Good to hear you got this working.

I just mailed Lacklustre in case he wants a Windows version on his page.

Thank you! I should probably have read the TiLP manual more carefully - the cable names should be explained there.
I will stick with TI Connect for now, but I like the command line mode of TiLP, so at some point I'll give it a try again.

Good tip about codewalr.us, I'll remember that.

Problem solved by using the TI Connect software.
TI Connect detects my cable as a Black cable. I was maybe wrong when trying GrayLink in TiLP.
Though I did try the BlackLink TiLP (with the drivers installed - BlackLink checkbox checked during installation).

Oh well, it works! Hope this can help somebody.

I was looking forward to start rocking in HoustonTracker 2 today, but I got stuck on getting the sync to my PC working.

I have a TI83+ and gray Graph Link /w serial port. I'm on win7 64bit.
This is my cable:

In the TiLP settings I have selected GrayLink and TI83+.
When clicking Ready or DirList I get the error: "Msg: timeout occured while reading from the device. Cause: check that link cable is plugged and/or the calculator is ready."
Some times I get the error above with this text after: "The system cannot find the path specified".

Also when I start TiLP, my calculator freezes (the cursor stops blinking).
I tried all ports in the settings and only one causes the freezing - I guess this is the correct one.

The calculator can send/receive to another TI83+ without problems. I think I have missed something basic here.

Plz hlp! smile

Stoked on trying this! Great demo.

I have successfully compiled Lacklustre's EMS flasher using Cygwin. It's working perfectly on Windows 8.1 with my EMS 64M cartridge.
This should work on any Windows version where Cygwin and Zadig runs.
Cygwin might not be necessary if you have all the dependencies.

Instructions:

Install Cygwin and choose the following packages:

Libs: libusb1.0
Libs: libusb1.0-devel
Devel: pkg-config
Devel: gcc-core
Devel: make
Devel: git (optional, you can download the source from lacklustre.net)

Start Cygwin and clone the repo (or navigate to the downloaded directory):

git clone git://lacklustre.net/ems-flasher

Edit main.c line 252-254 (- remove, + add). Otherwise you will get a compilation error. (There might be other ways to deal with this.)

-            tolower(opts.file[namelen - 3]) == 's' &&
-            tolower(opts.file[namelen - 2]) == 'a' &&
-            tolower(opts.file[namelen - 1]) == 'v') {
+            tolower((unsigned char)opts.file[namelen - 3]) == 's' &&
+            tolower((unsigned char)opts.file[namelen - 2]) == 'a' &&
+            tolower((unsigned char)opts.file[namelen - 1]) == 'v') {

Run make in the ems-flasher directory:

cd ems-flasher
make

If everything goes well, you will get an ems-flasher.exe binary in the same directory.

Connect your EMS cartridge to a USB port and install the latest WinUSB driver using Zadig (http://zadig.akeo.ie/).
If you have previously installed a driver for your EMS cart, click options - list all devices and select it in the list. This will overwrite the driver, so you will not be able to use the cart with other software unless you reinstall the old driver.
Warning! Don't overwrite the wrong driver e.g. your keyboard (will be problematic).
If you haven't previously installed a driver for the EMS cartridge, it should show up as "Unknown Device #1" or similar in Zadig (no need to list all devices).
Choose a name for the cartridge, make sure the latest WinUSB driver is selected and click the install button.

Now you should be able to run ems-flasher.exe. Connect the cartridge and e.g. backup your .sav:

./ems-flasher.exe --read --save lsdj.sav

Let me know if you get this working, or if you have any problems.

87

(25 replies, posted in Other Hardware)

I also have problems with junk notes and program changes from my arduinoboy (junk note happens once every few minutes and program change more seldom, so this is not a big problem - but still frustrating).
I get these problems on both my Access Virus C and SammichSID synths.
On my Virus C I can work around it by disabling program changes and setting key range (the junk notes are usually very high).
Maybe this is also possible on the Slim Phatty?

Good tip with the Y-command and using a powered MIDI device. I will try with a MIDI merger and see if it works better.

Thanks for the feedback SketchMan3 and QuietMind!

Good idea to have a mellow section. A break before the BRK B-B-BRK starts again wink.
The track calms down a bit at around 3:55 but I still think you're right, the harsh lead comes in again quickly. That part could be mellowed out even more and last a bit longer (play a more central role in the track even).

Here are the settings I used for the kick:
Playing C5 notes in pulse channel 1.
Envelope: A2
Wave: 50/50 pulse
Sweep: 34

While checking the settings I experimented with other sweep values and found that 54 or 64 sounded more powerful, but my 34 more "game-like". I think I will use one of the other settings. I could still let the odd kick get a 34 for fun effects.
I welcome any advice on how to tweak the settings, which note to use etc.

At some point I will rework this track. I will definitely share when I finish some more tracks too.
Thanks again for listening and helping!

Hi,
Here is my first LSDJ track: https://soundcloud.com/ledfyr/sprocket

I think it turned out good with some fun glitchy sounds. I think I should maybe have tried to make the melodies more interesting and also shortened the track a little.
Anyway, I would love to hear any comments about it.
Do you think the kick sounds good in the mix? I used a pulse kick, but maybe a WAV kick could work (WAV channel is pretty busy)?
Any opinions on the arrangement and style of the track?

Thanks in advance!

Hi all, I'm Ledfyr from Sweden! Been lurking these forums for a few months now.
A while ago I started listening to the chiptune channel at rainwave.cc. I think it was "PDF Format - You won't get with me tonight"  that got me hooked on the GB sound. Then I found this place and got interested in making chipmusic myself. I have previously made some melodic electro and I feel that chiptune will be a fun way forward.
I have a SammichSID since a while back and recently got myself a GB Pocket and an Arduinoboy. I plan on making some happy chiptunes with LSDJ MIDI out and the Sammich.

See you around!

I have been thinking about a small mod:
Would it be possible to install a switch to toggle the backlight on/off?
Or will nothing be visible on the screen when the backlight is off?

Hello!

I have a backlight modded pocket and 64m smartcard. No clockmod though.
My screen/backlight always gets slightly dimmed when playing in LSDJ. I get more dimming on low batteries.
Even on 9v this dimming is noticable (but this is not a big problem really).

I haven't got this super bright problem you describe and adjusting the screen works at it should.

If you use rechargeable batteries, try regular ones. This makes a difference in screen brightness for me.

93

(1 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

I don't know why, but setting alwaysUseDefaultSettings = false again solved my problems! MIDI in and out works again, no freezing etc. I even re-downloaded the original arduinoboy code and tried both true and false. Using true results in the strange MIDI behaviour above.

I'm guessing the random patch changes were caused by a bad GB cable. I tried another cable and didnt have any problems. I'm ignoring patch changes on my synth now anyways.

Thank you Lowtoy for a great product!
Hope this post can help anyone with similar problems.

94

(1 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

Hello!

I've got an Arduinoboy shield from Lowtoy and fear that I have messed it, or the Arduino itself, up.
Everything seemed to work - I successfully played notes in mGB using a MIDI keyboard and MIDI out from LSDJ also worked pretty well.
Though I had one issue with LSDJ MIDI out: when sequencing my Access Virus C I randomly (every 10-20 seconds) got patch changes to patch 0 on the current bank.

So I tried to solve this by re-uploading the Arduinoboy software to the board (with AlwaysUseDefaultSettings = true). Too bad I forgot to disconnect the MIDI cable going to MIDI in on my Virus C, which was powered on. This lead to a lot of notes playing on the Virus for a few seconds during the software load and then silence. I briefly saw some text on the Virus saying "NO MIDI SIGNAL" or similar.

After this the Virus froze, but it worked fine again after a restart and plugged in to my PC/MIDI keyboard.
Sequencing the Virus again using LSDJ MIDI out triggers the note indication on the Virus' display but no sound, and after a few seconds the Virus freezes again, not responding to menu clicks etc.
Sequencing my PC using LSDJ MIDI out doesn't trigger notes to be played (this worked before). After a while I even got a bluescreen! I tried to monitor the MIDI traffic on the PC using MIOS studio but no MIDI messages were displayed.

The Arduinoboy LEDs light up like they should in LSDJ MIDI out mode (LED 1 lights up on channel 1 notes, 2 on ch 2 notes etc). Using MIDI in and mGB doesn't work and no LEDs are lit (like they used to be).

I have measured all resistors on the A-boy - they're fine. The 1N4148 diode also seems fine - there's a voltage drop in one direction but not the other. I was unsure on how to measure the optocoupler so I replaced it with a new one (carefully noting the pin orientation). Still no luck though.

I'm about to buy a new Arduino board to test with the shield but I wanted to see if there's any obvious things to check to pinpoint the problem.
Does anyone have any ideas?

I've been lurking this forum for some time and it seems to be such a friendly place. I'll make sure to write a proper introduction.
Thanks for bearing with me and sorry for the long post!
//David