TK.

I will take this as inspiration, but currently don't have enough time to give you detailed answers (sorry!) (I still haven't started with MBSID V2, or even with finalising MBSEQ V3, but I will do my best to make a first official MBSID V2 release real mid of this year :) Some quick comments: An direct UI control of MBFM is not possible due to various reasons, but a generic control possibility for any external synth could be realized. E.g., selected CC's which are in-sync with MBSID parameters (scalable of course), Note or CC events which are forwarded to sync Envelopes, LFOs, Wavetables, etc... of another synth, etc... AOUT extensions: noticed and found as useful More flexible patch format: already planned :) The SE options in MBSID V1 was the first step, reserving a number of bytes for flags and 7-bit values is the next step. Flexibility: how about a plug-in concept for user-coded effects? Possible Plug-Ins: - AOUT Maniac - Fancy Arpeggiator - Random Sequencer - Stereo Widener - 5.1 Surround Delay - Pseudo FM - SpeakJet Controller - etc. etc. etc. (all routines have to be programmed by users for users) Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi uneksija, the SID module uses the same transistor circuit as the C64. I made a lot of experiments in the past (e.g. connected the SID to various filter circuits, to different mixers, as audio source for small amplifiers, etc) and never fried a chip. So, it seems to be sufficient at least for DIY purposes. However, an additional OP amp doesn't hurt, and this seems to be a good idea to realize a double protection, just for the case... it could amplify the signal as well, as the SID output is not so loud like common synths. I wouldn't use diodes, since they could affect the sound, and I'm not sure if a transformer really helps, since there is still a direct galvanic connection. Best Regards, Thorsten.

see above - fantastic work! :)

Hi Sebastian, the MIDI event filter is the Link Option, only devices which can handle the MIDIbox Link can send "tunnled events" like described here: http://www.ucapps.de/midibox_link.html Which device is exactly connected before the MIDIbox, and which events does it send? Maybe there is an easy to implement solution for your special case Best Regards, Thorsten.

Yes, but as mentioned above, the problem is that the port appears as COM interface under Windows, and not as MIDI interface. So, somebody would have to program a driver which redirects COM to MIDI, and (something I find really important), which allows multiple clients (e.g. MIOS Studio and your favourite MIDI sequencer) to access the MIDI interface the same time. Best Regards, Thorsten.

IFSET and IFCLR were the first macros I ever wrote in PIC assembly (anno 1998), because I always mixed the btfss/btfsc instructions, and I wanted to have the branch in a single line. I'm not sure if it is worth the effort to change my own coding style (as it has to be done for all projects - it's really hard work), but in general I think that it can be easily solved with a small perl script which search/replaces the macros, instead of a bash script which uses sed. Advantage: every MIOS user has to install perl anyhow, no need for additional tools. Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi Hans, I don't know if any host allows to use additional encoders (I don't think so) Concering SysEx in C: some time ago I started with a MBLC implementation in C, but I never finished it. Only thing which is missing (so far I remember) is the support for the MTC LED digits. The alpha version is located here: http://www.ucapps.de/mios/midibox_lc_v2_0_alpha1.zip The SysEx handler can be found in lc_sysex.c Best Regards, Thorsten.

Doch, die MBFM unterstuetzt AOUT und AOUT_LC, die Pinbelegung ist auf der MBHP_AOUT Seite beschrieben Wegen des Poti-Problems: evtl. gibt es einen geringen Potentialunterschied zwischen Masse der Potis und Vss (Masse) am PIC. Schliesse die Masse der Potis mal direkt an J5:Vs, das sollte helfen. Gruss, Thorsten.

And with a higher update rate, you can try the "bit angle modulation" concept which is described here: http://www.artisticlicence.com/app%20notes/appnote011.pdf It improves the resolution, and it distance to "normal PWM", the brightness can be controlled in a linear manner. Best Regards, Thorsten.

Unfortunately it's very likely, that the drum engine of MBSID V2 will support less than 21 patches per drumkit. The intention is to provide prepared "drum modules", so that you don't need to edit wavetables - it's just a fast and easy to use solution to get some drum sounds out of the SID w/o a long installation and configuration orgy. Another important thing is, that a drum kit doesn't consume more memory like a patch of another engine, so that the same BankStick can be used for storing patches of any engine (same frame format) Best Regards, Thorsten.

It is good that alternative solutions do exist with a different focus. The documentation of Arduino is really superb, the software concept is nice, and I think that the platform is sufficient for many experiments. You will run into problems once performance does matter, but this is only a "driver" issue (e.g. converting analog inputs & scanning shift registers via interrupt). Only thing that I don't understand is, why they selected a microcontroller with a low pin-count. Normaly you can never get enough IO pins (especially when a LCD should be connected for debugging), and the price is the same... Btw.: I like the idea that they use the FT232 as a USB interface which makes the adaption to PCs much easier; if a USB driver for COM->MIDI (multiclient capable of course!) would exist, I would use this chip in the MBHP as well. Best Regards, Thorsten.

This very special MIDIbox SID based "sound and AD/DA processing" module has been created by Gerald aka. Logo64 He introduced it long time ago in this posting: http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php?topic=4963.0, but the pictures never found the way into the gallery. Take it as an inspiration, what cool things can be made with a MIDIbox SID, see also his website for additional informations and sound samples: http://home.earthlink.net/~erinys/tech.htm

Another idea: PIC16F88 and PIC18F4620 are cheaper in the US than in Europe, and SmashTV offers them preburned with the appr. firmwares. So, a group order could be organized from a single person in Europe, who would receive the stuff from SmashTV and distribute it to the others. This shouldn't be understood as a competition between Mike and SmashTV. In fact I already asked Mike if he would be interested in such a possibility, but he prefers to buy the parts from a shop which is close to where he lives - especially the PIC18F4620 is more expensive in this shop, therefore I think that an alternative solution should be provided for people who want to save money. Maybe somebody could ask Mike again if he in interested to distribute parts from SmashTV to make clear, that this is not only my private wish. In my eyes he is the ideal person for such group buys, but if he is still not interested, somebody else has to take care about this. Best Regards, Thorsten.

This is the second MBSID that dcer10 has built - this time the full stuffed version in a 19" rack case. I'm always impressed, how good all these variants are looking! :) More pictures can be found in the blog http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php?topic=8033.0 and on his website: http://www.dcerecords.dnsalias.com

Problem is, that Microchip hasn't fixed the bug in the new chip revision as expected. The errata sheet is incomplete, Microchip has been informed about the mistake, but an update is not available yet. So - the EUSART bug still exists, and the MBHP_IIC_MIDI workaround is still required. In germany the cheapest source for PIC18F4620 is farnell.de For the PIC16F88 Reichelt is cheaper. Note that both chips need to be programmed. The PIC18F4620 requires a special variant of the MIOS bootloader, and the PIC16F88 has it's own MBHP_IIC_MIDI firmware. If you don't find somebody who can "burn" the firmware into the chips, I would do this for free Maybe somebody could start a community order? Because these chips will be interesting for MBSID V2 users as well in future. Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi, yes, the .pdf is the reference, in the .brd file the wrong part numbers were used Best Regards, Thorsten.

I haven't started to write any line of code for MBSID V2 yet, the whole schedule is shifted due to various reasons, and a first public beta cannot be expected before summer next year. All PICs should be 4620 Best Regards, Thorsten.

I just have added a link to a new page (MIDIbox SID V1 User Manual) here: http://www.midibox.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=midibox_sid Just login with your forum account, go to this page and press the edit button in order to enter the text. Formatting is described here: http://www.midibox.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=syntax If getting a proper layout is too difficult, just let it like it is (only enter text), and somebody else can take care about this It's really easy - like posting in the forum. Best Regards, Thorsten.

Yes, an extra resistor is not required Best Regards, Thorsten.

Sysexbox is an unsupported application. If it doesn't work on your PC, just use MIDI-Ox Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi, the only explanation for this effect is, that the 1k pull-up R2 of the core module is not connected to the PIC Best Regards, Thorsten.

Hi, thats really a good starting point, I like the idea! Could you please bring this into the Wiki? It would allow me and the others to replace the question marks by some informations w/o much effort, and the document would always be up-to-date! :) A second one for MBSID V2 could be created later based on the manual of V1 Best Regards, Thorsten.

Der Thorsten Klose hat momentan leider nur sehr wenig Zeit, eine hoehere Prioritaet haetten zumindest die anderen Leute, die schon seit Wochen auf eine Antwort von ihm warten :-( Ich verstehe nicht ganz, warum es ein Merger sein muss. Du schreibst, dass die beiden MIDI Outs exakt die gleichen MIDI Daten ausgeben. Es wuerde also keinen Unterschied machen, ob die Events nun von einem Merger zusammengefuegt werden, oder ob sie einfach von einem einzigen MIDI Out dupliziert werden, richtig? Dann saehe die Loesung naemlich ganz einfach aus - nimm einfach das C Skeleton, und setze folgendes in den MPROC_NotifyReceivedEvnt() Hook: void MPROC_NotifyReceivedEvnt( unsigned char evnt0, unsigned char evnt1, unsigned char evnt2) __wparam { switch( evnt0 & 0xf0 ) { case 0x80: // Note-Off: 3 bytes case 0x90: // Note-On: 3 bytes case 0xa0: // Aftertouch: 3 bytes case 0xb0: // CC: 3 bytes case 0xe0: // Pitchbend: 3 bytes MIOS_MIDI_TxBufferPut(evnt0); MIOS_MIDI_TxBufferPut(evnt1); MIOS_MIDI_TxBufferPut(evnt2); // if channel 0 or 1 - send again via channel 14 and 15 if( (evnt0 & 0x0f) == 0 || (event0 & 0x0f) == 1 ) { MIOS_MIDI_TxBufferPut(evnt0 + 14); // send again with channel offset 14 MIOS_MIDI_TxBufferPut(evnt1); MIOS_MIDI_TxBufferPut(evnt2); } break; case 0xc0: // Program Change: 2 bytes case 0xd0: // Poly Aftertouch: 2 bytes MIOS_MIDI_TxBufferPut(evnt0); MIOS_MIDI_TxBufferPut(evnt1); // if channel 0 or 1 - send again via channel 14 and 15 if( (evnt0 & 0x0f) == 0 || (event0 & 0x0f) == 1 ) { MIOS_MIDI_TxBufferPut(evnt0 + 14); // send again with channel offset 14 MIOS_MIDI_TxBufferPut(evnt1); } break; default: // note: status messages must be handled within MPROC_NotifyReceivedByte() break; } } } [/code] Was passiert hier: je nach MIDI Event Typ werden entweder zwei oder drei Byte weitergeleitet. Wenn das MIDI Event auf Kanal 0 oder 1 (wir zaehlen ab 0) empfangen wird, wird es zweimal weitergeleitet. Einmal auf dem urspruenglichen Kanal, und einmal auf Kanal +14 Das ganze laeuft dann auf einem normalen Core Modul ohne zweiten MIDI In Gruss, Thorsten.

Zum Thema Uebersetzungen habe ich im obigen Artikel ein paar Hinweise hinzugefuegt: http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php?topic=4183.msg27127#msg27127 Gruss, Thorsten.

No, this isn't a bug - the details how it is working is described in the ChangeLog. For easy usage just press "Copy Preset" within the event menu, this deselects Trigger Layer A, so that Note Layer A/B/C can be gated seperately. Roll and Accent cannot be controlled seperately, but this is really sufficiently described in the ChangeLog, this is the only documentation source so long no user manual is available Best Regards, Thorsten. P.S.: merged with MBSEQ3 talk, where you can discuss such issues