MiSTer FPGA Forum

Hi guys.
I realize there are already tons of topics on this.
Alas, I've read through them all, and I've seen all videos on setting up MT32pi.

- I've got a brand-spankin' new microsd formatted with guiformat as directed
- I've made all the Mister related changes to the cfg files
- I have mt32 roms in the roms folder
- I have a short USB cable that was supplied with the MT32pi that appears to power the pi on
- USB Cable is connected to Mister's IO port on a 6.1 IO board
- On pi, red light is on, green light flashes (I understand this means that the program is working)
- MT32pi's screen isn't powering on (cfg changes check out)
- MT32pi's on/off switch works.
- Mister doesn't seem to recognize the Pi whatsoever in ao486
- Mt32pi doesn't appear in ao486 OSD
- Mister is update_all up to date and ao486 top 300 is all up to date as well.
- Mister is powered on and everything works. Usb hub powered on separately, also works.
- I've tried what someone suggested- setting up the pi with default software, then formatting then retry, no dice.
- IO Board version 6.1 official

I've been trying to get this working for 6 hours now. I do have an actual MT32 coming in the mail in a few days, but I was really hoping to get this working. Can anyone suggest what I'm doing wrong? I've read through all the guides and from what I can tell I'm doing everything necessary, but the darn thing isn't coming on. Is there a script I need to run on Mister to support the mt32pi? Pleas help. I don't know what else to do.

I know you stated you've made these changes.. but might be worth another check

https://github.com/dwhinham/mt32-pi/wik ... tion#setup

also edit using notepad++

I had the same issue when I got mine. Turns out the USB cable wasn't plugged in all the way into the mt32pi. Maybe try that?

Examine your IO board as per

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3418

If you got your board from Ali Express, Ebay or Amazon chances are they skimped on headers.

I had an older 5.6 I/O board that was missing the pull up resistors. I had to buy a new v6.1 I/O board so the MT-32 PI hat would be identified and displayed in the mister menus.

Any solution reached for this problem. I am having the very same issue. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Other then the pins, jumpers is also needed.

An image of your io board will help solving this issue.

Karmeck wrote: ↑Sun May 15, 2022 9:00 pm Other then the pins, jumpers is also needed.

An image of your io board will help solving this issue.

Jumpers? Which jumpers?

Here is my hardware setup...

I started the AO486 core. And attched the cable to the i/o port and attached it to the mt32pi hat and turned it on. The light on the the rasp pi is red, and blinking green, but nothing on the lcd screen yet. Any ideas.

Also, no sound when i choose mt32 from the setup of the game. So, i am not sure why it is not working. I followed the setup. Step by step. Please advise. Any ideas? Thanks

JWDog wrote: ↑Sun May 15, 2022 11:22 pm Also, no sound when i choose mt32 from the setup of the game. So, i am not sure why it is not working. I followed the setup. Step by step. Please advise. Any ideas? Thanks

As you did not post an image of your mister, without a case.

For the analog mister you need a jumper next to the use port.

But for both analog and digital, the pins along the ram is required.

In one of the images you posted, also seen in my link, pins are missing. Then you have a row of pins that are present, though, on yours, they might be missing.

An image of the pins soldered to your i/o board, that you have in your possession, not a general image, will help.

Karmeck wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 5:14 am

JWDog wrote: ↑Sun May 15, 2022 11:22 pm Also, no sound when i choose mt32 from the setup of the game. So, i am not sure why it is not working. I followed the setup. Step by step. Please advise. Any ideas? Thanks

As you did not post an image of your mister, without a case.

For the analog mister you need a jumper next to the use port.

But for both analog and digital, the pins along the ram is required.

In one of the images you posted, also seen in my link, pins are missing. Then you have a row of pins that are present, though, on yours, they might be missing.

An image of the pins soldered to your i/o board, that you have in your possession, not a general image, will help.

These are my boards, I took the pics of. So, what you are saying is the analog i/o board needs a jumper and pins, and the digital i/o needs a jumper? because the digital has pins

JWDog wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 1:34 pm

Karmeck wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 5:14 am

JWDog wrote: ↑Sun May 15, 2022 11:22 pm Also, no sound when i choose mt32 from the setup of the game. So, i am not sure why it is not working. I followed the setup. Step by step. Please advise. Any ideas? Thanks

As you did not post an image of your mister, without a case.

For the analog mister you need a jumper next to the use port.

But for both analog and digital, the pins along the ram is required.

In one of the images you posted, also seen in my link, pins are missing. Then you have a row of pins that are present, though, on yours, they might be missing.

An image of the pins soldered to your i/o board, that you have in your possession, not a general image, will help.

These are my boards, I took the pics of. So, what you are saying is the analog i/o board needs a jumper and pins, and the digital i/o needs a jumper? because the digital has pins

why you have both?

Digital need no jumper. as there is no spot for it, as you can see. Digital looks perfect. If it does not work with digital, most would be pointing towards the usb cable.

you analog board is missing pins. the jumper seem to already be in place.

JWDog wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 1:34 pm These are my boards, I took the pics of. So, what you are saying is the analog i/o board needs a jumper and pins, and the digital i/o needs a jumper? because the digital has pins

Looking at the pictures of both your IO boards, the pin headers are sufficiently populated. You are not missing any required pins or jumpers/caps on either IO board.

Are you actually turning the mt32-pi HAT on, using the switch on the side? If you are not this needs to be in the on position.

Nat wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 2:10 pm

JWDog wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 1:34 pm These are my boards, I took the pics of. So, what you are saying is the analog i/o board needs a jumper and pins, and the digital i/o needs a jumper? because the digital has pins

Looking at the pictures of both your IO boards, the pin headers are correctly populated. You are not missing any required pins or jumper caps on either IO board.

Are you actually turning the mt32-pi HAT on, using the switch on the side? If you are not this needs to be in the on position.

In the picture above with the pi connected to the mister the hat is turned on, no power cord is connected to the pi, so that the mister is io is powering it. The red light is on. And the green light flickers like it is reading the card, but the mt32pi hat shows nothing on the display and i don't get the menu change on the mister core menu for the mt32-pi settings.

Is your USB3 cable a known working recommended cable?

The mt32-pi wiki has a list.

https://github.com/dwhinham/mt32-pi/wik ... USB-cables

Nat wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 2:28 pm Is your USB3 cable a known working recommended cable?

The mt32-pi wiki has a list.

https://github.com/dwhinham/mt32-pi/wik ... USB-cables

Good call... I am not seeing the cable listed. It is blue 31 cm from usb tip to tip with markings
USB3.0 Cable STYLE 20276 80°C 30V VW-1

I will get one from the compatible list your refered and respond back results. Thank you for your help.

31 cm is way too long. Ideally you want 15 cm

JWDog wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 3:16 pm

Nat wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 2:28 pm Is your USB3 cable a known working recommended cable?

The mt32-pi wiki has a list.

https://github.com/dwhinham/mt32-pi/wik ... USB-cables

Good call... I am not seeing the cable listed. It is blue 31 cm from usb tip to tip with markings
USB3.0 Cable STYLE 20276 80°C 30V VW-1

I will get one from the compatible list your refered and respond back results. Thank you for your help.

Unplug the Pi from the MiSTer, power up the Pi with the Pi power supply (NOT connected to the MiSTer).
Does the MT32Pi logo show?

legacypixels wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 11:54 pm
Unplug the Pi from the MiSTer, power up the Pi with the Pi power supply (NOT connected to the MiSTer).
Does the MT32Pi logo show?

The logo doesn't show, even with the pi turned on and the mt32 pi hat turrned on or off, without being connected to the mister.

I think I found the issue


This jumper here, needs to be moved, so it connects IO6 and I/O.

Karmeck wrote: ↑Tue May 17, 2022 10:06 am I think I found the issue

This jumper here, needs to be moved, so it connects IO6 and I/O.

The jumper on my digital i/o is connected properly. The 3.3v peg is open.

Thanks for the tip.

JWDog wrote: ↑Tue May 17, 2022 2:00 pm

Karmeck wrote: ↑Tue May 17, 2022 10:06 am I think I found the issue

This jumper here, needs to be moved, so it connects IO6 and I/O.

The jumper on my digital i/o is connected properly. The 3.3v peg is open.

Thanks for the tip.

I once again then, ask for you to take images of your current configuration. As images posted above appears inaccurate and does not reflect your current configuration.

Here is the jumper as originally set on the digital io

legacypixels wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 11:54 pm

JWDog wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 3:16 pm

Nat wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 2:28 pm Is your USB3 cable a known working recommended cable?

The mt32-pi wiki has a list.

https://github.com/dwhinham/mt32-pi/wik ... USB-cables

Good call... I am not seeing the cable listed. It is blue 31 cm from usb tip to tip with markings
USB3.0 Cable STYLE 20276 80°C 30V VW-1

I will get one from the compatible list your refered and respond back results. Thank you for your help.

Unplug the Pi from the MiSTer, power up the Pi with the Pi power supply (NOT connected to the MiSTer).
Does the MT32Pi logo show?

Doesn't seem like a cable issue then.
I suspect an issue with your configuration file. Can you post (or DM) your mt32-pi.cfg file from the Pi's SDCard?

JWDog wrote: ↑Tue May 17, 2022 10:54 pm Here is the jumper as originally set on the digital io

Can we have a image of this line of pins

Karmeck wrote: ↑Wed May 18, 2022 5:03 am
Can we have a image of this line of pins

You can see them in the pic above labelled digital i/o back

How does that pi get power?

Maybe your power supply is not strong enough.

Invariably, this kind of problem requires reflow of the MiSTer I/O board pin connections.