Skip to content

Software installation

Jump to bottom
Andreas Schumm edited this page May 15, 2020 · 10 revisions

Download the AIASS software package from: GitHub The SIDBlaster is recognised by Windows as a “USB Serial Converter”.

FTDI driver

It may be recognized as a COMx device with ports (in Device Manager). Edit: Your Sidblaster have to be flashed correctly with the ftdi prog tool and the template from the SIDBlaster project in this case. The actual hardsid.dll don't accept incorrect flashed SIDBlasters.

With older versions of Windows, installation of a driver by FTDI may be necessary, available at: FTDI

hardsid.dll

Is the “driver” of the SIDBlaster, so to say. It comprises a reprogrammed DLL of the Hardsid, thus, software programmed for the Hardsid becomes compatible for the SIDBlaster.

sid object

Is an Max/MSP external, that allows access to the SIDBlaster via the hardsid.dll. It is written in C. See it's own GitHub repository for it.

File paths

Extract the content from the AIASS software package and copy the relevant files to the following locations. File paths will depend on what version of Ableton Live you are using and where you have chosen to install your software.

  • Ableton Live 9 32 Bit version:
  • Copy SID.mxe to: C:\Documents\Max 7\Library\
  • Copy the 32 Bit version of the hardsid.dll to: C:\Program Files (x86)\Cycling '74\Max 7\
  • Ableton Live 9 64 Bit version:
  • Copy SID.mxe64 to: C:\Documents\Max 7\Library\
  • Copy the 64 Bit Version of the hardsid.dll to: C:\Program Files\Cycling '74\Max 7\
  • Ableton Live 10 64 Bit:
  • Copy SID.mxe64 to: C:\Documents\Max 8\Library\
  • Copy the 64 Bit version of the hardsid.dll to: C:\Program Files\Ableton\Live 10\Resources\Max\
  • using the full version of Max/MSP: Copy the 64 Bit Version of the hardsid.dll to: C:\Program Files\Cycling '74\Max 8\
  • copy "AIASS MONO.amxd" and "AIASS POLY.amxd" to (...)\User Library\Presets\Instruments\Max Instrument\
  • copy "AIASS POLY flow.amxd" and "AIASS MONO flow" to (...)\User Library\Presets\MIDI Effects\Max MIDI Effect

Load an AIASS device in Live

Insert the devices like normal Max4Live devices. AIASS supports multidevice, for example: if you have 3 SIDBlasters you can use 3 AIASS instances.

Error indication

There is a red LED on the top right, which indicates errors. If it flashes, you should check the Max console to see what is going on.

  • flashs in a period of 125ms when sid-object not found
  • flashs in a period of 250ms when an fatal error from sid-object detected (no dll found, no SIDBlaster connected, etc.)

Documentation by Magnus Hansson

Clone this wiki locally