OceanofChaos
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So this is my first time making an arduinoboy however I am not inexperienced with electronics and I've done some simple DMG mods and stuff but I might be in a bit over my head here. I've followed all the schematics and everything, I have all the parts right but the arduinoboy doesn't work.

Well it works as in it turns on and the LED's light up like the should in the beginning (though the status LED flashes for a lot longer than I've seen on other arduinoboys) and when I press the button it cycles through the modes just fine.

HOWEVER when I try to plug in anything such as my Gameboy or Korg Electribe MX none of the LED's light up, I've tried all modes and LSDJ on all sync modes as well and nothing. I've switched around the diode, switched out opto-isolators, and the pins on the female 5 pin connector and still nothing. I'm really not sure what's wrong.


20131116_161340 by OceanofChaos, on Flickr


20131116_161348 by OceanofChaos, on Flickr


20131116_161401 by OceanofChaos, on Flickr


20131116_161413 by OceanofChaos, on Flickr

Jazzmarazz
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Michigan

How is it powered when you plug in your gb or korg? I don't see a link cable at all.

Last edited by Jazzmarazz (Nov 16, 2013 11:14 pm)

OceanofChaos
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it's powered through the mini-usb, I'm not powering it through the Gameboy

Jazzmarazz
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Michigan

The lights light up when here is activity, are you sending midi data?

OceanofChaos
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yes, that's the issue, I'm sending midi data, either through the gameboy or my Korg electribe MX and the LED's don't light up

DipSwitch
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Bucks County, PA

Did you upload the sketch with the Arduino already breadboarded?  I know people have had issues in the past connecting all the components first..  This sounds like a software thing, either that or the link cable may be wired wrong..?  Everything looks good in the picture, could you get a close up of the link cable?

OceanofChaos
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I don't remember, but I might have, so I will try and upload the code again with the arduino completely disconnected, here's the link cable, I checked all the connections with a multimeter so I think it's good


20131116_192559 by OceanofChaos, on Flickr


20131116_192613 by OceanofChaos, on Flickr

EDIT: I reuploaded the code onto the arduino after disconnecting the arduino from the breadboard and then reconnected and tested everything again, it's doing the same exact thing, the LED's light up and do their thing and I can switch modes but nothing else. The status LED flashes for a good 30 seconds to a minute before the LED's light up in sequence however, I'm pretty sure that's not normal. It doesn't make a difference that I'm using a arduino micro does it?

Last edited by OceanofChaos (Nov 17, 2013 12:43 am)

DipSwitch
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Bucks County, PA

I shouldn't matter the Ardunio.. That status light thing is odd, but i can't say I know how to fix it..?  I'd double check not the connections of the link cable, but that they go from the right pins on the gameboy's end- i know it can be a bit funky to get the configuration right...

OceanofChaos
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I'll look and see if people have trouble with their arduino maybe taking a while to boot up and I'll double check the pins on the link cable too. That still wouldn't explain the midi in not working though.

EDIT: the pins on the link cable are correct and I re-uploaded the code again, the status LED doesn't blink for as long but it's still a good 10-15 seconds which is still longer than what I've seen other arduinoboys do. Is it possible that the arduino is bad? I'm going to try re-downloading the code and then uploading it to see if that makes a difference.

Last edited by OceanofChaos (Nov 17, 2013 3:49 am)

Jazzmarazz
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Michigan

Could you describe your button connection please. I don't see a pull resistor and the wires go three different places.

OceanofChaos
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the button is pictured in the first picture, I don't think there's anything wrong with it considering I can change modes and everything

DipSwitch
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Bucks County, PA

Did some searching and found this post.. Seems like he's having the same problem as you.. I think I'm going to test a micro I have tonight, I'll let you know what I find!

OceanofChaos
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that is me haha, I posted here a while ago about this issue, I kinda just set it aside until recently, I brought it back out checked everything and and checked all the connections and still the same problem, that would actually be extremely helpful, it wouldn't be a big deal if I just had to buy a nano or an uno