So i finally got started I built a core and a SID module, both from Smash..
As far as i know, the core is working (no display attached). It sent a single sysex string every time at startup, so i uploaded the 8580 hex file and checksums kept saying ‘OK’ while sending data… is it really then ??? it still sends a single sysex string at startup…
The SID module does not give me any reading between pin28 and pin14 when powered, so i never came around to connecting the two modules being honest I have no idea about electronics in general, but i set my multimeter to ‘20 DCV’ and then i can read about 15 from my PSU (it’s a 12V PSU actually), but if i try to read between pin 28 and 14 of IC1 i get a big boring zero
Did i kill my SID module?? and is my core really ready for action???
Sounds like your socket is not getting any power, which is unrelated to the CORE. Pull out your chips (to be safe) and check your connections again. You may have a short somewhere or a part inserted wrong. Are you using Smash’s SID board as well? How are you supplying power to the SID?
As for CORE, it sounds like that part is working - CORE always sends out a SysEx on start-up. Once you get the power stuff fixed with the SID board, instead of uploading the full application, start by uploading the SID testtone application. That should test basic functionality. Once that works, then go for the full blown app.
DO NOT do this until you get proper voltages from everything though. I recommend you have a look at:
I’m really happy to hear that my core at least behaves okay
The link you posted is exactly the one i’m looking at.. but i never got to the bottom because i did not read 9V in the socket… and yes, it’s a Smash SID module. It’s powered by a 12V wallwart (i think it’s called). It does not get the 5V from the core yet..
Ok so here’s what you can do. First, test your wallwart with your multimeter (be sure to put your multimeter in AC or DC depending on what wallwart you are using - AC is highly recommended as DC wallwarts are switched and can produce noise). If it’s reading around what it should (it may be higher with no load), then plug it into your board and start testing your connections. Start with the header pins to make sure they are getting the same voltage, then test the bridge rectifier pins (the ones from the header first). If that works, switch your multimeter to DC and test the -/+ of the rectifier and keep going part-by-part until you find something out of whack.
Of special importance is your regulator - it should have a clean 9V (or 12V if you are using a 6581 SID) between the output pin and ground. If it doesn’t, you know it’s something with the regulator or a component before it. If that works, lather rinse and repeat until you’ve tested every component up to the pins on the socket.
Chances are by that point you should find something wrong hopefully
m00dawg, thanks for your patience It was me being very clumsy… i did not measure the correct pins now, between IC1 pin 28 and 14 i read 8.92V which i’m hoping will be close enough to 9V.
Now i will connect the two modules but i will positively be back shortly with more stupid questions…
8.92V might just be due to error from the multimeter (they need to be calibrated every so often) but someone else might want to chime in on that one. It “should” be ok, but don’t quote me on that.
Thx m00 and nILS the two modules seem to work fine then.. i stuffed them and uploaded the testtone app, but no sound is coming out (i guess the app is uploaded just fine because i only get one sysex string at startup) I suspect it’s the way i connected the modules, which was hard actually the pins are not named the same…
SID j2: core j10:
sc sc
mu mu
clk clk
vc vd (?)
so so
rc rc
vs vs
(?) md
…so besides i soldered SID j2 vc to core j10 vd (which i’m not sure is correct) i also have nowhere to solder md of core j10??
Moving from core j10 sc to core j10 md made the testtone app make sound
I immediately ran to MIOSStudio to upload 8580.hex but i think something is wrong.. after install it sounds no more, receives no midi keyboard strokes and it starts sending sysex upload requests again and again…
Funny that the testtone app worked fine… hmm, can anyone tell me what i’m doing wrong in the upload process ???
Okay, after a couple of uploads it let the 8580.hex through it works now.. i can play notes from the keyboard in MIOSStudio, so i’m now officially a midiboxer ;) …or so i thought
resetting the midibox it began to send frequent upload requests again… where did i go wrong ???
The workaround seems to be that if i upload MIOS and then SID software it works, until reboot
Actually i think it’s rebooting. i hear a frequent click in the speakers pretty much synced to the upload request sysex string i receive in MIOSStudio, and the core regulator does get very veery hot…
I use a 12V 500ma wallwart which i measure more like 15V with a multimeter. Setting it to 9V gives almost 12V straight. I will test this right away… at least i imagine that the regulator will not get as hot anymore
Also i’m still very unsecure about the connection between core and SID module.. i did move the core j10 sc to md, but is that enough??
Be glad it came back to bite you quickly, rather than leaving you to think it’s OK until the middle of a gig… And that it bit, in a way that didn’t kill the core.
If the test tone works, you’ve got the interconnects right.
You’ll know if it’s rebooting by the LCD.
Your wallwart sounds less than reliable, I’d replace it.
Cheap wallwarts have a tendency to output more voltage when no current is drawn - turn the box on and measure the voltage across J1 - see if that still gives you the 3V more than you’d expect. If so - run it on whatever gives your somewhere between 7V and 10V.
…so besides i soldered SID j2 vc to core j10 vd (which i’m not sure is correct) i also have nowhere to solder md of core j10??
I don’t have the pinouts in front of me, but I recall originally being able to attach my CORE to my SID module using an old floppy ribbon cable (before I started making them on my own) and it worked like a champ. So the connections shouldn’t be all that complicated, in other words. In fact (and again I don’t have my synth in front of me), I though it was straight through 1-1. In other words, pin 1 on CORE goes to pin 1 on SID, pin 2 to pin 2, etc.
little frikadeller eater, how s life in the swamp also known as Denmark in wintertime?
Yes your psu sounds s bit unstable, why don t you pass by Brinck and get a cheap trafo? sometime they have some good deal just by the entrance. The only reliable psu is
I found out today that my MIDI interface messes up a bit when i use MIOSStudio or MIDI-OX… well, maybe it’s me messing up actually. I have to practice, i guess Everything works fine and i even enjoyed the 128 presets after i installed a bankstick chip too
Thanks to everyone for helping me out building my first MB-SID
Congrats! My only suggestion is, next time, spend a few bucks on some crimp connectors from Smash and use pin headers. Makes things more clean and easily configurable in the future. I can’t tell from the picture, but don’t forget to jumper the audio in pins as well or otherwise you might get more noise from the SID.
I built a core and a SID module, both from Smash..
being honest I have no idea about electronics in general, but i set my multimeter to ‘20 DCV’ and then i can read about 15 from my PSU (it’s a 12V PSU actually), but if i try to read between pin 28 and 14 of IC1 i get a big boring zero 