I have to say again Dave, that MIDI SYSEX trick for the display is just brilliant.
--- In ComputerVoltageSources@yahoogroups.com, "djbrow54" <davebr@...> wrote:
>
> --- In ComputerVoltageSources@yahoogroups.com, "data2action" <rdrake@
> ...> wrote:
> > in terms of core functionality, a full featured LCD display seems
> > like icing on the cake rather than critical feature, at least to me.
>
> I believe it will be fully optional.
>
> > frankly, i'd be completly satisfied with a few LEDs to display a
> > program number in binary, a la the miniwave... perhaps that's a
> > spartan extreme, but there ya are.
>
> That's how I started. Where a display really helps is setting input
> controls. For example, one program uses a control to offset a
> waveform and another control to set duty cycle. I ran this program
> without a display but it is much nicer to now know what these controls
> are actually set to. Also, I could never remember what program was
> loaded. Every time I turned on my synth, I'd have to load the program
> I wanted into the module since I couldn't remember what was there.
> Sounds simple but it is a nice feature to display the program name.
>
> > a second consideration is programming complexity & compatibilty.
>
> Couldn't be simpler. The hserial system allows strings. The
> following command sends a message to the display:
>
> hserout [$f0,$7d,"Your message goes here",$f7]
>
> Using MIDI sysex to communicate with the display, programs written for
> a display will function without modification on systems without
> displays.
>
> Dave
>