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MIDIbox Quad Genesis: Front Panel

midibox.org_forums_uploads_monthly_2017_09_59c6a64298b45_frontpanelfull.jpg.22d95b55e3ada643ee3aa6933f0d9753.jpg

To build the front panel of MIDIbox Quad Genesis, you will need (details on each part below):

  • An aluminum front panel OR PCB Front Panel from Smithy (See forum post) OR 3D Printed Front Panel (See Below)
  • A PCB to hold all the buttons, LEDs, encoders, etc., and of course all these electronic components themselves
  • A bunch of 3D printed transparent button caps
  • Some 3D printed transparent LED pipes for the FM widget
  • A 2×40 standard MIDIbox-compliant character LCD screen
  • Knob caps for the encoders, including a datawheel-style cap for the datawheel encoder
  • The dual-gang and single-gang potentiometers (one each per synth, not per module!) for the Genesis module volume controls, and their appropriate knob caps (see MBHP_GENESIS)
  • A whole bunch of M3 or 4-40 screws, nuts, washers, and standoffs
  • Standard MIDIbox 10-pin and 16-pin IDC cables, for connecting the front panel PCB to the core's J8/9 and for connecting the LCD to the core's J15A

Dimensions

The aluminum (or acrylic) front panel of MIDIbox Quad Genesis is 15“ x 11” (38.1 x 27.9 cm), and the front panel PCB itself is 13.85“ x 9.85” (35.18 x 25.02 cm), leaving a 0.57“ (1.45 cm) border around the edge. The aluminum I used was 1/16” (0.062“ or 1.57 mm); this may be a consideration if you use acrylic which is much thicker (2mm should probably be fine but 3mm might be a problem, with the 3D printed buttons - Update - Smithy has provided modified files for 3D printed buttons and light pipes to fit 3mm panels below. ).

The spacing between the underside of the front panel and the upper side of the PCB is about 0.27” (7 mm), which is originally defined by the encoders and the 3D printed buttons are made to match this. I used 1/4“ nylon spacers/standoffs from eBay plus a flat washer (4-40 or M3) to achieve this spacing. I used 0.75” 4-40 screws to put together the front panel, in which case the depth of the assembly was 0.75“ with the electrolytic capacitors and pin header / IDC connector sticking out past this. The panel and PCB can be fastened together with 4-40 or M3 screws.

Aluminum Front Panel

There are two designs available here: my original, and a modified design with the LED pipes in the LED rings having been replaced by 3mm LEDs just sticking through holes in the aluminum.

It took me over 2 hours just to insert the tiny LED pipes in the slits in one single front panel with the first design, which is why I recommend the second. Since they're 3D printed (see below), they have a small range of sizes, and at that scale some are too big and some are too small. I still left them in place for the FM widget and the DAC VU meter; if you don't want those either for some reason, it shouldn't be hard to replace them with holes.

All the LED holes and screw mounting holes are 1/8” (3.17 mm), which should give 3mm LEDs a little play (some are in practice slightly wider than 3mm, and some aren't actually 3mm at all), and are also big enough for both M3 and 4-40“ screws. On my own panel, I had to drill out some of the holes a bit for the yellow and green LEDs sticking through the front panel; I recommend you buy the LEDs you're going to put through the holes first and measure them before you have the front panel manufactured.

It may be possible to make the front panel out of acrylic, a-la MIDIbox SEQ V4. Since the front panel PCB is bolted to it in many places, it will probably be sturdy enough. If it's not, there's a row of screw holes slightly below halfway down the panel, and maybe you can have those screws go into an aluminum bar spanning the width of the front panel and attaching to the sides of your case, to provide extra support in the middle.

Downloads

(You will need to be logged in to your MIDIbox Forum account to access these downloads)

mbqg_fp_original.fpd

mbqg_fp_modledrings.fpd

3D Printed Front Panel

Smithy has provided an STL file for a 2mm 3D Printed Front Panel with 1mm Raised Lettering as a more budget friendly option. It will require a printer with a bed side size typically of 400 x 400mm or larger. This is currently untested and unprinted, and may require a resolution / layer height setting of 0.1mm to be accurate. More info to come when I have designed and 3D printed and a Rear Panel. Please see the following guide to achieve a dual colour panel with a different colour for the lettering and for the panel: Forum Link

Download

MBQG_FP PCB

A custom front panel PCB is purchaseable directly from Sauraen for $50 plus at-cost shipping. It includes a free detachable MBHP_GENESIS_LS PCB in the space where the volume knobs will be on the front panel. If you are interested in purchasing one, contact Sauraen by private message at the MIDIbox Forums or post in the MIDIbox Quad Genesis thread there.

Photos

Front:

midibox.org_forums_uploads_monthly_2017_01_large.frontpanel_bareboard_front.jpg.a46a203426766cd49714af08444ae840.jpg

Back:

midibox.org_forums_uploads_monthly_2017_01_large.frontpanel_bareboard_back.jpg.ae7676c6fb15707ec1f1afe8afd38c04.jpg

Populated and with almost all LEDs lit:

midibox.org_forums_uploads_monthly_2017_01_large.frontpanel_allleds.jpg.f32ae66e3e7ee70a14e850670c2cb573.jpg

Parts List for MBQG_FP PCB

This is the set of parts I used to build the two MIDIbox Quad Genesis units I constructed. It can also serve as guidelines for if you're building your own board from scratch on veroboard. Here are some notes and caveats:

  • As explained above in the section of the aluminum front panel, I used LED pipes for the LED rings, to give them a distinctive oblong shape. To save money on the milling costs and labor on inserting hundreds of tiny plastic pieces into the front panel, most of which are either too small or too big, I recommend making the LED rings just by having 3mm LEDs sticking up through the aluminum. In this case, the LEDs I used below will be too bright to look at directly–they were used to illuminate the LED pipes. So please consider changing to different LEDs.
  • Please note that for the LEDs which are under illuminated buttons or under the remaining LED pipes, you will need LEDs which are very bright like the ones below! Cheap 1mcd LEDs will be completely invisible! You need at least 1000mcd; the brightnesses I used are listed below. If you are going to the trouble of making this thing, don't skimp on the LEDs!
  • Also don't skimp on the encoders! For MIDIbox FM V2.0/V2.1 I used cheap encoders from China to save money, and many of them barely work anymore!
  • Of course, the color of all the LEDs is completely up to personal preference, though you should always use the same two colors beneath all bi-color buttons. Please plan out carefully how many of each type of LED you will need based on your color preferences and which LEDs will be sticking through the front panel versus lighting up buttons or light pipes. Trust me, you don't want to use regular LEDs to try to light up the plastic, it'll look dim and poor; and you don't want to use the high-brightness LEDs sticking through the front panel, they will blind you!
  • On the PCB itself, the individual buttons, LEDs, and diodes are usually not marked. To simplify PCB design in KiCad, “assemblies” were created with e.g. an encoder and 16 LEDs, or a button, two LEDs, and a diode. This is why they're marked “A21” or whatever. All the diodes are the same 1N914 or 1N4148 (or actually any through-hole small signal diode), and each one has a cathode marking, so there should never be any confusion. With the exception of the LEDs in the LED rings, every LED on the board has an actual diode symbol marked, so there should be no confusion about which direction they go (square pad is anode is longer lead). In the LED rings, the four quadrant LEDs' directions are marked, and the rest go in the corresponding direction, following around the circle (anode always on inside). All the tact switches are also the same–just make sure each one is pushed in fully before soldering!
Description Mouser P/N Quantity
Encoders; 0.1” board mount with switch; bushing; 24 PPR, 24 detent; etc. If you want to save a couple dollars, you can use the ones without the switch for all the encoders except the datawheel and the four Operator Level encoders–those are the only ones for which the switch is wired up. 652-PEC12R3220FS0024 21
Tact switches; standard, 5mm high 611-PTS645SM502 115
Diodes for button matrix 583-1N4148-T 120
Red LEDs for lighting buttons/caps (4500mcd (!)) 604-WP710A10SRC/J4 87
Orange LEDs for lighting buttons/caps (2700mcd (!)) 604-WP710A10SEC 9
Yellow LEDs for lighting buttons/caps (3200mcd (!)) 859-LTL17KYV3JS 18
Green LEDs for lighting buttons/caps (7200mcd (!)) 859-LTL17KTGX3KS 76
Blue LEDs for lighting buttons/caps (1500mcd (!)) 859-LTL17KTBS3KS 220
Red LEDs for panel indication (i.e. sticking through holes in front panel) (Tinted, Diffused) 604-WP710A10SRD/D 26
Orange LEDs for panel indication (Tinted, Diffused) 696-SSL-LX3044SOD 7
Yellow LEDs for panel indication (Tinted, Diffused) (For some reason I ended up using these only for the yellow LEDs in the commands display and the load meter, not for the crosspoints in the FM widget; it may have been because I wanted clear-looking LEDs in the FM widget to go with all the other clear/white things there, or because these LEDs are closer to yellow than to amber, and the other LEDs in the FM widget were more amber) 710-151031YS06000 23
Green LEDs for panel indication (Tinted, Clear–I couldn't get appropriate brightness diffused ones) 859-LTL1CHJGTNN 51
Blue LEDs for panel indication (NOT tinted, Diffused–the picture lies, they're white diffused but light up blue; and actually these are a bit too bright to use for sticking through the front panel. You could fudge something with the resistors supplying these columns to try to reduce the brightness, but I might recommend looking for alternative LEDs.) 593-VAOL-3LSBY1 28
Red/Green 5mm LEDs for FM widget operator nodes (3 wire common ANODE) 696-LLX5099SRSGCCA 4
Large LED display 859-LTC-5623HR 1
Small LED displays 859-LSHD-7501 5
Row drive NMOSFETs (2n7000s aren't strong enough) 689-VN3205N3-G 8
74HC595 shift registers, SOIC-16 511-M74HC595YRM13TR 12
74HC165 shift registers, SOIC-16 863-MC74HC165ADR2G 8
220 ohm x 8 resistor packs, SOIC-16 652-4816P-1LF-220 11
10k ohm x 4 resistor packs, SIL-5 (RP13–RP28, not RP0 and RP1) 858-L051S103LF 16
1k ohm x 4 resistor packs, SIL-5 (these are just RP0 and RP1) 652-4605X-1LF-1K 2
Electrolytic caps (470 uF) 647-UVR1C471MPD 3
Ceramic/film caps (0.1 uF) Buy by the 100 from eBay ~20
10k dual gang audio taper panel mount pot (OPN2 volume) 313-1240F-10K 1
10k audio taper panel mount pot 858-P160KNPC15A10K 1
5×2 pin header Buy in larger size (preferably from eBay) and snap off 1

Don't forget: the 2×40 character LCD, the pin header for the LCD, the ribbon cable and IDC connectors for the LCD and front panel, knob caps for the regular encoders, datawheel knob cap for the datawheel, knob caps for the volume pots.

Schematic and Reference Designators

Schematic image (unfortunately, MIDIbox Gallery scaled down the original image, and offsite documentation is frowned upon):

For Color fields, as discussed above, you may change the colors to whatever you want, but it is recommended to keep the colors consistent (e.g. make everything “green” below be the same color, and everything “red” below be a different color). For the Red/Green buttons below, the Red LED is always on the left and the Green LED is always on the right.

Ref. Des. Type Color Description
A1 Encoder + 16-LED ring Blue FM operator parameter “Harmonic” (“FMult”)
A2 Encoder + 7-LED ring Rainbow FM operator parameter “Detune”
A3 Encoder + 16-LED ring Blue FM operator parameter “Atk Rate”
A4 Encoder + 16-LED ring Blue FM operator parameter “Dec1 Rate”
A5 Encoder + 16-LED ring Blue FM operator parameter “Dec1 Level”
A6 Encoder + 16-LED ring Blue FM operator parameter “Dec2 Rate”
A7 Encoder + 16-LED ring Blue FM operator parameter “Rel Rate”
A8 Encoder + 16-LED ring Blue OPN2 parameter “Ch3 CSM Freq”
A9 Encoder + 16-LED ring Blue PSG voice parameter “Freq”
A10 Encoder + 16-LED ring Blue PSG voice parameter “Volume”
A11 Button + LED Red FM operator parameter “KSR” (Key Scale Rate)
A12 Button + LED Red FM operator SSG-EG parameter “On”
A13 Button + LED Red FM operator SSG-EG parameter “Init”
A14 Button + LED Red FM operator SSG-EG parameter “Toggle”
A15 Button + LED Red FM operator SSG-EG parameter “Hold”
A16 Button + LED Red FM operator parameter “LFO AM” (LFO → operator amplitude modulation toggle)
A17 Button + LED Red OPN2 parameter “Ch3 CSM Fast” (originally Timer A fast, now Timer A enable)
A18–A21 Encoder + 16-LED ring Blue FM voice parameter “Oper 1 Level” – “Oper 4 Level”
A22 Encoder + 8-LED ring Blue FM voice parameter “LFO-Freq Depth” (LFO → frequency modulation depth)
A23 Encoder + 4-LED ring Blue FM voice parameter “LFO-Amp Depth” (LFO → amplitude modulation depth)
A24 Encoder + 8-LED ring Blue OPN2 parameter “LFO Freq”
A25 Button + LED Red OPN2 parameter “Ugly” (now-famous test bit 0x21:4)
A26 Button + LED Red OPN2 parameter “DAC Override” (test bit 0x2C:5)
A27 Button + LED Red OPN2 parameter “LFO Enable”
A28 Button + LED Red OPN2 parameter “EG Enable” (invert of test bit 0x21:5)
A29–A32 Button + LED Green Operator Selection 1–4
A33–A44 Button + 2 LEDs Red/Green Genesis 1 Voice Selection: DAC, FM voices 1–6, OPN2 globals, PSG voices 1-3, noise
A45–A56 Button + 2 LEDs Red/Green Genesis 2 Voice Selection: DAC, FM voices 1–6, OPN2 globals, PSG voices 1-3, noise
A57 Encoder + 8-LED ring Blue OPN2 voice parameter “Feedback”
A58–A69 Button + 2 LEDs Red/Green Genesis 3 Voice Selection: DAC, FM voices 1–6, OPN2 globals, PSG voices 1-3, noise
A70–A81 Button + 2 LEDs Red/Green Genesis 4 Voice Selection: DAC, FM voices 1–6, OPN2 globals, PSG voices 1-3, noise
A82 Button + LED Red OPN2 parameter “DAC Enable”
A83 Button + LED Green System Mode
A84 Button + LED Green Voice Mode
A85 Button + LED Green Channel Mode
A86 Button + LED Green Program Mode
A87 Button + LED Green VGM Editor Mode
A88 Button + LED Green Modulator Mode
A89 Button + LED Green Sample Mode
A90 Button + LED Red Mute
A91 Button + LED Red Solo
A92 Button + LED Red Release
A93 Button + LED Red Panel Override
A94 Button + LED Green Restart
A95 Button + LED Green Play
A96 Button + LED Green Reset
A97 Button + LED Green Load
A98 Button + LED Green Save
A99 Button + LED Green New
A100 Button + LED Green Delete
A101 Button + LED Green Crop
A102 Button + LED Green Capture
A103 Button + LED Green Duplicate
A104 Button + LED Green Paste
A105 Button + LED Red/Green Ctrl
A106 Button + LED Red/Green Time
A107 7-LED Column Red VGM Commands Display: Ctrl
A108 7-LED Column Red VGM Commands Display: Time
A109 7-LED Column Yellow VGM Commands Display: OPN2
A110 7-LED Column Green VGM Commands Display: FM 1
A111 7-LED Column Green VGM Commands Display: FM 2
A112 7-LED Column Green VGM Commands Display: FM 3
A113 7-LED Column Green VGM Commands Display: FM 4
A114 7-LED Column Green VGM Commands Display: FM 5
A115 7-LED Column Green VGM Commands Display: FM 6
A116 7-LED Column Orange VGM Commands Display: DAC
A117 7-LED Column Blue VGM Commands Display: OP/SQ 1
A118 7-LED Column Blue VGM Commands Display: OP/SQ 2
A119 7-LED Column Blue VGM Commands Display: OP/SQ 3
A120 7-LED Column Blue VGM Commands Display: OP4/NS
A121 Button + LED Green Commands View
A122 Button + LED Green State View
A123 Button + LED Red Group
C1–C20 Capacitor N/A 0.1uF ceramic or film capacitors for chips
C21–C23 Capacitor N/A 470uF electrolytic capacitors for power rails, reverse mounted
D1–D5 Diode N/A Diodes for encoder buttons; all normal button diodes included in Assembly or Switch
DS1 LED Display Red Main Display
DS2 LED Display Red Octave
DS3–DS6 LED Display Red Frequency
E1 Encoder N/A OPN2 voice parameter “Octave”
E2 Encoder N/A OPN2 voice parameter “Frequency”
E3 Encoder N/A Datawheel
LD1–LD3 LED Red OPN2 Ch3 Mode
LD4–LD7 LED Red PSG Noise Freq
LD8–LD9 LED Red PSG Noise Type
LD10, LD16 LED Yellow FM Voice Output
LD11–LD14,
LD24–LD29,
LD37–LD40,
LD48–LD49
LED Yellow FM Widget Path
LD15, LD17,
LD22, LD23,
LD30, LD31,
LD36, LD42,
LD44
LED Orange DAC VU Meter
LD18–LD21 Bicolor LED Red/Green FM Widget Operator Node
LD33–LD35,
LD45–LD46,
LD51
LED Yellow FM Widget Path Node
LD32 LED Red FM Widget Feedback
LD41, LD43,
LD47, LD50
LED Yellow Key On
LD52–LD53,
LD58-LD59,
LD60-LD64,
LED Green System Load Meter
LD54, LD57,
LD65-LD66,
LED Yellow System Load Meter
LD55-LD56,
LD67
LED Red System Load Meter
R1–R2 Resistors N/A 2.2k terminating resistors for clock and latch lines
RP0–RP1 Resistor Packs N/A 1k row driver pull-ups (to reduce ghosting)
RP2–RP12 Resistor Packs N/A 220 ohm LED column current limiters
RP13–RP28 Resistor Packs N/A 10k button column pull-ups
S1 Button N/A OPN2 Ch3 Mode
S2 Button N/A PSG Noise Freq
S3 Button N/A PSG Noise Type
S4 Button N/A FM Voice Output
S5 Button N/A Algorithm
S6 Button N/A Key On
S7 Button N/A Mark Beginning
S8 Button N/A Move Up
S9 Button N/A Up One Command
S10 Button N/A Up One State
S11 Button N/A Mark End
S12 Button N/A Move Down
S13 Button N/A Down One Command
S14 Button N/A Down One State
S15 Button N/A Menu
S16–S23 Button N/A Softkeys
S24 Button N/A Enter
TF1 Triforce Red Triforce of Power
TF2 Triforce Blue Triforce of Wisdom
TF3 Triforce Green Triforce of Courage
U1–U12 IC N/A 74HC595 Output Shift Register, SMD
U13–U20 IC N/A 74HC165 Input Shift Register, SMD

Custom PCB / Veroboard Info

This is the mapping for the MBQG_FP board itself–if you have the commercially produced PCB from Sauraen, you don't need this info because it's already in the copper!

MIDIbox Quad Genesis supports its front panel controls in any valid MIDIbox button-LED matrix configuration, with the following restrictions:

DOUT Restrictions

  • The same BLM must be used for buttons and LEDs, and it must have 8 rows.
  • LED display digits must be common anode, connected with their anode to a DOUT shift register pin, and their cathodes to the row lines in the order 0-7 = A-B-C-D-E-F-G-DP.

DIN Restrictions

  • The same BLM must be used for buttons and LEDs, and it must have 8 rows.
  • Encoders must have their common pin grounded, and their two switching pins directly connected to two DIN shift register pins (not in the matrix).

For now, the mapping is hard-coded in frontpanel.c, but eventually (if there is interest), it will be read from a text-based configuration file on the SD card upon startup. If you match the matrix maps below, you won't need to edit this at all.

DOUT Matrix Map

Syntax:

  • X = no item
  • B = button
  • EB = encoder button (push)
  • L = LED
  • R = Red
  • G = Green
  • G# = Genesis #
  • O# = LED Ring Segment # (counted from bottom, clockwise)
  • LW# = LED, FM Widget, Reference Designator # (since there is no good way to label the individual widget segments)

All LED display digits are wired, from rows 0 to 7: A-B-C-D-E-F-G-DP

VGM Commands Matrix is wired, from top to bottom, 0-1-2-3-4-5-6 (row 7 not used for any columns)

Counting the individual segments in the LED displays, there are 638 LEDs on the front panel.

SR IDX BIT 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
U1 1 0 ROW0 DRIVER (ACTIVE HIGH)
1 ROW1 DRIVER (ACTIVE HIGH)
2 ROW2 DRIVER (ACTIVE HIGH)
3 ROW3 DRIVER (ACTIVE HIGH)
4 ROW4 DRIVER (ACTIVE HIGH)
5 ROW5 DRIVER (ACTIVE HIGH)
6 ROW6 DRIVER (ACTIVE HIGH)
7 ROW7 DRIVER (ACTIVE HIGH)
U2 2 0 LR_G1_DAC LG_G1_DAC LR_G2_DAC LG_G2_DAC LR_G3_DAC LG_G3_DAC LR_G4_DAC LG_G4_DAC
1 LR_G1_V1 LG_G1_V1 LR_G2_V1 LG_G2_V1 LR_G3_V1 LG_G3_V1 LR_G4_V1 LG_G4_V1
2 LR_G1_V2 LG_G1_V2 LR_G2_V2 LG_G2_V2 LR_G3_V2 LG_G3_V2 LR_G4_V2 LG_G4_V2
3 LR_G1_V3 LG_G1_V3 LR_G2_V3 LG_G2_V3 LR_G3_V3 LG_G3_V3 LR_G4_V3 LG_G4_V3
4 LR_G1_V4 LG_G1_V4 LR_G2_V4 LG_G2_V4 LR_G3_V4 LG_G3_V4 LR_G4_V4 LG_G4_V4
5 LR_G1_V5 LG_G1_V5 LR_G2_V5 LG_G2_V5 LR_G3_V5 LG_G3_V5 LR_G4_V5 LG_G4_V5
6 X X X X LFOFREQ_O4 LFOFREQ_O5 LFOFREQ_O6 LFOFREQ_O7
7 X X X X LFOFREQ_O11 LFOFREQ_O10 LFOFREQ_O9 LFOFREQ_O8
U3 3 0 LR_G1_V6 LG_G1_V6 LR_G2_V6 LG_G2_V6 LR_G3_V6 LG_G3_V6 LR_G4_V6 LG_G4_V6
1 LR_G1_OPN2 LG_G1_OPN2 LR_G2_OPN2 LG_G2_OPN2 LR_G3_OPN2 LG_G3_OPN2 LR_G4_OPN2 LG_G4_OPN2
2 LG_CTRL X LR_CTRL X LG_TIME L_CMDS LR_TIME L_STATE
3 L_GROUP L_MUTE L_RESTART L_SOLO L_PLAY L_RELEASE L_RESET L_PNLOVR
4 LR_G1_S1 LG_G1_S1 LR_G2_S1 LG_G2_S1 LR_G3_S1 LG_G3_S1 LR_G4_S1 LG_G4_S1
5 LR_G1_S2 LG_G1_S2 LR_G2_S2 LG_G2_S2 LR_G3_S2 LG_G3_S2 LR_G4_S2 LG_G4_S2
6 LR_G1_S3 LG_G1_S3 LR_G2_S3 LG_G2_S3 LR_G3_S3 LG_G3_S3 LR_G4_S3 LG_G4_S3
7 LR_G1_NOISE LG_G1_NOISE LR_G2_NOISE LG_G2_NOISE LR_G3_NOISE LG_G3_NOISE LR_G4_NOISE LG_G4_NOISE
U4 4 0 X X X X X L_CH3NORM L_CH34FREQ L_CH3CSM
1 X X L_EG L_LFO L_DACOVR L_UGLY L_CH3FAST X
2 L_NFMED L_NFHI L_KSR L_SSGON L_SSGINIT L_SSGTGL L_SSGHOLD L_LFOAM
3 L_NFSQ3 L_NFLO L_NMPLS L_NMWHT X X X X
4 PSGVOL_O15 PSGVOL_O14 PSGVOL_O13 PSGVOL_O12 PSGVOL_O11 PSGVOL_O10 PSGVOL_O9 PSGVOL_O8
5 PSGVOL_O0 PSGVOL_O1 PSGVOL_O2 PSGVOL_O3 PSGVOL_O4 PSGVOL_O5 PSGVOL_O6 PSGVOL_O7
6 PSGFREQ_O15 PSGFREQ_O14 PSGFREQ_O13 PSGFREQ_O12 PSGFREQ_O11 PSGFREQ_O10 PSGFREQ_O9 PSGFREQ_O8
7 PSGFREQ_O0 PSGFREQ_O1 PSGFREQ_O2 PSGFREQ_O3 PSGFREQ_O4 PSGFREQ_O5 PSGFREQ_O6 PSGFREQ_O7
U5 5 0 RELRATE_O15 RELRATE_O14 RELRATE_O13 RELRATE_O12 RELRATE_O11 RELRATE_O10 RELRATE_O9 RELRATE_O8
1 RELRATE_O0 RELRATE_O1 RELRATE_O2 RELRATE_O3 RELRATE_O4 RELRATE_O5 RELRATE_O6 RELRATE_O7
2 CSMFREQ_O15 CSMFREQ_O14 CSMFREQ_O13 CSMFREQ_O12 CSMFREQ_O11 CSMFREQ_O10 CSMFREQ_O9 CSMFREQ_O8
3 CSMFREQ_O0 CSMFREQ_O1 CSMFREQ_O2 CSMFREQ_O3 CSMFREQ_O4 CSMFREQ_O5 CSMFREQ_O6 CSMFREQ_O7
4 DECLVL_O15 DECLVL_O14 DECLVL_O13 DECLVL_O12 DECLVL_O11 DECLVL_O10 DECLVL_O9 DECLVL_O8
5 DECLVL_O0 DECLVL_O1 DECLVL_O2 DECLVL_O3 DECLVL_O4 DECLVL_O5 DECLVL_O6 DECLVL_O7
6 DEC2R_O15 DEC2R_O14 DEC2R_O13 DEC2R_O12 DEC2R_O11 DEC2R_O10 DEC2R_O9 DEC2R_O8
7 DEC2R_O0 DEC2R_O1 DEC2R_O2 DEC2R_O3 DEC2R_O4 DEC2R_O5 DEC2R_O6 DEC2R_O7
U6 6 0 DEC1R_O15 DEC1R_O14 DEC1R_O13 DEC1R_O12 DEC1R_O11 DEC1R_O10 DEC1R_O9 DEC1R_O8
1 DEC1R_O0 DEC1R_O1 DEC1R_O2 DEC1R_O3 DEC1R_O4 DEC1R_O5 DEC1R_O6 DEC1R_O7
2 ATTACK_O15 ATTACK_O14 ATTACK_O13 ATTACK_O12 ATTACK_O11 ATTACK_O10 ATTACK_O9 ATTACK_O8
3 ATTACK_O0 ATTACK_O1 ATTACK_O2 ATTACK_O3 ATTACK_O4 ATTACK_O5 ATTACK_O6 ATTACK_O7
4 X X X X DETUNE_O11 DETUNE_O10 DETUNE_O9 DETUNE_O8
5 X X X X X DETUNE_O5 DETUNE_O6 DETUNE_O7
6 HARM_O15 HARM_O14 HARM_O13 HARM_O12 HARM_O11 HARM_O10 HARM_O9 HARM_O8
7 HARM_O0 HARM_O1 HARM_O2 HARM_O3 HARM_O4 HARM_O5 HARM_O6 HARM_O7
U7 7 0 OP1LVL_O0 OP1LVL_O1 OP1LVL_O2 OP1LVL_O3 OP1LVL_O4 OP1LVL_O5 OP1LVL_O6 OP1LVL_O7
1 OP1LVL_O15 OP1LVL_O14 OP1LVL_O13 OP1LVL_O12 OP1LVL_O11 OP1LVL_O10 OP1LVL_O9 OP1LVL_O8
2 OP2LVL_O0 OP2LVL_O1 OP2LVL_O2 OP2LVL_O3 OP2LVL_O4 OP2LVL_O5 OP2LVL_O6 OP2LVL_O7
3 OP2LVL_O15 OP2LVL_O14 OP2LVL_O13 OP2LVL_O12 OP2LVL_O11 OP2LVL_O10 OP2LVL_O9 OP2LVL_O8
4 FREQUENCY DIGIT 3 COMMON ANODE
5 FREQUENCY DIGIT 2 COMMON ANODE
6 FREQUENCY DIGIT 1 COMMON ANODE
7 OCTAVE DIGIT COMMON ANODE
U8 8 0 OP3LVL_O0 OP3LVL_O1 OP3LVL_O2 OP3LVL_O3 OP3LVL_O4 OP3LVL_O5 OP3LVL_O6 OP3LVL_O7
1 OP3LVL_O15 OP3LVL_O14 OP3LVL_O13 OP3LVL_O12 OP3LVL_O11 OP3LVL_O10 OP3LVL_O9 OP3LVL_O8
2 OP4LVL_O0 OP4LVL_O1 OP4LVL_O2 OP4LVL_O3 OP4LVL_O4 OP4LVL_O5 OP4LVL_O6 OP4LVL_O7
3 OP4LVL_O15 OP4LVL_O14 OP4LVL_O13 OP4LVL_O12 OP4LVL_O11 OP4LVL_O10 OP4LVL_O9 OP4LVL_O8
4 X X X X LFOFDEP_O4 LFOFDEP_O5 LFOFDEP_O6 LFOFDEP_O7
5 X X X X LFOFDEP_O11 LFOFDEP_O10 LFOFDEP_O9 LFOFDEP_O8
6 X X X X LFOADEP_O4 LFOADEP_O10 LFOADEP_O6 LFOADEP_O8
7 FREQUENCY DIGIT 4 COMMON ANODE
U9 9 0 X X X X L_DACB9 L_DACENAB LW46 X
1 LW45 LW48 LW51 LW49 L_KON1 L_KON2 L_KON3 L_KON4
2 FEEDBACK_O11 FEEDBACK_O10 FEEDBACK_O9 FEEDBACK_O8 L_DACB5 L_DACB6 L_DACB7 L_DACB8
3 FEEDBACK_O4 FEEDBACK_O5 FEEDBACK_6 FEEDBACK_7 L_DACB1 L_DACB2 L_DACB3 L_DACB4
4 LW32 LW33 LW37 LW38 LW34 LW39 LW40 LW35
5 L_OUTL L_OUTR LW24 LW25 LW26 LW27 LW28 LW29
6 LR_OP1 LG_OP1 LR_OP2 LG_OP2 LR_OP3 LG_OP3 LR_OP4 LG_OP4
7 L_SELO1 L_CARRO1 L_SELO2 L_CARRO2 L_SELO3 L_CARRO3 L_SELO4 L_CARRO4
U10 10 0 MAIN DIGIT 4 COMMON ANODE
1 MAIN DIGIT 3 COMMON ANODE
2 MAIN DIGIT 2 COMMON ANODE
3 MAIN DIGIT 1 COMMON ANODE
4 L_RAM0 L_RAM1 L_RAM2 L_RAM3 L_RAM4 L_RAM5 L_RAM6 L_RAM7
5 L_CHIP0 L_CHIP1 L_CHIP2 L_CHIP3 L_CARD3 L_CARD2 L_CARD1 L_CARD0
6 L_LOAD L_CROP L_SAVE L_CAPTURE L_NEW L_DUPL L_DELETE L_PASTE
7 L_PROG X L_VGM L_SYSTEM L_MDLTR L_VOICE L_SAMPLE L_CHAN
U11 11 0 VGM COMMANDS MATRIX COLUMN 7: FM 4
1 VGM COMMANDS MATRIX COLUMN 6: FM 3
2 VGM COMMANDS MATRIX COLUMN 5: FM 2
3 VGM COMMANDS MATRIX COLUMN 4: FM 1
4 VGM COMMANDS MATRIX COLUMN 3: OPN2
5 VGM COMMANDS MATRIX COLUMN 2: TIME
6 VGM COMMANDS MATRIX COLUMN 1: CTRL
7 X
U12 12 0 X
1 VGM COMMANDS MATRIX COLUMN 14: OP4/NS
2 VGM COMMANDS MATRIX COLUMN 13: OP/SQ 3
3 VGM COMMANDS MATRIX COLUMN 12: OP/SQ 2
4 VGM COMMANDS MATRIX COLUMN 11: OP/SQ 1
5 VGM COMMANDS MATRIX COLUMN 10: DAC
6 VGM COMMANDS MATRIX COLUMN 9: FM 6
7 VGM COMMANDS MATRIX COLUMN 8: FM 5

DIN Matrix Map

SR IDX BIT 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
U13 1 0 OP4LVL ENCODER A
1 OP4LVL ENCODER B
2 LFOFDEP ENCODER B
3 LFOFDEP ENCODER A
4 LFOADEP ENCODER B
5 LFOADEP ENCODER A
6 LFOFREQ ENCODER A
7 LFOFREQ ENCODER B
U14 2 0 B_MENU B_G1_V2 X B_G2_V2 X B_G3_V2 B_ENTER B_G4_V2
1 B_SOFT1 B_G1_V3 B_SOFT2 B_G2_V3 B_SOFT3 B_G3_V3 B_SOFT4 B_G4_V3
2 B_SOFT5 B_G1_V4 B_SOFT6 B_G2_V4 B_SOFT7 B_G3_V4 B_SOFT8 B_G4_V4
3 B_MARKST B_G1_V5 B_MOVEUP B_G2_V5 B_MARKEND B_G3_V5 B_MOVEDN B_G4_V5
4 X B_G1_V1 X B_G2_V1 X B_G3_V1 X B_G4_V1
5 X B_G1_DAC X B_G2_DAC X B_G3_DAC X B_G4_DAC
6 B_SELO1 B_OUT B_SELO2 B_ALG B_SELO3 B_DACEN B_SELO4 B_KON
7 X X X X EB_OP1LVL EB_OP2LVL EB_OP3LVL EB_OP4LVL
U15 3 0 X B_G1_V6 X B_G2_V6 X B_G3_V6 X B_G4_V6
1 X B_G1_OPN2 X B_G2_OPN2 X B_G3_OPN2 X B_G4_OPN2
2 X B_G1_S1 X B_G2_S1 X B_G3_S1 X B_G4_S1
3 X B_G1_S2 X B_G2_S2 X B_G3_S2 X B_G4_S2
4 X B_G1_S3 X B_G2_S3 X B_G3_S3 X B_G4_S3
5 X B_G1_NOISE X B_G2_NOISE X B_G3_NOISE X B_G4_NOISE
6 B_NSTYPE B_NSFREQ B_EG B_LFO B_DACOVR B_UGLY B_FAST B_CH3MODE
7 X X B_KSR B_SSGON B_SSGINIT B_SSGTGL B_SSGHOLD B_LFOAM
U16 4 0 CSMFREQ ENCODER A
1 CSMFREQ ENCODER B
2 RELRATE ENCODER A
3 RELRATE ENCODER B
4 PSGFREQ ENCODER A
5 PSGFREQ ENCODER B
6 PSGVOL ENCODER A
7 PSGVOL ENCODER B
U17 5 0 DEC2R ENCODER B
1 DEC2R ENCODER A
2 DECLVL ENCODER B
3 DECLVL ENCODER A
4 DEC1R ENCODER B
5 DEC1R ENCODER A
6 FREQ ENCODER B
7 FREQ ENCODER A
U18 6 0 ATTACK ENCODER B
1 ATTACK ENCODER A
2 DETUNE ENCODER B
3 DETUNE ENCODER A
4 HARM ENCODER B
5 HARM ENCODER A
6 OCTAVE ENCODER B
7 OCTAVE ENCODER A
U19 7 0 OP2LVL ENCODER B
1 OP2LVL ENCODER A
2 OP3LVL ENCODER B
3 OP3LVL ENCODER A
4 OP1LVL ENCODER B
5 OP1LVL ENCODER A
6 FEEDBACK ENCODER B
7 FEEDBACK ENCODER A
U20 8 0 DATAWHEEL ENCODER B
1 DATAWHEEL ENCODER A
2 X
3 X
4 B_CTRL B_CMDDN B_CMDUP B_STATEDN B_TIME B_CMDS B_STATEUP B_STATE
5 B_LOAD B_CROP B_SAVE B_CAPTURE B_NEW B_DUPL B_DELETE B_PASTE
6 B_GROUP B_MUTE B_RESTART B_SOLO B_PLAY B_RELEASE B_RESET B_PNLOVR
7 B_PROG EB_DATAWHL B_VGM B_SYSTEM B_MDLTR B_VOICE B_SAMPLE B_CHAN

3D Printed Items

The buttons on MBQG_FP consist simply of a 5mm tact switch and up to 2 3mm LEDs on the front panel board, and a 3D printed, transparent plastic button cap which sits loosely on top. It is held in by the front panel, its flanges, and the button and LEDs underneath.

MBQG_FP also uses a number of LED pipes, which are 3D printed, transparent pieces which are held in the slots of the aluminum front panel by friction, and which are intended to cause the slot to light up uniformly when lit underneath by an LED. The original version used LED pipes for all the LED rings, but since this was extremely tedious, I recommend only using the LED pipes for the FM Widget and the DAC VU meter.

Things You Should Know If Having These Printed

  • You need 115 buttons and 26 LED pipes, assuming you're not using LED pipes for all the LED rings. However, especially if the 3D printer (machine and/or person) is inexperienced, you will need lots of extras. For the LED pipes, because they are friction-fit, buy at least double the number you will need; and for the buttons, at least 20 extra or so.
  • The total cost to have these items printed should be roughly $20-$30 plus shipping. If someone is trying to charge you more than that, either there's an issue (like they got the scale wrong and think you want giant-sized parts), or they're trying to gyp you. If you try to get these printed by a commercial service (e.g. Ponoko), they will charge a minimum of $1 per part and the result will be prohibitively expensive! Have them printed by a real person instead, either a friend with a 3D printer or possibly someone from the RepRap forums.

Things You Need to Tell the Person Printing Them

  • The scale in the STL files is 1 INCH, not 1 mm. The buttons should be about 1/2“ or 12mm wide. (This is not intended as an engineering dimension, just as a sanity check–use the actual dimensions in the file.)
  • Update: Smithy has added additional STL files in metric scale below.
  • Either ABS or PLA transparent filament should work. I had the guy who made them for me do tests with both, and I liked the light-up appearance of the ABS better but the “off” appearance of the PLA better. But they were pretty similar.
  • I had the guy who made them for me do tests with different fill rates, and if I remember correctly around 10% fill worked best. 100% fill would be needlessly expensive and would dim the LEDs.
  • The buttons need to be printed with the flanges and the cutout down, and the beveled rectangular surface up. The LED pipes need to be printed with the flat surface down and the crown-shaped end up.

Downloads

Assembly Guide

Once you have your front panel PCB, your aluminum front panel, and all the other parts, here's some tips for the assembly process.

  1. Begin by soldering all the SMD shift registers and resistor packs. The pads aren't very big (if I had known, I would have made them bigger…), and I had a lot of issues with bad connections because a leg which looked soldered wasn't actually attached. If you have access to solder paste and a heat gun, use that. If not, apply solder to two corner pads on the board, place the chip on and melt those two legs into the solder to connect them. Adjust the position so that all the pins line up correctly. Then solder the rest of the legs, making sure to press down firmly with the iron on each leg just before applying the solder, in hopes that the leg will conduct heat to the copper and then when you apply the solder it will flow across the two.
  2. Solder the diodes, the two discrete resistors, the through-hole resistor packs, and the ceramic capacitors.
  3. Solder all the tactile switches. Only solder two pins of each switch to start, and make absolutely sure every single button is seated fully before soldering the remaining two pins. If the switch isn't seated fully, the 3D printed button will bind and it may prevent the front panel from going together well.
  4. Solder all the LEDs which are under buttons or LED pipes. Make sure each is also fully seated, and ideally, pointing as close to straight up as possible. Again, the panel won't go together right if any are sticking out, and buttons may bind if the LEDs under them are a little tilted.
  5. For each region of LEDs which stick through the front panel: Insert the LEDs into the board. Stick a couple screws in the area up through from under the board (backwards). Drop a 1/4” nylon standoff/spacer and a thin washer on top of each, and then slide the front panel down onto the screws. Secure them with a nut. Now flip over the assembly and drop/push each LED into the hole in the aluminum. Hold up the assembly and make sure all the LEDs are pushed in uniformly. Solder the LEDs.
  6. For the above step, if these are LEDs around an encoder, instead of securing the front panel with screws while soldering, solder in the encoder before you begin the process, and then use the encoder (with its nut) to hold the front panel to the aluminum while pushing in and soldering the LEDs. Make sure of course that the encoder is seated fully! If the encoder's mounting tabs have trouble going through the mounting holes, bend them a bit with pliers–they will eventually fit smoothly. Make sure to use plenty of solder (and plenty of heat) on the mounting tabs.
  7. For the LED displays, do a similar process to with the LEDs to ensure they fit correctly in the front panel and are flush with its surface. I used a small piece of wood to hold the displays flush with the surface while soldering them–“pushed in all the way” will not be flush with the surface, it will be below the surface.
  8. Make sure to mount the electrolytic capacitors behind the front panel, i.e. on the opposite side from all the other components.

Final Assembly

Once you have finished the board and tested it on its own, it's time to put it all together.

  1. Insert all the LED pipes in the aluminum. May take elbow grease as the aluminum “cuts” plastic off the sides of them to fit.
  2. Insert long (~5cm) M3 or 4-40 screws through all the holes in the aluminum, in the correct direction. Sit the front panel on your table with the screws sticking up (back side up).
  3. Lay all the 3D printed buttons in the appropriate cutouts, making sure to get the LED cutout pointing in the correct direction.
  4. Add a thin flat washer and a 1/4“ nylon standoff/spacer to each screw.
  5. Slip the front panel PCB down over all the screws. The encoders will hold it up against the table through the holes.
  6. Loosely cap each screw with a nut.
  7. Pick up the aluminum so that the front panel PCB slips down into all the holes. Press the PCB where necessary and ensure that the LEDs are in their holes and everything is tightly together.
  8. Loosely tighten all the nuts.
  9. For each screw, loosen and remove the nut, then take another screw and put its tip against the tip of the screw sticking through the assembly. Slide the two screws down through the assembly, so that you have now exchanged the original long screw pointing correctly with a screw pointing backwards (out the front of the panel). Then, take your screw of final length, push it against the tip of the backwards screw, and slide them through, so the screw of final length is in its final position. Add a small lockwasher and the nut, and tighten. The purpose of this is to exchange the long screw for a shorter screw without risking the washer and spacer getting dislodged.
  10. Make sure none of the nuts you use are big enough that they touch any of the soldered connections, especially the ones in the middle of the voice selection buttons.
  11. Once all the screws are in place, flip over the panel and add the washer and nut to each encoder.
  12. Finally, hand-tighten all the screws between the screw head in front and the nut in back.
mbqg_fp.txt · Last modified: 2024/02/02 15:01 by smithy