I was prepared to put together a MiniDexed unit when I noticed the abundance of MIDI hardware implementations for it and lack of straightforward solutions. Since one of my objectives was to control it with the Arduinoboy I got from Catskull I wondered if there might be a way to just stack them all together and do away with the middle man of extra MIDI IO hardware / DIN cable. Anyone here think that's possible or tried it out with any success?
2 Feb 12, 2018 5:44 am
Re: altane multicart capable? (4 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
I can't seem to find any mention of it in that thread. funny there isn't even a readme packaged with the altane software. and the site sems to be down right now.
3 Feb 12, 2018 4:38 am
Topic: altane multicart capable? (4 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
neither Google nor this site will give me a straight answer...can I use my Altane writer to flash a 32M EMS multicart , like I could with the GB Transferer?
4 Nov 5, 2017 6:10 am
Re: Altane writer issue (7 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
But wow thank you so much. Amazing job. I did not expect that issue to be resolved that fast.
5 Nov 4, 2017 6:14 pm
Re: Altane writer issue (7 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
although you might want to include a link in the initial message in Altane software saying where to go to report problems.
6 Nov 4, 2017 6:11 pm
Re: Altane writer issue (7 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
Thanks, Nitro2k01! it works! I was really worried that the ROM chips were dead or required something that the Altane didn't have. time to stop panicking now and start wrapping my head around LSDJ 5.x.
7 Nov 4, 2017 12:16 am
Topic: Altane writer issue (7 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
I have some old 32M GB SMART carts I got from EMS around 2006. The Altane description says that all EMS carts are compatible. All 3 of my carts give the same reading when detected in the Altane software.
Cartridge type: 06 (Flashcart (VIN))
Manufacturer id: 89 (Intel)
Device id: 89 (Unknown, 0 B)
Lock info: 14
Reserved byte: 00
**ROM header info
The logo is correct.
Title: "LSDJ"But when I try to flash a ROM to it it says
**The ROM file doesn't fit the flash on the cartridge. ROM file size: 1 MiB Flash memory size: 0 BI've tried changing settings manually, I thought maybe it wanted to know the number on the ROM chip (E28F320J5) but it either errors or says there's 0 B on the chip.
Are these totally incompatible?
8 May 17, 2016 7:28 pm
Topic: Volca Beats can't listen on more than 1 channel (3 replies, posted in Other Hardware)
is there any way to send 2 or more simultaneous notes to the Volca Beats from LSDJ/Aboy MIDIOUT? It seems to me that LSDJ is transmitting on 4 different midi channels, one for each DMG sound channel, but the Korg can only listen on one MIDI channel at a time. Does that mean for more polyphony I'd have to split my MIDI and send it to more devices?
9 Dec 11, 2015 6:12 pm
Re: another LSDJ AB MIDIOUT issue (23 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
the resistors idea is interesting, but I've pretty much confirmed that the arduinoboy hardware is fine because the MIDI test sketch you sent me worked properly. I've looked up crosstalk and it seems arduino occasionally has this problem. why it wold consistently happen to me and no one else I can't figure out but it seems that these inaccuracies can be solved by going into the sketch and taking multiple samples at Analog In and then averaging them, which I'm gussing the arduino can do even many times while the GB is sending one serial bit. this is going to be Fun, as I have very limited experience programming the arduino. but the plan is simple. find all instances in the sketch of analog reads, and apply some kind of multiple checking and average the results. but if that's not the problem I'll have done it for nothing and still not know what the problem is...or why it went wrong for me in the first place
one thing I did notice is that one of the conductors of the Link cable measures 1~2 ohms while the rest read zero. I want to try this out with a different link cable but I'm hesitant to cut up my only other good one so I'm looking for an F-1 Race Quad splitter to cannibalize for the port. does that port have all the conductors I need?
also I was thinking what if the analog ins were made #1, #3 and #5 or #1, #4 and #6 so the inputs were more spread apart but they still run pretty close on the PCB so that probably wouldn't make much o a difference.
10 Dec 11, 2015 2:12 am
Re: another LSDJ AB MIDIOUT issue (23 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
just finished another round of testing. still on the fritz. at this point I've tried two different DMGs, three different Arduinos, made sure the Link cable is working, ran the MIDI test sketch with no problems, replaced all my LEDs and resistors, what else could possibly be wrong? running notes in LSDJ on MIDIOUT mode with N command still spits out nonsense. it's almost as if the bits are being masked or that there's a sync problem. it's hard to tell whether this is the case, I guess I could check every byte received and see if they share a set or clear bit in common. it just seems like a huge pain in the ass right now, and I 'm not sure what that would accomplish. I'm almost convinced it's the way the arduino sketch is interpreting the signals from the DMG.
and now I have no idea what to try next. somebody. please help.
11 Nov 12, 2015 8:52 am
Re: another LSDJ AB MIDIOUT issue (23 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
thinking of installing the Aref potentiometer on the freeduino, manual says it can increase analog sensitivity. good/bad idea? only remaining options are trying the DMG with brand spanking new batteries, with a DC adapter, or a different DMG altogether.
12 Nov 12, 2015 5:05 am
Re: another LSDJ AB MIDIOUT issue (23 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
also using a Pokemon Yellow Link cable, cut in half. Splits to a Y to fit DMG and GBC ports. GBC side has all 6 conductors, Dmg side has conductors at pins 2,3,5 and 6.
| 6 4 2 |
\ 5 3 1/ <-----a diagram looking at the link cable
13 Nov 12, 2015 4:57 am
Re: another LSDJ AB MIDIOUT issue (23 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
Just tried it. Everything seems to check out OK.
14 Nov 12, 2015 4:02 am
Re: another LSDJ AB MIDIOUT issue (23 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
the problem isn't with the Link cable. I did a continuity test and Link cable pins are as follows:
white - 5v - unused
blue - to Arduino analog pin 2
green - to Arduino analog pin 1
brown - unused
orange - to Arduino analog pin 0
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.
15 Nov 9, 2015 6:43 am
Re: another LSDJ AB MIDIOUT issue (23 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
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?
16 Nov 8, 2015 4:24 am
Re: another LSDJ AB MIDIOUT issue (23 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
i've had all the frustration I can take for a weekend project...back to the junk shelf till next time...