It’s time to build another synth. This time, me and Dad decided to go old-school and build a simple stereo-SID using two 6581’s, inside a 64 breadbox case, using its old PSU as recommended.
My initial question is where to get the PCB’s. For the MB6582, I orded the kit from SmashTV in USA, but since I live in Finland, I wonder if there’s a place in Europe to order the 2-socket version. I found Mikes Elektronik in Germany, is that the place? Exactly what products do I order from him to get started?
you could start with one MBHP_CORE and two MBHP_SID modules. But if you want to add a minimal CS as well, it makes sense to start reading the Walkthrough: http://www.ucapps.de/midibox_sid_walkthrough.html
Yes, you could order PCBs from Mike as well, but the quality of SmashTV’s PCBs is better (you will especially like the silkscreens - and there is no need to add bridges).
Hi Thorsten, thanks for the quick reply. I’ll definitely go with SmashTV, we were very satisfied with the 6582 boards he did. Can you (or anyone) tell me exactly what I need to order from him, so I don’t miss out on something and have to place another order later? Thanks again! Robert
That depends on all the options you want to include, and is explained in the walkthrough.
Better post a list of the functions you want to include and the boards you plan to order, than plainly asking someone else to do that work for you, I guess.
It doesn’t seem like SmashTV has a 2-SID-socket board, so I’m planning to order the 6582 boards, which I already know how to put together. The top board won’t fit a C64-case front panel (i suppose), but we’re thinking of actually cutting out the top board and place them where they need to be to fit the front panel.
We’ll order the boards only - not the parts list since these can be found here in Scandinavia.
Would it be enough to order one preburned PIC since we’re only going to use 2 SIDs?
The only difference is that I would like to completely skip the 8x8 matrix (I have it on my MB-6582 and I never seem to use it), and I’ll use a 4-row LCD instead of a 2-row being used here.
It doesn’t seem like SmashTV has a 2-SID-socket board, so I’m planning to order the 6582 boards, which I already know how to put together. The top board won’t fit a C64-case front panel (i suppose), but we’re thinking of actually cutting out the top board and place them where they need to be to fit the front panel.
We’ll order the boards only - not the parts list since these can be found here in Scandinavia.
Would it be enough to order one preburned PIC since we’re only going to use 2 SIDs?
Each SID module holds a single SID. You just need two SID modules for a stereo setup.
Things are moving forward! Now we hit the first bump on the road.
When I turn on the power switch, all voltages are OK, but when I turn off and on again quick there are no voltage at all. Off again and wait approx 30-60 seconds, everything is OK.
It seems that the electrolytic capacitors need to drain between on and off.
The problem written above was solved after we installed all the ICs, the PIC and the two SIDs. I guess some of these components “helps” the caps to drain (?).
Anyhow, problem solved.
The hex-file has been installed and we hear a nice boot-up jingle.
Now we go on to finish off the control surface. We found an LCD with black background and yellow text - just like I wanted. Crystalfontz has one just like that, but we managed to find a company in Sweden who sold the same.
We did the PSU Option B, so we can change between 9v and 12v with a jumper, and the filter caps are not soldered - they are installed in a socket, so changing will be easy.
The Vintage sysex bank is installed and encoders/tactiles are all working, but we have an issue with the OLED display. We don’t have any text on it what so ever.
The model we have is from Electronic Assembly, model nr EA W204-XLG.
You are the King, I must say. I am Scifo´s father and I am using his password to write to you. Me (living in Sweden) and my son (in Finland) have been working together on two MB-6582 projects. (Skype is a great thing)
The first project went very smooth due to all the fantastic information from all of you guys in the forum; Hawkeye, Wilba and others.
I have been into the tube amp business for many years, but this is a totally unknown field for me. Soldering and follow schematics - no problem. But in this digital world I am lost.
My son wanted a OLED display in his box but we went into a problem. We spent hours, no, days, trying to solve the problem. 8-bit, 4-bit, 8-bit again and back to 4-bit…
Today we got your message and resoldered pics, pins and loaded the LCD-file. WOW, what a nice display!
Thank you so much for your assistance. Again - you are the King.
We’re almost done with the MB 6582, but ran into a problem.
Tactile switches marked 1 and 2 (check the attached photo) are not working (no changes on the display when pushing them and the belonging LEDs don’t lit up). Everything else on the board is working. The rest of the tactiles, the encoders, the LEDs, the OS - everything is working except these two tactiles. Since we decided that we won’t build a matrix on this one, we’ve excluded all the components inside the green lines (corner of the board). No LEDs, no tactiles, no matrix - nothing.
Will this affect the tactile switches marked 1 and 2 (tactiles at Oscillator WAVEFORM and OSCILLATOR).
Just out of curiosity, (if accessable) can you post a picture of how your OLED is connected? The 8 bit thing has been my bane for a while. If I understand correctly, the new connections are NOT the same thing as bridging the SMD pins on the bottom?
