xvxManuelxvx
Offline
Germany

Hey, i got a strange problem with midi.

I use an arduino uno with the lowtoy midi shield. it's powered via usb.

mode switching does work i guess. when i press the button, the LED for the mode does blink, when i press the button when i'm at the last mode, lsdj slave master and the status LED blink, another press, all LED blink, another press, i can cycle again. the status LED isn't always on, though.

when i'm in lsdj master mode, the led do blink in sync with the beat.

the link cable is connected like this:
i don't have a multimeter to check the wiring.

problem is, mGB and LSDJ don't get midi signals. i only have my focusrite saffire 6 usb interface and cubase, no midi keyboard or other stuff. and I'm almost noob to midi stuff.

midi wiring is:
focusrite midi out ----> midi in shield.

I made some screenshots of cubase:
http://www.directupload.net/file/d/3776 … rn_jpg.htm
http://www.directupload.net/file/d/3776 … zz_jpg.htm
http://www.directupload.net/file/d/3776 … l9_jpg.htm

Hope you can help me out smile

btw, a friend of mine does have more midi equipment, but i want to check first that everything is connected the right way.

xvxManuelxvx
Offline
Germany

here's a screenshot of the wiring of the link cable:
http://www.directupload.net/file/d/3776 … vg_jpg.htm

egr
Offline
Abandoned on Fire

I can't tell from those shots what channel you're sending over.  Mgb uses 1-4, can't remember what lsdj expects at the moment.

xvxManuelxvx
Offline
Germany

i use all channel. but i also tried channel 1-4. same results.

xvxManuelxvx
Offline
Germany

can someone at least confirm that the blinking of the LED's does mean that the arduinoboy is behaving normal?

Jazzmarazz
Offline
Michigan

The order needs to be Green, Yellow, red to A0, A1, A2 respectively. Brown in the +5v wire which you should connect to RAW or to nothing when using USB power.

EDIT: Wait, are you using the DMG-007 cable?

Last edited by Jazzmarazz (Oct 16, 2014 1:02 am)

xvxManuelxvx
Offline
Germany

no, I'm using the DMG-004 cable. the black one. but i can get a DMG-007 cable smile

Jazzmarazz
Offline
Michigan

In that case, I feel like you need to double check the pins in the cable. The LEDs are blinking like they should, so the arduino is doing everything right. The connection between it and the boy are goofy.

xvxManuelxvx
Offline
Germany

Okay, i can check them when i got to a friend of mine, he has a continuity tester. I also have a spare LSDJ keyboard cable. I did use a DMG-007 cable to make it, so I can desolder it and use it for the arduinoboy.

edit: anyway, i keep you guys updated. I really appreciated your help smile

Last edited by xvxManuelxvx (Oct 16, 2014 1:43 am)

xvxManuelxvx
Offline
Germany

i used a DMG 007 cable with the same result, it doesn't work.

it is wired:
blue - ground
green - A0
yellow - A1
red - A2

brown and blank are not connected.

thing is, the LED also blink in sync with the tempo, when i use LSDJ in master mode.

Last edited by xvxManuelxvx (Oct 17, 2014 6:09 pm)

Jazzmarazz
Offline
Michigan

OK. Let's have a closer look at the midi connections then. Im at work, so I can't chat long , but is midi in or out or both not working?
We should check the opto and your actual midi connectors. Pins 4 and 5 could easily be switched.

xvxManuelxvx
Offline
Germany

Both Midi out and in doesn't work. I connected the Gameboy with LSDJ as Master and with mGB.

Unfortunately, i only have my USB interface, no keyboard or synth to check the midi circuit. Afaik, the midi out is also a midi through, so with a keyboard and my interface, i should at least be able to check the midi circuit, right?

asap, i'll go to a friend of mine, who has more midi stuff and also a continuity tester. it just would be awesome to be able to get it work by myself without the need to drive an hour, but...yeah.

ChipCzuk
Offline
Manchester, UK

Hi

You could install a software midi keyboard to test it.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/vmpk/
That one is highly rated, this would let you test it without needing a hardware controller.

_-_-
Offline

I've been emailing with lowtoy and the pcbs are faulty.

"If you don't mind cutting a couple of lines from one of your boards you might test if, indeed, we have a hardware bug.
Cut both traces going to MIDI OUT connector in the bottom side and wire them crossed. To do so, you can scrap some of the covering paint to have the trace visible and solder a cable there after cuttinbg it. Like this we can know if these two lines are connected the other way they should or not."

This will make midi out work.
He hasn't had time to check midi in, but my guess is that it's the same problem. Don't want to cut anything on the pcb before I'm sure of it though.

xvxManuelxvx
Offline
Germany

ahh men. seriously? Is it just a batch or are all of their pcb's faulty?

_-_-
Offline

It's *this* batch, I guess.