HardSID Uno / UPlay user’s guide © 2010 Hard Software, Hungary
6
About hardware
If you’ve received your HardSID Uno/Play with no SIDs installed, you have to install the
SID (Uno) / SIDs (UPlay) first before connecting and using the unit. Learn about
installing SIDs and configuring the hardware at the “Installing SID chips” section.
Conncetors
USB connector
Connect the unit to a USB 1.1 (or higher) high-current port. High-current USB ports are usually located on
the back of the computer. Front-panel USB ports are usually low-current. (USB ports on notebooks are
usually high-current.)
If you’re planning to use the unit in a professional studio, it is recommended to use high quality full-speed
USB cables with short length. Using long USB cables are not recommended for professional use.
Always hold the plastic/rubber part of the cable, don’t touch the metallic parts!
Analog SID audio output (mono signal on both sides of a stereo jack)
Use this connector to connect your HardSID Uno/UPlay to an amplifier/soundcard/mixer/etc…
Always hold the plastic/rubber part of the cable, don’t touch the metallic parts!
(For the HardSID UPlay, this output outputs the sound of the actually selected SID (from software))
DC-in (only for the case if there is no high-current USB port)
Don’t use a power supply by default, so skip this part if your unit operates correctly.
If the unit does not seem to work properly, try to locate a high-current USB port (500mA) on your
computer. If it turns out that it doesn’t have one, you can still use a power supply.
First you need to set the ‘Power Source’ jumper to ‘dc-in’ position (instead of ‘USB’), then connect a
5VDC power supply to the unit. The power supply must be able to provide at least 1A at 5VDC. Check the
polarity before buying the PSU. (the inner pin is the positive) The unit is protected against wrong polarity.
If the polarity is wrong, the Power Fail LED will become red after switching on the unit. Always hold the
plastic/rubber part of the cable, don’t touch the metallic parts!
Other controls
On/Off switch
Please read the safety information (right after the table of contents) before switching on the unit.
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Always switch off the unit when not using it for a long time. (for more than a few hours)
Power Fail LED
If you need to use a power supply with the unit (very unlikely), you have to watch out for the polarity. The
unit is protected against wrong polarity. If the polarity is wrong, the color of the Power Fail LED will
become red after switching on the unit.
On/MSG LED