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Montreal, Quebec

I just assembled a partial arduinoboy lacking MIDI IN ports. I seem to almost have gotten the MIDIOUT mode working but the AB's MIDI OUT port seems to be spitting out garbage. For example I will play a pattern on LSDJ with a just note in the first step with the effect N04 and what I see in my MIDI monitor is a bunch of weird commands.

the AB seems to be sending a lot of different data but I can't seem to get it to produce a simple Note On, or any coherent output.

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NUMBSKULL

Is your PC midi interface known to be working? Do you have any other midi devices you can attempt to send midi data to?

Do you have the arduinoboy set to LSDJ midi out? All the lights should blink.

In my experience if an arduinoboy doesn't work at all it's almost always an issue with the arduinoboy itself. Double check that the link cable is correctly wired. Also just for safe measure which arduino are you using?

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Montreal, Quebec

I'm using a Solarbotics Freeduino SB, duemilanove compatible, as well as LSDJ 4.7.3. Before using the MIDI monitor, I tried it on the MIDI IN of my Volca Beats unit. It seemed to trigger a pattern start/stop, but nothing else. My Native Instruments Audio Kontrol interface doesn't seem to be the problem. And I've spent all day making sure the GB Link wire was properly wired. The Mode LED's seem to be working normally: flashing when a MIDI signal is sent and set to the last mode of the 7 mode cycle (all lights flash together when selected).

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NUMBSKULL

AH well if you have the flashing leds when notes are sent, your link cable is probably fine.

I would double check the connections on your midi out then. You can follow this guide exactly: http://www.notesandvolts.com/2015/03/mi … utput.html You might even want to load his sketch on your arduino and make sure it works.

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Montreal, Quebec

i've had all the frustration I can take for a weekend project...back to the junk shelf till next time...

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Los Angeles, CA

this might help http://blog.gg8.se/wordpress/2009/07/26 … -glitches/

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NUMBSKULL

That fix is on the MIDI IN circuit, which he doesn't have built.

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Montreal, Quebec
catskull wrote:

That fix is on the MIDI IN circuit, which he doesn't have built.

still gave me some ideas about voltage levels and slew rates. Even though my Link cable is only 4 conductors at the DMG tip (all 6 are present on the GBC side of the Y-split), there might still be some transfer rate problems with the DMG-01 or maybe even my GB USB cart. I could try it with a GBC eventually but it would be a poor wrkaround as I hate the weird things it does with the volume envelopes.

has anyone had any clear success with DMG and Arduinoboy's MIDIOUT mode? Maybe the Arduinoboy code needs to be edited to handle the DMG's slower transfer rates or synch with it properly?

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NUMBSKULL

I think you're barking up the wrong tree here. The arduinoboy code was developed on a DMG. I would be shocked if your problems had anything to do with your gameboy or cartridge. I had tons of problems with building one by hand which is exactly why I made the PCB's. In any case, the only problem I had was with my connections, usually either with link cable or the midi jacks.

Did you look at the arduino midi out tutorial I posted? Like I said before, the schematic is the exact same so build that circuit and upload the code in the tutorial and if that works then you know the problem is on your link cable connection.

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NUMBSKULL

I think you're barking up the wrong tree here. The arduinoboy code was developed on a DMG. I would be shocked if your problems had anything to do with your gameboy or cartridge. I had tons of problems with building one by hand which is exactly why I made the PCB's. In any case, the only problem I had was with my connections, usually either with link cable or the midi jacks.

Did you look at the arduino midi out tutorial I posted? Like I said before, the schematic is the exact same so build that circuit and upload the code in the tutorial and if that works then you know the problem is on your link cable connection.

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Toronto, Ontario, Canada

I've had only minor issues with MIDIOUT, mostly when I'm pushing CC parameter changes very fast.

In general my DMG has no issues with it, though.

All the Volcas in this video are being driven by MIDIOUT from my DMG, for example:

Last edited by jefftheworld (Nov 9, 2015 4:17 pm)

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the schematic has the midi out pins swapped, did you account for that and fix?

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Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The wiring for the midiout should be similar to this:

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NUMBSKULL
herr_prof wrote:

the schematic has the midi out pins swapped, did you account for that and fix?

The trash80 schematic is wrong?

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Toronto, Ontario, Canada
catskull wrote:
herr_prof wrote:

the schematic has the midi out pins swapped, did you account for that and fix?

The trash80 schematic is wrong?

No, but you have to keep in mind that it's from behind the socket. That is, it's viewed from the side to which you solder your connections.

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Montreal, Quebec

the problem isn't with the Link cable. I did a continuity test and Link cable pins are as follows:

  1. white - 5v - unused

  2. blue - to Arduino analog pin 2

  3. green - to Arduino analog pin 1

  4. brown - unused

  5. orange - to Arduino analog pin 0

  6. black - to Ground

I've also tried both MIDI Out wirings just to be sure. It's wired correctly.

the remaining possibilities: may have used wrong resistors as I'm going by color code and have no ohmmeter at the moment. Also mismatched LEDs may have confused the Arduino. It's also remotely possible there's something wrong with the Arduino which was assembled from a kit.
Do Arduinos sometimes have trouble reading voltage levels at the analog inputs?
Finally, I don't have a DC adapter for the DMG, although I've been working with the relatively fresh AAs (thanks Golden Power!) that came with the Volca unit.