• Registered: 2010-06-11
  • Posts: 23

Topic: HDSPe MADI fx MIDI Control Output

In my studio, I use an HDSPe MADI fx. To facilitate instant switching of the control room monitors between the main output and the 4 cue outputs, I built a small hardware box with 5 LED pushbutton switches and USB output. Per the user manual, I set the switches up to output MIDI notes as follows (decimal):

Main Output: 62
Phones 1:     63
Phones 2:     64
Phones 3:     65
Phones 4:     66

The switching of the Totalmix outputs works very well.

I would also like the LED's to light on each switch when it is pushed. I set the switch LED's to light when the box receives the same MIDI note numbers back as shown above. That doesn't seem to work.

I tried Bome's and MIDI Ox to intercept what Totalmix sends back out as confirmation after switching the output, but there is a flurry of different messages that are difficult to interpret. Can you guys tell me what MIDI note numbers are being sent out after switching these outputs?

I searched the manual and the forums before posting, so if this information is already published somewhere please point me to the location.

Thank you!

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,191

Re: HDSPe MADI fx MIDI Control Output

No help from me, but that sounds like a neat little box.  Might make a nice "Sidecar" to the ARC (especially once we get 8 Phones Sends in TM-FX!).

Would love to get more details once you have the minor LED annoyances resolved...

Roll your own.  You have my respect, sir!

cool

MADIface-XT+ARC / 3x HDSP MADI / ADI648
2x SSL Alphalink MADI AX
2x Multiface / 2x Digiface /2x ADI8

3 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
  • Administrator
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 24,861

Re: HDSPe MADI fx MIDI Control Output

When you initiate a snapshot change then TotalMix FX sends out all the data to the (not existing) remote to set all 9 faders, 8 pans etc. according to the current state of TM FX. Plus LCD data if you enabled them. The snapshot button itself is not sent.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2010-06-11
  • Posts: 23

Re: HDSPe MADI fx MIDI Control Output

Matthias-

Thank you for the response. That definitely explains why the LED's were not coming on.

When you change the cue between main output and the various headphones, are the control change commands for fader position as described in the manual section 28.5 sent out also? If they are, I could turn the box LED's off and on using cc commands instead.

A somewhat related question - while I was away from my studio, I was using the Totalmix demo to help with development on my laptop. I was unable to get the simple MIDI controls to change the fader values. When I looked in the Totalmix demo manual section 5.5, it does not describe cc commands on the different channels being used to change any of the faders. Am I correct in assuming this feature is not implemented in the demo?

  • Registered: 2010-06-11
  • Posts: 23

Re: HDSPe MADI fx MIDI Control Output

Randyman-

Thank you for the nice compliments! I have to say that I didn't really do much heavy technical work on the box. (I wish I had!) I basically used a commercially available MIDI to USB controller board, and wired the switches and LED's to the board breakout shield. A USB B type extension brings the USB out. The box is a die cast Al enclosure powder coated black.

https://imageshack.com/i/ex1QB2Xuj
https://imageshack.com/i/ipkDqZ1wj

The TRS connector is for a talkback button that would be on the other side of my console. I haven't implemented that yet because the MIDI to USB board I'm using won't let me send a note velocity 0 on push and release of the same button. That's not that big a deal - my talkback mic has an on/off switch and the expander in Totalmix fx is excellent, so I'm just implementing talkback as a regular channel assigned to any output I want it to go to.

6 Reply by zendrum (edited by zendrum 2015-05-30 06:11:31)

  • Registered: 2010-06-11
  • Posts: 23

Re: HDSPe MADI fx MIDI Control Output

I figured out how to make the LED's on the box light up according to which submix is selected to monitor in my control room.

I know this seems like a lot of hoops to jump through, but none of these crazy projects I take on have beaten me yet, and this wasn't going to be the first....

The complexity of this solution is in no way due to any limitations of the HDSPe fx board - it is due to the programming limitations of the USB MIDI board I selected for the box project to begin with.

Instead of sending notes 62, 63, 64, 65, and 66 to directly select the submix I wanted to monitor, I sent notes 54, 55, 56, 57 and 58 to select a snapshot. I then added 5 playback channels I will never actually use for audio playback, and labeled them Main LED, Ph 1 LED, Ph 2 LED, Ph 3 LED, and Ph 4 LED. Obviously the faders for these channels will always be at minimum. Then for each snap shot I selected the appropriate cue setting in the control room section, and muted the unused playback channel assigned to that LED. I then just made the LED on the box button respond to the MIDI note number from the mute setting on the appropriate LED control channel.

I hope that makes sense! So far it works great.

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,191

Re: HDSPe MADI fx MIDI Control Output

You are one crafty guy!  Props again for your creative solutions here...

cool

MADIface-XT+ARC / 3x HDSP MADI / ADI648
2x SSL Alphalink MADI AX
2x Multiface / 2x Digiface /2x ADI8

8 Reply by zendrum (edited by zendrum 2015-06-02 04:00:42)

  • Registered: 2010-06-11
  • Posts: 23

Re: HDSPe MADI fx MIDI Control Output

Matthias-

When you select a control room output for cue using MIDI, is there any way to make Totalmix fx automatically select that submix at the same time?

I know when you mouse click on the cue button in the control room section, you have selected the submix by default. I just haven't figured out a way to do it using MIDI.

I do understand that the record buttons allow you to select submixes in Mackie Control. I just didn't know if there was a way to make them happen together.

Thank you!