SomethingUnreal | Dot matrix printer interface: Hardware (building/proof-of-concept) @SomethingUnreal | Uploaded 10 years ago | Updated 1 hour ago
The printer is an old Epson LQ-300+. I want to be able to send my own commands to it, but modern computers don't have parallel ports, so I decided to make my own USB interface. I thought I might as well, if I'm going to be writing the software anyway.
This interface (Arduino) goes between the printer and the laptop, appearing as a serial port to a program of mine which will be running on the laptop. In this video, for testing that I can communicate with the printer, the Arduino itself is sending the data, instead of my laptop. In the next video, the Arduino will be playing a simpler role and mainly just forwarding data from my laptop to the printer.
NEXT PART - SOFTWARE:
youtube.com/watch?v=oG4cm2Ay0GQ
The printer is an old Epson LQ-300+. I want to be able to send my own commands to it, but modern computers don't have parallel ports, so I decided to make my own USB interface. I thought I might as well, if I'm going to be writing the software anyway.
This interface (Arduino) goes between the printer and the laptop, appearing as a serial port to a program of mine which will be running on the laptop. In this video, for testing that I can communicate with the printer, the Arduino itself is sending the data, instead of my laptop. In the next video, the Arduino will be playing a simpler role and mainly just forwarding data from my laptop to the printer.
NEXT PART - SOFTWARE:
youtube.com/watch?v=oG4cm2Ay0GQ
![Soundcase: Quick Update [HD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Pi9YJ8Fduwk/hqdefault.jpg "Soundcase: Quick Update [HD]
Just a quick, unedited video explaining a last-minute, much-needed upgrade Ill be doing to the soundcase. Seeing that it is a SOUNDcase, I think its a good idea for it to actually sound good, not just look okay.
So, Ill be swapping the 2 5-Watt speakers for 2 50-Watt ones and securing them to either the back or the front of the case from the inside. The amplifier was over-powering the 5-Watt ones and making them distort quite easily, so now itll have some speakers which are up to the job. ;D")
![「Cirnos Perfect Maths Class」 Dance In Stupid Wind (behind-the-scenes) [MCM Expo]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QsR3awehdh8/hqdefault.jpg "「Cirnos Perfect Maths Class」 Dance In Stupid Wind (behind-the-scenes) [MCM Expo]
This was recorded professionally by someone else, but since I was starting the music playing on my soundcase, I decided to record my own casual video, showing it from more angles, so people can see more what it was really like. Thats why I kept the audio unedited, so that you can hear how windy it was. Not even the wind stopped this from going ahead, though!
This was on the green at the October 2011 MCM Expo in London on Saturday (5th October).")
![Bawami Preview [rev 92] (Touhou 06: Lunar Clock ~ Luna Dial)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RAj1j6Kzul0/hqdefault.jpg "Bawami Preview [rev 92] (Touhou 06: Lunar Clock ~ Luna Dial)
Although its been in a couple of videos, Ive not made a video dedicated to it - so, this is a demonstration of a new program Ive been working on since February 2010. Its called BaWaMI (Basic Waveform MIDI Software-Synthesizer), because its a MIDI file player that makes sound using only basic waveforms and a low-pass filter (hey, at least I was able to think up a name for once!). When I gave up working on Bleeper Music Maker, its basically because I started dedicating my attention to Bawami. But dont worry! Bawami can play on the PC speaker too. =D
Here, its playing ZUNs MIDI of the stage 5 boss (Sakuya Izayoi) theme, from his game Touhou 06: Embodiment of Scarlet Devil. Actually, its a slightly modified version that uses a Synth Bass instrument instead of Slap Bass, as I havent coded the slap bass instrument yet. Bawami misinterprets the pitch-bend sensitivity in this video, and as a result, the pitch-bends are overly exaggerated. ^^;
By default, Bawami has 24 internal sound channels, meaning it can play up to 24 notes (or sounds) at once (after that, old notes will start being cut). Theres a setting to change this number, but I leave it at 24 in this video because the internal view (black window) can only show 24 sound channels at most. By the way, that internal view shows 2 tables - one shows information about each sound channel (such as the volume, panning, waveform, frequency), and the other shows information about each MIDI channel (pitch-bend, number of notes playing). Coloured lines appear between the 2 tables to show which sound channels are being used to play notes on which MIDI channel.
This program is the first one Ive made where I focussed on trying to make it look nice from the start (although I took inspiration for the design from GASHISOFTs GXSCC MIDI player).
The program is not quite ready to be released to the public yet*, but Im working on it! Ill probably post more videos like this to show off new things that I add to the program, just as I did with Bleeper Music Maker. And, of course, Ill record a video of it controlling the PC speaker, too!
BaWaMI is released now! See lots of info and download it here:
http://somethingunreal.homeip.net/blog?page_id=84#bawami
MIDI used in this demo:
http://somethingunreal.homeip.net/F_s_t_v2_copy/Touhou/EoSD/th06_11.mid")
![Remilias Theme on Bat Detector [HD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RzUMKrsBgaU/hqdefault.jpg "Remilias Theme on Bat Detector [HD]
A heterodyne bat detector lets you hear the difference (frequency-wise) between the sounds around it, and a set frequency. So, doesnt that mean you can make ultrasonic music and then use the detector to shift the frequencies down so that a human can hear it? It sure does! =D
That said, I didnt actually make the music - its the final boss theme (Septette for a Dead Princess) from Touhou 06 (Embodiment of Scarlet Devil), as ripped directly from the game (in MIDI format).
I modified BaWaMI, a MIDI software synth that I made, so that you can shift the frequency of all notes up by a linear amount. This is different to simple pitch-shifting, which MULTIPLIES the frequencies by a set amount. Thats why it sounds horribly out-of-tune when shifted - the frequency is made to range from something other than 0 Hz. When shifted by exactly the right amount, the detector is able to recreate the sound as ranging from 0 Hz again. Because the detector is designed to be accurate to a few KHz rather than a few dozen Hz, its internal oscillator tends to drift a bit, so I have to keep adjusting the tuning on my program to compensate.
This bat detector is the Ciel-electronique CDB 301 (the newest revision includes a built-in speaker).
(Yes, bat videos will come some time, but they might have to wait until next summer, as little Remi is going into hibernation now x3)
BaWaMI is released now! See lots of info and download it here:
http://somethingunreal.homeip.net/blog?page_id=84#bawami")
![Arduino MIDI Synth Demo Preview (square + noise) [download]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SGqAohJiHag/hqdefault.jpg "Arduino MIDI Synth Demo Preview (square + noise) [download]
Up to 15 notes at once on an Arduino using no timers! Well, the quality drops a lot as the number of playing notes increases, but still!
This is a demo of a MIDI synth Im developing for the Arduino. Its sound is currently very basic - it has no concept of different instruments, can only produce square waves and noise, and each MIDI channel can only be at one of 3 different volume levels. It has no fixed sample rate, and is always producing a new sample as quickly as possible, which is slower when more notes play at once (in practise, the sample rate ranges from about 20 KHz down to about 6 KHz).
It supports pitch-bends, modulation, monophonic/polyphonic MIDI channel mode, and some percussive notes. It also recognises some sysex messages, including GM/GS/XG reset messages and GS/XG messages to set a MIDI channels percussion mode.
TO USE THE CODE YOURSELF (hardware info):
If you want the Arduino to accept MIDI data from real MIDI hardware (through a MIDI socket), youll need to build a circuit with an optocoupler and connect that to the Arduinos serial RX port, #define UseRealMIDIPort False to #define UseRealMIDIPort True (this affects the baud rate used). Due to laziness, while testing, I used a program called Hairless MIDI-Serial Bridge and the virtual MIDI cable driver MIDI Yoke to send MIDI data straight over the Arduinos USB serial connection, instead of building the proper circuit.
The code controls one port on the Arduino (a group of 8 pins determined by the specific Arduino board model), which connects to an 8-bit DAC (a simple R-2R resistor ladder) to give an 8-bit audio output. Im using port C on the Arduino Mega, because that neatly corresponds to digital pins 37 (LSB) to 30 (MSB), but it may work on other Arduino boards as long as there is a port where all 8 bits are mapped to digital pins, with minimal changes to the code. The output port (PORTAudio and DDRAudio) would need changing to one consisting of 8 usable pins, and the maximum number of playing notes at once (NumSoundChans) could either be reduced (will save CPU time and memory) or, in the case of the Arduino Due, increased.
You can see useful links and download my code for the current version from my blog:
http://robbi-985.homeip.net/blog/?p=1948
Alternative download link:
https://files.catbox.moe/a2aszy.7z
The MIDI is being played on MIDITester:
https://openmidiproject.osdn.jp/MIDITester_en.html
MIDI file being played:
http://robbi-985.homeip.net/hosted_programs/update/arduino/ss/Cutie_panther.mid
I did not make the MIDI, and I dont know who did. Please, people, at least credit yourself in the metadata ;_;
EDIT: Lmao, thanks for thinking that #define is a hashtag, YouTube. Youll never be Twitter, so please stop trying.")
![[HD] Flandres Christmas Light Show [Flan-Wing Lights]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/T4wgVervD5Q/hqdefault.jpg "[HD] Flandres Christmas Light Show [Flan-Wing Lights]
Here are my custom StepMania lights in their newest installment (taped to my wall) to resemble the crystals on one of Flandres wings, and I added a horizontal mirror to make the second wing. I made a simfile specifically for the 8 lights, just like I did back on Cirno Day.
NOTE: If the video lags, please DONT play it in HD. Smooth playback is much more important than high resolution for this video.
I know that the lights dont perfectly match up with the crystals on the drawing (by Kiyomin), but I thought of overlaying a drawing AFTER Id set up the lights, and I couldnt really move them because Id measured the wires to be only as long as needed. I never thought Id stumble upon even this good a picture of her (position-of-the-crystals-wise) - and shes even wearing Christmassy clothes! So although they dont line up perfectly, I thought it would be a wasted opportunity to leave out the drawing.
The tune is to the theme of Flandre Scarlet (extra-stage boss in Touhou 6: Embodiment of Scarlet Devil), called U.N. Owen Was Her?. Unfortunately, I dont know the name (or even artist) of this Christmas-style arrangement of it. I found it here (theres an MP3 link in the video description too): watch?v=dCh1LylWUSI
The lights are being controlled by my own freeware program StepMania Player, which you can get from here:
http://somethingunreal.homeip.net/blog/?page_id=84#smp
Lower-quality version on NicoNico Douga for those of you who want to leave scrolling comments =P
http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm9190102
This light show is for a special someone... nyan. x3")
![Hatsune Miku - CIRCUIT-BENT?! [初音ミク]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VDdYq14G60o/hqdefault.jpg "Hatsune Miku - CIRCUIT-BENT?! [初音ミク]
IMPORTANT: Dont watch this if you have time better spent NOT LISTENING TO ONLY RANDOM NOISES. Also DONT watch this if you really want to hear Miku singing a beautiful song.
Im expecting this video to get my lowest rating yet. Most people will just think this is boring. VERY boring.
All info you need is in the video, I think.
But still...
Imagine that Miku is an android, and a person whos into circuit-bending gets their hands on her.
...Literally.
（ビデオで日本語で情報をタイプしてみた。
俺の日本語はめちゃくちゃんだから、
許してください～ ~_~）")
