Jaicen Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 Ok, i'm thinking of getting a JX3p for some poly pads. I want to get hold of one with the pg200, but if that's not possible, did anyone ever succeed in making a sysex controller for this thing? I know there was some discussion a while back (did a search), but nothing definitive. I'd like to build something like a midibox with encoders for each parameter and an LCD screen which would allow access to more pre-sets stored on the programmer. Any ideas anyone?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBunsen Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 See what you can find in the way of software controllers for a JX3P and see if you can dig out the specs from them. You might find an old DOS or Mac controller or a Cubase mixer map, Logic environment, Sounddiver module etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaicen Posted September 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 Yeah, i'd considered that. I'm sure that Jsynth Lib has something, but I'm looking for a more live oriented thing. I don't want to lug about a PC just to edit my synth, and it's not really ergonomic is it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altitude Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 I do that with midiquest all the time to program my Novation Remote, simply sniff the output port when moving the onscreen controls, look at the min and max values and your done. I'm sure the older stuff does not have that complicated of a sysex implementation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otterfan Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 I've got an MKS-30, and I've been looking for a PG-200 replacement for years.Unfortunately the PG-200 doesn't use MIDI to communicate but rather a proprietary Roland digital protocol, so you can't build a MIDIbox to control it. It shouldn't be hard to build a box that could use this protocol, but unfortunately I have never been able to find anything about it--most importantly it's clock speed and message format--nor have I been able to find a pg-200 with the proper cable (which were also made exclusively for Roland and cost $60 new) for any price I'd be willing to pay.Fortunately there's now a MIDI modification kit for the JXP3 that lets you control all of it's parameters in real time using MIDI ccs, so you could use a MIDIbox or any other knob/slider box to control it. And it's only 79 euros, which makes it much cheaper than a PG-200 for much more functionality.There's also a similar kit for the MKS-30, but it's 120 euros and did I mention I'm cheap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altitude Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 Unfortunately the PG-200 doesn't use MIDI to communicate but rather a proprietary Roland digital protocolI guess that is that without the midi kit. I'm sure the software on that page is worth looking at though and could be used to make a MBHP controller for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBunsen Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 I don't want to lug about a PC just to edit my synthI meant if you can get hold of the software you could sniff the MIDI data you'd need to program into a MIDIbox. But as others point out you'd need the MIDI mod kit and that presumably has all the MIDI specs in its documentation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebo Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 Hi:I own a Juno-1 that uses the PG-300 programmer (wich I don't have).The Juno-1 can be programmed via sysex, the sysex implementationis in the last page of the manual. And the PG-300 sends this sysex tothe synth. I think the JX3P works in the same way (but with a differentsysex implementation). If you can't find the sysex implementation forthe JX3P, you can use any soft editor and a MIDI monitor to see whatis sending.Actually I'm building a MIDIbox with 32 pots and 16 buttons, and i'mplaning to customize the firmware, adding the sysex of the Juno-1and my Matrix-1000.I think you can do the same with the JX3P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaicen Posted September 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 That's exactly what I was planning to do. I'm pretty sure that the PG200 is just used to send SYSEX commands when the parameters are changed, so i'm sure it's not impossible to MIDIBOX! Isn't the PG300 virtually the same as the 200? Maybe we can help each other out a bit (ie, you do the work, I copy you ;) ). The problem with monitoring the SysEx out is that the JX3p doesn't send any! It only accepts incoming sysex, but i'm sure someone has an implementation chart somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altitude Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 I think the point that Otterfan was making was that the PG200 does not use midi to communicate (just the port) and there is no sysex implementation on the Jx3p, its some proprietary roland thing that just happens to use the midi port Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebo Posted September 14, 2006 Report Share Posted September 14, 2006 Hi:If what Otterfan and Altitude are saying is true, I think you have towork a lot to customize the firmware, I think can be done, but I'm notsure.If the JX3P receive sysex, of course I would share my work with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaicen Posted September 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2006 As it happens, I got a good price on a synth & PG200 so i'm pretty much sorted! If it helps, when I get it I can do a quick MIDI check to see if the PG sends out sysex or not, and maybe we can work something out from that. Ideally, i'd like to homebrew something with a backlit LCD, a menu Encoder a few assignable encoders/buttons which can store multiple patches, rather than have them saved on my JX3P. That way I don't need to take out the PG200 when gigging. I'd also like to have multiple parameters assigned to some encoders which would let me sweep the pulsewidth and filter simultaneously, for example. Does that make sense? Of course, the mother of all additions would be an arpeggiator function that reads the MIDI notes from the JX3P itself. An arpeggiator is the only thing missing from an otherwise great synth in my view. OT Alert! :Actually, there's something I've been thinking about for a while. I'd like to have a self contained box that has dedicated arpeggiator buttons (12 major and 12 Minor chords + 7th modifier buttons), that are like an auto-accompaniment. I think that'd be really cool as an add on for MIDI synths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaicen Posted January 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2007 Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I wondered if anyone has had any joy building a programmer?I'm going to buy a JX8p at the end of the week, so I figure it's about time I started building some MIDIbox stuff! (Look! I'm on my 301'st post and still haven't actually finished building anything!!) Is it just a case of building, say an MB64 and customising it to send specific sysex commands?? I'm sure that will be easy because the JX8p manual lists all the parameters in the manual, but has anyone actually done this?The closest i've seen is a guy that made up a controller patch for his Kenton Control Freak, which is pretty cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebo Posted January 10, 2007 Report Share Posted January 10, 2007 Hi Jaycen:I'm building an MB64 with 32 knobs and 16 buttons, and my mainuse will be programming my Matrix-1000 and my Juno-1, but maybeI use it to control my MB SID and a TX81Z and some other synth.The limitation is that the MB64 let's you set only 128 custommessages (sysex in this case), that's enough for a synth or twobut isn't for more than two.I have all modules done, I'm working on the case, when I finishthe hardware, I have to type the sysex to make the custom firmware.I'll let you know how is going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moebius Posted January 10, 2007 Report Share Posted January 10, 2007 Hi,Check this out: http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php?topic=3610.msg23537#msg23537Moebius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otterfan Posted January 11, 2007 Report Share Posted January 11, 2007 Just to reiterate, the PG200 does not use MIDI to communicate with the JX3P or the MKS-30 (it doesn't even use a MIDI connection--it's got a strange pinout), so you couldn't use a MIDIbox to control it without some hardware modification and lots of programming.There's a kit for modifying the JX3P to use MIDI ccs to control it's parameters. There's also a similar kit for the MKS-30, but I can't find the link right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaicen Posted January 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2007 Yeah, I understand that, because I own both a Jx3p and a PG200!!The PG200 looks like it would be pretty easy to homebrew, though I'm not sure if it houses a custom IC. I'm actually wanting a PG300 workalike, because i've just got myself a JX8 minus the programmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBunsen Posted January 12, 2007 Report Share Posted January 12, 2007 You have both? Do you have access to a data logger or an oscilloscope? ;D ;D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moebius Posted January 12, 2007 Report Share Posted January 12, 2007 Yeah, I understand that, because I own both a Jx3p and a PG200!!The PG200 looks like it would be pretty easy to homebrew, though I'm not sure if it houses a custom IC.It has Roland custom mask programmed 8048. I´m not sure if it´s possible to dump internal code even with hacking. But the protocol is most likely pretty simple so as DrBunsen suggests.. data logging and reverse engineering could be "easy"..I'm actually wanting a PG300 workalike, because i've just got myself a JX8 minus the programmer. Actually You want a PG800 workalike ;D PG300 is for alphaJunos and MKS-50.Moebius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otterfan Posted January 12, 2007 Report Share Posted January 12, 2007 Yeah, I understand that, because I own both a Jx3p and a PG200!!The PG200 looks like it would be pretty easy to homebrew, though I'm not sure if it houses a custom IC. I'm actually wanting a PG300 workalike, because i've just got myself a JX8 minus the programmer. Oops! Saw the topic and it made me read your JX8P as a JX3P.So do you have a data logger? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaicen Posted January 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2007 Actually, I was considering buying an MKS50 (rack Alpha Juno) so i'd want a programmer for that too....I don't have a data logger i'm afraid I'm thinking about buying an oscilloscope from my local surplus place. Apparently it only works on one channel, so it's slightly limited, but it is pretty cheap (£25). I can't claim to have any skills whatsoever with regards to reverse engineering the PG200 i'm afraid. I'd certainly not want to be desoldering stuff or whatever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebo Posted January 12, 2007 Report Share Posted January 12, 2007 You don't need a PG300 for Alpha Junos, the PG-300 sends sysex.I'm going to customize my MB64 to program my Juno-1 (I thinkI said this before...)Actually I'm using and old Kawai MM-16 (a MIDI fader) to sendsysex to the Juno.I think that the same applies to JX8P and Jupiter-8 (There's anothermidiboxer that customized his MB64 for control a MKS-80). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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