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Controlling Virtual DJ - New MIDIBOX - Help & Input Needed


jbaldwinroberts

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Hello everyone,

I have been reading through the wiki and forums trying to learn as much about MIDIBOX as I can, but i may have missed something so please forgive me.

What i would like to do is control Virtual DJ through a USB interface.

[url=http://img411.imageshack.us/i/61646066.jpg/]61646066.th.jpg

On the picture above I have highlighted what I want to control in red and green.

This means i need

7 pots

3 sliders (Pots??)

16 buttons

8 LEDs

Do pots or encoders work best in these sorts of applications??

Would the sliders have to be set to the centre before I plugged it in so that they were calibrated with the slider on screen?

Do i need any extra buttons to control the interface?

I also read that it is recommended to have an LCD, can this be used to display output from the PC, or is it just for programming?

To do this I believe i need:

1X MIDIBOX64 core (MIDIBOX64E if Enc's were used)

1X AIN module

1X DIN module

1X DOUT module

1X LCD

1X USB GM5 Module

Is this correct?

The blue highlighted items in the picture are controls i want to include but these looked harder and more complicated to implement. They are:

2X motor controlled pitch sliders (they have to be motor controlled as the pitch can change when syncing)

2X jog wheels (used to scroll though the track, not scratch.

How much harder does adding these controls make the project?

Is there anything I missed?

Any other controls you think i should have?

If this is in the wrong section, mods please move.

Any answers will be much appreciated.

Thanks

Joe

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Thanks for the quick reply,

Im looking through those projects now.

Virtual DJ has the option to map from keyboard, midi and hid.

A couple more questions....

Can you get Pots/Encs with momentary switches built in. i.e. to select an effect and then turn it on/off?

How easy are LED rings to build and program and does each indiviual LED require a DOUT or just each ring. i dont need these, but they look cool ;)

Can the MIDIBOX be powered by USB or battery's for portability?

Thanks

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Pots/encoders: Matter of taste. Encoders are always in the correct position, but don't give visible feeback about it unless you have led rings, while pots always do but lead to parameter jumps.

Extra buttons: If you just want a hardware CS to add real knobs to that app - no you don't.

Display: The display can show whatever you want it to. It's not needed for the box to work, but it's extremely handy for testing (a small 2x16 will work for that). It might work well for the drop down lists (one row per list, if I got it right you have two).

AIN module: You only need that if you have more than 8 analog inputs (pots/faders)

Jog wheel: A jog wheel is just en encoder. Nothing really fancy there.

Motor faders: If you want motorfaders, you'll also need a MF module.

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Here are my thoughts on pots vs encoders.  Others may disagree, but here goes:

For controls serving multiple functions (i.e. one minute it's controlling an effect, the next minute it's controlling pitch), encoders are generally a better choice.

In a live setting, The biggest annoyance about encoders is when the control value is at its maximum (or minimum), and you aren't looking so you don't know this, and you keep turning it to to try to achieve more.  Encoders also tend to be more precise than pots, and typically require more turns to get to the value you are aiming for.

But pots are less precise than encoders, so in most studio applications encoders are generally nicer.

From the MIDIbox perspective:  for pots you'll need an AIN board.  For encoders you can use the same DIN board you use for your buttons.  And good-quality potentiometers are cheaper and easier to find than good encoders.

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ITo do this I believe i need:

1X MIDIBOX64 core (MIDIBOX64E if Enc's were used)

1X AIN module

1X DIN module

1X DOUT module

1X LCD

1X USB GM5 Module

Is this correct?

So to make

7 pots

3 sliders

16 buttons

8 leds

1 screen

i would need all the modules above, is that right??

Yes ,but without the some Shift Register chips. You can read more in the Ucapps MB Hardware Platform section.

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The DOUT module comes with multiple serial registers 74HC595; every register provides 8 digital outputs, which are updated with the latch enable signal RCLK and shifted out with the clock signal SCLK. The advantage of using such shift registers is, that they can be cascaded to a long chain without the need of more than 5 cables to the core module. The DOUT board has been designed on a way which allows to cascade not only the ICs on the board, but also several DOUT modules.

The DIN module comes with multiple serial registers 74HC165; every register provides 8 digital inputs, which are sampled with the latch enable signal LD and shifted out with the clock signal CLK. The advantage of using such shift registers is, that they can be cascaded to a long chain without the need of more than 5 cables to the core module. The DIN board has been designed on a way which allows to cascade not only the ICs on the board, but also several DIN modules.

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Would i need to populate these boards with all the other components even though i am only using 1/2 chips?

What main IC chip would be recommended as i've seen 3 different ones?

Virtual DJ haven't native MIDI-out support.

Is it possible to implement non native MIDI-out support?

Can i control the LEDS from within the MIDIBOX? (So that i could make the LEDS be constantly on to illuminate my buttons if i coudn't interface them with virtual DJ)

Is the best MIDI-USB interface the USB GM5 module?

The picture has MIDI and USB ports on, does this board therefore output both USB and MIDI?

Thanks again for all your help

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Would i need to populate these boards with all the other components even though i am only using 1/2 chips?

No.

Note: To reduce effort only the DINX4 variant is available at Mikes PCB shop. If you don't want to etch the modules by yourself, just use the DINX4 and stuff just only the ICs which are really required.

Note: To reduce effort only the DOUTX4 variant is available at Mikes PCB shop. If you don't want to etch the modules by yourself, just use the DOUTX4 and stuff just only the ICs which are really required.

What main IC chip would be recommended as i've seen 3 different ones?

Pic18F452

auaimbctg.pdf

auaimbctg.pdf

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  • 3 months later...

Hey, iv got a bit further with this in the last 6 months and i have got to the point of buying my faders.

Can anyone reccommend some volume faders and a cross fader that will work with this project?

Iv bin working on the assumption that any linear fader will work for volume, but is this the same for the cross fader?

thanks

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Hey, iv got a bit further with this in the last 6 months and i have got to the point of buying my faders.

Can anyone reccommend some volume faders and a cross fader that will work with this project?

Iv bin working on the assumption that any linear fader will work for volume, but is this the same for the cross fader?

thanks

Did you search the same info in the Wiki page?

"DJ traktor faders" for example.

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