Disklavier

--- In disklavier@yahoogroups.com, James Fry <linx@t...> wrote:
> On Thu, 28 Aug 2003, a_zoghlin wrote:
> ...
> > 1) a lot of the same questions get repeated over and over. Is 
there
> > an FAQ that you can point new users to?
> ...
> 
> This is something I am working on (slowly) at the moment. I aim to 
create
> a disklavier site with utilities, documentation, and a user
> contributable FAQ. Currently I am working through the archive of 
messages
> I have on my computer since I joined the group (about 6-8 months 
now) and
> building up Question / Answers / "Author of answer" from them all 
to put
> into a database.
> 
> Once I have something that is usable I will make it available on
> http://www.disklavier.co.uk
> 

Sounds great - I'm not just a complainer :> I'm willing to help, so 
let me know if you need any. 

> Carol Beigel has an invaluable resource with lot of useful 
documentation
> and tools on his website - http://www.carolrpt.com

Yup. Her site helped a lot - told me what type of floppy drive my 
machine needed.
> 
> > I've created a few unique pieces of hardware for my machine (a
> > wireless com port / midi connection, wireless touchpad interface,
> > etc...) which I will describe later for anyone interested.
> 
> If you could describe the electronics for the wireless com port / 
midi
> connection (I guess you have made a wireless serial link which you 
can run
> at 31.25kb?) I think that would be useful to the group - many 
people are
> looking for a wireless system to control their dkv's.
> 
> If you were willing we might even be able to publish PCB / 
breadboard /
> veroboard layouts somewhere so that those willing to experiment 
with a
> soldering iron could build it themselves (or get a friend to do it).
> 
> Cheers - I look hearing from you :)

I started out building my own solution, rs232 <-> 802.11b. rewired a 
d-link router / repeater to use it's com port in bi-directional mode. 
Very hard, and would tend to hang.

I then moved to a super easy (but expensive) solution . I bought a 
serial to ethernet converter called an nport express
(http://globetek.com/de211.htm), and plugged it into a siemens 
speedstream powerline ethernet adapter (http://reviews.cnet.com/4505-
3334_7-20684584.html?legacy=cnet). This is an ethernet to electrical 
outlet converter. Uses yor electrical lines to route ethernet. The 
software supplied for the serial - ethernet converter (nport) then 
creates a virtual comport on any machine on the the network. This was 
the most reliable, smallest (the nport can sit on top of the tone 
generator, and the powerline adatper looks like a dc brick on your 
wall or powerstrip. If you want wireless capability, just buy a 
speedstream wireless adapter, and it will convert from the powerlines 
to 802.11b.


> 
> James