Why not USB or Firewire controller boards for scope?

JP76 · Post by **JP76** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 12:59 am

I am wondering why Midi is used for the controller boards rather than USB or Firewire.

Perhaps there is a chance that someone can program a plug-in or app that can route USB controller board data to the fader etc within scope? Seeing it can be done with midi data then the framework allready exists.

thanks

Josh

Post by **garyb** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 1:33 am

midi ox/midi yoke can do that, i beleive.
this will:
http://www.ntonyx.com/mm10.htm

JP76 · Post by **JP76** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 12:52 am

Thanks for the reply.

I may have mis written what I really meant. With the midi controller values you can ahve 128 different variables ( up or down ) so for 100% you would be sending the value 128 from your midi controller. This measn that on larger scale projects there may be less accurate responce because you may have 22000 different values ( possibly with decimal places for 32-bit accuracy ) so 128 values would not give you the resolution required. I think you may have thought I only had USB or Firewire controller boards, however it is really at the software end of scope that I am refering to. What I woudl liek to see ( wish I was as good as the person that could actually do it!!) is see an increase in the resolution of input value ranges ( currently 128 values as per midi )for controller boards ( and therfore USB and Firewire type boards would have to be used in contrast to MIDI )

I think the NTONYX MIDI Matrix can translate usb data and firewire data into midi data which woudl be helpful if you allready had firewire board or USB.

thanks for the reply, sorry I may ahve mis written what I REALLY meant.

Josh

H-Rave · Post by **H-Rave** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 3:37 pm

I don't quite see where the problem is.ok scope cards are midi but once you go into cubase or whatever sequencer you have,any usb 2, firewire device will come up as a midi controller,and thus you can control any scope vst instrument/effect with it by taking the sequencer source into the instrument ?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: H-Rave on 2006-03-14 15:38 ]</font>

JP76 · Post by **JP76** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 5:52 am

Although USB controler boards are most common, I woudl like to see straight USB without conversion to midi. I want to eraze the entire midi aspect of the "external analoug interface" and make is USB only. Many of the interfaces within the modular III have atleast 1 decimal place if not more, midi can only provide 128 levels of accuracy, USB should be far more accurate.

Unfortunalty I can;t find any USB boards, however I am sure some keyboards can transmit controller values via USB with out converting it into midi.

Perhaps you know fo some.

Josh

djmicron · Post by **djmicron** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 6:33 am

there should be some dj interface that sends smoother messages than traditional midi.
I've not tried it, but take a look....

http://www.kontrol-dj.com/html_eng/index.html

valis · Post by **valis** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 7:40 am

To elaborate on stardust's post:

If you use 'usb' to connect the devices you still haven't replaced the 'MIDI' data with something higher resolution than MIDI's 7-bit values.

Even if you had a high bandwidth connection (USB in your example, or firewire aka. Yamaha's MLAN) and you use OSC or another proprietary protocol, what sequencer would be able to read & write such data in its tracks? Sequencers like Cubase are built around midi at the CODE level and wouldn't recognize anything else without it being specifically implemented.

Certainly people are aware of the limitations of midi, as posts above have stated OSC is a protocol which DOES do this but it has VERY limited support. A few controllers like the Logic control (and other high end controllers that mate specifically with a single product) do use control data with higher resolution, but there is as of yet nothing that extends beyond the closed loop of staying within a single manufacturer.

dawman · Post by **dawman** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 7:49 pm

The only reason I like USB is to power up USB controllers, and not have to use power supplies. Just disable your USB ports in systems config., the signal will still power up your controllers, and you will be able to use MIDI. Just got rid of my dated, but excellant MC3000. I now use 2 KS-88's, which are great for Scope/GS3 live rig. I couldn't be happier.

Old DSP Cards Never Die,They Just Fade Away.