Rowan

Hi, Just ran the "bete3" on 10.3.8 and none of my midi interfaces show in the router window (Presonus firebox and korg microkontrol), I've just downloaded 10.3.9, I'll report back if this changes things. Im no java expert but am happy to report any issues I come across. Chur Rowan

Merry Christmas to all Midiboxers, here's hopping santa brings us all P&G motorfaders and graphic LCD's. ;D (I wonders if santas elf's make all the components used in all those kids toys, or if he imports them from china to keep his costs down, hehehehe) Stay safe durring the silly season. Regards Rowan

Hi atomsize, I don't have the parts, but I can talk to the distributer to find out if he still does, It will have to be after the new year, I on vacation. HPF = High Pass Filter, you don't need the filter board if you can sacrifice half the polyphony of the sampler. it's rather complex to explane but rather simple to do. Can the S3000xl invert the phase of samples? If i remeber correctly it can, if not you need MESA, Peak or WaveLab to be able to do the HPF trick, find out if it can invert the phase. Inverting the phase of the sample is the key trick to getting these samplers to act like they have a HPF, firstly sort out if you can do this on the S3000xl then I'll attempt to explane how to do it (I havn't used a S-series sampler for over a year so I'm a little rusty). I used these beasts so much I'll pass on as many trick as I can remeber. Regards Rowan

Hi Moebius, If you need the flash RAM card let me know I was offered sh*t loads of Akai upgrade parts for the S series samplers for next to nothing by the New Zealand distributer of Akai about a year ago, they have a stock of parts that are now practical worthless (as far as they are concerned anyway). I used Akai sapmlers for a number of years and still love them to bits, unfortunatly I sold my sampler rack last year, (3 x S2000 and a roland S770) and wish I still had them. Even though the S770 sounded fantastic it was an aboslute pig to program compared to the S2000 (the funny thing was that the S770 had a CRT and mouse, compared to the tiny 16 x 2 LCD on the S2000) Atomsize: Get yourself a SCSI card for your computer and MESA or the other program that I can remember the name of to edit your programs, makes life MUCH easier! Does the S3000xl have a HPF, if it doesn't let me know and I tell you how to trick any S-series in thinking it has one, presto drun'n'bass bliss. 8) Regards Rowan

Hi The nexts step is to get the whole MIOS thing sorted, two options, learn MIOS and assembly language inside out or a Graphic LCD........I'm not going to think about the paint job until I sort out my display. http://www.avishowtech.com/midibox/modules.php?set_albumName=Rowan&op=modload&name=Gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php&page=1 Some more pix on the portal Some more photos These are the track control buttons These are the transport/edit controls I'm keen on sugestions on the design of the panel graphics. Regards Rowan

Hi Depends on the console, on big expensive desks this is rather easy. On small and some mediums size desks it's almost impossible (Well nothing is impossible, but it would proble cost less to buy something the does the job) It all depends on how the desk was made and how much the desk is worth. If we are talking a 0.5 million dollar Neve or SSL I would say yes, good idea. If it's not it proably not worth it. I've got my eyes on a Neve orignal from EMI studios in london circa 1970 in a local studio that I'de LOVE to retro fit with Midi controlled motorised faders. The problem is convincing the owner of the studio that it's a good idea. Currently the desk has a old dodegy SMPTE based "Automation Computer", it's rubish. The thing is so old it only takes 5.25" floppy disks. This studio uses ProTools almost exclusively now so it would make perfect sence to have ProTools in control of the automation rather than some old bit of junk. Regards Rowan

Hi Smash, Safari is working fine now with the gallery, sweet as. Thanks for your help. ;D :) Regards Rowan

Hi Smash, Thanks for the fix, it's working fine apart from the Java applet. I could make an album and add photos. I used firefox and I havn't tried safari yet, I'll give it a go soon. That really cool you sorted that problem so quickly, thank. Regards Rowan

Hi all, I just about finished my MBLC so I thought I'de post a few photos to see if you lot have any suggestions for the graphics of the case. The construction is finished (a part from a few small things like wiring up the MIDI activity LED's). I only have to customize the MBLC app for my DIN/DOUT pin configuration and the LCD. A bit of a discription The case is recycled from an old (1990ish) radio DAW production system, the Orban DSE7000. Back in the day this was the sh*t when it came to quick and eazy production of radio spots. The system was origanaly designed by AKG. The system had a control surface that connected to a tower PC with propritary audio and storage hardware and a custom OS. The whole system had a cool little trolly to sit in. I brought the control surface and trolly for "trademe", New Zealands ebay. The tower PC had long since been separated from the controller, so I didn't feel bad about retrofitting MB hardware in it. The controller and trolly cost me $300 NZ ($1NZ = $0.71US at the time of writing the NZ dollar is very strong). This proved to be a real bargin, a nice case, 10 100mm faders, 40 quality backlit buttons and a very nice jog wheel. I stripped the orignal PCB's of all the buttons, faders and other useful components. This took a long time as I had to be very careful not to damage the buttons through over heating the pins. After that I spent two weeks of evenings measuring the case very accuratly and making drawings of the case in a CAD program. The I printed the drawing in 1:1 scale (A2) to check it against the real case to check the size was right. This was a very important step because I wanted to design and make PCB's for the buttons and encoders. I used the CAD drawing as the template for the positioning of components on my PCB's. If my CAD drawing was wrong so would the PCB's. After lots of fiddling to get it right I set about designing 4 PCB's, 1 for the encoders I wanted to add, 1 for the buttons on the right side(front view), 1 for the buttons above the faders and 1 for the navagation buttons and the jog wheel (which I am yet to make). The process of designing and building the PCB's took about 4 weeks to get that right (lots of desing deadends and things not being in the right place). The method I used to make the PCB's was to lazer print the mask onto the backing of adhesive lables, the ironing it on to the copper clad board, this worked really well, I'm very happy with the way the PCB's came out. I drilled the PCB's with a drill press (I brought a cheap drill press of the job). Then laquared the boards to prevent oxidization of the copper. When the boards were ready I soldered the buttons, resistors and headers to the PCB's. Soldering the Buttons was alot trickery than you might think, the problem once againg was getting the position of the buttons just right so that they would fit thru the holes on the front panel, remain straight, not scrape on the case when pushed. Because alot of the buttons being arranged in a "matrix" fasion it was very important that the buttons were square with each other, if thay weren't the professional apperance would be comprimised. The way I got everything lined up correctly was it build a jig with strips of precisly cut wood and lay them between the buttons to hold the spaceing constant and even, I then clamped the jig in place and soldered the buttons to the board. This worked very well too, took alot of time but was worth it because you only get one shot at getting it right with out damaging anything. This is a view of the inside of the unit. You can see the 40 x 4 Character LCD on the top right (green pcb) I've got to change the MBLC app a bit to get the disply right. After I compleated the PCB's I started to build the core module and a combined DIN/DOUT module. This is the Core module, built on matrix board, (I like building stuff on matrix board believe it or not), I'm going to add a bankstick IC socket when I get round to it. This is the intergrated DIN/DOUT module, DIN's on the left and DOUT's on the right. I used 9 DIN IC's and 6 DOUT IC's. as you can see there are some buttons and LED's I'm yet to connect. I'm in the process of adapting the MIOS MBLC application to my needs, I've got to lose about half of the buttons so I have to decide what to keep and what to ditch. I was thinking about the possiblity of using the GPL and map the remaining functions to that, don't know how hard that will be as it's just an idea at this stage. Because I was lazy when I connected the ribbion cables from the Button/LED PCB's to the DIN/DOUT PCB's I have to do LOTS of pin reassignment in the source code. It's confusing as hell, but it's less hassle doing it in the software, rather than messing with the hardware. Anyway thats enough of an essay on that. So what do you all think Regards Rowan

OK, here's is the story. I tried IE and the applet wouldn't load so I used the form and that worked, but I still could not create my own album? I haven't tried Firefox yet I'll give that a shot too. Sorry in advance if I make a mess on the portal, just want to get this working correctly. Maybe my java install is not right? I thought OSX had all that java jazz installed by defult? Off to try firefox now.................... .....................I still can not create a sub-album in the "build" album, I must be doing something wrong. Well, I managed to get two photos on portal, I just cann't create my own album in the "build" album. It's strange because a can create an album on the top level of the gallery, I just made another one, which I cann't delete now? Regards Rowan

Hi Tim Thanks for your reply. Good point about trying a different browser, I've got Firefox and IE on my powerbook so i'll give that a shot. I did create that hidden album, but I relized I had made it on the top level of the album and not the "build" sub-album. I could work out how to delete. If you can delete it go a head. I'de like to put my album in the "build" album. What happens when I tried to add photos, the java applet loads, I can drag'n'drop photos into the applet. I click upload photos them the applet does its thing and every thing seems to go well, them at the end I get an error message saying "user can not add to album". Let me give some other browers a shot and i'll report back on how it went. Thanks again Regards Rowan

Hi, I tried to upload some pix to the portal last night, but I can't seem to create a album in the build section of the gallery to put my pix in. I loged in on the portal, when I am in the top level of the build album I go to the little drop-down menu but "Add Album" doesn't apper. Any Ideas what I'm doing wrong, (I'm using OS X.3.6 and Safari and I have a the java stuff installed on my machine) I may try my PC to, I'm trying to keep that machine of the net though, so if I can avoid using it I like to Regards Rowan

Hi Thortsen Thank for pointing me to that, I've only been able to find the version 1.0 manual on the net which doesn't inclued the sysex spec. This will make my life much more easy with respect to understanding the data that can and can't be sent by the MBLC and Logic. Could I suggest that you post that link on the MBLC page, it may help reduce stupid questions like mine. I'm going to up load some pix of my almost finished MBLC tonight on to the portal. Regards Rowan P.S. I ripped apart the Logic control from my work today to replace a broken fader, I must say your solution is far more elegent. I've got One P and G motorfader that is slightly damaged (the string that pulls the fader back and forth is broken) Do you want me to send it to you so you can test the MF driver with this type of fader if you haven't already done so?

Hi, Moebius is right, If you put the LED in the wrong way in theory If you apply 4 Volts in the wrong direction i.e. if you put 4 volts on the Cathode and 0 volts on the Anode you will blow it. In practice it will probably handel a bit more, maybe another 0.5 to 1.0 Volt. Not a good idea thought. These LED's will be fine, as all ways make sure they are connected around the right way. regards Rowan

Hi, thanks for your reply, It's good to know the limitations. Can you point me to any MIDI data structure documentation for the LC. Come to think of it I should be looking at the MBLC code. Where the sysex data strings defined? Thanks Thorsten Regards Rowan

Thanks for the reply Thorsten, thats cool to have that sorted. I'll have to rethink my screen layout ideas. I can move the MTC and Solo/Mute status in the lc_clcd.inc file, right? By using; #define LCD_EMU_COL Â Â 40 will I lose 1 characters per message, giving me 5 charaters per massage? Sorry for these questions, I haven't bought Logic for OS X since I switched platforms, so I haven't been able to test my changes yet. Thanks again Regards Rowan

Hi I'm modding the MBLC app for my MB i've just about finished. I've used a 40 x 4 CLCD so I would like to change the number of emulated to 80 in the main.asm file and have a play with the layout using the lc_clcd.inc file. Anyone know if the logic control spec allow for more that 55 characters? If I change #define LCD_EMU_COL Â Â 55 to #define LCD_EMU_COL Â Â 80 will I be able to print character strings sent by the host anywhere on the screen. I understand that the logic control spec allows for up to 6 characters per "message", can anyone confirm this? Is there a better way of doing this? Â Regards Rowan Spicer

Got 500mcd 30 degree viwing angle LED's in the end, they work a treat Regards Rowan

Thanks duggle, I'll give it a try tommrow. Good point about the viewing angle, hadn't thought 'bout that. Regards Rowan

Hi, I'm going to go buy some LED's this week for my MBLC this week. I've used 3mm 15mcd LED's in it so far, but they aren't bright enough so i'm going to replace them with new ones. The buttons I'm using have an LED socket built in, you pop the frosted cover off and put the LED behind the button cap. I want some LED's that make the buttons glow nice and bright. I can also put littel lables behind the caps. How many mcd do you guys suggest 500mcd? Â 2000mcd? I don't know Regards Rowan ??? ???

Hi, I've got two of the ad75019 matrix ICs. I've also got a few SSM2404 The SSM2404 will be dead simple to use but many IC's are needed, where as the AD75019 will be a little more complex (Some MIOS programming required) but in my option are a more elegent solution. Dan, the modular mixer sounds cool. Pilo, If you have the time I'de love some help? Regards Rowan

Hi Dan It's sitting in my stash of half finished projects at the moment. Are you interested in having a crack? The Problem I struck was getting MIOS to talk to the chip. My programming skills are very poor (1 semester at uni doing C programming). I've got 1 spare chip (These chips are EXENSPENSVE) I'm prepeared to give to some one who will do the coding and help me out with the hardware design (This offer extends to anyone with a proven track record of developing and finishing new MIOS features) I'm keen on reopening this topic for discussion, as I'm still keen on finishing it. If I remeber I let off tring to work out what speed the DOUT's run at, the matrix IC needs a 20kHz to 5MHz clock (I think, It's over a year since I thought about this) Anyone with any suggestions? Regards Rowan

Hi As I understand you feed both channels of the poweramp the same signal, BUT one channel MUST get a phase inverted version of that same signal. The you connect the (+) temninal of the loudspeaker to (+) connection on the amp channel which is outputting the NON-phase inverted singnal. Then connect the (-) temninal of the loudspeaker to the (+) connection of the amp channel that is outputting the phaes INVERTETED. Presto, you have twice the voltage to drive your speakers, therefore four times the power. CAUTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You should double the minium impeadance of you amp when running bridged. i.e. Amp running in normal configuration, minimum impeadeance 4 ohms, I bridge mode DO NOT connect any loudspeaker less than 8 ohms. The effect of this is that you really end up with double the original power. DISCLAMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have never tried this on a domestic amp, therefore can not be held responsible for any damage you cause. I'de love to know if it works, I don't have an amp I can afford to cook at the moment. From my research it, SHOULD work. Regards Rowan

Hi I to am interested in getting my hands on the documentation for the Mackie Logic/Universal control protocol. As far as I understand it was avalible on the net, but I've never managed to find it. Anyone out there have a PDF of it. It must have existed if TK managed to implement the MBLC. Regards Rowan

Thanks Pilo, I'll check it out. Any other suggestions, anyone? Regards Rowan