MIDI to CV Interface

[J.D. McEachin]

On 26 Oct 1996, John Speth wrote:

> I wonder about the Basic Stamp's program capacity.  I don't know about the BS II
> version but I checked the specs on the simplest version and I was amazed at how
> small the program space was (80 instructions).  A MIDI datastream reader
> software can get pretty complicated pretty fast.  I wouldn't want to invest in a
> development system and run into that brick wall the first day into the project.

A Philips 8051 variant running at 40MHz would be a better choice.  With 
that sort of speed you could afford to run compiled C code (yes, there 
are C compilers for the 8051).

> I'd entertain the idea of a collaboration on an embedded controller project.  My
> personal goal is to design a core controller that will have some CPU with RW
> ram, an EPROM for bootstrap starting, and an EEPROM for remote application
> program loading and saving.  The idea is based on the fact that burning and
> erasing EPROMS is a pain in the ass.  So if you can do your (cross) development
> on a PC and download the object code via a serial port using a loader running
> out of the EPROM, you can save the program to EEPROM and have a field
> programmable embedded controller without the investment of a burner and eraser.
> All you need is a CPU with a dedicated serial port for programming and cross
> development software (which CAN get expsnsive).  I think the extensive 8051
> family makes it a shoe-in for this application.

I spent US$150 on an EPROM burner and $40 on an EPROM eraser - this
doesn't seem like much of an "investment" to me.  It takes me about 30
seconds from the time I type "dorom" to run a batch file to assemble code
and run the eprom programmer to the time I have a programmed EPROM plugged
into my CPU board.  You're talking about a serial transfer, which I know
from my days with serial In Circuit Emulators can be PAINFULLY SLOW in
downloading code.  If you value your time then you should be able to
calculate that $190 for the much faster EPROM burner/eraser is much, MUCH
cheaper in the long run. 

JDM