ytsestef Posted January 1, 2008 Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 Happy New Year everyone!I have almost finished my step-a mbsid, and today I woke up for the first time this year having an idea:Wouldn't it be great if we could make a project for an external full control surface that can be connected via a multi-pin cable to any step-a mbsid? We could use it to create patches without having to get lost in the menus, have our beautiful modulation matrix, with all those leds and stuff, realtime control and everything, and when someone would like to take their sid to a gig or something they could always detach the control surface and take the compact, step-a midibox with them!!So, the lcd, the 5 select buttons, the +,-,shift buttons and the menu button with the main rotary encoder would be still on their midibox, and the filter/osc/env/lfo section and modmatrix would be on an external box.My only consideration is where are the many dinx4 and doutx4 modules going to live. A solution would be to include them in the control surface. That would save us a lot of wires to connect each button/led/encoder to another DIN module that lies in a box next door. But, then again, the step-a mbsid already includes a dinx4 for its step-a surface. I think with smashtv's boards it is possible to chain multiple DINs and DOUTs via a single IDC cable. Is it possible to waste the remaining two shift registers on the synth's DINX4 and connect all the rest of the controls to the other DINs (the ones that would lie in the CS) without running out of ''free slots'' on the CORE?Any ideas are welcome!(Sorry about my bad english, if you can't understand I'll try again :) ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilba Posted January 1, 2008 Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 This idea has been thought of before and discussed on the forum.I recall there was a discussion about how to detect when this external CS was connected and either I (or someone else) suggested a grounded DIN input on one of the DIN modules in the external CS. Like your idea, the external CS would have DIN and DOUT modules incorporated so that the only connection to the main box was through the DIN/DOUT port, a minimum of a 6-pin connection.You can also consider connecting all LEDs and switches to a shared matrix, this will reduce the DIN/DOUT modules required for switches and LEDs to just 1 DIN and 3 DOUT, plus another 4 DIN for 16 encoders.However, wouldn't you want to take the full control surface to a gig, so you could turn the "Knobs"? (see http://www.ucapps.de/midibox_sid_manual_l.html section "KNoBs menu")I think after you put in all the effort of building a full control surface, you would want to use it all the time, and show it off at gigs too ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ytsestef Posted January 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2008 Thanks for the reply, wilba!Sorry if I am being a total newbie here, but am I missing something? Why is it needed for the Step-C CS to be detected??? Now that I only have the Step-A CS, if I connect at any moment some of the unused DINX4 pins with Vs, it sends signal normally as there was a Step-C CS :-\ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rutgerv Posted January 2, 2008 Report Share Posted January 2, 2008 Hi,maybe it's just nice to mention that I'm working on a software editor for the MBSID V2. I've completed the Lead-engine editor and I'm working on a patch management system now. A beta version will be released in a couple of weeks.Greetings,Rutger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj3nk Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 I'm working on a software editor for the MBSID V2. I've completed the Lead-engine editor and I'm working on a patch management system now. A beta version will be released in a couple of weeks.yeah !:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/tilted/ Posted January 5, 2008 Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 Perhaps you could build a midibox control surface...!?I mean, using MB64 or 64E to build a dedicated controller in the tradidion of the LC, which waits for a returned value before lighting the LED etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilba Posted January 5, 2008 Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 Thanks for the reply, wilba!Sorry if I am being a total newbie here, but am I missing something? Why is it needed for the Step-C CS to be detected??? Now that I only have the Step-A CS, if I connect at any moment some of the unused DINX4 pins with Vs, it sends signal normally as there was a Step-C CS :-\I don't remember, the person who wanted to do an external CS wanted some different operation when it was connected. I can't find the original thread, sorry. You are right, there's no real need to know if it is connected or not unless you want it to do something different when connected. For example, if you had a very minimalist "step-A" CS, just one encoder to change the patch, and everything else on an external CS, it might be nice to know when the external CS was disconnected so you could return to the main screen and not be stuck in another screen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ytsestef Posted January 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 an idea...would it do any good building an MB6582's control surface (without the LCD, the five select buttons, the main rotary encoder and the +,-,shift buttons)??? It will be easy to construct due to the ready pcb board that fits perfectly in the ready (predesigned) panel, but will it work without the stuff I mentioned above? And is it easy to interface to independent DIN and DOUT modules (and not to the MB6582's board) ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilba Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 hmmm... yeah it will work but I don't know exactly how easy or good it would be.I'm still not convinced that an external CS is that useful or worth the effort.You will be spending a lot of money to get a custom panel made, putting it in a case, doing all the wiring for a "step C" control surface, only to leave it detached when you're at a gig, when I would think you really would want those knobs to tweak the parameters.Proposing to use the MB-6582 control surface PCB is an interesting idea, and will save you a bit of time doing the same thing on prototyping board. Let's say hypothecially that I though it was a good idea ;) I would cut the PCB along the dividing line above the Osc and LFO sections and cut the mod matrix section from the LCD/menu section, then stick the mod matrix section to the left of Osc and Filter sections on a panel... There would be a little manual wiring to make it work. It would then become a fairly neat "external CS", which you could wire up to 3/4 of a DOUTx4 module and 1 1/4 DINx4 modules. Continuing on this hypothetical, I would donate a spare prototype control surface PCB (a spare one that's the same as the one in my MB-6582) since this is never going to be used in a future MB-6582 as it doesn't match the changes to the panel layout around the LCD/menu area (there aren't any SID or select buttons, or the SID L/R button LEDs)Yeah I'm speaking hypothecially because I still don't think it's a good idea to make an external CS, however, you seem determined to do so in the face of expert advice to the contrary ;) and it does give me an opportunity to give this PCB away to someone who will use it ;D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj3nk Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 I'd take it too if he doesnt want it and if its possible to add these buttons. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilba Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 Continuing on this hypothetical, I would donate a spare prototype control surface PCB (a spare one that's the same as the one in my MB-6582) since this is never going to be used in a future MB-6582 as it doesn't match the changes to the panel layout around the LCD/menu area (there aren't any SID or select buttons, or the SID L/R button LEDs)Maybe I should be clearer... this PCB is not intended for anyone building an MB-6582, as it makes no sense to use it when the revised version will be available in the near future. ;)Maybe I should be even clearer... I am not giving this away to anyone unless I get to use my Dremel to cut it into bits. ;D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugfight Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 ... this PCB is not intended for anyone building an MB-6582, as it makes no sense to use it when the revised version will be available in the near future. ;)...can i have it if i promise to use it as a toilet seat?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj3nk Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 np ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ytsestef Posted January 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Maybe I should be clearer... this PCB is not intended for anyone building an MB-6582, as it makes no sense to use it when the revised version will be available in the near future. ;)Maybe I should be even clearer... I am not giving this away to anyone unless I get to use my Dremel to cut it into bits. ;DWait a sec... are you saying you are going to cut this for me??? You RULE :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilba Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Yeah I'll cut it, but you'll have to do the wiring yourself ;)Here's what I meant by putting the matrix on the left:http://members.optusnet.com.au/~wilba6581/MB-6582_frontpanel_ytsestef.pdfAnd here's the FPD file:http://members.optusnet.com.au/~wilba6581/MB-6582_frontpanel_ytsestef.fpdThe top-left corner matches the original MB-6582 panel, i.e. the corner of the "matrix" PCB aligns with the corner of the panel. Likewise, the "knobs" PCB will align with the bottom-right corner. However, it doesn't have to be aligned like that... you could add some extra panel space around the edge. This is just the absolute minimum panel size/layout you'll need, with all the holes in the right places.So, you want me to start cutting? ;D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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