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MB64 Planning questions (Revised)


Nu-Audio-Science
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EDIT*

This is a revised post with a better layout

OK i have updated my layout to this :)

This would be using the MB64e with the experimental support for AINs

I think my numbers are right but i could be wrong

MB64e Editing

1 button

1 dial (encoder)

1 LCD

Mixer

16 volume faders

16 pan pots

16 send 1 pots

16 send 2 pots

16 solo buttons

16 mute buttons

2 up/down buttons

Transport

4 Stop/Start/Record/Rewind to start  buttons

1 Jog dial (encoder)

12 Trigger buttons

VST Editor 1

12 encoders

3 buttons

2  up/ down buttons

VST Editor 2

12 encoders

3 buttons

2  up/ down buttons

VST FX Editor

6 encoders

1 button

2 up/down buttons

AIN

16 faders

48 pots = 64 AINs

DIN

64 buttons

32 encoders = 128 DINs

Planned modules

4xAINX4

4xDINX4

1XCore

1XLTC

1XUSB (Not sure this is supported yet ?)

Haven't decided about the DOUTX4s yet because i haven't decided on an LED setup yet :)

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You need to read some more around here :) Not trying to be rude at all, just want you to be well-informed. All the answers you need are around... but anyway:

Yes the MB could drive bar meters. Check out the LC, I'm fairly sure that does.

The 64 LEDs, you could use for whatever you want. One example of using so many LED's would be 4x 16-steps on a sequencer... But it's up to your imagination. If you can't think of anything but LEDRings, you're obviously not very imaginative! ;) (Crikey I think I was up around the 140's in one of my first designs)

There will be a fair amount of customization required, as you have a setup that does not match any existing applications (for eg you have mixed encoders and pots) although you will certainly be able to use something like the MB64 as a starting point, you won't have to build the application from the ground up or anything. It sounds to me like a LC clone and a MB64E combined would be perfect for you. Perhaps you could start by building a stock MB64E and use that as a tutorial?

You can edit the MB64 via MIDI if you want, so you don't need buttons at all, but you could also use any other button on the CS. Buttons always go to a DIN*. I only count 36 DIN's there, you wouldn't need to redesign anyway...

*DIN = Digital INput. Buttons are ON/OFF, so they are binary. This means they need a digital input. You could use an analog in, and it would be seen like turning a knob from 0 to full, (kinda, this is simplified) but this is not a good way to do it.

Hope this helps!

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Thats funny i count 64 DINs including encoders and buttons  :-\

Nope. Each encoder requires two DIN pins, making an encoder two DINs. If you read the site under the DIN link in the left hand menu you'll find http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_dinx4_16enc.pdf, which shows the encoder connections to a DIN board.

Given your numbers:

Component                DIN

12 solo buttons           12

12 mute buttons          12

2 up/down buttons        2

4 transport buttons       4

10 Trigger buttons       10

1 Jog dial encoder         2

16 encoders               32

7 buttons                    7

Total                        81

That's if your jog dial encoder is NOT a push switch when depressed. If it is, add one more DIN.

I'd second what stryd_one said, and you'll hear it from almost everyone here - read more. Read a LOT more. When you've done that, read some more. When you think you know how everything works read a bit more. :)

-drin

       

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OK cheers drin

I have been here for years and have read pretty much everything except that doc you just showed, Thats why i didn't know encoders where 2 DINs each.

I must have got confused because i read Steve Thomas TB3030 site and he said you could have 96 rotaries, For some reason i assumed that was with another 32 switches on top, I went back and reread it and it just says 96 rotaries DOH.

For the record i already built a MBSid but without interface so didn't know anything about setting up the controls, I thought a MB64 would be better to build than jumping straight into my quad SID with full CS :)

So am i right in thinking pots encoders and switchs can all be used at the same time, As long as the numbers are right for the DINs and AINs available ?

Also could someone be a little clearer about how many buttons and encoders i need to edit he MB64 via it's LCD, Again i'm probably being blind and missing a link telling you, I know how many you need for the SID CS but i'm struggling to find the answer for MB64.

I'm sorry for asking these questions on the forum by the way, I thought that was what it was for, Sorry about that  :-[

Is there an IRC channel or something where i can ask questions without annoying people ?

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I'm sorry for asking these questions on the forum by the way, I thought that was what it was for, Sorry about that  :-[

Is there an IRC channel or something where i can ask questions without annoying people ?

IRC: midibox@EFnet,

http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php?topic=5868.msg36138#msg36138

The Forum IS just the place to ask questions.. but not before You have read the www.uCApps.de and the http://Wiki.midibox.org ;) And we at the chan really enjoy our stay (?!) and like to keep it that way.. soo, people are welcome to /join, but please don't mess our precious idling and random babbling with too much midibox context  ;D

Moebius

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OK Mobeius cleared everything up on IRC, I had read something wrong, Once he pointed it out i had no questions left really DOH

Basically i need to build an MB64e and edit the main.asm in the source allowing me to either use some pots via J5 or use AINs for 64 pots which are mapped to the upper MIDI parameters (65-127)

This still leaves 128 DINs for switchs and encoders and also 128 DOUTs i believe for LEDs.

I still cant honestly see a point to all those LEDs though unless you have rings, Then again if you can load the MB Seq software in it may be useful i suppose (I think this is possible, I think i read it at Ucapps but it may be the other way round LOL)

I need to replan my design and if anybody else was blind enough not to see this, You will want 8 buttons to navigate the menus and special functions ;) (Leaving 120 DINs)

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OK i have updated my layout to this :)

This would be using the MB64e with the experimental support for AINs

I think my numbers are right but i could be wrong

MB64e Editing

1 button

1 dial (encoder)

1 LCD

Mixer

16 volume faders

16 pan pots

16 send 1 pots

16 send 2 pots

16 solo buttons

16 mute buttons

2 up/down buttons

Transport

4 Stop/Start/Record/Rewind to start  buttons

1 Jog dial (encoder)

12 Trigger buttons

VST Editor 1

12 encoders

3 buttons

2  up/ down buttons

VST Editor 2

12 encoders

3 buttons

2  up/ down buttons

VST FX Editor

6 encoders

1 buttons

2 up/down buttons

AIN

16 faders

48 pots = 64 AINs

DIN

64 buttons

32 encoders = 128 DINs

Planned modules

4xAINX4

4xDINX4

1XCore

1XLTC

1XUSB (Not sure this is supported yet ?)

Haven't decided about the DOUTX4s yet because i haven't decided on an LED setup yet :)

I'm not entirely sure MB64e supports that layout as standard but hopefully it won't need too much coding ;)

The main thing i'm worried about is the up/down buttons for the individual sections, Will i be able to add in up/down buttons so that i can go through encoders or pot banks to extend the ammount of available controls, Or is this done via the LCD and interface controls ?

Also can it be done seperately so that i could for instance go up and down extra mixer channels or up and down through extra encoder banks ?

I think i read it involves using banks sticks but i plan to fully load it anyway so thats no probs.

Anyway i thought i would ask while i was updating the thread, I'm gonna go and look in the forum for the answer now anyway ;)

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Oh PS  ;D

Mobeius pointed out something that made everything easier, I was only reading the main info at the Ucapps site, WRONG

If your a newb then read the chagelog and have a look at the source code too, Nearly all of my questions have been answered there since Mobeius pointed it out (Cheers dude)

EDIT* Looking at the source again i think it may be harder than i thought to have banks of mixer faders and banks of encoders, There is a bank or patch mode and i think the patch mode would be most suited but i'm not entirely sure.

I have been reading about meta events at Ucapps and it may even be group switching that i want ?

Hopefully it is just group switching and it can be done and have LEDs to show which group is being edited.

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Hi,

This shouldn't be that hard at all. You'll want standard bank mode as there you can define different controllers/events per bank. You can also use leds to show the status and use for example 2 buttons to increment/decrement banks.

See about the possibilities by downloading vMIDIbox64E from http://miostools.midibox.org/ which can be used to create a configuration file for the box.

Moebius

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Cheers Mobeius

I'm actually buzzin right now, I got the Soldering kit out the cupboard because i just bought a new Antex 18w to replace the rubbish i was using and i found an unopened core kit and DIN kit from Smash :)

How cool is that i forgot all about em, I bought em towards the build of my quad SID and forgot all about em once i had done my basic SID.

The only thing i need to check is if the info that is on the PIC is the right info for the MB64e, I think i read that it was the same and it was just so you could load the particular app but i need to recheck (Terrible memory)

Only other problem is i only have two encoders here and one of them i took apart and  messed with to get rid of the indents, It works OK but i'm not sure i trust it :)

Oh i think i might need to order some caps too because its an R3 core and i dont think it has the bypass's.

I'm gonna check that link now cheers dude :)

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Yep that is one cool as hell app, I think that pretty much answers all my questions on the layout, It also poses a few questions too though hahahaha

I'm starting to think now that i have found this extra old core kit i might seperate the VST editor into it's own case and do the mix controller seperate.

This would be easy to carry around and would also let me start building the VST editor without having to wait for XT2 (My host updated in a few weeks) to see if it has any new MIDI control stuff implemented.

It also means that my mix controller can have extra faders.

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Hey my luck is clean at the minute :)

I just found a DIN kit in my old modelling tool box ;)

I soldered the old core i found last night and all the voltages where fine, I'm gonna do the DIN tonite ;)

I still don't know what i'm gonna do with this core yet but it seems now i have found this DIN kit too i may aswell just try and get hold of some cheap encoders and make a small MB64e ;)

I may have a line on some cheap backlit hd44780s for people in the UK too, I'll get back about that though if he still has bulk ;)

I'm just waiting for mine to arrive so i can test to see if there OK.

Wont be anything to do with me though you can just go direct, I got one for £5 brand new including P+P.

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