VController version 1

Started by sixeight, May 31, 2015, 04:58:38 AM

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sixeight

Bought a raspberry pi to go inside the pedal. Also bought several a and b-type usb connectors that I want to add to the back.

If I get it all working it should have:
* 2x midi in and out
* usb midi via a b-type connector. Also used for programming the pedal
* two times usb a-type (host) connected to the RPi

Now I have a strong hunch the RRC connector on the back of the VG99 is sending ordinary midi as well, as the circuit used in the link below matches midi in any way. At least it should do no harm to try as it's all opto isolated anyway.

Quotehttps://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=28.msg3355#msg3355

Then I could swap one midi connector for an rrc2...

CodeSmart

Quote from: sixeight on July 07, 2015, 08:17:39 AM
Just a raspberry pi to go inside the pedal. Also bought several a and b-type usb connectors that I want to add to the back.
This very interesting sixeight. We'll chear you up if there's bumps on the road.
I'm sure you pull this through. Keep it going!
But I got more gear than I need...and I like it!

sixeight

Thanks Robert. You're doing a great job yourself.
Today I have built LEDs, switches and display in the box.
Really looks neat. The LEDs are working. Tomorrow I will add the teensy on a piece of stripboard.

Elantric

Sixeight - post the Bill of Materials so I can build one or two for myself!

What should I order here: ?

Teensy LC
https://www.pjrc.com/store/teensylc.html

+ which LCD ?
https://www.pjrc.com/


and  RGB LEDS
These
https://www.pjrc.com/store/led_rgb.html

or these?
http://www.vanallesenmeer.nl/NeoPixel-LED-RGB-diffuus-5mm-through-hole-WS2811-van-Adafruit

sixeight

Bill of materials:

* Teensy LC (which I bought from floris.cc in the Netherlands.)

* 12 switches - I got these from ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SPST-Momentary-Soft-Touch-Push-Button-Stomp-Foot-Pedal-Electric-Guitar-Switch-/141655865125?ul_ref=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F0%2Fe11400.m1842.l3160%2F7%3Feuid%3D53b6c473039e40399091ae0f41e433dc%26loc%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fcgi.ebay.com%252Fws%252FeBayISAPI.dll%253FViewItem%2526item%253D141655865125%2526ssPageName%253DADME%253AL%253AOC%253ANL%253A3160%26srcrot%3De11400.m1842.l3160%26rvr_id%3D0&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:NL:3160

* Display with serial module:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Arduino-IIC-I2C-TWI-Serial-Module-162-1602-16X2-LCD-Module-Display-Screen-/201096968823?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ed2503a77

* 5mm Neopixel LEDs: https://www.adafruit.com/products/1938. In Europe you can order them from http://www.vanallesenmeer.nl/NeoPixel-LED-RGB-diffuus-5mm-through-hole-WS2811-van-Adafruit

* Chromed metal holders for the LEDs: http://www.vanallesenmeer.nl/Led-fitting-5mm-metaal-chrome

* Three 4n35 optocouplers - because the teensy has three serial ports.
http://www.vanallesenmeer.nl/IC-4N35-Optocoupler

* 10 1n5817 diodes - not sure if I will use them all.

* Usb type b chassis, some jack sockets, 2 din-5 midi connectors, dc jack for power

* And in my case a raspberry pi with a 16 gb sd card.

Total cost is around €75, not counting the costs for the enclosure and the raspberry pi.

I will post the google sketchup file of the enclosure later.

sixeight

Here the design in google sketchup. I had to zip it, because .skp is not an allowed filetype on this forum.

I thought V-controller would be a nice name for this project.

sixeight

Here some pictures of my project.
First pic shows the LEDs connected. Neopixel is great. You can connect them like Christmas lights.
Second pic shows the buttons connected
Third pic shows the connectors at the back
Fourth pic shows Lcd, LEDs and buttons working.

Still need to connect the midi connectors and the switch inputs at the back.
Then continue my programming.







gumtown

Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

sixeight

Just a little update:

Patch change of GP10, GR55 and VG99 is working. The pedal can show the patchnames from all three devices. One of the serial ports and usbmidi is working. I am also able to connect the pedal to the RRC2 of the VG99. RRC2 is ordinary midi with inline power added. Schematic is here:

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=783.msg32121#msg32121

Now I will have to add an ethercon connector.

Next. Time to add the second midi in/out and add the external controllers.
Also I need to work on the CTL pedals...

Elantric

QuotePatch change of GP10, GR55 and VG99 is working.

Wow- Thats a Major Breakthrough!!!! 



CodeSmart

But I got more gear than I need...and I like it!

whippinpost91850

sixeight, this is certainly sounding awesome. I can't wait to follow more of your journey

It might be time to brush up on my soldering skills and give this a try

Headless68

Very nice project !

Very cool that you are getting patch names through too


Elantric

I'm lining up my parts to build Two of these boxes

* QNTY 2 :  Teensy LC
https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/teensyLC.html


* QNTY 2: Arduino IIC/I2C/TWI Serial Module + 162 1602 16X2 Blue LCD Module Display Screen
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201096968823?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT



For LEDS  - I elected to try these
Qnty 50:  WS2811 RGB Full Color 12mm Pixels digital Addressable LED String DC 5V BE
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201193044273

$16 for QNTY 50 !
I see  the Teensy-LC provides a 5V output to directly drive WS2811/WS2812/NeoPixel LEDs @ +5VDC.



* Qnty 10:   4N35 Optocouplers Phototransistor $2.04 ( for MIDI Inputs)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171505102405?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


* QNTY 20 SPST Momentary SoftTouch Push Button Stomp Foot Pedal $34
http://www.ebay.com/itm/380837505085?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


sixeight

QuoteI'm lining up my parts to build Two of these boxes

Excellent. I will make a schematic of the V-controller soon.

Those LED pixels are huge: 12 mm. Must be the same size as the switches. But it does save a lot of soldering time. I hope they are not too bright.

Let me know how you get on.

P.S. Tried to edit the title of this thread, but only the first post change name. Guess one has to be forum administrator to change all titles. Could you change the titles? Thanks.

sixeight

Here is a design of the main board, made in DIY Layout Creator.

A few design considerations:
* Teensy LC is 3,3 V. Ports are not 5V compliant. The Teensy has 5V in, and has a 3,3V output as well. All the MIDI is connected to 3,3 Volts. I based my schematic on http://www.stephenhobley.com/blog/2011/03/14/the-last-darned-midi-interface-ill-ever-build/ and basically changed a couple of values of the resistors and connected it to 3.3 V instead of 5V.
* Switches are connected just like a keypad. An example is attached to this post. Shorting pins by pressing several switches is fixed in the software, by changing the state of non active column data pins from output to input.
* SDA1 and SCL1 need pullup resistors, otherwise the LCD display will not work.
* For the NeoPixel LEDs it is advised to have a resistor in the data line when there is not much distance between the Teensy and the LEDs. There is a small wire running from the "pin 17 at Vin voltage" terminal to the stripboard. Pin 17 is therefore not available for other uses, as it is already used for the Neopixel LEDs.
* Also it is best to have a large capacitor over the + and - terminals of the Neopixels. I use 220 uF. (See https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-neopixel-uberguide/power)
* I connected two wires from a type B USB socket to the D+ and D- pads on the bottom of the teensy. USB power is connected directly to the board at 5V in (USB)
* I am not sure if I need MIDI 3, but I decided to add it anyway. I may need it to connect to the raspberry pi via ttymidi or to CodeSmart's GP10 USB host board - once it's ready  :)




Elantric

Quote. Tried to edit the title of this thread, but only the first post change name. Guess one has to be forum administrator to change all titles. Could you change the titles? Thanks.

Done
QuoteLet me know how you get on.

Might be a while - I dont expect the parts I ordered from Asia to be here until mid August

whippinpost91850


whippinpost91850

If this could completely control my Kemper and Gr55 in a single footprint, It would be awesome to not have the GR55 on the floor

Elantric



Are there any free A/D resources left on the Teensy LC ?
Any chance of adding a pair of  Expression pedal input jacks to transmit MIDI CC# ?

sixeight

I am hoping tot make the Jack inputs dual purpose, like it is on the GP10. They are connected to ports that can be an analog input as well.

vanceg

Quote from: sixeight on July 02, 2015, 02:04:00 PM
I will publish my code when it's all working. Right now I am at about 60%, I think. It depends a little on all the other wild ideas I might get whilst building/programming this.
I will ask the guy who built my enclosure to provide drawings. He even has a design for 3D printing, because they wanted to test a new 3D printer at the company where he works. But because that printer was not online, he decided to build it out of metal.

I will not do a production run, because it is too much work. It's just a fun holiday project. As soon as I sell them, I will have to do after sales service and all sorts of other stuff I do not have time for once the holiday is over.

I'm always in the market for a VG-99 controller that is smaller and more of a functional arrangement than the FC-300.  I never did get around to my project of using a Bhome system to translate standard MIDI to SysEx for controlling the VG-99.  Someday...maybe.

I'd totally be interested in knowing how your project progresses!

mbenigni

Quote from: whippinpost91850 on July 15, 2015, 10:56:36 AM
If this could completely control my Kemper and Gr55 in a single footprint, It would be awesome to not have the GR55 on the floor

Agreed!  And if I could get ahold of a GR-55 service manual to determine why the mainboard-only build I posted a couple of years ago misbehaves, the GR-55 would be a lot easier to integrate with other gear, e.g. the KPA.

This whole project is really impressive.  Not sure how it's slipped under my radar for this long.

Elantric

QuoteAnd if I could get ahold of a GR-55 service manual to determine why the mainboard-only build I posted a couple of years ago misbehaves, the GR-55 would be a lot easier to integrate with other gear, e.g. the KPA.

Its likely the GR-55 does not work without the footswitch board because the Main DSP board is not getting the proper response from the Switch Control Loop.

The Boss GT-X's use a similar paradigm described here:
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=14346.0

mbenigni

Quote from: Elantric on July 16, 2015, 09:37:17 AM
Its likely the GR-55 does not work without the footswitch board because the Main DSP board is not getting the proper response from the Switch Control Loop.

So (at risk of derailing this thread) the million dollar question is:  what's most compact equivalent for the footswitch board to ensure stable operation in its absence?  i.e. Is the control board responding to polling from the main board with any sophisticated protocol, or would it suffice to just get the correct impedances between the two ribbon cable connectors?  (I thought about just buying some connectors and plugging one into the other, in hopes that dumb luck would pay off, then thought better of it LOL.)  Without anything connected at those two headers, the GR55 just about works, until you touch GK Vol or S1/S2 - then all hell breaks loose.  :(

These are mostly just rhetorical questions.  I don't expect anyone to have answers off the top of their heads...