MIDI guru required - MIDI to TRS cable - advice request for Strymon Sunset

m10071978

Thank you. I'll ask Strymon, maybe they know it but could not put into the manual)))

spinal

This post is just a feedback because I couldn't find anyone that actually built it.
I just built the midi din to TRS jack from this schematic: https://imgur.com/gallery/Md24LCE?s=sms   .
The only information missing was that the 5V on the diagram must be connected to the ring of the TRS jack. 5v comes from the pedal receiving midi datas.
And yes, it works perfect with my Strymon Iridium.

JMP220478

Can we see your work here please / really interested in how it hangs together - pcb ; vero ?   

spinal

Here is how it looks like:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1vRAl74-EvXHcOCqNzPoY-2pLPGxMhVIl

NelsonP

Why don't pedal makers just put MIDI sockets in their MIDI pedals?

hotpickups

NelsonP said:

Why don't pedal makers just put MIDI sockets in their MIDI pedals?

Space saving probably and it’s the future I reckon 

CraigGT

I know this is an old thread but I found myself here after buying a V2 Deco and realising that it's not a simple type A cable.

Being a bit of a dabbler with electronics and being too tight to spend £35 on a cable, I set about seeing what I could come up with and the upshot is that I now have a working cable that only needs one resistor!

I've ordered some opto isolators to try a midi spec compliant version but this seems to work fine, it just doesn't meet the spec but then neither does the Strymon by not including the opto isolator.

If there's any interest in this I'll post more details.

Craig

JMP220478

CraigGT said:

I know this is an old thread but I found myself here after buying a V2 Deco and realising that it's not a simple type A cable.

Being a bit of a dabbler with electronics and being too tight to spend £35 on a cable, I set about seeing what I could come up with and the upshot is that I now have a working cable that only needs one resistor!

I've ordered some opto isolators to try a midi spec compliant version but this seems to work fine, it just doesn't meet the spec but then neither does the Strymon by not including the opto isolator.

If there's any interest in this I'll post more details.

Craig

Im interested for sure  

CraigGT

OK so this is the circuit
Midi 1.jpg

And this is the rough proof of concept
http://www.dropbox.com/s/ur4vkv27c7j3h7g/20230606_140733.jpg?dl=0

And this is the Deco being switched by my Airstep
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tqsnrw25vlkcbuj/20230606_140206.mp4?dl=0

Craig

CraigGT

I just modified the Midi 1.jpg to better represent the rear or the din plug.

paulcaye

Nice work. 

I built a midi box with the opto isolator, that has a number of outputs configured for different Midi cables, connected to HX stomp, boss rc 500 and sunset (which was the driver for building it in the first place).  

Probably would have been cheaper to buy a premade splitter box, but I learned something - which is a good thing, I think. 

CraigGT

Thanks and learning is always a good thing, I learn from most of my projects even though the time and cost don't usually cost in.

Did you use one optolator to drive all those outputs?

I haven't got my optoisolators yes but I'm envisioning building it into the din plug shell.

paulcaye

I based it on this http://m.bareille.free.fr/midithrubox/midithrubox.htm using an isolator and a hex array.  It is quite bulky though in a standard 1590 b box.  

If I made one again I would try and get it in a smaller box, using 5 pin connectors for 3 of the connectors might put the end to that. 

CraigGT

That's an interesting design, it could have driven five outputs and an led if it had used non inverting buffers though.
Size is always going to be an issue with multiple 5 pin dins, they're pretty bulky by today's standards.

My optoisolators have arrived so time to start dabbling

JMP220478

@CraigGT - nice work and whilst I don't own the sunset or indeed the cable I bought - its still good to see various workarounds for midi cables .

On a side not I picked up  an M-Wave Chocolate midi switcher recently - stupid cheap - will do wireless bluetooth with appropriate adaptor or wired via a trs - midi type A cable - truly impressed with it - worth a look as an airstep backup or replacement ?

CraigGT

I wasn't aware of that but it looks interesting for the money.

This thread has led me down a rabbit hole of design and soldering, I now have a DIN to jack cable with the opto isolator built into the DIN plug that works perfectly with the Strymon TRS Midi. I also have designs for two different arrangements too that I'm waiting for parts for.

I'll post details when they're done and maybe make up a batch if there's demand for them.

Craig