Mr. Otto Posted January 21, 2009 Report Share Posted January 21, 2009 Agree on that.By the way,Don't you think it should be good for live playing too? Imagine using an old ThinkPad runing mbuntu as an instrument, or something like a small rough barebone... As small as a mac mini, and you even could, as a option, use a 20x4 lcd instead of a full size display. And just like MB, you can access some patches trough buttons on the front panel, so you don't have to use a mouse. I must say that I have a maximum of 1,5 months of experience on electronics circuit, and just starting programming, but it doesn't seam impossible. It is hard for me, but I'm willing to try Do you guys think it's worth a shot ?MBPC? MBPowerPC? (in case you want to hack those colored imac) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stryd_one Posted January 21, 2009 Report Share Posted January 21, 2009 That's what MB64 (and co) are for ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Otto Posted January 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2009 Yes, it would be a MB64 basically, but I'm talking about doing a mod for a whole pc...And then you have to program it for runing tasks when you press a button on the front panel for exemple...I know it isn't like a new project, but it is definitely a new interface, and bringing a computer on stage has always been an issue.I don't know about programming this, but would that be too hard? I mean, imagine you use Pd, and more then one software for effects, and with a few buttons pressed on the fpanel you could skip softwares...have you seen any MB64 / PC all-in-the-same-box around ?conceptually speaking, it is the same as Mbuntu, but in the hardware side, maybe in the case-side in the beginning, but I suppose it could evolve... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frailn Posted January 21, 2009 Report Share Posted January 21, 2009 I just picked up an old IBM Thinkpad from my brother in law. It has a 450mhz PIII processor. I was thinking about putting Ubuntu on it and playing with some of the programs listed under the mbuntu page on the wiki. Then, I stumbled across pure:dyne. It looks like pure:dyne might be a good option for using an old laptop with your midibox. pure:dyne is basically Debian with a special repository set up that only installs video/audio tools (like Ardour or Hydrogen) and leaves you with a very stripped-down, no-bloat OS. Perfect for older slower laptops.You can even handpick the programs using an alternate install. So, obviously, you wouldn't want video processing programs on an old Thinkpad that you are using to operate your midibox.So, rather than hacking/creating a Thinkpad/midibox hybrid, I think that using the Sequencer software and other audio/midi software available on pure:dyne would work well. For example, you could run Seq24 on the Thinkpad, hook up a USB MIDI cable from the laptop to the MB-6582 and rock out. Of course, I do need to actually build my MB-6582 first! Smash parts should arrive this week. I finally got the money together to buy the parts kit!I also recently installed Ubuntu on my old Dell. Finally free from Windows XP. I'll be using that box for playing with mbuntu!! Hoping to get some time to gather info for the mbuntu wiki page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Otto Posted January 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 Have you tryed Xubuntu? Aparently a much more efficient desktop. I'm currently testing everything in my pc, it's probably going to be the next...About the set up, it is intended for live performance, and I'm a drummer, so this thing will probably have pads too, I'm realy not concerned about sequencers, I like to play it all. And the real motivation is to build something that could fit perfectly on a briefcase, is is much more about package and interface than anything else. In the end what I would like to do is to transform a computer on a really powerfull synth (workstation), in a case that could take the hit, also being small and easy to carry.And if you think about it, things in here will lead to something like that, projects are getting more complex, eventually, MBDSP... So why not going straight to the other end, computers, and then reverse engineering it to fit our needs?As I said, it's MBuntu hardwarewise.Well, maybe then I'll finally be able to bring something new to Midibox, I'm an Architect/Industrial Designer to be (1 year left) and I'd be more than happy to help anyone in the forum with their cases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stryd_one Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 As I said, it's MBuntu hardwarewise.MBuntu is meant for midibox development, like, writing code in C and compiling it for a core module, or burning PICs ;)Due to the results of the poll (and the fact that we want to use our midiboxen for *gasp* making music) it'll also be a way to get updated packages of the audio software we like to use too. A recent update I have not yet shared is that the Ubuntu Studio guys have also seen this need and have started a backporting project, so many updated audio software will actually be sourced from there (and ones we update ourselves will still be passed on to the UbuStu guys as per the original plan - now they just have somewhere to put it all ;) )I do think that the idea of a minimal custom control surface for a PC is cool though. By the sounds of what you're saying, an easier way may be to re-use a normal keyboard (customise the key bindings) and run an LCD via parallel port or similar...Anyway I'll split this off into a new thread for further discussion :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Otto Posted January 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 Hey, thanks man!an easier way may be to re-use a normal keyboard (customise the key bindings) and run an LCD via parallel port or similar...I was thinking of running the LCD like that, and the "re-use" thing sounds easier indeed. Build-in Midi ports is a must have...Anyway, I'll be thinking more about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frailn Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 Maybe set up macros for the keys. So, once you boot up the PC section and start up whatever software is running on the pc, the macro functions could be assigned to specific keys on the keyboard. Similar to how the Prophet64 functions on Commodore 64 computers. Prophet64 has several programs - a sequencer, drum machine emulator, etc...and once the software loads, there are functions assigned to specific keys on the keyboard, like increase tempo, etc... I know there is a world of difference between Prophet64, midibox and a PC, but it's the closest thing I can think of to visualize what you are considering in design.So if you ran a specific program in the PC section, striking the "F4" key would send a MIDI message to the MIDIbox section of the hybrid. I like this approach because when the macros are turned "off" you can still use the full QWERTY keyboard to interface with the PC. If you are going for some sort of box or rack mount solution, you might be able to mod the keyboard so it slides in and out of the top or bottom of the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gioxannes Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 This looks like my kinda thing. :)I want to set up my old notebook (Pentium III 700Mhz) as a sequencer between the midibox and the synths. I just started fiddling around a custom made kernel based on Mandriva, but to erase all unnecesary drivers and tools would be quite a hassle.Tomorrow I will create some virtual machines on the server and start experimenting with Mbuntu and pure:dyne if I can find it somewhere.Anybody has an interesting link for linux - midibox communication? And then I mean API programming for the sequencer.Gio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stryd_one Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 That's a really old machine, you might find that dynebolic is best suited to it... I'd certainly try ubuntu studio first though, it has a massive 'just works' factor. Get 8.04, NOT 8.10! (long story)Do you mean an app for editing seq code? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gioxannes Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 I already found and tested the jar for editing the midibox setting.What I need is some way of adjusting the sequencer software settings with the midibox pots.Yeh, the computer is old, but I discovered that it can just handle Rosegarden as the sequencer. I could also move the actual Rosegarden app to the synth board (3086 Ghz) and use the notebook as an intelligent X terminal. But I would like to keep the synth board for the synth only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stryd_one Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 I'm pretty sure rosegarden will allow midi CCs from the midibox knobs to automate it.Now, I actually thought I was in a different thread here, so I'll butt out now, but before I do - someone's got a prject going on, doing this in another thread, somewhere.... it's recent, that's all I know.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.