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MIDIbox Matrix - MIDI Matrix with (up to) 56 input and 56 output ports


ilmenator
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I've gotten as far as choking up the MIDI ports with lots of Polypressure and Sysex (having a few old Ensoniq synths help) while using the K5000s but it might be a couple of weeks until the X-mas holiday break before I can sit down and play dirty with all my hardware  :devil:

 

I figured that Polypressure, letting a BCR2000 send sysex to my JD-990 and FS1r while using the controls on a few knobby synths like the K5000s, Andromeda, Radias, Q rack etc while the MBseq is conducting the orchestra ought to be stressful enough. If it handles that while routing, it's good enough for me. Then we'd only have to worry about underpowered synths like the EX5r for instance (too slow CPU) and things that crash due to lots of MIDI like the Korg EX800 which benefits greatly from a MIDI filter somewhere in the chain of things. But there's dedicated hardware and things like the Mutable Instruments MidiPAL and the MIDIsizer MIDIbud for those kinds of duties.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 year later...

Hi all :-) Just curious how this project progressed? Been a couple of years since ilmenator gifted us the design. Which looks pretty damn awesome.

I'm keen to build one! Few Q's tho.

Couldn't determine from the wiki if the matrix allows for channel routing and event filtering?  As I'd want to send clock to most/ all devices from 1 source.

Also curious if specific ports can be accessed via the stfm USB midi? (for using pc based synth editors etc)

I have 12 or so synths + a few effects units, and a collection of of sequencers, seqV4, squarp pyramid, qy700, md uw. Currently I'm using a Motu express 128 along with midi ox which is ok but not ideal imo. Need to turn on the pc, then routing all that data through in and out of a pc doesn't fill me with confidence in terms of latency and keeping a tight and stable clock signal.   

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Hi there,

currently the matrix does not allow for channel routing and event filtering. At the documented design stage, this would have only been possible for those inputs routed through the STFM or the (external) mergers (PIC 1688) anyway. Why? Well, everything that is related to routing is happening inside the FPGA, which is kind of "brainless". It is controlled by the STFM. In order to modify MIDI data in any way, that data would have to be routed through the STFM first, which is difficult: there are not enough available IO pins on the STFM board left. You could probably implement event filtering for two or so MIDI ports...

USB MIDI has not been considered.

But: you might expect a v2 later this year which has a virtual processor running on the FPGA. With this it should be possible to do some channel routing and event filtering, at least for a limited number of ports - depending on the number of UARTs that can still be implemented on the FPGA. However, this will not be a top priority. The main reason for the update is to increase MIDI port count to 64x64 and to make better use of the available real estate. It also means that the matrix itself will no longer be strictly MIDIbox based. The UI, however, will still be. And the whole thing will still be scalable and modular.

Best, ilmenator

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  • 4 years later...

thanks for your reply.

the m16 looks promising but I'm afraid i not fully understand the capabilities or how to set it up. would it be possible to make a standalone midi-router from it?

probably have to wait until it's more prepared for soldering by numbers :)

thanks

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as far i understand you take CORE32 connect that 16x16 FPGA Thingi - and you have very fast 16x16 Midi I/Os with large FIFO-Buffers - that are accessable from MIOS32-Code  - your APP could be a router or a sequencer that dumps out AAALOOOT of notes -  or whatever you make out off the MIOS32 (C). but maybe @Antichambre want to enlighten you ;)

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Hi!
It's not the subject here, but I can explain a few quickly. Phatline is right, the M16 is a 16x16 midi I/O interface, the plan is to build a expandable router using the MCAN bus to interconnect multiple couple of Core32+M16. Nx(16x16) I/O, 16x16, 32x32, 48x48 etc...

The project is called "BANDMASTER", The two prototypes I've made are working... I will come back on this project once the HAARP is finished.

 

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