How To Use the Midifighter Menu Mode (Classic & Pro only)

**Fatlimey** · 12-30-2009, 03:43 PM

NOTE This method of configuration still works but it is much easier to use the Midi Fighter Utility - Check it out HERE

How To Enter and use Menu Mode
20091230: created by Fatlimey

To enter Menu Mode, hold down the top-left key while resetting the
Midifighter. You can power on the Midifigher by either by plugging in the
USB cable, or by pressing an optional 6mm tactile "reset" switch that can be
soldered to the top left of the motherboard.

Continue to hold the top-left key until menu mode is reached, this will take about 2 seconds, you will know you have accessed Menu Mode as the LED will display 7 option keys and a flashing "exit" key:

Code:

    * * * *   <- Menu items
    * * * .
    . . . .
    . . . #   <- Flashing exit key

To leave any Menu page or the Menu system itself, just hit the flashing Exit key.

Any changes made to the options are only written to the Midifighter if you
exit the Menu Mode through the top level "exit" key - this allows you to
play with the options and be sure your settings are correct before
committing the changes, without having to remember previous values.
Only when you are sure the Midifighter is set up to your specifications
should you use the top level "exit" button to commit your changes.

The seven menu items are:

MIDI channel
MIDI velocity
empty
Enable Keypress LED
Select Fourbanks mode
Select Expansion port Digital inputs
Select Expansion Port Analog inputs

1. MIDI Channel
---------------

Code:

    # . . .   <- Flashing exit key
    . . . .
    * * * *   <- MIDI Channel in binary
    o . . o   <- increment/decrement keys

Each note generated by the Midifighter is generated on a single MIDI
channel. By default this is Channel 3, but the first menu item allows you to
change this to any of the 16 MIDI channels. The 4-bit binary value can be
altered by incrementing and decrementing or you can directly toggle bits in
the value itself.

NOTE: MIDI channels are written down as "1..16" but their binary number is
written "0..15", therefore all leds off will represent the binary value
b0000, which is interpreted as "MIDI Channel 1", b0001 is "MIDI Channel 2",
b0100 is "MIDI Channel 5", etc.

2. MIDI Velocity
----------------

Code:

    . # . .   <- Flashing exit key
    . * * *   <- MIDI Channel in binary (high bits)
    * * * *   <- MIDI Channel in binary (low bits)
    o . . o   <- increment/decrement keys

Each NoteOn event has an accompanying velocity. As the Midifighter keys are
not velocity sensitive we use a single fixed value for all events. This menu
item allows you to alter that velocity value. The 7-bit binary value can be
altered by incrementing and decrementing or you can directly toggle bits in
the value itself.

3. empty
---------

Code:

    . . # .   <- Flashing exit key
    . . . .
    . . . .
    . . . .

This menu slot is currently unused. Press the flashing Exit key to leave
this page..

4. Enable Keypress LED
----------------------

Code:

    . . . #   <- Flashing exit key
    . . . .
    * * * *   <- All on or all off, click to toggle
    . . . .

The LEDs react to MIDI inputs on the same channel and note numbers that they
generate when pressed. This allows advanced users to directly control the
display of information on the 4x4 grid using their software mappings. The
keypad also automatically lights the LED associated with a keypress. This
feature can be disabled if the user requires complete external control over
the 16 LEDs using this menu option.

The four LEDs of the "boolean bar" are either all on or all off. Press the
bar to swap between enabled and disabled.

5. Select Fourbanks Mode
------------------------

Code:

    . . . .
    # . . .   <- Flashing exit key
    * * * *   <- Selection bar graph (three states)
    o . . o   <- increment/decrement

This menu page allows you to select one of the three bank modes by using the
increment/decrement keys to move through the different options.

. . . . = Fourbanks Off

. . * * = Fourbanks Internal

* * * * = Fourbanks External

NOTE: If Fourbanks External is selected, the Digital Inputs menu page will
be disabled.

6. Select Expansion Port Digital Inputs
---------------------------------------

Code:

    . . . .
    . # . .   <- Flashing exit key
    * * * *   <- one LED for each digital input, click to toggle
    . . . .

Enabling this option causes the Midifighter to read the values of the
external digital input pins and track their state using a debounce
buffer. Each LED can be individually toggled to enable MIDI events to be
read from that digital input.

NOTE: If Fourbanks External mode has been selected, this menu page is
disabled as the digital inputs are being used as Bank Select keys.

7. Select Expansion Port Analog Inputs
--------------------------------------

Code:

    . . . .
    . . # .   <- Flashing exit key
    * * * *   <- one LED for each Analog input, click to toggle
    . . . .

Enabling this option causes the Midifighter to read the analog values of the
external Analog Inputs and generate MIDI events. Each analog input channel
acts as a "Smart Fader", outputting two CC values and two KeyDown events
along the range. See the section "Expansion Ports" for more information on
the Smart Faders.

Each LED can be individually toggled to enable MIDI events to be
read from that digital input.

**tekki** · 12-30-2009, 03:55 PM

This nifty controller seems to amaze me more and more every single day.

(And every new thread on the controller ofcourse.

)

**UnholyKnight** · 01-03-2010, 07:13 PM

Do you guys have a recommended program to use on OSX yet to apply updates to the MIDI Fighter firmware? I see that in the readme file you list atmel's flip, but that is only available for Linux / Windows platforms.

**Fatlimey** · 01-03-2010, 10:53 PM

Originally Posted by UnholyKnight

Do you guys have a recommended program to use on OSX yet to apply updates to the MIDI Fighter firmware? I see that in the readme file you list atmel's flip, but that is only available for Linux / Windows platforms.

You're looking for a "DFU programmer" (Device Firmware Update, a standard set of commands recognized by the AVR bootloader). The preferred Mac and Linux command line programmer is "dfu-programmer" available from Sourceforge here:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/dfu-programmer/

More details on this in the "How to flash a new HEX file" document coming as soon as I can stand behind each recipe on all three platforms. People developing from source have it a lot easier as the commands to reprogram the device are included in the makefile - once the environment is set up you just "make flip" under Win32 or "make dfu" under Mac or Linux.

**UnholyKnight** · 01-04-2010, 12:12 PM

Thanks for the response. I have used it in the past for small electronics projects, but wasn't entirely sure if it'd work with the MIDI Fighter. I dug around a little in the code yesterday and flashed the device with new code twice. It all looks good.

**EanGolden** · 01-04-2010, 06:09 PM

very nice job on this write up Robin- the guide is very clear and easy to use!

**de_stilj** · 01-15-2010, 11:37 AM

When four bank mode is going to be available it is going to be really cool for me since i'm using my midi fighter in serato and I want to control everything on it.

**DeVuzData** · 02-17-2010, 04:36 AM

I don't understand the "RESET" instructions. My nephew was messing around in the Menu Mode (my bad) and now my MF doesn't work in TP.... ugh! I don't have a reset button..... so how do I do it? Just want to go back to the factory default.