FYI: MBSID CS panel ordered

Design Concepts
1

I’ve ordered my MIDIbox SID panel from Schaeffer Apparatebau, so Step D should be up and running in about 2 weeks. :slight_smile:

Here a snapshot:

http://www.ucapps.de/midibox_sid/mbsid_surface4.gif

Some words to the last changes:

  • I removed the LED rings due to mechanical reasons. I’ve experimented with several mounting techniques, but found no way for soldering the buttons, LEDs and encoders to the same board. A solution would be the use of other buttons, but the C64 case is too small… therefore I will use two boards: one for the encoders, another for the buttons and LEDs, which is on the top of the encoder board (double-decker). Disadvantage: so there won’t be enough place for the LED rings. However, the LCD will display the values anyhow when a select button of a section is pressed (e.g the OSC or Ctrl button), and since most people don’t plan to build LED rings, too, it’s maybe better when I focus upon the handling without the rings.
  • of course, the firmware will support LED rings for people who plan to design another layout with more relaxed constraints (bigger)
  • The poly/mono/legato and single/unison/split buttons/LEDs have been removed, since even more modes are planned. They will be selectable in a special menu entry
  • the 4 SIDs are now selectable seperately (see suggestion from Nebula: http://www.midibox.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=news;action=display;num=1054076482;start=15#15
  • the previous “local mode” has been replaced by the “link” and “CC” function
  • the “link” button enables/disables the MIDI merger which forwards incoming notes to the slave SIDs. Sometimes it’s advantageous to disable the link (e.G when CCs should be recorded with a sequencer) in order to avoid feedback loops if the recording software doesn’t provide an intelligent routing (like Logic Audio ;-))
  • the “CC” button enables/disables the sending of CC’s on encoder moves
  • if the “edit” function is turned on, the CS will ensure that changed sounds will not get lost when you switch to another patch. If the current patch has been changed, the CS will ask for saving

In the next days I will modify the current step B implementation so that the 7 control buttons (SID1-4, Link, CC and Edit) are available for people who plan to use multiple SIDs with a minimal control surface.

Best Regards, Thorsten.

2

Oh my… ;D

T is back with a vengence!!!

Time to mark up that panel :wink:

Nice…

Dan

3

Welcome back TK!  8)

Coming back with a *BANG* ^^

4

just a stupid question : what back with a bang mean??!!?? (I heard it before).

And yes, TK is back with a lot of new stuff!!! :slight_smile:

5

Just what u said: Back with lotta new stuff !!  ;D

6

Hi Thorsten, thanks for accepting my suggestion on the 4 SID buttons!  I hope to be able to offer more positive contributions in the future.  This forum is just fantastic.

How much does it cost to order a one-off panel such as that from Schaeffer Apparatebau?

7

hi nebula,

just get yourself the free sofware from the schaeffer site and for example load the Mbsid v.3 (which is not recommended anymore) or draw a few circles by your own. Then go to “Preis berechnen” what means calculate price and the programm will calculate every single hole, adds everthing together (what is absolutly cool!) and stops for this panel at exactly 137,42 €.

a lot, but doing it by your own costs more (time).

chriss

8

I don’t understand.

In the alfabet b goes to c and then to d, not from b to d…

What happened to Step C of the SID interface?

That was the design where (all) functions were controlled by encoders that were placed directly under the appropiate function showing on the display, right TK?

9

Hi Nomical,

here my private schedule

Step B update: maybe in 2 days, after I’ve implemented two new features into MIOS (addressing up to 8 BankSticks & improved encoder driver)

Step B documentation: until friday

Step C: this weekend, after I’ve built the first encoder modules

Step C documentation: unsure

Step D: next weekend, after I’ve built the complete control surface

Step D documentation: hopefully this year :wink:

Best Regards, Thorsten.

10

Don’t forget to breathe somewhere in that busy schedule mate  ;)

11

Kudos TK, you’re amazing :).

12

Why don’t you let other people make the documentation? Saves you a lot of time, because you have a deadly busy shedule. What do you mean by documentation, more of an contruction manual or a function manual?

If i finish the one with Step C, i would be able to write such an documentation for it.

13

Wow! this is so cool! I only wish I had the time to make it!!! (I’ve still got to find time to build my tb3030 kit that I bought 2 yrs ago!! but probably quicker and easier to build SIDs though!!

and I gotta find time to make some music! Thorsten, I really don’t know how you do it man! When will we see you on the front cover of Sound on Sound, or Keyboard or Mix magazines?  ;D

… Steve

14

Hey TK, just some question about your new mounting technique you mentioned:

Does that mean that you solder the buttons and LEDs (and so on) directly on the PCB?

If so, that frontplate design cannot be changed to easily anymore, right? And you also would have to use specific buttons and encoders.

Will that board be available at Mike´s? (Guess so…)

Wouldn´t be bad if you post this PCB (also its just some prototype I guess), so we get the idea of that mounting technique.

Reason: I got the case and 2 SIDs running. Now I´m about to design my frontplate. Dont want to do all that drilling and so on if I cant mount it.

Thnx!

15

Thorsten and the MB site did recieve a mention in the latest issue of Nuts & Volts magazine.

A cover issue would make a nice wall decoration for TK though!

Have fun!

Tim

16

Why don’t you let other people make the documentation? Saves you a lot of time, because you have a deadly busy shedule. What do you mean by documentation, more of an contruction manual or a function manual?

If i finish the one with Step C, i would be able to write such an documentation for it.

I mean a manual which lists the functional possibilities and gives you the required schematics. For a complete construction manual I don’t have the time anyhow. And if somebody wants to help me (for example with the MIDIbox LC construction guide), step forward! This will speed up the whole development. However, also documentations like construction reports, “walkthroughs”, “HowTos”, etc. by other people are very welcome!

Hey TK, just some question about your new mounting technique you mentioned:

Does that mean that you solder the buttons and LEDs (and so on) directly on the PCB?

If so, that frontplate design cannot be changed to easily anymore, right? And you also would have to use specific buttons and encoders.

Will that board be available at Mike´s? (Guess so…)

To both questions: no. Like everytime the control elements are mounted on breadboards. This is much easier and goes faster. So fast, that I’ve already completed most modules today! (Just to ensure that everything fits well before the frontpanel will be produced by Schaeffer Apparatebau :slight_smile:

Best Regards, Thorsten.

sid_cs_proto1.jpg
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17

Aaaaah! Totally misunderstood you, ´cuse me. Thought you were talking about ready-made PCBs.

OK, thanky for the pictures. Very interesting how you built in the encoders.  ;D

18

Hi TK

Looks great !!

One question. Where did the Knobs come from? I’m look for some classy knobs, and yours look great.

Rowan

19

Thorsten,

are you a left-hander?  ;) I notice that nearly all the buttons are arranged to be on the left side of the LEDs. When designing a surface I normally try to arrange the elements in such a way that I can see status LEDs when pressing the assigned button. I’m a right-hander, so normally my buttons go the right of the LEDs…

Just something I noticed  ;)

Best, ilmenator

20

Nomical: in the meantime I’ve decided to integrate the encoder

functions of StepC into the “assign map” of StepD. This simplifies

the implementation and doesn’t consume that much memory.

In other words: StepC will be skipped (I won’t use it anyhow),

StepD will be renamed to StepC, the feature of the previous

StepC will be a subfunction of StepC sooner or later…

Pay_c: yes, it took three months until I found this very robust

solution. :wink: However, if somebody is able to find some nice

knobs for the micro buttons, he can also mount all elements

to one board. But it seems that such button caps are not

available on the free market (since they are very customer-specific)

Rowan: I got the knobs from TzanhZsu, he made a special deal

with Waldorf (the makers of the Q synth).

Thanks again to Tzz btw.!

Ilmentator: a good question! No, I’m right hander, but I think that

I’ll mostly handle with the buttons with my left hand during the right

hand operates with the encoders :slight_smile:

Best Regards, Thorsten.