Timbob
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Hello all,

I just made an arduinoboy, and well.. guess i didn't make it correct.

The Midi out is working just fine, I can send notes from lsdj to my synth.
All the lights work, it does the little test sequence when i start it up...

So, given the fact that those parts work fine, I assume the code should be uploaded fine, and the connections on the gameboy port are correct..

So anyway, I followed the schedule from here:
http://code.google.com/p/arduinoboy/
And added the extra 4.7 k on the opto for better results.

The drawing is a bit confusing for the midi ports, I'm not sure what way they are facing there, If i take the midi out port (not the cable part) is the drawing looking at the front, or the back of it?

Anyway, tried it both ways.. even tried to put on the optocoupler backwards, in case i misinterpreted what pin 1 was...
but nothing happens..

My guess is that at least the lights should flicker when recieving midi notes? (like it does on midi out)
Is there anything else i might have gotten wrong?

is there any way i can test what went wrong? Or maybe a simple schematic to see if the opto is actually working?

I don't have a drumcomputer or midi from my pc to test if i can sync lsdj, I only have a FB-01 synth and a Roland digital piano with midi.
the cables work, but i just can't get mgb to recieve anything...

sorry for the long post, but i can't figure out what's wrong sad

e.s.c.
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IL, US

possible that you wired the midi-in jack incorrectly?

kitsch
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matt's mind

i'd try switching around the two wires on the midi-in jack, a very common mistake...

also, notice its not grounded wink  midi isn't grounded on both sides (of the cable) like you may expect...

2PLAYER
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Rhode Island

i posted this a little while back, little more visual if you arent that electronically inclined

http://2playermusic.tumblr.com/post/703 … arduinoboy

Timbob
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Thanks for all the tips. I already tried switching the wires on the midi in jack a few times... But that didn't help.

I'll go and check the whole setup again using 2players drawings.
Will report back after that smile

Timbob
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I rechecked everything.. resoldered everything.. still nothing..
This frustrates me sad

The only thing i could find that's a bit weird is the numbers after RX and TX
on 2players picture they are called RX<-0 abd TX->1. On my arduino pro mini it says RX1 and TX0
Don't know if that should make any difference?

Otherwise, I'll try to get another 6n138... see if it makes any difference...

Trash80
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Los Angeles

What arduino do you have? thats quite annoying if they swapped the labels. (Ignore the labels, 0 should be rx to arduino and 1 should be tx from arduino) for it to be compatible with arduino shields anyway.

you can try removing the diode. if its backwards it will not work. other then that its either the 6n138 or the wires on the midi jack.

Timbob
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trash80 wrote:

What arduino do you have? thats quite annoying if they swapped the labels. (Ignore the labels, 0 should be rx to arduino and 1 should be tx from arduino) for it to be compatible with arduino shields anyway.

you can try removing the diode. if its backwards it will not work. other then that its either the 6n138 or the wires on the midi jack.


It's a arduino Pro Mini.
But the strange thing is. Tx0 is connected to the midi out, and that works just fine...
I'll see if removing the diode works...

-edit-
No beans...

Last edited by Timbob (Aug 25, 2011 9:18 pm)

Trash80
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Los Angeles
Timbob wrote:
trash80 wrote:

What arduino do you have? thats quite annoying if they swapped the labels. (Ignore the labels, 0 should be rx to arduino and 1 should be tx from arduino) for it to be compatible with arduino shields anyway.

you can try removing the diode. if its backwards it will not work. other then that its either the 6n138 or the wires on the midi jack.


It's a arduino Pro Mini.
But the strange thing is. Tx0 is connected to the midi out, and that works just fine...
I'll see if removing the diode works...

-edit-
No beans...

3.3volt or the 5volt pro mini?

Timbob
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trash80 wrote:
Timbob wrote:

It's a arduino Pro Mini.
But the strange thing is. Tx0 is connected to the midi out, and that works just fine...
I'll see if removing the diode works...

-edit-
No beans...

3.3volt or the 5volt pro mini?

It's  the 5volt version.

2PLAYER
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Rhode Island

Send a picture of what you're done so we can take a look at it

Timbob
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2PLAYER wrote:

Send a picture of what you're done so we can take a look at it

I tried taking a picture, but i only have a phone cam at the moment, as it is blurry as hell, i added some pointers tongue

with added lines:

Hope that helps in any way big_smile

kineticturtle
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Matthew Joseph Payne

That is a mighty clever thing to build an arduinoboy into! smile

Timbob
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kineticturtle wrote:

That is a mighty clever thing to build an arduinoboy into! smile

Thanks, I was quite pleased with that solution myself big_smile

This is how the total set looks like, I like the colours, blue and neon green go together nicely smile
I added an extra 1/8 inch connector on the bottom for headphones, and the arduino is connected to the gameboy via an USB connector that i wired to the external connectors.
I just made a gap where the pro-sound goes in tongue

kineticturtle
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Matthew Joseph Payne

Are those speakers loud enough for basic monitoring onstage?

Timbob
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kineticturtle wrote:

Are those speakers loud enough for basic monitoring onstage?

Ah no, I had to remove the speakers... pretty much everything inside... to fit in the arduino. So it's just a shell at the moment.

Besides, they are just a bit louder than the normal speaker, (and stereo) but the sound is not that great actually...

Last edited by Timbob (Aug 28, 2011 2:42 pm)