, if you follow all the testing procedures before you insert a SID into a SID module, you shouldn't be able to damage the SID. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidBanner Posted August 29, 2007 Report Share Posted August 29, 2007 hi joe,welcome to the board!I'm under increasing pressure from my conscience NOT to buy one from eBay and to (gulp) make one instead.excellent! at least one good thing will have come out this whole distasteful ebay affair.I have to be honest and say that the process of building my own MIDIbox SID would not be its own reward. you are so right! don't get me wrong, having a midibox sid is hella cool, but having the knowledge you will gain will be a lot cooler (maybe not in a getting chicks to come home with you way) and you'll find the real rewards will come later when you find yourself doing things you never even thought you could/would with electronics.I'm pretty sure you'll get your SID together, you've waited this long, so take your time, enjoy the ride. Kits from smash and help from the folks round here will take the whole "impossibility" factor out and make it a learning curve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebula Posted August 30, 2007 Report Share Posted August 30, 2007 In case you haven't already read this ...http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php?topic=9787.0From newb to functional MIDIbox SID owner in 4 short days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbinz Posted August 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2007 Thanks for the welcomes Wilba, DavidBanner and nebula. Looks like I'll have all the support I need in what at first seems like an impossible task. It's heartening to think that in a year's time I might be among those giving out the advice.I think I'll start with reading up soldering and techniques to avoid contamination / static etc. I'll also have to break it to my girlfriend that I plan to use part of our spare room as a workshop. :oThe SmashTV kit looks like the place to go after that. I have 3 C64s but it does seem wise to begin with a single SID module. Did I read somewhere that someone has made a VST MIDI controller? If I could control my first simple box in a VST environment that would be a dream come true, although a full tactile control surface is my ultimate goal.Okay thanks again, and expect to hear a lot more from me!Joeps: that NES box looks superb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midiboxxer Posted August 30, 2007 Report Share Posted August 30, 2007 Did I read somewhere that someone has made a VST MIDI controller? Yes you read it!Look here:http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php?topic=5116.0;topicseen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbinz Posted August 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2007 Yeah, found it again thanks. This whole project looks too good to be true. I think if I had a working MB-6582 I'd never leave the house again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Therezin Posted August 30, 2007 Report Share Posted August 30, 2007 I found a good place to start was with the optimized PSU circuit - if you're worried about your soldering skills it's better to screw up on £1's worth of veroboard than on a proper PCB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilba Posted August 30, 2007 Report Share Posted August 30, 2007 I think I'll start with reading up soldering and techniques to avoid contamination / static etc. I'll also have to break it to my girlfriend that I plan to use part of our spare room as a workshop. :oYou don't really need a workshop... I do all my soldering on a table in my study (home office) with a piece of chipboard on top.You will probably be overloaded with advice soon... like get a cheap temperature-controlled soldering iron with a narrow pointed tip (not a flattened tip!)... they usually come with their own holder (so you don't lay the iron on the bench and burn your bench or yourself). And use thin solder. My personal soldering technique is described here (see the part about Tacking, that's my term, perhaps people call it something else?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbinz Posted August 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2007 Thanks Therezin, and hello. :)Advice overload suits me fine Wilba. I've already glanced at your soldering tips, among others. I'll be studying them in a detail once I get my temperature-controlled, narrow-tipped iron.A table, some chipboard, a soldering iron and lots of mess will amount to a workshop in my girlfriend's eyes! She'll be cool with it if I play her the MP3s of MIDIboxes in action (she's as much of a music nerd as me - just not quite as tolerant of junk).I'm away for a long weekend now ;D but I'll be pestering you all for more beginners tips next week.Cheers,Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glitched Posted August 31, 2007 Report Share Posted August 31, 2007 Trust me. Once you get into it, it won't seem so hard.I just finished my first MBSID! Read some of my postings to read about my journey. (I was apprehensive at first, but it only took me 4 days to complete the project, sans enclosure.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbinz Posted September 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 Thanks glitched. Your NES_SID is really inspiring. Good work.Right, so in between arranging tours for two of my three bands, getting to grips with the finer points of energyXT, and hanging on to a job, my first jobs here are to find an old desk to work on and buy some decent tools.I think I might set a record for the longest time between being a total novice to having my first MIDIBox SID, but I think I have the enthusiasm (and hopefully the support) to see it through. Watch this space... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glitched Posted September 8, 2007 Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 ps: that NES box looks superb!Thanks for the comment! I believe the next iteration will be much nicer. In fact, I have already sourced a new case, also by nintendo, but not an NES. Shhhhh!Anyway, good luck on your build. I think one of the main things is to remember the mbsid project is meant to be fun; don't get too frustrated if you can't figure something out right away. There is always an answer and almost everything is fixable.-d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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