G.I.M.I.C Operation Manual †This page explains how to operate G.I.M.I.C motherboard. Things to prepare †You need the items below to operate G.I.M.I.C: USB Micro-B cable †To connect G.I.M.I.C to your PC. G.I.M.I.C also draws power from USB. For reference, below are the cables we employed during the development. Straight Right angled Note that some cables shipped with smartphones or tablets are "charge-only", i.e. unable to transfer data. A microSD card (optional) †From which G.I.M.I.C reads song files when in standalone mode. You don't need one when your G.I.M.I.C plays songs on your PC via USB. We have confirmed that UHS-I cards can be used, but they will function in compatibility mode, since G.I.M.I.C doesn't support UHS-104. For reference, below are the cards we employed during the development. SanDisk MobileUltra microSDHC UHS-I 8GB : SDSDQY-008G-J35A A pair of headphones, earphones, or other loudspeakers †G.I.M.I.C outputs audio signals through a 3.5mm mini-stereo jack. Apply adaptors as needed. In addition, the pro model (GMC-MB2PRO) can be connected to a breakout cable, which will provide an output through 6.5mm phone jack. See below for details. A breakout cable (for GMC-MB2PRO only; optional) †This provides additional I/Os, namely:
We recommend using either the 6.5mm phone jack or the line-out, since they give you a better sound quality than the 3.5mm mini-stereo jack. Be sure to use ALVA Babyface (BF-BOCMKH). Use of other cables is unsupported. An AC adaptor (for GMC-MB2PRO only; optional) †Drawing power from an external supply, you can avail yourself of G.I.M.I.C's full potential. Do not use an AC adaptor with an output voltage exceeding 5.2V, as it can cause permanent damage to G.I.M.I.C. For reference, below is the AC adaptor we employed during the development. AC adaptor for SONY PSP1000/2000/3000 series: PSP-100 Anatomy †The picture is of a prototype and has some minor differences compared to the actual product. Module-loading Side †1: USB Port 2: DC IN (only in GMC-MB2PRO) 3: microSD card slot 4: Breakout connector (only in GMC-MB2PRO) 5: Reset Switch 6: 3.5mm mini-stereo jack 7: Jog Wheel (or Volume Pot in GMC-MB2LT) 8: Extention I/F (currently not in use) 9: Host I/F 10: USB Standard-A port (only in GMC-MB2PRO; currently not in use) 11: Front Panel Header Component Side †1: Power Switch 2: The POWER & the STATUS LEDs 3: Analog IN Jack 4: Expansion Module Slot (currently not in use) Breakout cable (for GMC-MB2PRO only) †1: MIDI I/O (currently not in use) 2: Line I/O
Output signal from the "Line IN" port bypasses G.I.M.I.C's internal preamplifier. This is better suited for use with a high quality audio interface. 3: 6.5mm phone jack 4: Connector to GMC-MB2PRO Before You Start †There are a few steps to follow before you start up your G.I.M.I.C for the first time. Updating the Firmware †Please update the G.I.M.I.C firmware to the latest version, following the instruction here. Installing the Driver †For your PC to recognize G.I.M.I.C as a USB Device, it either needs to be running Windows8, or have the G.I.M.I.C driver installed. If you are using Windows7 download and install the driver from the link below.
Preparation for third-party applications †You need to install c86ctl to be able to control G.I.M.I.C from third-party applications.
Also, c86ctl depends on Visual C++ 2010 Runtime. Install the package below, and update to the latest available version using MicrosoftUpdate. Note that you need to install 32-bit version of the components (files with _x86 in their names) regardless of your OS version. Preparing Song Files †You can find song files to be used for test purposes here. When G.I.M.I.C is in USB mode, files can be played from third-party applications. Here is the list of applications that support G.I.M.I.C. G.I.M.I.C can also play songs without the aid of external software. In that case, the song files must be contained in the SD card inserted in G.I.M.I.C's card slot. If your SD card has a capacity of 16GB or above, it is recommended to initialize the card before copying songs, with allocation unit size set to 4096 Byte or 8192 Byte, file system FAT/FAT32, for more efficiency. *1 Controlling G.I.M.I.C †G.I.M.I.C can operate in two modes: Standalone mode and USB mode. At the time of start-up, G.I.M.I.C looks for an SD card in its slot. If it finds one, it will start operating in Standalone mode. Otherwise it will operate in USB mode. The way G.I.M.I.C is controlled varies depending on which mode it is operating in. You will find detailed information later in this article. Connecting to the power source †Connect G.I.M.I.C to a PC via USB, or to an external power supply through an AC adaptor (Pro only). When connected, G.I.M.I.C will be in standby mode. GMC-MB2PRO's relay gives one small click.
Standalone mode †This section is an abstract from a more fully detailed description in Japanese. You can read the original here.
Up-arrow move the cursor up Down-arrow move the cursor down Right-arrow play the next song Left-arrow play the previous song PageUp scroll up one page PageDown scroll down one page HOME move to the previous folder END move to the next folder ENTER play song file / open folder BackSpace move up one folder F1 toggle AUTO (next song is automatically played when on) F2 stop playing F3 +1 to the number of times songs are looped F4 -1 to the number of times songs are looped F5 tempo up F6 tempo down F7 change playback mode (normal/repeat current folder/shuffle current folder) F8 go to the setup screen
USB mode †This section is an abstract from a more fully detailed description in Japanese. You can read the original here.
Turning off your G.I.M.I.C †Press the power switch to cut off the power. G.I.M.I.C will turn back to standby mode. Std/Pro motherboard memorizes the volume setting. G.I.M.I.C continues to consume a small amount of power while in standby mode, so unplug the USB cable and/or the AC adaptor as needed. Supplementary Information †
Line OUT is generally better suited for connection with audio equipment. It outputs PCM sound from motherboard and other audio signals from the module mixed together, which come through G.I.M.I.C's preamplifier. Line IN is better suited for connection with a high-spec audio I/F, since the output bypasses G.I.M.I.C's preamplifier. |