Completed x0x kit but no sound

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kiernansfault
 
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Completed x0x kit but no sound

Post by kiernansfault »

Hi all,

I ordered a x0x kit from willzyx and followed the instructions that came with the kit.

I completed the kit testing as I went but for some reason I'm getting no sound from the either of the outputs. I hear the occasional clicking when trying to get sound out of the kit but that's all. All the lights seem to be working fine when I play with the switches though.

I the closest thread I could find to my problem is this: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=39292

Here are my voltage readings from IC11 (this is with AC plugged in and 3vdc into R90)
1 - 4.61
2 - 5.34
3 - 5.34
4 - 0
5 - 3.59
6 - 3.95
7 - 3.95
8 - 11.95

I noticed that the voltage in for IC11's pin 7 does not change when I play any keys in keyboard mode. So is it possible there's some disconnect between the digital and analog bits?


Also, I tried to test my VCO and VCF again, but I can't seem to get any saw or square waves on my scope. I was able to do this while I was building the kit but for some reason I can't now.


Thanks for the help.

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mmm
 
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Re: Completed x0x kit but no sound

Post by mmm »

Since the digital side seems to work we'll try to work from there.

When in keyboard mode press the low "C" and measure the voltages on IC9, then press the high "C" and measure the voltages again.

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kiernansfault
 
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Re: Completed x0x kit but no sound

Post by kiernansfault »

MMM wrote:Since the digital side seems to work we'll try to work from there.

When in keyboard mode press the low "C" and measure the voltages on IC9, then press the high "C" and measure the voltages again.
Hey there, sorry for the delay I've been away from my gear.

The voltages are as follows:

IC9 (Low C):
1 -5.34
2 - 0.00
3 - 0.00
4 - 0.00
5 - 0.00
6 - 0.00
7 - 0.00
8 - 0.00
9 - 0.00
10 - 2.99
11 - 0.00
12 - 5.43 (This one seems to vary, not sure what's messing with the voltage, I'm also getting 0.02)
13 - 0.00
14 - 0.00
15 - 5.34
16 - 5.34


IC9 (High C):
1 -5.34
2 - 0.00
3 - 0.00
4 - 0.00
5 - 0.00
6 - 0.00
7 - 0.00
8 - 0.00
9 - 5.21
10 - 2.99
11 - 0.00
12 - 5.34 (Again this one seems to vary between 5.34 and 0.02)
13 - 0.00
14 - 0.00
15 - 0.02
16 - 5.34


Update:
I've been messing with the x0x all day and I've managed to get sound out of it. I can now hear the notes I'm playing while in keyboard mode. It looks like the potentiometers are ll doing their jobs too.

I still have a couple of problems. First: I'm only getting audio out of the left channel.

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antto
 
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Re: Completed x0x kit but no sound

Post by antto »

kiernansfault wrote:I still have a couple of problems. First: I'm only getting audio out of the left channel.
from the headphones or the main output?
the main output is mono

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mmm
 
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Re: Completed x0x kit but no sound

Post by mmm »

antto wrote:
kiernansfault wrote:I still have a couple of problems. First: I'm only getting audio out of the left channel.
from the headphones or the main output?
the main output is mono
The main out is mono; the Headphone out uses a stereo connector but both contacts get the same mono signal. If the problem is with the Headphone out you can search around R164 and R186 on the IOboard.

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kiernansfault
 
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Re: Completed x0x kit but no sound

Post by kiernansfault »

MMM wrote:
antto wrote:
kiernansfault wrote:I still have a couple of problems. First: I'm only getting audio out of the left channel.
from the headphones or the main output?
the main output is mono
The main out is mono; the Headphone out uses a stereo connector but both contacts get the same mono signal. If the problem is with the Headphone out you can search around R164 and R186 on the IOboard.
I opened it up and re-soldered anything that looked funky that was near the audio jack and I'm now getting audio out of both headphones, so that problem seems to be fixed. I also spent a good two hours re-soldering anything on either board that looked a bit off.

I think for the most part the x0x is functional now. The notes all play when I'm in keyboard mode, and the x0x makes random patterns in random, but I still can't seem to program a pattern. When I go to pattern select mode, the "next" button doesn't do anything. Am I possibly stuck in some sort of slave/midi mode? I looked up video tutorials but my x0x doesn't want to function the same way.

Thanks for all the help.

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antto
 
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Re: Completed x0x kit but no sound

Post by antto »

there are different firmwares available, and most have certain things in common with the stock firmware (since they've all used it as a starting point) but then the start going in different directions, some more, some less
so if you don't know exactly what firmware you have on there - i suggest flashing one of the firmwares (so that you know for sure what you have on) and then sticking with that firmware's documentation and guides (if any)
one of the popular choices is sokkos2, you can find it in the x0xm0dz subforum

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kiernansfault
 
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Re: Completed x0x kit but no sound

Post by kiernansfault »

antto wrote:there are different firmwares available, and most have certain things in common with the stock firmware (since they've all used it as a starting point) but then the start going in different directions, some more, some less
so if you don't know exactly what firmware you have on there - i suggest flashing one of the firmwares (so that you know for sure what you have on) and then sticking with that firmware's documentation and guides (if any)
one of the popular choices is sokkos2, you can find it in the x0xm0dz subforum
Thank you for the help.

I actually tried to do this yesterday but I couldn't get my computer to flash the firmware. I downloaded BANNED and the Mac OC 10.9 and above driver from here: http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm.

Conbox says it connects to my Mac when I run the app and connect to my xoxbox in bootload mode. But, the software gives me an error when I try to flash it. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.

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antto
 
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Re: Completed x0x kit but no sound

Post by antto »

what kind of error?
you have to (re)start the x0xb0x with the MODE selector pointing at "BOOTLOAD"
if your chip has the bootloader (because there are some x0xb0x cpus circulating without bootloaders) and the bootloader works, and your MODE selector works properly (and is not oriented 180degrees around) then that should cause the cpu to remain in bootload mode, otherwise it runs the firmware

you can test if the x0xb0x is in bootload mode or in firmware mode (assuming the firmware works) by doing the following test:
1. turn the x0xb0x OFF and set the MODE selector to "BOOTLOAD"
2. turn the x0xb0x ON - some LEDs might be lit, or all, or none (this here is quasi-random)
3. change the MODE to any other mode, like Keyboard mode, or Pattern Play mode
A) if the x0xb0x is really in bootload mode - nothing should happen
B) if the x0xb0x is running the firmware - you will get the usual Keyboard or Pattern Play mode behavior

if it's B - then the MODE selector encoder might be oriented differently (or just the knob might be put weirdly), or its connection to the cpu might be messed up, or the chip might simply not have the bootloader
if it's A, then things look promising and you can then try to update the firmware with BANNED
Note: NEVER use the "Connect to x0xb0x" feature when the x0xb0x is running the bootloader, since that feature is meant to communicate with the firmware, and not with the bootloader (this applies to the atmega162 bootloader, since it's not very protected)

other than that, make sure you have configured the serial port in BANNED to the same port which the x0xb0x appears
when you run BANNED, it scans the currently available serial ports (this works on windows and OSX only) so if the x0xb0x is plugged in the USB at that moment, and powered on - BANNED should see it and remember it, then when you go into the settings you can scroll thru the serial port list (with the arrows) and you should be able to find it there

if something goes wrong - grab a screenshot of the error, that would help
there is also a video on the BANNED download page which shows how the firmware flashing process looks like if you are unsure..

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