MX1 software controller

[MoRpH]

OK just restarting my thread for development of a Videonics MX1 GPI software controller.... as I called for b4 I'm after recommendations of what programming language to do this in and any other resources that could help.....

And mostly experienced coders to work on it as I'm a newbie coder.

Also if anyone is keen to write it into there VJsoftware all code from this project will be open source so thats cool... :)

To start off with here is the link to the GPI/ASCII codes for the MX1 http://www.videonics.com/articles/CONTROL.html

[ender]

Same deal as with the CVI may as well use PD as then we can use the one tool as a control interface to anything via serial, MIDI etc?

[MoRpH]

Yeah sounds good mate as I said I'll talk to you about it tomorrow night.... I'm working a long with Huo Long's PD articles on vjcentral :)

the only thing that worries me about using PD is a. I would want to control the CVI/MX1 from the same laptop as my VJ soft is running on... how do you think that will go with CPU resources?? I head PD is processor intensive or is that just GEM??

Also if we did it in PD it would be almost impossible for that to be integrated as code into other ppls VJ software, cause the further idea is to intgrate it into the vj software, not just have it as a stand alone app.

[HuoLong]

nice 2 see people like pd 2 :)

pd is NOT A CPU hog, of course you can MAKE it a cpu hog, but when you start PD its like 0.00000000000001% using cpu :)

(btw. pd has like 25.000 lines code and jmax has like 150.000 lines code)

i know what you mean, but i think when using midi&serial with PD isn't that much of a cpu hog, the only problem is that theres no external to use serial with PD (correctly, yet)...

i'm(and others 2) working on it, theres an external(comport) for linux that works 100%, but there are problems on sending under win32... some1 has allready "tweaked" it 2 work under win2k but as i see, the people on pd-list dont have so much time, or they don't need serial communication under win2k...

any c++ wizards, read here:
http://iem.kug.ac.at/mailinglists/pd-list/2001-12/0159.html

and i hope you know, pd is copyleft, so you have all the source codes you need !!!

there's actually NO PROBLEM using serial port under win32, but becasue there's no1 interesed on it, no 100% serial-port communication exist for PD under win32....

i'm following this pd-serial communication VERY interested, so i post i'f i/we get any progress...

-andre
ps. windo$e version of MAX is coming end 2002 !!!

[MoRpH]

Cool good to hear that Huo :)

Yeah a 100% working serial(GPI)/paralell(rs232) I/O for PD would definately get us a long way there....

Check the other thread (CVI software) for a link to some C++ code to serial I/O.

[MoRpH]

So if you make the PD pack from the other thread Huo are we going to be able to make and share patches to control rs232(CVI, MX50,whatever)/GPI??? with it.....

[HuoLong]

YES, but first some1 has to make a working serial object for PD [win32]

ok, any c++ wizards here, check this !!!
http://iem.kug.ac.at/pdwiki/index.php?ComPort

[krokodril]

GREAT idea building mixer control in th software
(next step an vst connect like prtotocol, cause we all use more than one computer/sofware engine now?)

BUT, i got myself a rowi pc edit (jog shuttle+ edit control) because it came with a rs232 to (double) gpi box
Some time ago i have been trying to get it to work properly with the mx1 and failed....(did read the instructions on rigging a com card etc.) is this because of the double gpi out, the edit on the jogshuttle?
or whatever..... would it help if i send over the drivers/software?
(might be nice to add jogshuttle anyways

[Meierhans]

Since I get a MX1 in the next days this topic got new interest for me.
Sadly the link to Videonics GPI/ASCII codes is down, can`t find the info on the new page at all.

Anybody got this working on hardware side? (Serial -> GPI)
Are there any programs that can do this now?
If no I could still send the codes with RS232 Plugin in Vjo.

[alangeering]

Hmm, I'm not sure how much success you will have.

As far as I know (maybe you know further) the GPI port is a simple switch line. Actually we use it to remotely trigger fades.

You can only trigger a "play" event: what happens next will vary depending on what fade/mix/wipe you've chosen.

The most advanced it gets is where you store a list of commands in the mixer then use the GPI to call the play event and go through the effects.

It's not that great really.

If you;d like some fun why not make a really simple faderstart to GPI cable and do some extremely basic AV mixing from your cheap DJ mixer!

[alangeering]

Well, the links and references seem to suggest i underestimated the mx1

however without those codes I can't help any further

[alangeering]

From the web archive (wayback machine)

http://web.archive.org/web/20021212234727/http://www.videonics.com/articles/CONTROL.html

I will read this later when my eyes are less tired!

[alangeering]

Classic!

(from linked document)

If a command requires that you send multiple characters followed by a Carriage Return (CR) then the time delay between characters must be less than 15 fields of video (1/4 second in NTSC). On the other hand, you can abort any command at any time and reset the interface by just doing nothing for 15 fields. This makes it easy to insure that the PC and the unit stay "in sync."

Note that this 1/4 second timeout makes it hard for you to talk to the titler with a dumb terminal (or terminal emulator program), but it can be done. Just plan ahead what characters to type and type fast. No harm is done if you type too slow as the unit will just reset the interface in the middle of the command. This is a good way to learn how the interface works.

[Meierhans]

Thanks for the link, timeback machine is a GREAT thing!
I don`t want to use a terminal, kinda unhandy. Looks like I have to solder in the next days...

[alangeering]

a cheap way (ignore the ide given in the link of modifying a PCI serial card) of getting TTL level serial is to get a USB->Serial cable.

Inside you will probably find 2 chips. The first is the USB to serial TTL chip (probably made by ftdi) the second is the TTL to RS232 level driver chip (often a MAX232).

If you solder leads (gonna be tough due to size) to the output of the FTDI chip you should get what you need.

Alternatively you can buy the part from AVIT Research for ?25
http://www.avitresearch.co.uk/ttl_serial_products.htm

Alan

[Meierhans]

Alternatively you can buy the part from AVIT Research for ?25

Thats exactly what I need! I don`t love soldering IC?s that much.
Thank you alangeering!!! :bunny: