Joystick controller for surround mixing - how?

[Guest okyeron]

hello,

I'm just gathering information for a possible MBHP project to create an 8-stick/channel joystick controller for mixing surround sound. (basically a Midibox16E with joysticks instead of pots)

In Logic, the surround controller numbers are 25 (Surr. Angle), 26 (Surr. Diveristy), 27 (Surr LFE).  I take it that "diversity" here means "radius" or amount on the give angle. (I'm not worried about LFE here, just angle/amount)

So... this makes the project slightly more complex that I had thought -- i figured i could connect a dual-axis joystick potentiometer to two inputs and map x and y to two different controllers. Since Logic is looking for angle and amount, this means I need to translate the x, y amounts.  The math for this should be pretty easy, it's just a matter of conversion.

Am I able to make this kind of modification in the code for MBHP ??  Would this require a "mode" or something to take 2 controllers and remap the values to angle/amount for the joystick?  

Is this modification

 (1) trivial ?

 (2) doable, but could take some time ?

 (3) really hard ?

What does someone need to know to make this sort of modifcation?  I have some friends with PIC programming skills, so i think they will be of help to me.

I appreciate any assistance anyone can offer. Thanks in advance!

[Guest okyeron]

hello,

I'm just gathering information for a possible MBHP project to create an 8-stick/channel joystick controller for mixing surround sound. (basically a Midibox16E with joysticks instead of pots)

In Logic, the surround controller numbers are 25 (Surr. Angle), 26 (Surr. Diveristy), 27 (Surr LFE).  I take it that "diversity" here means "radius" or amount on the give angle. (I'm not worried about LFE here, just angle/amount)

So... this makes the project slightly more complex that I had thought -- i figured i could connect a dual-axis joystick potentiometer to two inputs and map x and y to two different controllers. Since Logic is looking for angle and amount, this means I need to translate the x, y amounts.  The math for this should be pretty easy, it's just a matter of conversion.

Am I able to make this kind of modification in the code for MBHP ??  Would this require a "mode" or something to take 2 controllers and remap the values to angle/amount for the joystick?  

Is this modification

 (1) trivial ?

 (2) doable, but could take some time ?

 (3) really hard ?

What does someone need to know to make this sort of modifcation?  I have some friends with PIC programming skills, so i think they will be of help to me.

I appreciate any assistance anyone can offer. Thanks in advance!

[TK.]

Hi,

there is a very trivial and fast solution which allows you to solve the problem with little effort from my side, and thats the lookup-table method. It works on this way: the controller gets the x and y position of the joysticks and fetches the corresponding radius and angle from two large tables with 128x128 values. 2*128*128 = 32kByte --- thats exactly the capacity of a BankStick. :)

Which modules are required for this project:

• a core module
  
• a JDM module (but you could also ask your friends to burn the PIC)
  
• a AINX2 (-> 16 inputs, premade PCB not available) or AINX4 (-> 4 inputs, premade PCB available)
  
• a BankStick
  
• a modified MIDIbox64 firmware which converts the values automatically
  
• a special dump file for the BankStick, which can be transfered via MIDI
  
• and the joysticks of course
  

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[TK.]

Hi,

there is a very trivial and fast solution which allows you to solve the problem with little effort from my side, and thats the lookup-table method. It works on this way: the controller gets the x and y position of the joysticks and fetches the corresponding radius and angle from two large tables with 128x128 values. 2*128*128 = 32kByte --- thats exactly the capacity of a BankStick. :)

Which modules are required for this project:

• a core module
  
• a JDM module (but you could also ask your friends to burn the PIC)
  
• a AINX2 (-> 16 inputs, premade PCB not available) or AINX4 (-> 4 inputs, premade PCB available)
  
• a BankStick
  
• a modified MIDIbox64 firmware which converts the values automatically
  
• a special dump file for the BankStick, which can be transfered via MIDI
  
• and the joysticks of course
  

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Guest okyeron]

Thorsten,

This is extremely good news! I did not think about using the BankStick. Great Idea!

I'm not sure I understand the reference to the AINX2 -- is this a newer/older design?  I only see the design for the AINX4 on the site. Was your comment a typo regarding inputs - I thought the AINX4 was 32 inputs (or 16 joysticks in this case)?

I was planning on using an AINX4 so I can test other configurations/designs later, or add more controllers to the joystick design.

I'm going to start ordering parts. Should I contact you regarding the modified firmware when I'm getting close to testing? Is there anything I can do to help?

Thanks!

[Guest okyeron]

Thorsten,

This is extremely good news! I did not think about using the BankStick. Great Idea!

I'm not sure I understand the reference to the AINX2 -- is this a newer/older design?  I only see the design for the AINX4 on the site. Was your comment a typo regarding inputs - I thought the AINX4 was 32 inputs (or 16 joysticks in this case)?

I was planning on using an AINX4 so I can test other configurations/designs later, or add more controllers to the joystick design.

I'm going to start ordering parts. Should I contact you regarding the modified firmware when I'm getting close to testing? Is there anything I can do to help?

Thanks!

[d2k]

This sounds like a great idea...:)!

It'd be a serious looking dashboard that's f'sho, keep us posted on how u get on!!

Peace

[d2k]

This sounds like a great idea...:)!

It'd be a serious looking dashboard that's f'sho, keep us posted on how u get on!!

Peace

[TK.]

Hi,

I'm not sure I understand the reference to the AINX2 -- is this a newer/older design?  I only see the design for the AINX4 on the site. Was your comment a typo regarding inputs - I thought the AINX4 was 32 inputs (or 16 joysticks in this case)?

ok, in your first posting you wrote about 8 joysticks, and AINX2 means that the half of a AINX4 module is enough for this setup - just a hint for people who make the PCBs by themself. However, having more than necessary inputs doesn't hurt and could be usefull for the experimental phase. :)

I'm going to start ordering parts. Should I contact you regarding the modified firmware when I'm getting close to testing? Is there anything I can do to help?

Yes, just write me a mail later. It's just a quick change in the firmware.

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[TK.]

Hi,

I'm not sure I understand the reference to the AINX2 -- is this a newer/older design?  I only see the design for the AINX4 on the site. Was your comment a typo regarding inputs - I thought the AINX4 was 32 inputs (or 16 joysticks in this case)?

ok, in your first posting you wrote about 8 joysticks, and AINX2 means that the half of a AINX4 module is enough for this setup - just a hint for people who make the PCBs by themself. However, having more than necessary inputs doesn't hurt and could be usefull for the experimental phase. :)

I'm going to start ordering parts. Should I contact you regarding the modified firmware when I'm getting close to testing? Is there anything I can do to help?

Yes, just write me a mail later. It's just a quick change in the firmware.

Best Regards, Thorsten.