MB-6582 PCBs Update

MIDIbox User Projects
1

The MB-6582 PCBs will be available for purchase from SmashTV’s store some time in the near future.

SmashTV has voluntarily taken on the massive effort of assembling kits of parts for the MB-6582 base PCB, and now willing to stock the PCBs in large quantities, so you should all count yourselves blessed that he slaves away to make your life easier (and your MIDIbox build cost as low as possible).

SmashTV does not have the PCB artwork from me yet, because I am a paranoid perfectionist and before asking someone else to put up their own money to stock hundreds of PCBs I designed, I want to be absolutely sure there are no problems with the PCBs whatsoever. SmashTV might order 100 or 1000, either way, I owe it to him and everyone building a MIDIbox from these boards to get it right.

Therefore, before PCBs get made, I want to finish building an MB-6582 from the last PCB run, to validate the changes I made from the prototype AND to see if any other improvements can be made. While I have built up the base PCB and fixed the base PCB errors already, the delays in getting panels meant I did not start control surface construction until yesterday.

Doing things right takes time, and I don’t have much spare time.

So, if you are on my notification list already, you will be emailed when SmashTV has PCBs to buy.

If you are not on my notification list, you can email me at Jason.S.Williams @ gmail.com to be put on the notification list.

While you patiently wait for the PCBs, read the entire MB-6582 wiki, which should explain everything you need to buy and how to build it:

http://www.midibox.org/dokuwiki/wilba_mb_6582

Do not send emails or PMs to SmashTV or me with the following content:

  • When PCBs will be available?
  • What other parts do I need?
  • Can you send me a kit of everything I need?
  • There is a lot of information to read in the wiki, can you read it for me?

I do not want to deter the MIDIbox newbies from building this project, but there is the expectation that you read the MB-6582 wiki completely _ in addition to _ the MB-SID V2 documentation and the Core/SID/DIN/DOUT/LCD/BankStick module documentation and MIOS documentation _ before _ you start ask questions that may already be answered.

Everyone is most welcome to ask any questions of me about things that appear to be missing from the MB-6582 wiki, or if the MB-6582 wiki does not explain enough or is not clear enough. You can also post questions on the forum, there are enough other people building the exact same thing that someone can help you.

What started out as a one-off, pro-looking MIDIbox SID that suited my needs has evolved into 200+ wanting to be made by MIDIbox gurus and newbies alike. This was never my intention and way beyond my expectations, so while I understand people who have some parts already are eager to get the rest together and start building, keep in mind that if this was a real “kit” like the x0xb0x, you’d probably have to wait just as long, if not longer, until the “kit” was ready to sell, and then probably wait in line as well when demand exceeded supply.

Regards,

Wilba

2

I would just like to say thanks to you both, for your effort, and everything youve put into this.

And i think everyone else on here should be grateful, plus, patient.

3

I would just like to say thanks to you both, for your effort, and everything youve put into this.

And i think everyone else on here should be grateful, plus, patient.

I concur. You’ve guys have done a lot for the MIDIbox community. Thanks!

4

Ditto; Wilba and SmashTV should both get a firm pat on the back. The amount of hours to design and kit such a project shows real service to this hobby community. Without such shinning stars, many would not have a chance to roll up their sleeves and join in.

Yogi

5

err what s wrong with you 2 guys ?  :-*

6

Good stuff, thx for the update man.  Pretty interested to see/hear how things go with the control board.  :slight_smile:

7

Update: I’ve finished soldering the control surface and noted some improvements that could be made, in particular one pesky diode that was too close to a switch, which meant the switch wouldn’t fit in until I desoldered the diode. I find it strange that no one else pointed this out to me before now  ;)  My bad for turning off component clearance rule checks hehehe but you have to do that if you want to stick resistors inside IC sockets and other such trickery. For people with panels already, as promised there is no change to component positions that need to match panels, even though the “SID R” LED is too close to the top-left PT-10 panel mount… a very minor trimming of the plastic with a craft knife is an easy fix  :wink:

So I’m happy things fit now, even though technically I have not soldered the two PCBs together and thus fully completed this MB-6582, and don’t plan to join them up anyway (long story).

The PCB files will be heading over to SmashTV in the next few days.

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…I find it strange that no one else pointed this out to me before now  …

as for me, i didn’t point out anything that had an obvious workaround…

(you were busy enough, no?)

9

Which diode was too close to which switch?  I don’t remember having any issue like that.

  • Kurt
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Left of the “Shift” switch.

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11

This is all basically great.

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I know this is of the absolute lowest priority, but was wondering if ye know whatn  colour of the PCB’s will be this time round?

Or if theres a choice lol!

Id prefer a green 6582 pcb myself, but im not going to cry if its red again this time!  :stuck_out_tongue:

*embarrassment*  :-[

Hopefully this isnt going to turn into a colour debate hehe.

13

I just love the red ones…already got 6 8580r5 at home so I still need 2…while waiting on the wilba pcb’s i’m gonna make another sid box with 4  6581…just gonna order the regular pcb’s from Smash.

just can’t wait to see the expression on the faces of my friends when I turn this bb up.. ;D 

14

Is there any important differences I should know of, between the base/CS-PCB’s sold bulk in July, and the future PCB revisions being sold through SmashTV?

15

Is there any important differences I should know of, between the base/CS-PCB’s sold bulk in July, and the future PCB revisions being sold through SmashTV?

They will be made by a different fab, and will be RoHS and knowing Smash, probably be the best quality materials and plating (I don’t know specifics).

Changes to the design included fixing missing tracks, fixing imperfect component placement, fixing imperfect via placement (D’oh!) and an improved footprint for the DIN sockets (extra pins).

Essentially they will be the same, and work with the same parts in the same place to match the same panel designs, and they connect together the same way with the same pads in the same position. If you already have a base PCB, the revision 2 control surface PCB will match it.

The wait now is not because there’s anything that needs changing on the PCB, it’s now just in a holding pattern waiting for SmashTV to regain some time and sanity and get an order made. (Although he would blame me for not sending the PCB files yet). Although the discussion about nILS keyboard MB-SID got me thinking that perhaps I should change the footprint for the menu encoder so you could use an encoder with switch and connect the switch to the “Shift” button functionality for those Slow Pot TurnersTM…

The PCBs will be whatever colour SmashTV decides… but most likely red. Once you’ve seen and soldered a red PCB in your hands, it’s very hard to go back to green. ;D

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The red ones do look funky… Just a damn shame that pac-tec don’t do clear PT-10 cases!.. Would have to find a way of making the LEDS look right though LEDS .

            G

17

The PCBs will be whatever colour SmashTV decides… but most likely red. Once you’ve seen and soldered a red PCB in your hands, it’s very hard to go back to green. ;D

i suppose ye engineers must be sick to death of green PCB’s at this stage!

I dont know why, but i think the green and pcb along with the black case and blue control components just looks sexy!

18

Awesome, I can’t wait 'til these boards are ready for order. Wilba’s hooking me up with a full set of 6582’s and my original Core and SIDv1 kits from SmashTV were of awesome quality. They were the green pcb’s that felt like polished stone or something, can’t wait to see the red ones, what type of material were those pcb’s made of anyways? Thanks for working together on this one guys!

19

Maybe next time blue or purple pcb’s…

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Maybe next time blue or purple pcb’s…

I’d like to see if it’s possible to have the soldermask be two or more colors swirled together.