Sphirexx
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I'm expecting all the parts I ordered for my arduinoboy build to be here monday but I had a few quick questions before I end up getting frustrated and breaking something. I dont know if I havent searched hard enough or have been searching the wrong things, but I have been searching the past week or so planning everything and figuring it all out. Diagrams, sketches etc.

My first question involves powering the arduino and the link cable. The link cable I ordered is an official (i believe) MGB-010 (the one that has a pocket on one end and both the dmg and mgb on the other). As far as I know the only two cables that have the 5v wired are the DMG-04 and the DMG-07(one of which i also ordered purely for the female ports. I want to be able to detach the link cable). But I also saw the Flickr album on swapping the pin wires.  So I could use that guide to just swap one of the cables to the 5v pin so that issue is out of the way.  However then this brings up another issue. If there are only four cables how would I go about this? The schematic shows that there need to be 5. one each for A0, A1, and A2 on the arduino, the 5v and the ground. Im going to say its the ground one thats getting moved to the 5v pin, so how do i go about grounding it? And while were on the topic of grounding, everything that needs to be grounded on the arduinoboy needs to have a common ground correct?

I also want to note that I only need the midi-in which ill be using a 3.5mm stereo jack instead of the 5-pin din. I figure worst-case-scenario I cant power this bad boy through the link cable then I'll just power it with a 9v battery.

Sorry if some of this has been sorted out elsewhere or If I posted this in the wrong area. Ive been searching for some time and on monday I want to just sit down and knock this out with everything planned ahead of time. Thanks!

jefftheworld
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Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Sphirexx wrote:

I'm expecting all the parts I ordered for my arduinoboy build to be here monday but I had a few quick questions before I end up getting frustrated and breaking something. I dont know if I havent searched hard enough or have been searching the wrong things, but I have been searching the past week or so planning everything and figuring it all out. Diagrams, sketches etc.

My first question involves powering the arduino and the link cable. The link cable I ordered is an official (i believe) MGB-010 (the one that has a pocket on one end and both the dmg and mgb on the other). As far as I know the only two cables that have the 5v wired are the DMG-04 and the DMG-07(one of which i also ordered purely for the female ports. I want to be able to detach the link cable). But I also saw the Flickr album on swapping the pin wires.  So I could use that guide to just swap one of the cables to the 5v pin so that issue is out of the way.  However then this brings up another issue. If there are only four cables how would I go about this? The schematic shows that there need to be 5. one each for A0, A1, and A2 on the arduino, the 5v and the ground. Im going to say its the ground one thats getting moved to the 5v pin, so how do i go about grounding it? And while were on the topic of grounding, everything that needs to be grounded on the arduinoboy needs to have a common ground correct?

I also want to note that I only need the midi-in which ill be using a 3.5mm stereo jack instead of the 5-pin din. I figure worst-case-scenario I cant power this bad boy through the link cable then I'll just power it with a 9v battery.

Sorry if some of this has been sorted out elsewhere or If I posted this in the wrong area. Ive been searching for some time and on monday I want to just sit down and knock this out with everything planned ahead of time. Thanks!

I'm not sure that a 4-conductor cable will work to fully power and drive an Arduinoboy. I'd also recommend external power for another reason; LSDJ can be a bit finnicky about starting the Game Boy before the Arduinoboy.

It seems that the current version of LSDJ - I'm using the latest MIDI build - will often crash and hang if the Game Boy boots before the arduinoboy while in certain modes. If you plan on using LSDJ to its fullest you'll want battery or AC power for the arduinoboy to prevent these issues. Wiring it to use 4 AAs or a 9volt and a 7805 regulator is a simple option and will keep it going for ages on a charge.

DSC
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jefftheworld wrote:

It seems that the current version of LSDJ - I'm using the latest MIDI build - will often crash and hang if the Game Boy boots before the arduinoboy while in certain modes.

We extended the boot sequence of the Synthboy+ just for this reason.  If you download the code you will also be able to wire up three pots and use them to change modes in mGB.  Link here:
http://www.ninstrument.com/?page_id=504

jefftheworld
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Toronto, Ontario, Canada
DSC wrote:
jefftheworld wrote:

It seems that the current version of LSDJ - I'm using the latest MIDI build - will often crash and hang if the Game Boy boots before the arduinoboy while in certain modes.

We extended the boot sequence of the Synthboy+ just for this reason.  If you download the code you will also be able to wire up three pots and use them to change modes in mGB.  Link here:
http://www.ninstrument.com/?page_id=504

What other modes does mGB have?

Sphirexx
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jefftheworld wrote:
Sphirexx wrote:

I'm expecting all the parts I ordered for my arduinoboy build to be here monday but I had a few quick questions before I end up getting frustrated and breaking something. I dont know if I havent searched hard enough or have been searching the wrong things, but I have been searching the past week or so planning everything and figuring it all out. Diagrams, sketches etc.

My first question involves powering the arduino and the link cable. The link cable I ordered is an official (i believe) MGB-010 (the one that has a pocket on one end and both the dmg and mgb on the other). As far as I know the only two cables that have the 5v wired are the DMG-04 and the DMG-07(one of which i also ordered purely for the female ports. I want to be able to detach the link cable). But I also saw the Flickr album on swapping the pin wires.  So I could use that guide to just swap one of the cables to the 5v pin so that issue is out of the way.  However then this brings up another issue. If there are only four cables how would I go about this? The schematic shows that there need to be 5. one each for A0, A1, and A2 on the arduino, the 5v and the ground. Im going to say its the ground one thats getting moved to the 5v pin, so how do i go about grounding it? And while were on the topic of grounding, everything that needs to be grounded on the arduinoboy needs to have a common ground correct?

I also want to note that I only need the midi-in which ill be using a 3.5mm stereo jack instead of the 5-pin din. I figure worst-case-scenario I cant power this bad boy through the link cable then I'll just power it with a 9v battery.

Sorry if some of this has been sorted out elsewhere or If I posted this in the wrong area. Ive been searching for some time and on monday I want to just sit down and knock this out with everything planned ahead of time. Thanks!

I'm not sure that a 4-conductor cable will work to fully power and drive an Arduinoboy. I'd also recommend external power for another reason; LSDJ can be a bit finnicky about starting the Game Boy before the Arduinoboy.

It seems that the current version of LSDJ - I'm using the latest MIDI build - will often crash and hang if the Game Boy boots before the arduinoboy while in certain modes. If you plan on using LSDJ to its fullest you'll want battery or AC power for the arduinoboy to prevent these issues. Wiring it to use 4 AAs or a 9volt and a 7805 regulator is a simple option and will keep it going for ages on a charge.

I have a few 3v coin cells i was going to use if need be. I have four to be exact I figured Id use three. would that work?

Dire Hit
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Seattle, WA
jefftheworld wrote:

It seems that the current version of LSDJ - I'm using the latest MIDI build - will often crash and hang if the Game Boy boots before the arduinoboy while in certain modes. If you plan on using LSDJ to its fullest you'll want battery or AC power for the arduinoboy to prevent these issues. Wiring it to use 4 AAs or a 9volt and a 7805 regulator is a simple option and will keep it going for ages on a charge.

You just solved the problem I've been frustrated with for the last 9ish months. I want to give you a high five.