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MMD > Archives > December 1997 > 1997.12.02 > 08Prev  Next


Seek MIDI Interface for Riverboat Calliope
By Don Elbers

When first installed, the Davis calliope on the Mississippi Queen was
equipped with an automatic player.  I have never found the schematics
for this device and I was told that it was sent to "Davy Jones" [Davy
Jones' Locker] many years ago.

From time to time, an interest has been shown in some type of automatic
player.  I am interested in a MIDI interface that would take a standard
MIDI input and be capable of controlling TTL signals.  (Presently
pulling a 5 VDC signal to ground will energize a solid state relay
which in turn energizes a 120 VAC steam solenoid valve.)

The interface would not have to be exotic.  There will only be one
channel and no patch changes are necessary.  It would be nice to have a
minimum of 46 output lines although I assume that anything off of the
shelf would have more outputs.  A simple pc board configuration would
be satisfactory.

Is anyone aware of such a device?

Thanks, Don Elbers

 [ MMDer Laurent Coray <laurent@octetdesign.com> sells a suitable decoder
 [ board, as does Devtronix in Sacramento California.  A PC, or a MIDI
 [ Disk player, or any MIDI sequencer could be used to drive the decoder
 [ board.
 [
 [ I'm still interested to know what became of the Davis Calliope Works.
 [ I believe Davis was an engineer at Boeing in or near Seattle in 1983
 [ when I saw his "demo wagon".  Please check out:
 [
 [     http://mmd.foxtail.com/Pictures/davis01.html
 [
 [ If there are drawings or whatever of his old system, valves, steam
 [ piping drawings, or whatever, I'd be interested to be allowed to
 [ review them.
 [
 [ Thanks.  Jody


(Message sent Tue 2 Dec 1997, 05:18:02 GMT, from time zone GMT-0600.)

Key Words in Subject:  Calliope, Interface, MIDI, Riverboat, Seek

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