MIOS LCD and Keys allocation

[MrMusicman]

Hey there to all of you and a special thanks to Thorsten for making this project. :D

I came cross this site some week ago, and found just what I needed.

I was planing to make a Mackie Controller clone, and do all the coding myself, but now I will use MIOS as it have all the function needed for it. 8)

But have some questions:

1. Does the MIOS have a function that monitor the fader, so that when the user move the fader it makers a "software" fadertouch.

2. Is it possible to have a key that works as "shift" key, so I can drop some keys.

   I want to drop the "Rec enable" key, and use the "Select" together with the "Shift" key sending out the "Rec enable" midi value.

   I know how to do it in hardware but if MIOS support it, I can save some components.

3. Does the LED for a key (ak. "Select" key and "Select" LED) have to be in the same place in the shiftregister chain (ak. DOUT 2. IC  out 3 and DIN 2. IC out 3) or can I make the ajust in the table for MIOS.

4. I am going to use 2 2x40 LCD.

   2. LCD is used for 4 channel and SMPTE/BEATS but 1. LCD is only used for 4 channel.

   Is it possible to use the spare char (2 lines of 12 char) for the "Assignment 7-segment display" (on the mackie) with some custom text and the text "SOLO" if the "RUDE SOLO LIGHT" midi message is recieved.

I think that will be all for this time.

Again Thorsten thanks for a nice site, with some usefull stuff.

MrMusicman

[Axel]

Hi MrMusicman,

1. Not sure what you mean, but if you´re using motorfaders with touchsensor you can use every mode provided by the host software (write/touch/latch/read) exactly like the ´real´MC/LC.

2. I´m pretty sure this won´t be hard to implement (even if i can´t tell how for i´m no programmer...)

3. Is not implemented until now, but i´m sure Thorsten will take care about this; same for the fact you have to put the DIN/DOUT for encoders and LED-rings at the end of the chain right now.

4. I´m using two LCDs too, and with the BIG HELP of Thorsten i made a mod for my LCs so i´m able to define the position of every channel message in a table. I´m sure Thorsten will make this public when he has corrected my beginner mistakes... ;)

Axel  

[MrMusicman]

Hey Axel, thanks for the reply.

Just to clear things up:

1. About the fadertouch: the fader I am going to use are without touch, that the reason for asking about the "software fadertouch", the problem is if the sequencer is sending data to move the fader and I want to change the movment, I will get in a battle with the motor thying to drive the fader.

2. About the "Shift" key. (I hope that Thorsten will reply).

3. Key and LED order: it's not problem, I just have to wire it correct, but it would be easy to wire it as fit and then make the ajust in a table.

4. LCD: I know that there is the possible to define the position, but I would like to put one user text on when a special sysex is received and another text when another special sysex is received and so on.

Like:

Received:                                    Display

F0 00 00 66 10 11 10 0E F7        Pan

F0 00 00 66 10 11 06 18 F7        Send

Hope this clear thing up.

Thanks

MrMusicman

[TK.]

short answers:

1) the motorfader handler provides a timeout mechanism which acts like a software implemented fadertouch. Better solution is the use of "MIOS_MF_SuspendEnable" function which can be used to stop a fader immediately. It could be triggered by a button - it saves the live of your faders

2 & 3) no problem to integrate two seperate tables for IO instead of the one in mios_tables.inc. It's also no problem to provide an alternative table for a second layer. I will release a new version tomorrow. It will also contain Alex's display mod. And it will provide the possibility to switch between different display pages without reloading the application.

4) as you can see in lc_mproc.inc and lc_display.inc functions which display custom texts on sysex, CC and note messages (like MTC digits, display of strings on LED events, or Rec/Solo/Mono status displayed as 8 characters) are already provided. However, I will provide no solution which parses incoming LCD strings and extracts values or whatever, because there are too much possible variations (once you've played with the emulation, you will know why ;-)). It's not really useful

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[d2k]

as i'm using the panasonic motorfaders which are also without touch this applies to me too, so:

1) the motorfader handler provides a timeout mechanism which acts like a software implemented fadertouch. Better solution is the use of "MIOS_MF_SuspendEnable" function which can be used to stop a fader immediately. It could be triggered by a button - it saves the live of your faders

Does that make the way described in mbhp_din_touchsensors.pdf redundent now that MIOS has this function?

Best

Dan

[Guest altech]

•      It is interesting to find out, whether use in new NG on PIC18F452 use of other con-trollers is possible Graphic displays, for example Truly 240x128, controller KS0108B, also SED1330f/1335f/1336f/1520,T6963C,LC7981 and also other controllers for displays with the resolution 320x240,640x480, color displays, displays with a touch-screen, can be exist development and schemes?

Albert...

[TK.]

Hi Dan,

as i'm using the panasonic motorfaders which are also without touch this applies to me too, so:

Does that make the way described in mbhp_din_touchsensors.pdf redundent now that MIOS has this function?

Not really. The din_touchsensors circuit is just a button replacement. It delivers an active signal to the MIDIbox when your fingers touch the TS contact (therefore it could also be used for other purposes - how about a panel full of touch sensors which trigger different notes or controller message when you touch it? ;-).

But the touch sensor function which is meant here is a function which suspends the faders - it has already been implemented in MB MF and MIOS of course.

I guess that I have to give a better oversight:

• the suspend function disables the motor and brings the MF driver into a state which ignores all incoming repositioning commands for the appr. fader until the suspend function has been disabled again
  
• the suspend can be triggered by touch sensors or by dedicated buttons for each fader or by one button for all faders
  
• host programs like Logic, Cubase and Nuendo provide an additional functionallity for the automation, called "touch" mode, which suppress repositioning events for a certain time (mostly about 200 ms) when it receives a fader event
  
• the MF driver stops the motor automatically when it regognizes that the fader is moved manually. But this detection requires some force (for about 100 ms) which isn't good for the lifetime of the motorfader
  
• additionally the host application can receive touchsensor events which also disable outgoing repositioning commands. Sometimes these events are used for additional functions, e.g. Logic provides the possibility to select a channel when you touch a fader.
  

Conclusion: if faders with integrated touch track are available, the use of the touch sensor unit allows to send additional commands to the host application for a proper and lifetime saving automation

If the fader doesn't come with a touch track, you can either hope that the automatic suspend saves your fader from damage (however, it isn't sooo dangerous, the fader should should work for some years in this way...), or you could use one button to suspend all faders, or 8 buttons to suspend the faders seperately when necessary.

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[TK.]

•      It is interesting to find out, whether use in new NG on PIC18F452 use of other con-trollers is possible Graphic displays, for example Truly 240x128, controller KS0108B, also SED1330f/1335f/1336f/1520,T6963C,LC7981 and also other controllers for displays with the resolution 320x240,640x480, color displays, displays with a touch-screen, can be exist development and schemes?

My offer is still valid: if you send me a display for one week, I will setup a dedicated driver for MIOS

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[d2k]

Great, I've just got a 240x64 that uses the T6963C controller of ebay for £17.50 (theres 2 more btw ;p) - T, can I send this to you for implementation? No rush, this will be for a future logic lc xt box - i've still the main lc to do!!

Best

Dan