There was a pause in MegaDrum development, mainly due
to the fact that I've implemented all main features and I just wanted
to get feedback from people who built MegaDrum, but also because my
development laptop died a while ago. Now it's been replaced and a new
firmware version is available. The main feature added is per input
Crosstalk suppression level rather than a global one. Also now you can
see much more professionally built (but still DIY!) MegaDrum modules.

New firmware version which introduces a new setting called MinScan -
Minimum Scan time. It sets minimum scan time to sample input signals
for each input. In the menu it is shown/measured in 1/10th of
millisecond. It can be changed between 1 and 100 which correspond to
0.1ms and 10ms respectively. This version also has substantially
modified algorithm for sampling input signals. In short it does a
kind of "caching" for choosing inputs to sample and trigger.

It might be old news for you if you follow discussions on the
forum. Thanks to Synthex MegaDrum is now even simpler to build if you can buy
74HC4851 or MAX4558 instead of 4051. Using these ICs you can omit all BAT85
diodes and
100 Ohm ESD protection resistors. It is 96 less discrete parts
for 32 inputs version of MegaDrum! Follow these threads:
http://www.megadrum.info/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=96

Another
update to firmware. It improves "dynamic threshold" algorithm and
positively effects rolls and "ghost notes" suppression.
And one more thing.
Thanks to estregan from the MegaDrum forum you can now
watch MegaDrum in action! Check this
thread.

MegaDrum is now Windows Vista ready!:)
Synthex has updated the firmware for PIC18F2550 USB MIDI board which resolves a
problem when connecting MegaDrum to Windows Vista.

A 32 inputs
version of MegaDrum is now available! It uses the same Digital
board. A schematic and a PCB design for a new Analogue board are
on the Download and Schematics pages. An alternative PCB design for the new
Analogue board, developed by Synthex, is available on the forum. It uses schottky diode array and simplifies the
Analogue board even more.

Important firmware
update: incorrect LCD handling caused problems with fast drum rolls. This
version has the LCD handling revised and there should be no problems with fast
drum rolls. This time I'll keep secret where to download this firmware
version.

Small but
important changes to schematics:
In MegaDrum32 Digital board: R26 - from 220
to 4k7
In MegaDrum8 Digital board: R21 - from 220 to 4k7
In AVR-CDC USB
board: R4 - from 470 to 1k
In PIC18F2550 USB board: R4 - from 470 to
1k
With old values MegaDrum might experience resets when receiving Sysex
configs.

MegaDrum now complies with, and even exceeds,
PSSDM (Power Saving Standard for Drum Modules) - check out Downloads.

I was made aware of a
virus which somehow got into the previous firmware version and was causing
MegaDrum to start sending unauthorized e-mails after an hour of drumming. The
latest release of the firmware fixes it and can be found in the usual place.