>>> KIT AVAILABLE <<< All In One v2.8 PCB Kit to sell !

[gastric]

People would be interested in jack-PCBs ?

The same people that buy your all-in-one would almost certainly also buy pre-made jacks boards. Note that the current boards don't fit in a 1U case though, at least not using straight IDE headers. Maybe with 90 degree headers but I didn't try that. That's where the stacked jacks would come in handy.

Just my personal opinions.

[Rubis]

If you make a stacked jacks pcb, there would defenitely be demand. Maybe add it as an option for your kits? I have already made mine, so I would not be ordering one, but I would have had it been available. An optional secondary board for the rest of the 56 inputs would be nice as well.

[thynescabbard]

So all i want to do is do a simple hook up from piezo to midi, i am going to be running through Addictive Drums. So i dont need all the other stuff that comes in the module. Just a simple trigger to midi and thats it. Now my question is...is that what kit 1 is? just the bare bones?...

[Synthex]

So all i want to do is do a simple hook up from piezo to midi, i am going to be running through Addictive Drums. So i dont need all the other stuff that comes in the module. Just a simple trigger to midi and thats it. Now my question is...is that what kit 1 is? just the bare bones?...

Differences between kits (1, 2 and 3) is the number of components provided with.
Features are the same.

[Synthex]

Note that the current boards don't fit in a 1U case though, at least not using straight IDE headers.
Maybe with 90 degree headers but I didn't try that.
That's where the stacked jacks would come in handy.

A 1U case is 44 mm high.
You can put the two jack-boards in line, but the placement of inputs is not optimal ...

The actual jacks placing :
Board 1 : Aux7---Aux5---Aux3---Aux1---Crash---HiHat---Tom3---Tom1---Snare
Board 2 : USB----Aux6---Aux4---Aux2---Ride----Pedal---Tom4---Tom2---Kick

An other jacks placing :
Board 1 : USB----Aux7---Aux6---Aux5---Aux4----Aux3----Aux2---Aux1----Tom4
Board 2 : Tom3---Tom2---Tom1---Ride---Crash---Snare---Kick---HiHat---Pedal

What is the best solution ?

[gabriel1712]

People would be interested in jack-PCBs ?

YES! I really missed that part and subsequencely screwed up the wiring in my home-made solution. I blame you!!

[gastric]

A 1U case is 44 mm high.
You can put the two jack-boards in line, but the placement of inputs is not optimal ...

I couldn't put the jacks board stacked on top of each other and completely close my case. Even with the IDE cables not connected to the board. See this photo. The jacks are slightly higher than the interior of the chassis (in the center, though the edge seems fine in the photo) even with the boards physically stacked on top of each other (read: completely touching which is probably bad for potential solder points touching the jacks below). Plus there's no room to connect the IDE cables due to the spacing between the boards (cable end is taller than the space between the boards in the photo). That might be solvable with 90 degree IDE headers but I didn't have any to try. Note this is just one chassis example, others may be slightly more spacious inside. I'd think a metal chassis would be 1-2mm more spacious than a thick plastic one.



Also, I couldn't put the boards side-by-side due to the following problems:

* I did not have an IDE cable that has enough spacing between the two connectors to be able to connect to both jacks boards side-by-side and the main board. At least using the cable I had, and the main board placement I chose. The current boards really need to be stacked vertically.
* The plastic 1U chassis has four posts on the interior to hold the top/bottom clamshell together. You can see them to the side of the jacks boards in the photo above. These were specifically in the way of the jacks boards being side-by-side. Which was more of a problem than the IDE cable issue above.

In conclusion, at least in the 1U chassis I chose which is this one: http://www.budind.com/pdf/hb14460.pdf I simply couldn't use the current jacks boards at all.

I certainly don't fault your jacks boards, mind you. Great addition to the project for sure. I'm just sharing my issues and thoughts as a way to potentially improve the kits.

But I do think the stacked TRS jacks overall would be a good consideration as the project moves towards supporting 56 inputs. Plus it can reduce it to one jacks board, or allow them all to be soldered to the main board if you chose that option. Sounds like you're mostly considering professionally made jacks boards which would be an excellent first step.

[Ken Forgettable]

Hi Synthex,

+ Have an option to add (7 not 56) global mini trim pots to each mux common for hot pads?
Where are those buggery pull downs on the mux outputs anyway ;¬\

+ Replace the LCD header with an in-line pin strip?
Just solder a pin strip to the LCD module and use a standard IDE cable to connect up.

+ Remove ICSP_Atmega header?!
Being able to use ICSP and keys at the same time has potential for disaster.
Can get to ICSP_Atmega through the Keyboard and ICSP_PIC headers because...

+ I think the AVR and PIC RESETs need tying together!

[Synthex]

+ Have an option to add (7 not 56) global mini trim pots to each mux common for hot pads?
Where are those buggery pull downs on the mux outputs anyway ;¬\

I think it is not usable.
This must be managed at the pad

+ Replace the LCD header with an in-line pin strip?
Just solder a pin strip to the LCD module and use a standard IDE cable to connect up.

I do not see the interest to do that.

+ Remove ICSP_Atmega header?!
Being able to use ICSP and keys at the same time has potential for disaster.
Can get to ICSP_Atmega through the Keyboard and ICSP_PIC headers because...

I do not see the interest to do that.
You will never use ICSP and keys at the same time.

+ I think the AVR and PIC RESETs need tying together!

No.
They are used for programming and it can never be together

[Ken Forgettable]

If either the AVR or the PIC get independantly reset for any reason then megadrum is currently dead in the water. The AVR often recovers ok but the PIC can easily get into a state where the PC USB stack has no idea if USB transfer is active or not - it seems to be like a sleep condition where transfers just do not get processed.

There have been many questions in the forum about problems arising from this.

They are used for programming and it can never be together

+ AVR - ATmega644 datasheet section 25.8.2 - Serial Programming Algorithm:
1. RESET and SCK are set to “0”.
2. enable ICSP by sending the 4 byte Enable serial instruction to pin MOSI.

Niether of these conditions will be met while programming the PIC.


+ PIC - PIC18F1XK50 datasheet section 24.7 - Single-Supply ICSP Programming
(Note 2: By default, Single-Supply ICSP is enabled)
1. VDD is applied to the MCLR/VPP/RE3 pin as in normal execution mode.
2. To enter Programming mode, VDD is applied to the PGM pin.

Niether of these conditions will be met while programming the AVR.

It seems reasonable to expect a USB 'bing-bong' should mean Megadrum is working or not - this is currently not the case