What Parts will i definately need for a usb midi controller?

[eden]

Hi there, im struggling trying to find out what board(s) i will need to make my controller the way i want it.

I will need to it to output the signal of 5 faders, 22 potentiometers and 40 buttons.

Also it would be nice to have the buttons light up by leds if activated (switch on/off each time u push it).

I definately need the interface to be usb, so i can hook it up to any computer, since i want to dj with this device.

This is quite a journey, im just starting here and already clearly need help.

Please be so kind and inform me about the working possibilitys to connect all those buttons etc

to my pc via usb.

thx

eden

[Digineural]

Its common place to point you to our fearless leaders site and do a lot of reading. We've all been where you are, full of questions and ambition and its truly the best place to start. Read about the hardware platform as that's where all your I/O options are at. If, after all that reading, you have more questions then feel free to ask but consider looking everywhere on the site first lest we make the MIDIBox gods angry (they get a lot of these questions).

To make things simple though, you can just start with an LPCXPRESSO and a MBHP_CORE_LPC17. That should get you enough to talk MIDI to your PC. You can follow the tutorials to make a custom controller or wait until the MB_NG code is ready.

[eden]

thx for your answer digineural.

 

i most definately will go a different way in terms of hardware, since tis is more of a low budget learning project resulting in a custom USB-"midi" controller.

i dont really think anyone needs to spend over 50 usd for a basic poti and button device, now that ive been reading about finished projects everywhere.

but that will kind of depend on if ur satisfied with primitive buttons, (dont buy cheap faders and rotarys if ur building precision tools).

the part in charge of teaching the signal to be midi is me i guess, at least in terms of writing a c code.

 

at the moment it feels to me as the teensy boards could be a great starting point. I think ill give it a go with a teensy 2 or 3 next month.

Ill just need to teach it to send midi signals over the usb, or if i cant do that use software to convert signals ( makes me want to cry xD)

 

gives me either 25i/o + 12 analog, 46 i/o + 8 analog or 34i/o + 12 analog

 

Ive got the resistors wires and a breadboard already and most likely i will be buying some analog multiplexers.aswell.

just need to make up my mind wich teensy board to choose .... think ill go with the teensy 2.0 ++

[TK.]

Hi Eden,

 

Teensy is available for US $24, a http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp_core_lpc17.html'>LPCXPRESSO is available for EUR 24 (only an USB socket has to be added externally to get the same basic feature set like Teensy)

 

So, I don't see the point where you will save money, especially since you've to spent all the development effort by yourself (the fun starts once you are trying to get really stable analog conversion values from a device powered via USB ;-)).

It would be a nice learning example of course...

 

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[eden]

Hi TK,

 

i kind of think the usb socket will need to be bought aswell, or ill need to get the device to communicate via usb with an extra usb to midi adapter ..... 

i do not need those midi sockets, as ill be sending my data over the usb line aswell as powering my device via the same usb connection.

 

also you were comparing USD to EURO, lol .... 1 USD is less than 1 EURO...

 

I live in germany so ill buy from german shops aswell. one of the shops sells the teensy 3 for 30 euros including the shipping fee. thats pretty much the same price, BUT the teensy offers better hardware, alot of help in theory and even pre written codes that will work fine.

 

I guess the two ways would both work fine, its just that its more convenient for me to use a teensy. ill get to do alot of assembling anyway ....

 

Ofcourse i will be putting some effort in the code to make the device talk midi, but as far as ive been testing usb midi controllers its always worked fine for me. The only problem i had with analog signals was caused by using cheap faders sofar (put them in a hercules mk2 and they sucked even worse than the original faders). 

 

I dont think it generally causes "problems" to use midi signals with usb conecctions, as that is the way all the big companys are going (native Instruments, ... probably even all)

but it will need a non standard code addition if youre using the available beta software (maybe theres been an update? ) or even more coding if ur writing the entire code....

 

aaaaanyhow ill go take another look a the hardware you mentioned ;)

who knows i might be doing both :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

kind regards to y´all

Edited January 15, 2013 by eden

[smokestacksproductions]

I think it will be much less expensive to buy a commercial controller. The enclosure for your custom midi controller will cost more than an entire APC20. Maybe check Ebay or something. DIY will take an enormous amount of time and effort. to be successful,  so if your goal is to spend the least amount of money to get a functional midi controller, you should definitely buy a finished product.

[ilmenator]

I can only second that. DIY is not going to be cheaper than a commercial product if you are just starting or want this thing to look good. However, it's a lot more fun :-).

[eden]

sur eim not going to buy thousands of each product to get industrial pricings xD but still, the hardware should be under 50 euros in total or at least und 100 euros if you check prices and are patient. :) you can spend infinte money on casings, but if you go diy on it with  wood or plastic it should be cheap aswell !

 

have fun guys, just dont build warbots pls !

well im on a budget, but ill go diy, since im trying to learn something here, and those controllers you can buy just dont do what i need them to.... unless id buy a NI s4.... or something similar

 

kind regards to yall

[TK.]

Btw.: I don't agree that Teensy is the better hardware.

Also the statement "alot of help in theory and even pre written codes that will work fine" is odd when you consider that with MIOS32 a complete, reliable, well documented operating system for MIDI applications with many examples exists - and it's open source.

With MIDIbox NG you even wouldn't have to do any coding for your project.

 

 

Also your price comparison is not correct, probably you haven't read the MBHP_CORE_LPC17 page completely - e.g. the "Minimal Circuit to get USB running" part. The LPCXPRESSO is available in german shops as well...

 

However, I guess you will learn it while you are having fun with this 8bit chip.

Of course, for your usecase it will be sufficient, therefore nothing against your plans...

 

But you won't save money by using it - instead you will lose flexibility.

And you will notice the power supply issues that I mentioned, because the analog voltage domain isn't properly shielded on the Teensy PCB.

Expecting the same robustness against jittering analog values for such a cheap development board compared to a professional designed PCB of a MIDI Controller like from NI is nonsense - remember my words... ;-)

 

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[technobreath]

I'll just throw in my few words too. DIY is never gonna be cheap ;)

 

 

 

Expecting the same robustness against jittering analog values for such a cheap development board compared to a professional designed PCB of a MIDI Controller like from NI is nonsense - remember my words... ;-)

 

Hehe, where's the "Like" button? :).

[endernoumea]

Hehe, where's the "Like" button? :smile:.

 

Here ------------------------------------------------------------------->

[yogi]

Eden, if you just need something for your gigs, your best route is buy off the shelf or an Arduino for just a few pots and switches. But your goal was much larger in your first post. Consider the advice given; TK and others here have been working on these projects for well over a decade, refining and improving the code. You will not find a more powerful and flexible  Midi-centric OS for embedded uControllers in the open source world; even allot of BIG $$$ solutions would not compare. For Midi based projects, MidiBox.org is the BEST: period.

Your time spent developing a project on the Arduino would be rewarding, I'm sure; but you would learn a much better hardware and software platform for the same time spent with an LPC.

As to cost, the LPC is the same or cheaper then a Teensy. Your case, CS controls and support circuits will be about the same expense for either. To save as much as possible, build as much as you can. 'Recycle/reuse, rinse, repeat'

I prefer to invest in tools rather then pay someone else for their skill with their tools. The more projects you do the better you will get, you are investing in yourself! Look into community work shops, they are springing up all over. Get to know a neighbor with a work shop ;) Thrift stores are a great place to find dirt cheap cases to recycle. Scrounge and dumpster dive; an old PC case has allot of sheet metal.

Sometimes it is well worth spending for a laser cut front panel, but for my own projects 'getting there is half the fun'. Best advice: DIY will cost, just spend your budget, both time and money, wisely. Best of luck in your project :)