so anyone have any idea how much voltage it will take before it kills the gameboy?
looking to use this to sync nanoloop to my modular. some pulses might be as high as 10v.
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Tacoma WA
http://www.pro-modular.com/cloq.html
so i'll be hitting it with a 10v pulse. guess i need to use a shitty gameboy first to see what happens
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Sweeeeeeden
The short answer is, it would depend. The long answer is: At least DMG (not sure about GBC etc) has protection diodes on the link port inputs which will conduct anything above 5 V plus the diode drop to Vcc. What actually happens depends on the output impedance of the module, and how much current the Gameboy is using from Vcc. Usually, a synth module will have its outputs coupled in series with something like a 1k resistor, mainly to protect from a short circuit if you connect an output to an output.
So that gives you something to do a rough calculation on. 10 V-5 V=5V. 5 V/1000 ohm=5 mA. So, the Gameboy must use (ie be able to absorb) >5 mA to survive. If we go by the 0.7 W rating on the back, it will use maybe a maximum of 0.7 W/5 V=140 mA. Less than that typically, but ballpark figure much higher than 5 mA. Especially with a backlight installed.
Note that this is not guaranteed behavior. A short 10 V pulse edge might still slip through and destroy something. The safety calculation I made above relies on the module having an output series resistor, which it may not have. Using one module might work, but using another might destroy the Gameboy.
What would be better is to make a sync adapter with a series resistor and parallel zener diode to guarantee protection from excessive voltage.
DMG schematic: http://gbdev.gg8.se/wiki/articles/DMG_Schematics
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san diego
i have been clocking my Gameboy Dmg using LSDJ with a 4ms Peg and have no issues.
the gameboy can keep up with it as i like to adjust the tempo alot. the gameboy will lock up if i turn the 4ms peg to cycle really fast.
i also was using a Lfo from Intellijel Dixie to clock it as well.
so far no problems
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Tacoma WA
thanks man! i have a couple crappy DMGs so i'll probably make a cable and test to see if i can blow up one, you know.. for science!
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Michigan
Buffer it with a transistor and a few resistors like this:
Easy peasy. This should also accept voltages as hot as 36v and probably as low as 1v. Both of which will output 5v to the gameboy.
Correction: Most 2n3904's should safely function as high as +60v (collector - base voltage) and should saturate (rise to 5v) as low as +0.4v.
Last edited by Jazzmarazz (Jul 30, 2016 10:44 pm)
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Michigan
I forgot to mention that this will also clip off any negative input voltages, so this simple schematic will support any modular I can imagine.
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Sweeeeeeden
Not sure that will work as expected for anything below 5 V at least. I think that circuit will make the emitter follow slightly below the base voltage up to a base voltage of 5 V. Plus, it has the disadvantage of needing to break out +5V from the link port.
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Michigan
You're right. It only works in the specific situation that I simulated. What we actually need is a comparator with a very low set reference. Hysteresis wouldn't hurt either.
I tend to forget that cables don't typically include the vcc pin. What a shame.
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Tacoma WA
tenshun wrote:
i have been clocking my Gameboy Dmg using LSDJ with a 4ms Peg and have no issues.
the gameboy can keep up with it as i like to adjust the tempo alot. the gameboy will lock up if i turn the 4ms peg to cycle really fast.i also was using a Lfo from Intellijel Dixie to clock it as well.
so far no problems
the lfo into it is good to know. it can handle +/-5v.
i'm not sure what the gates on the PEG output. i don't see it anywhere so i'm emailing 4ms.
its really looking like i don't need to really worry that much.
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san diego
infradead wrote:
tenshun wrote:i have been clocking my Gameboy Dmg using LSDJ with a 4ms Peg and have no issues.
the gameboy can keep up with it as i like to adjust the tempo alot. the gameboy will lock up if i turn the 4ms peg to cycle really fast.i also was using a Lfo from Intellijel Dixie to clock it as well.
so far no problems
the lfo into it is good to know. it can handle +/-5v.
i'm not sure what the gates on the PEG output. i don't see it anywhere so i'm emailing 4ms.
its really looking like i don't need to really worry that much.
looking at the peg manual it says that on the scale pot it can put out a 0 to + 10 volt envelope.
there is also a 0 to + 5 volt envelope out jack.
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Tacoma WA
tenshun wrote:
infradead wrote:the lfo into it is good to know. it can handle +/-5v.
i'm not sure what the gates on the PEG output. i don't see it anywhere so i'm emailing 4ms.
its really looking like i don't need to really worry that much.
looking at the peg manual it says that on the scale pot it can put out a 0 to + 10 volt envelope.
there is also a 0 to + 5 volt envelope out jack.
what are you clocking it off? an EG, EOR ,or EOF.
anyway stoked how easy its turning out to be
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san diego
infradead wrote:
tenshun wrote:looking at the peg manual it says that on the scale pot it can put out a 0 to + 10 volt envelope.
there is also a 0 to + 5 volt envelope out jack.what are you clocking it off? an EG, EOR ,or EOF.
anyway stoked how easy its turning out to be
i have been using the The ENV out also using the NLC jerkoff module as well as a clock using the Z output. I think any module that sends a trigger or gate will work.
So far no problems clocking the Gameboy off the modular.
You can even sync the modular to the Gameboy as well which is dope.
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Tacoma WA
tenshun wrote:
infradead wrote:what are you clocking it off? an EG, EOR ,or EOF.
anyway stoked how easy its turning out to be
i have been using the The ENV out also using the NLC jerkoff module as well as a clock using the Z output. I think any module that sends a trigger or gate will work.
So far no problems clocking the Gameboy off the modular.You can even sync the modular to the Gameboy as well which is dope.
heard back from 4ms. gate out is a 10v pulse. so now i just need the right sync cable. no idea what the fuck sync cable i have, shit
Offline
Tacoma WA
tenshun wrote:
infradead wrote:what are you clocking it off? an EG, EOR ,or EOF.
anyway stoked how easy its turning out to be
i have been using the The ENV out also using the NLC jerkoff module as well as a clock using the Z output. I think any module that sends a trigger or gate will work.
So far no problems clocking the Gameboy off the modular.You can even sync the modular to the Gameboy as well which is dope.
heard back from 4ms. gate out is a 10v pulse. so now i just need the right sync cable. no idea what the fuck sync cable i have, shit