Should I get a DB50XG?

[mace]

I've been thinking about getting a GM/GS device, and now I have seen a DB50XG waveblaster board up for auction.
The plan was to get a external device, but I can easily make a waveblaster adapter,
I can etch circuit boards and such so that is not a problem for me.

I was thinking about getting a SC-55 for GM games, like doom and such, but a DB50XG is alot cheaper.

Is the Yamaha a viable alternative? Is the sound quality worse?
It is a cheap solution, so if the SC-55 is better, is it worth the extra money?

I'm talking 40 something euro's shipped for the XG.

Thanks for your replies.

[glendower]

I have quite a bit of XG crap (nothing REALLY fancy, a DB50XG, 2x SW60XG, and a SW1000XG). I only have one SC board... the daughterboard version of the SC-55... SCB-55. It's hard to give a better/worse classification. Frankly, I like the XG boards more for a lot of games and downloaded MIDs, but the SC is probably stronger for more DOS games (because they were written for SC devices). The XG has some very strong instruments and I like it more for music that is supposed to sound "synthy."

I don't know if this helped at all, I'm sure that there are people who could give you better answers. :>

[mace]

I have quite a bit of XG crap (nothing REALLY fancy, a DB50XG, 2x SW60XG, and a SW1000XG). I only have one SC board... the daughterboard version of the SC-55... SCB-55. It's hard to give a better/worse classification. Frankly, I like the XG boards more for a lot of games and downloaded MIDs, but the SC is probably stronger for more DOS games (because they were written for SC devices). The XG has some very strong instruments and I like it more for music that is supposed to sound "synthy."

I don't know if this helped at all, I'm sure that there are people who could give you better answers. :>

Ah,

Well basically I'd like a SC-55 or SCB-55, a daughterboard is really a non-issue as I have optocouplers and stuff laying around, but the thing is that those
roland ones are more expensive. So in terms of the quality/cost ratio it's best to go for the XG I guess?

[Mike 01Hawk]

I'd go for it (you saw the thread I posted last night? )

In my very limited samplings w/ both DB50xg and SCB-55, the DB50xg is for rock, whereas the SC is for mainstream.

I'd definitely get a Sound Canvas though down the road when one becomes available and in your price range.

[mace]

I'd go for it (you saw the thread I posted last night? )

In my very limited samplings w/ both DB50xg and SCB-55, the DB50xg is for rock, whereas the SC is for mainstream.

I'd definitely get a Sound Canvas though down the road when one becomes available and in your price range.

Yes I've seen your thread, after the fact. 
I went ahead and bought it, now I'm gonna make an adapter for it.

All the adapters on the internet have MPU-401 connectors on them or have built-in amplifiers, and I don't need all of that.
So I guess I'll design my own.

Makes for a nice thread in a few weeks methinks!

[Juho Sippola]

http://koti.mbnet.fi/tuhos/db50ext.zip fits the bill. You can use that existing PCB design so you don't need to design your own. You don't necessarily need to include the amplifier IC and respective connectors on board. Mine only works with pure line outputs. Also don't include that 15pin D-connector because it just appears to be useless.

[mace]

http://koti.mbnet.fi/tuhos/db50ext.zip fits the bill. You can use that existing PCB design so you don't need to design your own. You don't necessarily need to include the amplifier IC and respective connectors on board. Mine only works with pure line outputs. Also don't include that 15pin D-connector because it just appears to be useless.

I've seen that one yes.
I'm thinking about using it, but I have a ton of those 74xx logic IC's, and the 00 is not one of them. 
I do have a 7404, which is a NOT gate, chain 2 ports together and you have a buffer.

Also my opto's don't seem to be pin-compatible with that one, so some work is needed.
It's not that I don't want to buy all those parts, it's just that I think it will be a nice project, to make a no-nonsense adapter.
Some practice for my electronics skills. 

P.S. That 15-pin D-connector is handy if you want to hook it directly to your soundcard, without the use of midi cabling.

[mace]

Well, just under two weeks later and it's arrived!

I've also found an old ATX PSU, one used in a portable computer, it's very small and I can fit it in easily!
It's an external 19V PSU, and an internal DC-DC converter, for all the various voltages and signals.

So, first I'll be taking my vacation, and in two weeks I'll get cracking!

[mace]

Right, so, two weeks became more like two months.

I've ran into some problems with my design, I wanted to use some cheap optocoupler and some cheap 74xx logic instead of a relatively expensive sharp PC910.

I ended up buying three 6n138's, two CNY17-2 and one PC910. 

The design worked fine from the TTL part, but the optocoupler part simply wouldn't work, so I bought another 2 6n138's, both didn't work. Then I tried a decoupling cap, didn't work. Then I bought two CNY17-2's and a PC910, just in case.
The CNY17 did the trick, as you can imagine the circuit looks messy now because it's been modified to accept different parts several times, but hey, it works flawlessly!

Now I have a working waveblaster adapter with power switch, RCA stereo out, reset switch, MIDI IN and MIDI THRU.
I can daisy-chain it if I like now so it's awesome.

Now, all I need to do is the casework.

I will post a few pictures later.

Edit: Pictures!

The power supply:

Gives me nice clean +12v -12v and a beefy +5v needed for these cards.

The board:

A CNY17-2 optocoupler > 74HCT04 hex inverter as buffer > midi thru and pin 2 of waveblaster connector, the rest is simple resistors and capacitors.
One thing to mention is the reset circuit, a 10uF cap and a 10K resistor resets the card on powerup, the cap can also be shorted with a switch, resetting the card while it's on.

The case it's all going to fit into:

_{(Yes, I drink my scotch whisky out of a snifter-like contraption! In this case it's the 15 year-old glenlivet french oak reserve. Any whisky affectionado's here?)}

[Ari]

So basically, you've taken a db50xg and turned it into a MU-10? Cool!

BTW, I'm a little into whiskey as well, but I mostly like scotch whiskey.

[mace]

So basically, you've taken a db50xg and turned it into a MU-10? Cool!

BTW, I'm a little into whiskey as well, but I mostly like scotch whiskey.

That's basically it yes.
It's technically not a DB50XG, as you can see in my sig, it's a sort of DB60XG.
It only came out in japan, and it's made by Yamaha for NEC to use in their PC98 line.
It's like a SW60XG but without the effects mixing, this is because the effects mixing
would be done by the soundcard it would plug into, and this obviously only does MIDI.

I don't mind, because the analog input stage of the SW60 seems to be terrible if I read the reviews.

All I need to do now is mount it neatly into the case, probably shorten a few wires and such, and drill a few holes in the case, an bob's my uncle!

Oh and about whisky: I prefer scotch as well, but a premium bourbon like Elijah Craig is also nice.

[ShaiWa]

I know, old toppic but i have to ask.
@mace, do you have a scheme or something from your design?
My DB50XGwil arive soon an i want to make a standalone from it.
Your solution seems be perfect for me.

[ShaiWa]

My DB50XG arrived today 
But the CD-Rom is missing
I'd like to have a copy of that one, can someone help me out ?

[mace]

I know, old toppic but i have to ask.
@mace, do you have a scheme or something from your design?
My DB50XGwil arive soon an i want to make a standalone from it.
Your solution seems be perfect for me.

I'll look it up for you, but basically it's the elektor circuit but without the amplifier circuit.
And a MIDI-thru added.

[ShaiWa]

Mace, if you find the time somewhere can you look up your sheme for me please ?
Thx.

[mace]

Yes, sorry I haven't replied yet, I'll try to find it for you.

I can no longer find the schema I drew up myself.
But it's basically this one:



Only the 74 chip I used is a 74HCT04, in stead of the 74HCT00.
The 04 is an inverter, but the principle is the same.
If you have trouble figuring out the pin numbers with a *04 let me know, I can help you with that.

The power supply was a PC power supply as mentioned before.

[ShaiWa]

Thanks mace, I'll try to make one myself asap.

[aleksej]

My DB50XG arrived today 
But the CD-Rom is missing
I'd like to have a copy of that one, can someone help me out ?

For SW60XG but suitable for DB50XG too.
__ftp://78.153.157.21/iso/sw60xg[bin].rar__

[ShaiWa]

Thanks aleksej, downloading right now