MIDI Line Driver over Cat5

[radardoug]

Why on earth would we be interested in some board you did in 1996? Shall I put up all the boards I have done?
What relevance does this have to the thread?

 

[alauth]

[I've modified my PCB with your advice] -- GOOD DEAL!!!

[I'll keep you updated] -- GOOD DEAL!!! -- However, should you actually be serious in learning how to do what you're doing now correctly.....it would be wise for you to follow my previous suggestion, which is: >> If you would like to.....send me your "EasyEDA" schematic and PCB-design files and I will take the time to tidy things up and send them back to you. A few KiCAD members on this forum have done that with their KiCAD PCB-design files as they were learning how to use KiCAD and learn PCB-design. It will be far more easier for me to just re-do your design and let you see things than it will be for me to have to write a small booklet here trying to clearly explain everything that's wrong here and how to correct all of your errors using the written word. Your call..... (NOTE: Just simply take all of your EasyEDA design files and ZIP them up. Then, just attach the ZIP file to your response here. Or, you can PM me and include your ZIP file there, instead)!!!

As I have already done with a few KiCAD users on this forum who have sent me their KiCAD schematic and PCB files, I have completely unrouted their layouts and have performed a whole new components placement, so they can see for themselves with their own layout design -- HOW -- much better and differently their own layout can be.....>> IF << they only knew what to do and how to do it. By them reviewing and studying my redesign of their own layouts, they then have a better understanding of things just by seeing how things were done different. In essence, it's a classic case of "it's the same thing, only different"!!! Your call.....

Here's an example of one of my PCB-designs. And.....keep in mind while scrolling through this.....this PCB-design was routed -- one track at a time by hand!!! The routing here was -- NOT -- done by a PCB "auto-router" program!!! Due to certain sensitivities of many of the tracks that comprised this circuit and where they could or could not be routed, I had to click-on each ratsnest net individually and then route it in accordance to the specifications put forth by the design engineer one at a time. This PCB-layout was done by me back in 1996 for a data-telecommunications company:

>> LAYER-1 -- TOPSIDE ROUTES:
View attachment 138676

>> LAYER-2 -- GROUND PLANE:
View attachment 138677

>> LAYER-3 -- INNER-ROUTING-1:
View attachment 138678

>> LAYER-4 -- INNER-ROUTING-2:
View attachment 138679

>> LAYER-5 -- POWER-PLANE:
View attachment 138680

>> LAYER-6 -- BOTTOMSIDE ROUTES:
View attachment 138681

>> So, again.....if you would like to see how your PCB-layout could be "the same thing, only different" and then learn from it.....send me your EasyEDA schematic and PCB-design files. Your call.....

/

It's really nice from you but I'll learn slowly and by myself, one project at a time, I'm not interested in you redesigning my board but thank you !

 

[MidnightArrakis]

It's really nice from you but I'll learn slowly and by myself, one project at a time, I'm not interested in you redesigning my board but thank you !

[I'll learn slowly and by myself] -- OK.....that's fine. I was just attempting to help you avoid the common mistakes made when "Newbie's" are learning how to design PCBs, as well as perhaps save you some money from having your PCBs fabricated that end up not performing as well as they could/should have. Your call.....

Also, had you shared with me your EasyCAD PCB-design files, I was then going to share with you an online folder I have that contains over 450MB of PCB-designing materials pertaining to guidelines, standards, techniques and tips and tricks. Oh, well.....your loss.....

And.....I wasn't going to "redesign" your PCB for you to use in your project, but instead for you to use as a "training aide" in seeing how a simple change with the components placement would result in more direct and shorter track-routing, as well as a more effective "Copper Pour" and its shielding effect. Actually, I am a bit surprised that someone would flat-out reject having someone else assist them in learning how to correctly and properly design PCBs myself. But, again.....your call.....

>> Here is a comment from another current thread in this forum that I believe has some relevancy towards you:
This has been a very educational thread, CJ has shown how you go about developing a circuit and curing its snags on the bench. Over the years I have been on this forum, it has been disappointing to see so many guys wanting easy answers instead of working things out for themselves. Solving problems by experiment gives you confidence and cuts through the BS that you find everywhere online nowadays. GroupDIY is a great source of ideas that can help you solve the problems yourself, all you have to do is listen.......
best
DaveP

https://groupdiy.com/threads/motown-direct-amplifier-inspired-preamp.77697/post-1172760

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[MidnightArrakis]

Why on earth would we be interested in some board you did in 1996? Shall I put up all the boards I have done?
What relevance does this have to the thread?

>> Are you always so angry???.....

[Why on earth would we be interested in some board you did in 1996?] -- SORRY!!! My response wasn't directed to a "we" as it was being singularly directed to "alauth" as an example and "training aide" of what a -- real -- PCB can look like, as compared to what is typically seen on here.

[Shall I put up all the boards I have done?] -- GO FOR IT!!! DAZZLE US!!!.....

[What relevance does this have to the thread?] -- Actually.....none whatsoever!!! It was personally directed to "alauth" simply just to show him that I actually do have some experience with designing PCBs that are a bit more complex than the typical PCB-layouts that are shown on here with a couple handfuls of components and 2-layers.

>> I feel that it is becoming rather hostile in here so I am going to be going on my way.....

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[alauth]

If you want to send it, I'd be happy to read the documents you have about well designing a PCB, I'll read it carefully and try to learn new things

For now, I'm happy with the design, even if it's not perfect. I'm not looking to sell a million of these units, it's just one DIY project that I'll build myself and if it performs well, that'll suit my needs nicely.

Thank you for your help on this project, it probably has reached the level of quality I was aiming for (maybe more !) and I still have a lot of work on the physical part of the build as I'm not a 3D engineer but I'll still have to build a nice and clean box around this PCB...

 

[MidnightArrakis]

If you want to send it, I'd be happy to read the documents you have about well designing a PCB, I'll read it carefully and try to learn new things

For now, I'm happy with the design, even if it's not perfect. I'm not looking to sell a million of these units, it's just one DIY project that I'll build myself and if it performs well, that'll suit my needs nicely.

Thank you for your help on this project, it probably has reached the level of quality I was aiming for (maybe more !) and I still have a lot of work on the physical part of the build as I'm not a 3D engineer but I'll still have to build a nice and clean box around this PCB...

[I'm not a 3D engineer] -- I'm not either, but I can still do this:



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[alauth]

Nice !

But that's another topic, maybe later if I have to build, say, a 500 series preamp or something like this...

 

[alauth]

So !

I finally built this project, and it looks like it works pretty smoothly ! I've tested with 30m distance and no problem at all

I'll post pictures of the finished work (I'm still finishing the enclosures), schematic, PCB and BOM when everything will be done !

Thanks everyone for your help, I'm really happy to have done this

 

[MidnightArrakis]

I finally built this project, and it looks like it works pretty smoothly ! I've tested with 30m distance and no problem at all

I'll post pictures of the finished work (I'm still finishing the enclosures), schematic, PCB and BOM when everything will be done !

Thanks everyone for your help, I'm really happy to have done this

[I finally built this project] -- 1) You have made several changes to your original schematic, but within your original schematic format sheet, you have never updated your "Revision" level. In other words, -- ALL -- of your schematics and your updated schematics all show them as being at "Rev: 1"!!! This will more than likely cause someone else who is copying your schematic to build this device for themselves to not know whether or not they have the latest version. Even with "home" projects, if you are going to publish your work online, you need to still properly detail your documentation. 2) Are you making any progress with the "Receiver" side of your project? Do you know when might you have those design files ready?

Side-Note: -- Interestingly.....I have come across some schematics in other threads on this forum from members who also reside in France and I have noticed an interesting item common them. And, because I don't know anything about the French culture, I then have no idea of why what I have seen in the French schematics even takes place!!! And, that is.....it is -- ONLY -- in the French-drawn schematics that I have seen on this forum is where the signal-flow within the schematics are drawn from -- RIGHT-TO-LEFT -- instead of the more common worldwide norm of drawing schematics from -- LEFT-TO-RIGHT -- !!! Is this how you are taught in school?

Here in this forum, I have seen schematics drawn from members here in the U.S., the UK, Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, Greece, Turkey, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, South Africa, Malaysia, Thailand, etc., etc., etc. and -- ALL -- of the members who have created and drawn out those schematics have drawn the signal-flow as going from -- LEFT-TO-RIGHT --. It is >> ONLY << the French-drawn schematics that are shown as going from -- RIGHT-TO-LEFT --!!! Why is that??? Do you know? Can you explain this???.....

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[alauth]

- Signal flow is going both from left to right and from right to left because of the MIDI In and MIDI Out.

I didn't learn anything about electronics at school, so I can't tell. But I don't think there's anything about French doing schematics backwards.

- This project is currently Rev 1 for me, first versions of the schematic were WIP. Now that I've built the project, any change will update the revision number.

- If someone is building this project, I hope they will read this topic until the end, picking the last schematic posted, and the first one which was clearly a WIP.

 

[alauth]

Hey there

So, here are the files with some explanation :

- A Type is the "Emitter" and B type the "Receiver". They both share MIDI Information but A Type is the one that powers B Type.

- The enclosure used in this project is the Hammond 1455K1201. There are a lot of different colors, pick the ones you like !

- So far, I've tested with 30m of cable and it runs smoothly. I guess it can do more, but I don't have a 100m long Cat5 cable at home...!

- Power supply is supposed to be 9V center positive but if I'm not mistaken, you can use anything up to 35V. Be careful with the caps you're using, I designed the project for 9V power supply, maybe some caps would not be suitable for higher voltage in the BOM...

- I'm just a DIY beginner so there are probably a lot of imperfections or some flaws in my design...

- I included two PDF's that serve as a guide for drilling the front and back panel. The diameters are the exact diameters of the datasheets, depending on how you build this project and how precise everything will be soldered, you may need to increase the dimensions of the holes... I used 19mm on the MIDI connectors...

- I don't know if the BOM is good or not as I made a few different orders to have all the parts so I have no way of checking it to be 100% sure.

Please tell me if this project has been useful or if it needs improvement !

Cheers

Arthur