Is this possible? (BRC - sort of)

[madriaanse]

Pls see:

http://www.musiciansgig.com/remote/remote.pdf

Can this be built using a CORE and some DIN, DOUT, AIN modules using the Mackie HUI/control protocol? I am concerned it may not be possible to switch 3 banks at a time, do the time display and jog/shuttle? I would love to build something like this for my studio. I miss having my old 2" tape Ampex Remote (http://www.musiciansgig.com/remote/ampexremote.jpg), and I think it would be very beneficial to my sessions to be able to turn off the screen, focus on the music and just use this remote to track.

Also, I'm pretty handy with a soldering iron, but have no experience programming firmware. Any programming experts want to write the program for this box? I'll pay ;D!! Pls email me at martin_adriaanse(at)yahoo(dot)com if you're interested in collaborating on this project.

Many Thanks,

M.

[Screaming_Rabbit]

Pls see:

http://www.musiciansgig.com/remote/remote.pdf

Can this be built using a CORE and some DIN, DOUT, AIN modules using the Mackie HUI/control protocol?

... yes. No AIN needed

I am concerned it may not be possible to switch 3 banks at a time, do the time display and jog/shuttle?

No problem performance wise but you would need 3 cores (depending on your host software), since you need 3 MIDI port connections if you want to use the HUI protocol to use 24 channels.

What Hostsoftware are you using? Does it allow to configure 24 channels to one Midi port? You could do it with a MIDIBox 64 just using plain MIDI protocol. The HUI protocol is not really needed, since you're having no Channel label displays and faders (don't know about the time diplay)

Also, I'm pretty handy with a soldering iron, but have no experience programming firmware.

... not really programming needed, just configuring.

Any programming experts want to write the program for this box? I'll pay

... forget it - DIY

Greets, Roger

[cimo]

hi madriaanse and welcome

i think it is very doable and very easily as well

you don t need any programming skills to adapt your idea to the original LC firmware, believe me that it s a piece of cake, it ll be easier than installing Windows XP ;)

as for the paying stuff you are all of course free to propose anything legal on this forum but we usually discourage such activities but well.. you see ...

now go the wiki, people have worked on it allllot and they deserve that you read it.

Good luck

ok.. i see SR has already answered... anyway my 2c

[madriaanse]

THanks for the quick reply!!

Why would you need 3 cores? Couldn't you program it so that if you "Arm Channel 11" on the remote, it would transmit "go to bank 2, arm channel 3" etc.? Or does the Midibox not allow for two functions per button?

I'm using Cubase/Nuendo and Pro-Tools.

Speaking of programming/configuring. A while ago I found a nice GUI app that (if I understand it correctly) uploads CORE settings via MIDI, but I can't find it now. Any idea what that was?

Thanks,

M.

[cimo]

It s mackie protocol dependant, not MIOS dependant, 8 channels per unit/core

but

if you use the GPC mode you can program the buttons to send normal MIDI event so you could actually do it with 1 core and proper assignment in the host

but

the function: solo will turn off all the enable leds won t work

Simone

[Screaming_Rabbit]

Speaking of programming/configuring. A while ago I found a nice GUI app that (if I understand it correctly) uploads CORE settings via MIDI, but I can't find it now. Any idea what that was?

This one?

http://www.ucapps.de/howto_tools_syxedit_18f.html

[madriaanse]

Thanks Screaming Rab - that was it!

cimo: could you clarify GPC mode? How is this achieved?

Many Thanks,

Martin

[cimo]

cimo: could you clarify GPC mode? How is this achieved?

you push the GPC button!

see ucapps.de / downloads / complete applications / MBLC / main.asm and lc_gpc.inc

..i also had the "oh my god me trying to read assembly code? no way" fear but then i did it and there are more comments than code and there you understand everything (uh!) .. everything you can .. and especially appreciate the big effort put there by weknowwho.. have fun!

My personal opinion ... use 3 cores it s about 40 euros more i know but no need to map the buttons AND you may want to using layering to assign other functions to the buttons..

Simone

[madriaanse]

Ah, the fog is starting to clear (a little). Thanks for the info cimo!!

I'm not opposed to 3 cores, but using more than one DIN plug is a bit cumbersome with 1X1 IO midi interfaces ;D. Can the midi data from 3 cores be merged into one connector? Should be no problem if their ID header is different, right?

I was hoping to accomplish "arm track x on bank y" with a Double-Note-Event. But that probably won't work because it appears the bank increment feature is only a function of + or -, not a bank 1, 2, 3... function. Correct?

Thanks!!

M.

PS. which Microcontroller should I order? Am I correct to assume PIC18F4685 is the best candidate for this project?

[Screaming_Rabbit]

Can the midi data from 3 cores be merged into one connector? Should be no problem if their ID header is different, right?

... the problem is the host software. Most Software expect in LC-Mode to get 8 channels per MIDI-Port

PS. which Microcontroller should I order? Am I correct to assume PIC18F4685 is the best candidate for this project?

18F452

Greets, Roger

[cimo]

i was trying to brainstorm and give you a proper answer then i decided that the best thing you can do for youself,for me, and for the rest is get yourself a core, a din, a dout, a few buttons, a few leds, hook everything together and start toying around with the code

main.asm

and

lc_io_table.inc

then you ll easily get an idea of what you want to do for the LC and what the LC can do for you, the I/O stuff you know... ;)

it s fun believe me!

ok just for the sake of precision:

Quote

PS. which Microcontroller should I order? Am I correct to assume PIC18F4685 is the best candidate for this project?

18F452

PIC18F4685 is compatible but you don t need that much memory (anybody can confirm?)

PIC18F452 is enough and cheaper

cheers

Simone

[stryd_one]

Sorry, 4685 has a different memory organisation to the 452 and there's a good chance that the LC won't run.

[/tilted/]

It could be possible to do what you are saying.

This project would require an extensive re-write of the LC application.

If you can automate it so that you bank up once or twice (ch 9-16, 17-24), then arm the appropriate channel, then banks back down to channels 1-8 again.

This is conceptually viable, but would require some memory to store flags for armed/disarmed status. Also, you would need to do tests to determine how quickly you could change banks back and forth, while still reliably getting all the information you need. Here's a little more info and some questions:

* The SMPTE display, Save Session, Jogwheel, and 5 of your 6 transport buttons are all native in the LC app.

* The Return To Zero button may or may not be possible, depending on your host.

* What does the Pre/Post button do?

* What do the "Play" buttons do? Is it just the opposite of "Record", or does it also serve a mute/solo function? Perhaps you could achieve this using a combination of buttons...

By far, your easier option here would be to simplify it to an 8 channel version, or to use 3 midi ports (via a 3x3 or 4x4 midi device)

Check out the wiki for more info.