iPad/Tablet integrating Midi Controller Prototype

[filespnr]

Just your friendly neighborhood troll here, begging all of the super more creative and talented DJs than I to spare a bit of their valuable time and look at what I've been up to.

And always remember, since you have no idea who I am, I must be a nobody, because you know everything.

[filespnr]

All over the world, DJ will be turning their controller upside down in the next few weeks. Ah yes, another trend that sprang from the mind of a unknown nobody troll like me. Often i have sat and chuckled at the "I dont use the crossfader" comments, because never once, ( though I got my start in theis business by literally "turning the controller world on it's ear") have I heard anyone say they were just going to flip the controller upside down. So when you see it become a massive trend, just remember whos' GIANT brian it sprung from.

I hope that you guys don't read too much into my sardonic comments. I just grew tired of people in the industry telling me "we cant/wont do that" or debating with me if some line of development was a good idea, and then doing the VERY thing I suggested.

Big Up the reall innovators! Piss on the industry "limitators" with their generic , poorly designed controllers..

[MiL0]

I've got no idea what you're saying(?) but your controller looks pretty cool to me... probably could do with a few more physical controls (especially knobs) in the blank areas but that's just my preference.

edit: also have a look at my 'cdj2000' thread in my signature below. I think both our ideas are worthy of some attention but I wouldn't say either of them are particularly unique or about to 'start a new trend' (which is kinda what you're implying). Numark have been integrating iOS docking stations in to their hardware for years, for example.

[dripstep]

+1 on the more knobs, +50 on the "wtf are you talking about"

[filespnr]

Yep, it will be getting more controls in the next cycle. This first one was to try to find the smallest size controller that could have an iPad inside it. Which is sort of the "holy grail" an iPad docked controllers. (and the reason DJTech's CEO came to me to develop their controller. The fact that they wanted me to come up with a design and just "give" it to them; is WTF I'm talking about)

[filespnr]

I sincerely hope that a few industry people are to prideful to copy this design in an effort to prove me wrong, becuase haha, they will be left out on the cold.
So here are MY ideas, which will be copied wildly; 1st-the size of the controller, 2nd-no physical controls below the iPad, 3rd-on ALL controllers, optional vertical orientation.
So Milo, please don't take this the wrong way, but my entire intention with this post was to prove that I am damn good at identifying, defining, and most importantly creating "trends" in controller development. And the days of watching others implement those ideas and not give credit where it is due are over. This is just me holding onto my intellectual property.

[deevey]

Personally I though that Numark did a stellar job with the IDJ pro - with a few notable exceptions (of course) being the lack of line faders and EQ's.

Speaking of which isn't the size about the same as your one (just asking).

They did a great job of emulating the software, but I honestly feel that the software for the controller should have been modified to fit the tried nd tested DJ standard Design so everyone feels at home, instead they took off the shelf software and designed a controller around it - weird weird weirdly.

Really surprised theres no real competition where it comes to an iPad as the primary platform to play on - if traktor 3 was ported to iPad (which seriously had more control than most could wish for and ran on a 1.6ghz Atom CPU just fine which apparently is slower chips in the real world than an A5) It'd be freaking awesome.

S2/S4 ready iPad version of Traktor would be Freakin awesome even if it lacked some of the more CPU heavy features like transpose and cut down on effects - plug in the iPad and away you go.

I see the iPads DJ future lying as a software platform/playlisting rather than any kind of control surface you just can't beat tactility where it comes to playing a live gig.

The weak link in iPad DJ'ing IMHO at this point in time, is the lack of a really well packaged DJ application that can utilize existing well designed controllers layouts e.g. S4/S2/VCI400 and take full advantage of the special touch features of an iPad (and what its good at) - Track cover browsing in full screen for example and also take advantage of the built in sound cards in these devices

A simple dock is all thats needed at that point or perhaps not even a dock if some kind of wireless midi/audio could be utilized (somehow) as an add-on.

We're touching the tip of the iceberg on the whole tablet DJ scenario - i watch with glee as these first arrivals on the scene start to set the pace for what I believe will eventually be a DJ bringing an iPad with his setlist to a gig, plug it in and be ready to rock the place.

Sure you'll never beat the feeling of flicking through your vinyl crate or CD wallet, but being able to flick though cover art on a screen is IMHO gonna feel a lot more real and intuitive than using a knob or button to select a track on a controller.

[MiL0]

I sincerely hope that a few industry people are to prideful to copy this design in an effort to prove me wrong, becuase haha, they will be left out on the cold.
So here are MY ideas, which will be copied wildly; 1st-the size of the controller, 2nd-no physical controls below the iPad, 3rd-on ALL controllers, optional vertical orientation.
So Milo, please don't take this the wrong way, but my entire intention with this post was to prove that I am damn good at identifying, defining, and most importantly creating "trends" in controller development. And the days of watching others implement those ideas and not give credit where it is due are over. This is just me holding onto my intellectual property.

hmm, well fair enough I guess... still not quite sure about the claimed "unique'ness" of your concept though.

The size of the controller looks about the same as quite a few other controllers out there. What's different about the size of yours?

And having no physical controls below the ipad doesn't strike me as particularly advantageous - can you explain why this is beneficial? I presume it's because you want the ipad/tablet to be the central focus of the controller?

Finally your third point is probably true - I've not seen any controllers that allow a tablet to be orientated vertically yet. For me personally though, I'd prefer it if the tablet is properly fixed in place so it doesn't slide around. This normally means designing the case so that it fits just one size tablet, in a fixed horizontal position, flush with the case fascia.

Perhaps its the tone of your writing that kinda rubs me up the wrong way. Without all the boasting, it's definitely nice to see a concept like this on here... keep up the good work (and maybe notch down the boasting a little...)

[MiL0]

oh and here's a working concept of something similar I was working on last year. I guess I was going in a different direction; controls under the screen seems much more intuitive to me.

[filespnr]

It isn't boasting if it's true.
As within this post, often since the first day I spoke to someone about their midi controller and was told "oh we never thought of that" or "we can't do that" we won't do that" yet, time after time they copy exactly what I have described or demonstrated.
Would you still consider it boasting if i produced a drawing and e-mail from 5 years ago which was sent to two people who are now heads of development, and both said they would never make a controller like that, yet they both did. How is that boasting if it is indeed fact. See, this is what they are counting on; The ability to mine people for their ideas, and since only the person who thought of it and the person who took the idea would know the truth, the ability to get away with it. However, I think when the day comes and I am proven to be absolutely correct about iPad controllers, we will know I was telling the truth. Is it boasting to say that as long as I gave away my ideas and expected nothing back, that I was praised as a "visionary", yet the instant I expected to be paid for my intellectual property, I was shunned.
Since I'm in a talkative mood..
I'll run down the list
NI F1 and behringer MM 1----during the testing of the scs3m, which I was the first person on the planet outside of the company to get one. It occurred to me that a multiple fader and button controller would be a great design idea. I drew a picture and sent it to Jim Mazur. I later sent the picture to Craig reeves also, and discussed it with him. What makes this interesting is that he was adamant about it being a "bad" idea. I guess he changed his mind.
I also described a controller very similar to the Stanton 4dj to him on several occasions, once again, I was repeatedly told that it was a dumb idea, and that they would never be in the "computer" business.
I don't need to boast, my recommendations from both Mark Settle(skratchworx) and Dan Bruck(stanton) which refer to my uncanny ability to see into the future of product development and also define the way these products will be use for performance, does all the boasting I need. The word visionary is used often.
What I hope to accomplish here is to demonstrate that I continue to innovate and define the hardware and it's use. I want to create a way for all of the innovators to get their due credit, and not be limited to what these product companies, who are these days, nothing more than whole-sellers anyway, give them.
They are counting on the fact that the readers here will not know who I am, and about my previous involvements, and will therefore assume that I am lying. Which is fine by me. I can prove everything I say, but the greatest proof will be when you walk into BestBuy or Guitar center and see iPad controller similar to mine; where the iPad is absolutely center stage and a touch surface. & also what I will call "optional vertical oriented controllers"; Meaning that if you are someone who doesn't scratch and use the cross-fader, you can orient the controller with it at the top.