What midi I/O usb interface for my own DIY controller??
Hello everybody!!
I’ve searched but I didn’t find anything, about this..
I wanted to create my own controller, with 40 Inputs (32 buttons and 8 potentiometers or encoders), and, whenever it’s possible, at least 16 Outputs (LEDs).
I was searching for something economic, my budget is under 100$, so the better choice was to use the Universal Joystick Controller BU0836X (~44$ )that Ean suggested in his tutorial, but I’ve seen that it hasn’t digital Outputs (right?)..and not enough inputs too..
The alternative that supports outputs is the Hale UMC 32, but only if i link 2 of them; but in this way the total cost would be of 88+88=176$…too much for me..
I don’t think you’re going to find anything worth getting for less. I could be wrong, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up too much.
You also have to remember that you’ll have to spend even more getting your buttons and knobs and will end up spending more on it than buying something ready made.
I’ve got a UMC32 and it doesn’t currently have encoder support. Hope this, in some small way, helps.
If you restrict yourself to only 32 inputs then the hale is not too bad i got the umc32 for 86 pounds and 16 arcade buttons for 26 pounds inc.shipping pots cost penny’s its fabrication becomes the expensive bit, I have had a knightmare trying to find a cheap plastic or metal fabricators but have not found one up to now Im gonna just build from wood now I think.
Cheapest is to get a Teensy or Teensy++ board, use the Midifighter source as a basis and program your own.
All the IO and analog ins you need in a teeny tiny package. Requires programming however, but we’ve done the hard stuff for you and given it away for free. All you need to do is read your inputs, generate MIDI events and set your LEDs.
The main advantage of using a USB-MIDI solution is that the programming device and the final computer device are done through the same cable - no specialized hardware needed. If you can program a little C and used a makefile before, you can do this. It’s only $18 or $24 to try it out. If you get stuck ask here for help. If it doesn’t satisfy your need for cheap controllerism you’re out less than the cost of two DVDs.
Seriously! It’s not that hard! The midifighter software is an excellent starting point, it really is as simple to use as it can possibly be.
Thank a lot Fatlimey!!!
I’ve given a look to teensyduino.. It seems a great idea!!
Very economic, and useful!!
I’ve only a question:
teensyduino ++ 2.0 has “only” 46 I/O (8 of which are analog).. I’d like to have some more I/O…
Is it possible to link a Teensyduino++ and a “basic” Teensyduino, to gain 12 I/O?
Or, better, linking 2 Teensyduino++??
PS. I’ve found Midifighter SW on Sourceforge.. If I’ll have troubles in modifying that code, will you help me??? I’m sorry but I’ve had a very little experience in C programming…!!
Yes, you can link two, but I think your question was about how to read lots of buttons. You are thinking that you need one IO pin for one buttin, but that’s not how it works. Using three pins you can read as many buttons as you want using a “Latch and shift in” idea. More here:
Only analog inputs need a 1-1 mapping of inputs to pins, and even those can be read in banks using an analog multiplexer chip (which costs about $0.30):
With a few extra chips adding up to around $15 including the motherboard, you can do it all with a single controller. The trick is in programming the controller.
Ok, so far, I’ll buy a Teensyduino ++ and 1-2 multiplexers, only for the buttons and the LEDs…
Many Thanks!!
I’ll update this thread when I’ll get everything, then I will probably ask you lots of thing about C programming…!!
It is HID, not midi, problem with the hid stuff is windows maxes out at 8 analogs also you will need software to convert to midi. I based my first controller on it its a cool board with ton’s of features easy to use. Costs $80 though. If you know how to solder good you could go midibox as others have said that might be cheaper.
Everything you need to know about midibox is on ucapps and on the wiki, you would be looking for midibox64e project and if your in the usa buy your kits from smashtv. Midibox is a big project (lots to learn) I have yet to finish mine.
You could buy several usb gamepads (the Sony playstation copies you get on ebay are good) and rip the guts apart. Each gamepad gives you at least 12 buttons and 4 encoders. If you got 3 or 4 of 'em, soldered them all up and then stuck the lot inside a case (with a usb hub so you don’t have loads of cables coming out the back). and then use Glovepie to convert all the HID stuff to midi, you’d have quite a nice setup. Would cost virtually nothing as well.
It was a good idea but I’ve already bought the Teensyduino…
And this choice’s better because I can also use that for other things..
For example now I can project a MIDI controller for Apple Logic 's mixer, or the Ableton’s one…
But my question is: what kind of potentiometers should I use?
I think it should be 10k resistance but you might want to check, I know my other projects used 10k. You will also want linear (B type). Shaft type will be round or “D” shaft so when you pick caps pick the right one. Solder lug type has the holes for wire to solder and pcb mount has pins.
That one is pcb mount and also has no thread/nut to mount to a panel. Compare it to this one that has panel mount threads and solder lugs, also metal shaft not plastic.
It is goint to depend on how you do your panel… the pot you linked would need a pcb that mounts to a panel because the pot has no way to mount on its own.
I’m sorry but I’ve had a very little experience in C programming…!!