D.T.M.F.
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I've been wanting to build a MIDI interface for use with LSDJ for quite a while, but after much research I'm still a little unclear about what the differences are between the LSDJMC2 and the Arduinoboy. I've got most of the components to build Firestarter's MC2 (http://www.firestarter-music.de/lsdj), but I'm kind of a noob when it comes to electronics, and I've heard that the Arduinoboy is much simpler. Regardless, my main concern is functionality. If I'm gonna build it, I want to do it the right way and be able to get the most out of it. Really, tempo-sync is the name of the game, so if one of the two devices is better/faster at syncing with external devices, then that would pretty much make my decision. I was just hoping someone here might be able to shed some light on this subject in general: Are there any advantages that the MC2 has over the Arduinoboy (or vice-versa)? Do both interfaces function in exactly the same ways? I'd love to hear your opinions about which is better and why, because I've never had the opportunity to actually try using either one. Thanks so much.

Last edited by D.T.M.F. (Sep 7, 2010 3:01 pm)

OwenMcGarry
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Wellington, NZ

you can buy a kit from NeX that will allow you to build an arduinoboy into your gameboy.  It's very cool.  You can look it up, but I'm sure he'll post here soon

Flopps
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OwenMcGarry wrote:

you can buy a kit from NeX that will allow you to build an arduinoboy into your gameboy.  It's very cool.  You can look it up, but I'm sure he'll post here soon

That wasnt what he was asking

D.T.M.F.
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Flopps wrote:

That wasnt what he was asking

Umm... yeah no kidding. Sounds like a cool mod, but it doesn't really answer my questions.

ashimoke
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Czech republic

I have no experience with LSDJMC2.
I am using Arduinoboy to sync LSDJ with drumachine and for that it works great (LSDJ master sync).
Also very easy to build - especialy if you only need midi out like me. It's basicly only arduino + connectors.

herr_prof
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the big advantage the aboy has over the mc2 is that the mc2 will count EVERY midi message as a clock tick, so unless you have a dedicated midi line just for lsdj clock, you should go with the arduino.

D.T.M.F.
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ashimoke wrote:

...especialy if you only need midi out like me. It's basicly only arduino + connectors.

So are you saying that the Arduinoboy can only send MIDI clock out and can't receive MIDI clock data from a source such as, say, Ableton Live? See, I've already built one Arduino-based pedal unit (http://gieskes.nl/master-clock-generato … allery.php) from Gijs's Master Clock Generator (MCG) schematics, but it doesn't receive or convert MIDI data - It only sends it out. It's still a pretty sweet unit, but I'd really like to be able to control the tempo (and possibly other parameters) of LSDJ directly from Ableton itself (rather than using a separate device to send clock data to both LSDJ and Ableton). Something tells me that doing it this way might help eliminate some of the (minor) sync issues I've had with my Master Clock Generator pedal. However, I'm not totally sure if the Arduinoboy and/or the MC2 would make this possible. Any thoughts / advice?

D.T.M.F.
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herr_prof wrote:

the big advantage the aboy has over the mc2 is that the mc2 will count EVERY midi message as a clock tick, so unless you have a dedicated midi line just for lsdj clock, you should go with the arduino.

So, for example, if I'm using Ableton as the master clock and connect my gear like this:

MIDI controller (keyboard) -> Ableton Live -> MC2 -> Gameboy w/ LSDJ

You're saying if I was to map the keyboard's mod wheel to adjust the "sweep" value of an LSDJ instrument patch, that the MC2 would interpret the modwheel movement as a clock tick and screw up my tempo-sync?

herr_prof
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arduinoboy can be BOTH midi master and slave. and Yes for your second question, Ive never experienced thi myself though so yrmv.

low-gain
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Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA

i haven't experienced issues like that with the lsdjmc2's...

D.T.M.F.
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low-gain wrote:

i haven't experienced issues like that with the lsdjmc2's...

Huh... so are there ANY differences between the two?

Also, most of the Arduinoboys and MC2s I've seen have like 4 or 5 green led indicators. Are there really 4 - 5 different modes? If so, can you tell me what each one does because I've yet to see a picture of one that has the LEDs labeled. I really appreciate all your help.

Last edited by D.T.M.F. (Sep 8, 2010 6:45 am)

scienceguy8
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Carbondale, IL

I've built more than my fair share of ArduinoBoys.

A standard ArduinoBoy has 5 modes: LSDJ Master mode (LSDJ sends MIDI clock signal to synchronize additional instruments), LSDJ Slave mode (LSDJ receives external clock), LSDJ Keyboard mode (lets you use a full size musical keyboard as opposed to a hacked up PS/2 keyboard), Nanoloop Slave mode (Nanoloop receives external clock), and mGB mode (use the GameBoy as a synthesizer with full MIDI control, exclusive to the ArduinoBoy platform).

gijs
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geldrop
D.T.M.F. wrote:

Something tells me that doing it this way might help eliminate some of the (minor) sync issues I've had with my Master Clock Generator pedal.

what issues have you had with it?

low-gain
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Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA
D.T.M.F. wrote:
low-gain wrote:

i haven't experienced issues like that with the lsdjmc2's...

Huh... so are there ANY differences between the two?

Also, most of the Arduinoboys and MC2s I've seen have like 4 or 5 green led indicators. Are there really 4 - 5 different modes? If so, can you tell me what each one does because I've yet to see a picture of one that has the LEDs labeled. I really appreciate all your help.


This is why there are manuals and websites on the net to read... Go to firestarters page, and Trash80's page for the understanding of what each one does.
Little-Scale also has a nice comparison chart for what each one does over the other on his website.

10k
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nɐ˙ɯoɔ˙ʎǝupʎs

via little-scale.

Does this help?
or this: http://gameboyaustralia.com/2008/10/so- … y-huh.html ?

TmTgr
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Melbourne, Australia

One major difference is that lsdjmc2 is just for syncing purpose, whereas with arduinoboy and mGB you can fully control the gameboy's synthesis to play notes etc. Hope this helps.
I type bad when I'm tired.