New Slim/cost reduced SD HxC Floppy Emulator !

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rikbliz
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 5:17 pm

Re: New Slim/cost reduced SD HxC Floppy Emulator !

Post by rikbliz »

OK thanks. Unfortunately I can't get my VFD display to work with the Slim. I don't really understand why though, the parallel pin-out of the VFD matches a standard 1602 LCD pinout, and I have one of those LCD to I2C adapter boards soldered in, but the display is totally dead. My VFD has an onboard serial SPI interface, any idea if that will work directly connected to the I2C header on the Slim?

Jeff
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Re: New Slim/cost reduced SD HxC Floppy Emulator !

Post by Jeff »

rikbliz wrote:OK thanks. Unfortunately I can't get my VFD display to work with the Slim. I don't really understand why though, the parallel pin-out of the VFD matches a standard 1602 LCD pinout, and I have one of those LCD to I2C adapter boards soldered in, but the display is totally dead. My VFD has an onboard serial SPI interface, any idea if that will work directly connected to the I2C header on the Slim?
what is the lcd model ? maybe that some pull up is needed ?

Nick-ES
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2015 5:35 pm

Re: New Slim/cost reduced SD HxC Floppy Emulator !

Post by Nick-ES »

H Jeff,

I'am thinking of installing some HxC Floppy Emulators to my Roland Samplers.
I always wanted a HxC with remote and always wanted to build something
like this guy did in the link:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zy5qPJwTnik/U ... +13+37.jpg

But I'am not shure that extending all this cables for the LCD for up to 2-3 m will work. And it will be much trouble with
with so much cables :roll: .

So I really like that the slim now works with the LCD :D ! But please, please implement the remote functionality for 3 Buttons
like on the full size HxC.

I want to buy the slim HxC and use it in my Roland S-330 Samplers. I want to buy the Slim HxC as it seams the only
one that can use the external display and when implemented the remote buttons ?! Or would this remote display also work with
HxC Rev F ?

Do you think that 2-3 m remote cable between HxC and Display + Buttons would be possible via I2C ?
Of course I will use screened cable. I was thinking about a 5 pol. Din cable.

If yes that would be really great as I want to fit the HxC in the S-330 Sampler that's mounted in my rack
and make a small remote with 3 Buttons and Display to put it next to my Masterkeyboard and the Screen
from where I control the S-330. So I would not allways have to got to the rack to change sounds :wink: .

greetings
Nick

rikbliz
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 5:17 pm

Re: New Slim/cost reduced SD HxC Floppy Emulator !

Post by rikbliz »

Jeff wrote:what is the lcd model ? maybe that some pull up is needed ?
A pull up on what? :?:

It is not an LCD. It is a VFD, vacuum florescent display. Model CU16025-UW6J by Noritake Itron. This model claims to be backwards compatible with HD44780 16x2 LCDs, it has the same parallel pinout as the 1602 LCDs.

Data sheet:
http://noritake-elec.com/includes/docum ... n_Note.pdf
https://www.noritake-itron.jp/eng/produ ... 5-uw6j.pdf
http://www.digchip.com/datasheets/parts ... 6J-pdf.php

I am using a normal PCF8574T based 1602 LCD to I2C adapter backpack with it: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221464850185

It should in theory be a simple drop-in replacement for the LCD, but the VFD is dead, nothing happens with it even though it has power supply. :oops:

I'm going to try this I2C adapter instead: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/-/281345089478 - but I'm not sure it will make any difference.

My only guess is the VFD is faulty - shouldn't be as it is brand new - or the timings of the signals coming from the I2C port on the slim are too fast/slow for the VFD CPU. :(

Paradoxic
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2012 5:36 pm

Re: New Slim/cost reduced SD HxC Floppy Emulator !

Post by Paradoxic »

Hi,
I have been looking at the 26 pin ZIF version of the slim Emulator on Lotharak website.
The PCB layout seems to include provision for the 34 way connector, presumably so the same PCB can be used for either 34 way connector version or ZIF version.

Would the circuit between the 2 connectors be as you drew out for an other posting on this forum to illustrate an interface for 26 pin drive from 34 ?
http://torlus.com/floppy/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=608

My application would be for Yamaha ELectone EL90 Organ which has a 34 way connector FDD.
I have in the back of my mind an idea to be able to switch between a floppy drive and an emulator.
SO.... buy the ZIF version and solder in a 34 way connector (maybe bending pins a little to clear the ZIF connector, or mounting on the underside (and reversing the ribbon cable)) Then modify the 34 way ribbon cable from the organ controller to the emulator by adding a switch in the drive select output from the Organ controller to select either a slim emulator, or slim mechanical floppy drive.

regards
Ian

Paradoxic
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2012 5:36 pm

Re: New Slim/cost reduced SD HxC Floppy Emulator !

Post by Paradoxic »

Hi.
Earlier in this thread you posted an image showing a remote i2c LCD screen. This looks to be 20x4 display, though the products you linked to were 16x2. My question is could a 20x4 display be used, and as a result enable longer file names without scrolling ?

You also suggested firmware could be updated to include support for remote switches. Has this yet been realized ?

Many thanks
Ian

den
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Sep 15, 2010 11:13 pm

Re: New Slim/cost reduced SD HxC Floppy Emulator !

Post by den »

hi jeff

any news about additional button support ?

thanks

DrLivingstone
Posts: 19
Joined: Tue Jul 09, 2013 6:04 pm

Re: New Slim/cost reduced SD HxC Floppy Emulator !

Post by DrLivingstone »

den wrote:hi jeff

any news about additional button support ?

thanks
+1


Fabuloso el invento!!! Gracias por la estupenda explicación.
Es estupendo ahora ver el título de los juegos.

Me sumo a den. ¿Jeff para cuando el botón adicional para pasar y retroceder los HFE?


Pongo alguna foto
ImageImageImage

DrLivingstone
Posts: 19
Joined: Tue Jul 09, 2013 6:04 pm

Re: New Slim/cost reduced SD HxC Floppy Emulator !

Post by DrLivingstone »

HELP ME!!!

Well my happiness did not last long. :( :( :( :( :( :(

Re-soldering connections J3, have broken the tracks with the welder. The HXC SLIM works well, but has stopped my LCD screen work. :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:

There would be some way to bypass tracks.

Who could give us the circuit scheme of the HXC SD SLIM?

Jeff please can you upload it.?

The D3 is the 504B, but have not found manual signals. I think it may be the driver of the SDA and SCL signals but do not know where the bridge.

Image

Martin Hepperle
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2016 11:20 am
Location: Germany

Re: New Slim/cost reduced SD HxC Floppy Emulator !

Post by Martin Hepperle »

Hi,

is the display software module included in the current Slim versions?

I bought two HxC Slims from Lotharek just a few weeks ago (September 2016) and would like to know whether I have to update the firmware or whether the current firmware already includes the option.

Martin

DrLivingstone
Posts: 19
Joined: Tue Jul 09, 2013 6:04 pm

Re: New Slim/cost reduced SD HxC Floppy Emulator !

Post by DrLivingstone »

If not updated, the process easy.
Copies the firmware file in the root of the SD and turn the computer waiting about 1 minute. You'll see the LED display flashes while it is flashing.

Martin Hepperle
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2016 11:20 am
Location: Germany

Re: New Slim/cost reduced SD HxC Floppy Emulator !

Post by Martin Hepperle »

Hi,

just to confirm: the currently (September 2016) HxC Slim Emulator boards sold by Lotharek do not output anything to the I2C output pins. A firmware update is obviously needed if an LCD shall be connected.

Martin

Jeff
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Re: New Slim/cost reduced SD HxC Floppy Emulator !

Post by Jeff »

Yes just get the latest beta firmware version :
https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... index.html

Martin Hepperle
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2016 11:20 am
Location: Germany

Re: New Slim/cost reduced SD HxC Floppy Emulator !

Post by Martin Hepperle »

Hi,

yes, indeed this new firmware did the trick. Especially for debugging it is very useful to have a display connected to the "Slim" version of the emulator. Later, when everything works, the display can be unplugged.

I also noticed that the new firmware now uses the "long button press" command to automatically walk through the available image files. Pressing a bit longer than long and quickly releasing when the single beep sounds seems to jump to the first image. Tricky...

Martin

Sorgelig
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2016 1:00 pm

Re: New Slim/cost reduced SD HxC Floppy Emulator !

Post by Sorgelig »

Jeff wrote:Yes just get the latest beta firmware version :
https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... index.html
What about additional button support? I've thought that INT# and GND are used for a second button, but alas, no reaction...

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