17 Reply by vblank

(227 replies, posted in Other Vintage Computers & Consoles)

Careful with that! There are a LOT of FTDI counterfits out there, which means cheap chips that don't work with the known-working drivers. I buy and sell hundreds of these for my kits, and refuse to buy/sell the knock-offs anymore. The $15-$20 cables from Sparkfun & Mouser and other known shops ALWAYS work with the FTDI drivers on Windows and OSX. I'm a cheap-ass, but this is worth the couple of extra bucks.


...If that cable works it means that you would be able to make a cheap cable by soldering a 2.5 jack plug to THIS

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18 Topic by vblank

(3 replies, posted in Trading Post)

Empty!

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19 Topic by vblank

(1 replies, posted in Other Hardware)

Hey all,
I've owned about 10 Yamaha FB-01 synths over the years, and love the chip inside... YM2164 = FM goodness!
I inevitably sell them out of frustration over control or sound editing.
It occurred to me last-night that the synth runs on a z80 processor and I could either write a new rom chip, or hijack the chip with a plugin that completely changes how the synth works.

For all who have played with an FB-01... what would you change?
What would you add or fix?
Things like adding FM operators or adding stereo mixer resolution aren't an option (as it would change the YM chip), so this is really about control and editing.
ex: assigning a midi CC to the feedback level, getting rid of sysex, or controlling everything from OSC ARE possible!

Here's a reference http://www.synfo.nl/servicemanuals/Yama … MANUAL.pdf
thoughts?

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20 Reply by vblank

(15 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

If you don't have a way to test the battery (even an LED), I'd verify the contacts before giving up on it.
Pull the battery, wipe it off, re-seat it. Make sure the metal clip on the lower edge snaps over the top. Make sure the "+" is up.
The fact that it worked for a second suggests a low battery charge or a loose contact. There just aren't that many contacts on these that could be loose, unless you pried hard against the plastic to get the old battery out.

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21 Reply by vblank

(15 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

Not sure what you mean by "overcharged".. Is it a lithium rechargeable like for a motherboard?
They don't hold the same voltage continuously over time, the way a disposable battery does.

The drugstore/market solution may still be the best answer here.

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22 Reply by vblank

(2 replies, posted in Trading Post)

Amiga Software is gone! The top post is currently up-to-date.

Did I mention I trade for broken stuff to fix? ; )

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23 Reply by vblank

(3 replies, posted in Commodore Computers)

I've done retrobrite 4 or 5 times, and it works, but still needs a post-cleaning... so yeah; PITA
I've used regular drugstore Peroxide with the Oxy and it still works. Honestly it evaporates fast in the sun anyway.

More often, I use this with a toothbrush and then a cloth::
http://www.amazon.com/NOVUS-POLISH-Fine … B000B4SCPA

It won't knock out keys or spots that are super uneven without some elbow grease, but it works.
At the end of the day... yellow computers work like white ones, and painting always gives you the risk of fuming later or binding. Even a light scrub with 409 and a soft cloth will do a lot, if your not up to buying something and scrubbing.

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24 Reply by vblank

(2 replies, posted in Trading Post)

Camera watch is spoken for!

Should of mentioned I'm looking for a couple guitar stomps, too.
Octave-splitter, digi-delay maybe others.

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25 Topic by vblank

(2 replies, posted in Trading Post)

Hey all, Some projects I won't get to...
My preference is that these all go to straight trade for low-end game/music/vid equipment. I listed some "wants" at the bottom.
--  * --  * --

I have a Casiotone MT-36 keyboard for trade. This is one of casio's few fully squarewave based soundsets , and is a bigger close-relative to the VL-tone with some sk-1 style to it. It's highly mod-able and a good circuit-bend candidate, with the ability to add sustain. some info here:
http://weltenschule.de/TableHooters/Casio_MT-36.html

This one is VERY clean, and I checked all the caps - good shape! I found an overrated power supply to go with it, and run cooler than the old casio supply that was beat.



--  * --  * --

A box of shrinkwrapped 5-1/4 Double sided Floppies -- I used a bunch of these for a project and have a box left over.

--  * --  * --

Vidionics Video Titlemaker 2000 -- Yes! circuit-bending video hell!
or font animations for visuals. Works great & very clean with power supply and
manual.


--  * --  * --

VG Pocket 50 - 8bit handheld
50 pirate NES games on a handheld with a TV out. A bit more rare than the "caplet" if ou collect these.

--  * --  * --

I also somehow have an extra new Netgear wifi router (tested, never used) if someone is cash-poor and really needs it.

--  * --  * --

ANY/ALL for trade
Again, I would rather trade than sell on these.
I'm open to almost anything that will play a game, make sound or video or even beat-up old computers or unfinished kits, projects, or older dev carts. (I vj and hack/fix stuff all the time, so I might even take broken stuff). I also collect pirate multi-carts for a couple systems. Lowball me - I'll probabl take it!

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26 Reply by vblank

(7 replies, posted in Trading Post)

@e.s.c.
--good call on the acer's. I found a Acer C7 chromebook for a few bucks more ($100 shipped) and after flashing the bios and throwing Xubuntu on it, I have a nice dual-core linux lappy in my hands! This is one of the few laptops I've seen in years that you can swap out parts with a Phillips head  and the firmware overwrite is published - cool!

Now off to dosbox & messing with the video out.

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27 Reply by vblank

(7 replies, posted in Trading Post)

I'll take a look at the acer, and shop around a bit more.. Thanks both for the input. Someone needs to make a 7" Toughbook. My milspec lasted 12 years, many shows and trips, and I sold it running fine. 10lbs added a lot to the kit though!

For the rest... The Pocket VBLANK M1 is sold.

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28 Reply by vblank

(7 replies, posted in Trading Post)

Thanks for the heads-up Matt, info is in your inbox.
I was wondering if the eeePCs were flakey. I loved my Dell mini10, but it was as sturdy as a leaf of lettuce. I reformatted it monthly and had the case off 2 or 3 times for repairs.

Maybe I'll keep going with the Ras-Pi and get a better keyboard case. I'm porting some Vj stuff to Linux, but the rats-nest of cables and accessories on the Pi is a drag when I'm playing out.

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29 Topic by vblank

(7 replies, posted in Trading Post)

Sold before dinner...
So here's one for $75 including shipping (USPS Priority to the U.S.), and the power supply in the pic. (call it a "used once" discount).

This one is a standard M1 NTSC (meaning U.S. composite for TV or projector) with a sound-trigger input. Has little rubber pads, or it's ready to go in a case.

Video looks like the one shot off my TV in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1XsLRrQc3Y


PM with Qs.

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30 Reply by vblank

(32 replies, posted in Other Hardware)

I'm dying! Did you see that episode before you designed the case? awesome!
Looks great!

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31 Reply by vblank

(32 replies, posted in Other Hardware)

on another note ...
I've just released the YM_MINI source code and schematics here:
http://wiki.straytechnologies.com/doku.php/ym_mini

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32 Reply by vblank

(32 replies, posted in Other Hardware)

Hey all,
As this circuit is based off of the "MIDI Module" I designed a couple years ago and gave out to several folks, I firmly believe it will work with the ANSI MIDIo. I don't have one of these PCBs here, but my version of the same schematic works fine (I leave pin6 of the CNY-17 disconnected for best compatability, and it even works with my finicky Oxygen8.

Remember the YM_MINI and ANSI MIDIo standard firmware default to 38400bps. A button needs to be pressed on power-up to get the standard MIDI  speed of 31250. The button needs to be added to the MIDIo, and can be done by inserting a 2-pin button next to two pins in the IC socket of the processor. (no soldering needed!) Here's a quote from my instructions pdf:

"Normally the device defaults to FTDI mode, and expects signal and power to come from an FTDI cable
attached to a computer. If direct MIDI control will be used (Computer Free Mode). The MIDI Mode
button (bridging pins 33 & 35 on the 40-pin IC itself) needs to be pressed and held-down during power-on
or reset (using the reset button). Hold the button down until the green LED blinks. The LED will
blink only 3 times (instead of the normal 5-times) signifying it is ready for direct 5-pin MIDI control.
This is only maintained for one “power” cycle, and will need to be done every time the MIDIo is
started while used with a MIDI module. It will otherwise default to five LED blinks and FTDI control
only, ignoring 5-pin MIDI based signals."

Remember, on the ANSI MIDIo, it's only listening to MIDI CH16. It's velocity sensitive to change colors, and if your sequencer only sends "64" as the velocity, you'll only draw black to the black screen!

All of that said, putting it in a mirrored + continuous mode with the CCs, and hammering away at a keyboard makes a damn fun color organ!!

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