Where to start?

[mikeb]

Where does one start? This is all so overwhelming!  I want to build a controller for Reason so basically my question is how do I go about designing it? My design would be a variation of what is found here:http://www.midibox.org/users/tor_arne/midibox64_walkthrough/index.html

or i should say of:

Is the design process something like this:

-decide how many faders

-decide how many pots

-decide how many buttons

-define fader, pot, and button functions

-come up with panel layout and get panel layout cut

-design pcboard and have it made

-get parts

-assemble

-use the MIDIbox Operating System and configure and troubleshoot it (this i see is the most difficult aspect!)

-hopefully enjoy midi controller :D

I don't mean for that list to be oversimplified, i know it's a tremendous amount of work. I think I need advice as to how to approach a project like this having never made anything this extensive.

Does anyone have video clips of their controllers?

[nILS]

I cannot answer all of your question, but I'll give it a try:

First of all, you'll want to do a lot of reading, so you know what you are actually going to have to do.

Second, as you already thought, you'd plan out your box. What do you want it to do, what controls do you need for that etc. Then you'd probably want to find out what boards you need (Cores,...). When you've got those you can go ahead and soldert all of that. That's a good bit of work so far.

Set up your controls, and troubleshoot it. Get it to work just the way you want it to.

Now for the panel: I would probably not have my panel cut till I've got all the controls on boards and working. Getting a panel cut is way expensive, so you wanna be really sure about everything fitting and being in place.

Next, combine panel, case and other stuff - have fun.

Sorry, if I forgot something =)

[mikeb]

Thanks for the reply. I'm definitely in the process of gathering all the info I can!

One of the things I recently downloaded is Vmidibox64 18F. I'm wondering if with that application I should be able to control Reason as if it were an actual MB64 or midi controller? Also, is the purpose of it to create a virtual design and save data which will then allow me to simplify the programming of the MB project I build?