real newbie

[rogic]

Hi Everyone,

First I must say that Thorsten's site and this whole community is reason why I love the Internet. You guys rule! Keep up the great work!

My friend and I are going to make a MIDIBOX; Since I am a total newbie to electronics, PCB & PIC programming is going to be done by an expert, but pots/buttons/LCD soldering, power and a case design is to be done by me & my friend.

We want to make a midi controller which purpose is going to be the control for a DJ software from Native Instruments, "Traktor". I've read somewhere in the old forum that someone (Thorsten maybe?) tested MIDIBox with it, and it worked fine. So, generally, we'll need MIDIbox for DJing purposes - therefore I have to ask you about some design concepts regarding this (it will be also nice to use it with reason, but not primary goal). First we wanted to avoid costs of LCD display and just generally use MIDIbox as a controller for Traktor (it has a MIDI-learn option), but then I am not sure MIDIbox will work properly with Reason (without bank switching).

1. We don't need MIDI in/out DIN female connectors. Since we don't own any keyboards, we'll need just a connection to PC. I assume we can omitt this part of the schematics and add a interface to gameport. Since it is a DJ console, is it possible to make it to a serial port (reason: laptop)? (I think I saw schema on Thorsten's site, but I don't know how to combine this with original PCB). Is it possible to exclude LEDs also? Motor extension is sure something we don't need.

2. We need around 20 pots/faders and 20+ buttons. What is the difference between MIDIbox 16E and MIDIbox 64 in terms of cost/complexity? Is it possible to attach more than 8 buttons to MIDIbox 16E? (16 pots will maybe be enough, but 8 buttons is not). Is it possible to build MIDIbox 64 with less than 64 faders/buttons?

3. Power supply: I've read that we need stable +5V power supply for the MIDIbox, but somewhere 7V is mentioned. We have a old sony CD player which has a nice case and its own power supply which gives 5V DC. Can we use it?

4. MIDIbox16E/MIDIbox 64 : I understand schematics for MIDIbox 16E, but  MIDIbox 64 is based on this MIDIbox hardware platform, and I don't get the 'big picture'. What should we build first? All existing modules shown on page 'The MIDIbox Hardware Platform'? Can someone help us with modifications I mentioned (1)? Does anyone have experience with a similar MIDIbox specification I described? (no MIDIs/LEDs,etc.) Is there any walkthrough for building MIDIbox 64 based on MIDIbox Hardware Platform?

Any comments/help/corrections will be helpful.

Again: you guys rule.

[Captain_Hastings]

Hi there,

I'm building two Midibox64 for use with Reason and Traktor myself (saw the features of the new Traktor version and need to have it!  ;) )

Both Traktor and Reason have Midi-learn so you can assign a knob/pot/fader on your midibox to a controller in the software. Furthermore, it is possible to use the Virtual Midibox software to configure what controller data the knobs/pots/fader on your midibox send.

If i read your wish-list i think you're better off building your midibox with the midi hardware platform modules than building a MidiboxPlus 8 or 16.

The idea is as follows: Thorsten created a number of modules that can be configured to form a MidiBox16E, a MidiBox64, Midibox SID etc...

I'm building both my controllers around the midibox64 firmware, which allows 64 Potis, 24 Buttons, MIDI Learn, Sequenzer, Arpeggiator... if you use all the modules in this scheme: http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_midibox64.gif

But, if you leave modules out, you can build a low cost version like: http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_midibox64_lc.gif

So in your case, one could imagine a midibox running the midibox64 firmware consisting of the modules:

1 CORE - with the PIC processor

1 LTC - for the RS232 COM port

1 AIN - 32 pots/faders

1 DIN - 24 buttons

To minimise cost, you can leave out some components on the modules themselves that you won't use anyway, like the LCD part and the optocoupler (if you use the COM and not the DIN connections) on the CORE module.

Hope this help a bit and that i make some sense... if it's still chinese to you, munch through the MBHP pages and the pieces will fall together...  ;D

cheers!

[Captain_Hastings]

One thing i'm not sure of: if you want to use the COM port, it needs to be selected in the software and i'm not sure how you do that without the LCD?  ???

It is not listed in the firmware features section of VirtualMidibox, but maybe i am missing something...

[rogic]

Hi Hastings,

thanx fort your reply; unfortunately it was the only one. So my other questions will be posted in a new thread.