CBX-D5 stand alone thanks to MacOs9Lives and Logic Audio 3

[adriaanhendrik]

Hi all,

I want to share my project that I just finished making.
Thanks to this great forum, I have been able to backward engineer all of the MIDI System Exclusive codes that are used to control the YAMAHA CBX-D5 sound processor.
I used a Macbook Pro 'Bronze' running MacOs 9's last version, Logic Audio 3xx and a great program by: mountainutilities.eu called MIDITools. It is donation ware so anyone wishing to use it please support the guy.!

I found a DP1.4  thread with that subject where several Sysex codes were already being disclosed. After installing Logic on my Macbook Pro, I connected the CBX via MIDI thru to my other Mac Mini running MacOsX and MIDITools. That way I was able to extract the codes and program them in an Arduino Board. No less than 11 ATMega328p-pu processors were used to make the controller.
Now I can use the CBX-D5 as a standalone mastering tool or insert to my audio system. Completely free from Logic..! All relevant files can be found in the link provided in the Youtube movie. This project kept me busy all winter 2015/16 but I am happy to share it here and anyone interested can download the sketches and SysEx Codes..

https://youtu.be/aeTsrw4WYyY

Cheers..

[Philgood]

Wooow. I'm deeply impressed of your skills. Thanks for sharing. There were an intend to make use of that box as an effects procesor on our forum. Let me search for it...

P.S.: Is that an old telephone dial as controller ? Love that...

[Philgood]

I see now that you already posted on that thread but anyway here it is for any other forum members interested...

http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,2168.0.html

[adriaanhendrik]

Wooow. I'm deeply impressed of your skills. Thanks for sharing. There were an intend to make use of that box as an effects procesor on our forum. Let me search for it...

P.S.: Is that an old telephone dial as controller ? Love that...

Thank you for the compliments  That's what keeps me going on with recycling vintage gear and software..
Yes indeed it's an old Swedish phone dial beginning with a 0. The effects on the CBX start from 0-81 so that was handy. In the movie I explain how to get beyond 9..
I also used another controller at the back to get to preset 176. There was a lot of thinking before cutting in the sheet metal LaCie box, before I decided how many controls and displays to use. Many more options are available in the codes used by Logic 3. I chose the ones that were the most useful for my studio work.

[DieHard]

OK... I had to watch the Video at least 2 times, your controller not only looks like a work of art (housed in that old Lacie External CD SCSI Box), but it functions flawlessly. I can't imagine how long it took to collect all the data, design the housing, program the CPUs, and machine the box; it looks like a Sci-Fi Telephone Time Machine, not a Hard disk recording (with DSP) controller.  You really need to post some pictures of your workshop !

If you ever decide to make MIDI controllers for us guitarists, I would buy one !  I am sure yours would blow away anything commercially available.

I am so glad you have music as a hobby, instead of demolition, because your creation is so cool that it is scary.

[adriaanhendrik]

Thnx again dear DieHard,

Well.. You asked for it It's a bit off topic, but hey that's life.!
You can imagine I don't take too much time organizing the furniture a lot.
My girlfriend says I am crazy. Maybe she's right
Also check out some other projects I do a bit of guitar work too

www.beatybee.nl
https://youtu.be/QSkHXpFwkg4
https://youtu.be/BwqAx-LRzfA

[DieHard]

OK, I'm gonna take the "SteamPunk compressor fuzzbox" and use it live this weekend (don't I wish); very cool stuff.  Someday, when I get more than 10 minutes a week to myself, I'll be bugging you for tips on getting my workshop up and running because your stuff is amazing

[adriaanhendrik]

Yeah man, I must admit I done it that time. The front letters also light up from under the perspex..! And of course the sovjet tubes also glow nicely. Got the schematics for you if you want them..
And indeed time is of the essence here. That took also about two month of my time.
I am in the lucky circumstance of being retired now and have all the time in the world for this crazy stuff.

Cheers..!

[macStuff]

does anyone have the original install disks/cds for the cbx series?
theres a guy asking or it on the SVP mailing list right now

[chrisNova777]

just found this cbx firmware stashed in an opcode archive
http://web.archive.org/web/19980624120523/http://www.opcode.com/downloads/svpro/Yamaha_cbx_firmare.hqx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeTsrw4WYyY

[cyberish]

wow... nice finding.
It says un the readme file:

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

This installs the firmare for the Yamaha CBX.

To install:
Place intact, the Yamaha Folder with the firmware inside, in
the System Folder->OMS Folder

Will this really change the internal firmware or just patch it ?

[teroyk]

just found this cbx firmware stashed in an opcode archive
http://web.archive.org/web/19980624120523/http://www.opcode.com/downloads/svpro/Yamaha_cbx_firmare.hqx

Is that firmware for CBX-D3?

And version 2.8c is last that works with Atari too...2.9 works only with Mac...so can there be difference in sysex codes.

[P.O.]

It is most likely for the D3, the file is named "D3rom".
I don't know for the D3, but the CBX-D5 uses dedicated ROM chips so this is nothing that will "flash" the firmare for the D5. You'd need to burn an PROM with the file to use it with the D5. But as I said it's likely NOT for the D5.

[cyberish]

Firmware Version 2.8c works with Atari and Mac and on both CBX-D5 and D3 ?

just found this cbx firmware stashed in an opcode archive
http://web.archive.org/web/19980624120523/http://www.opcode.com/downloads/svpro/Yamaha_cbx_firmare.hqx

Is that firmware for CBX-D3?

And version 2.8c is last that works with Atari too...2.9 works only with Mac...so can there be difference in sysex codes.

[refinery]

this is extremely impressive.
you could turn this into a business. People will pay crazy money for custom bespoke controllers like this. You clearly have the engineering skill and the knowledge of MIDI sysex to be adaptable to a wide variety of gear.

[teroyk]

Firmware Version 2.8c works with Atari and Mac and on both CBX-D5 and D3 ?

And version 2.8c is last that works with Atari too...2.9 works only with Mac...so can there be difference in sysex codes.

Now I am not sure anymore, but if I remember right,  last version of firmware had some problem with Atari with both.