Behringer DDX3216 Digital mixer - as 'passive' MIDIBOX LC/MCU control surface ?

MIDIbox HUIs
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Got a suggestion here…

Something which i may undertake myself. If i can get to grips with app writing for MIOS anytime soon..

I have a Behringer DDX3216 Digital mixer here.. and figured that it would make a great control surface for applying to the LC/MCU type applications. Although it is possible to setup most sequencers to accept the midi signals that the desk sends; to control them - it does not provide the full ammount of flexability that the LC/MCU appears to…

So how about rigging up a MIDIBOX LC/MCU with just the displays (and any non duplicable controls built in) & have it accept the desks signals on one side through the program layer usually used to map to the in built button controls of a typical MIDIBOX LC/MCU.

Additionally.. by switching the desk control plane over to control the 16 additonal channels that the desk doesnt have built in by default; it is possible to use it as a digital mixer & switch between LC/MCU & MIXER mode at the press of one button on the desk !

Also i beleive that the desk will receive signals to set the fader positions & encoder dial positions. ..thus complete interface integration should be possible without any comprimses of any major consiquence…

…Sounding good ?

http://www.behringer.com/DDX3216/index.cfm?lang=ENG

Given that this very flexable, clean desk can be had for £399 & given more than one purpose ..what do people think to this idea ?

I’m sure this principle coule be adapted for people that already own other desks.. basically the point being to avoid building more hardware than is actally needed; whilst maximising the usefullness of a digital desk..

New additional thoughts:

If (2x) 2x40 or 4X40 displays are used (& situated) below the faders.. They could not only directly communicate the information for the 16 sliders in LC/MCU mode …but could also leave an option for developing a ‘Channel Label Bar’ in Mixer Mode… saves getting out that masking tape & pen :wink: …also, going along that path - it could be possible to save ‘label bars’ for each show/gig/setup the desk is used in..

note %2:

As vagely mentioned - The desk has full midi automation built in (with the ability to record automation internally - to a memory card).

note %3:

Just checked again to see which controls send data via midi… as half suspected; only the faders, mute & pan buttons send data… the  select/rec/solo buttons would have to be hijacked; if used :wink: ..ah well - it could of been even easier :slight_smile:

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Artesia, looking at that picture… thinking about the price, and looking at the sheer number of components involved in that beast…

The price of a shaeffer board like it would be around 200 pounds on its own  ::slight_smile: it would be kinda cool to rig everything to transmit midi… hmmmm…

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hi machinte..

…as it is; it already makes a pretty neat midi controller :slight_smile: - as well as a good digital mixing desk for those without £2,000+ to spare :wink: :slight_smile:

Talking of insides.. heres what goes into one of these mixers:

http://www.behringer.com/DDX3216/index.cfm?lang=ENG

Put aside the politics over behringer.. and you get an awful lot of good stuff in a small slab, for money that’d only just now.. buy a shoestring budget pc.

Okay i’m a little tired here :slight_smile: …i’m probably going to go on a ramble that repeats what iv’e already said to an extent.. tho here goes…

It’s already wired fairly well for MIDI as noted - most of the important controls send & receive midi signals + …it is possible to fully remotely control & recall -every last setting- of its mixing functions within a sequencer program ..and also possible to use its controls (to a lesser extent) to control other things & programs.(it seemed abit illogical for me to build another box with motorised faders & rotary led pots - when iv’e got one already)

Also note that its designed to link up with 16 track adat recorders (and interfaces) …and record live mixes streight to them. - ..including a time code ..Which can be used in conjunction with the onboard automation recorder to record all the controller & mixer changes that occur during the recording… without the specific need for a pc..

These can then be played back later & further refined / changed opon making a final master of the recording… this is why the desk has (midi) automation built in to begin with… (although in this day and age; itd be built in anyways)

The point being that it would remove the need in making the fader bank, rotary controls & some button banks + assoc. circuitary in a Midibox LC/MCU.. by having a cut down Midibox LC/MCU receive the signals for those controls from the mixing desk. …and any controls which can not easily be received by midi, will be provided on the bolt on LC/MCU box surface (i may hack the solo/rec/sel buttons due to not sending midi tho) :slight_smile:

It just figured here that it would be very useful & economical to merge a “100%” LC/MCU compatable control layer into a digital mixer which shares alot of the controls anyways.

The idea being to allow immediate access to both a live or studio mix through the mixer …along with all the hands on signal processing & effects it already provides ..and at the click of a button be controlling the automation & settings of a Sequencer program on a pc ..without having to entirely devote the mixer as a midi controller (with greatly reduced control compared to a LC/MCU).

..the circuitary required to acheive this adaptation would be far less than that of a standard LC/MCU …however it would require afew new bits & more programming than anything else…

Just waiting here to see what other people have to say on this slightly odd project

…Im considering taking this one up -seriously- and from what people have to say in their wisdom weighs up in favour; i would commit to making this project work..

& if theres the general interest in this… it gives the oppertunity for other people to replicate the project.

(without the development headaches..)

Tho for now iv’e got a 4xsid & mbfm on the bench waiting to be buildtested & cased appropriately ..my mbseq is ready in a way of sorts now; one duff lcd & some logos to add & its done. Btw TK ..excellent job on the SEQ ..its a lovely gadget & more than i could of expected :slight_smile:

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any updates ,would love to mod my 3216 :stuck_out_tongue:

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nothing new, forgot i posted this… a generic extension which allows incoming mididata to be read as if it was an user input device on the midi box itself would enable this & many other fun possabilitys.

Btw you should be able to map the main things to your sequener anyways, like the sliders, pan knobs & some of the channel strip buttons. ..put the mixer into ch 17-32 mode and this will not affect anything else you are doing with the desk.

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Btw you should be able to map the main things to your sequener anyways, like the sliders, pan knobs & some of the channel strip buttons. ..put the mixer into ch 17-32 mode and this will not affect anything else you are doing with the desk.

??? Maybe if you’re not using external ADDA?

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true, tho not many people use the adat expansion option on this mixer ..which channels 17-32 cater for. even then you can save a patch on the mixer for using it as a control surface where you dont have to worry about altering levels on the desk whilst using its controls to augment a virtual mix on pc.

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Oh cool I thought I’d missed something hehehe

Yeh I’m using ADAT for the extra channels and aux send/returns, and for output of the submix buses to a Gina24 for recording to the PC…

I’d be screwed if not for b*hringer, I think the next desk up that handles all that with all of the ddx’s features costs like 5 times as much :confused: Gutted that they’ve been discontinued… I really wonder why…

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yeah it peeved me ..i have two of the desks, one here with no adats ..and one with the bandrig with two cards, one connected to an adat machine ..and the other juggles between pcs and othersuch things.

apparently they have a new one in the pipeline, yet to hear word of that tho… they still sell it in austrailia and the east i beleive.

The next best thing is a yamaha dm1000 http://www.yamahaproaudio.com/products/mixers/dm1000/index.html ..which is a tad pricey at 4,500 uk pounds ! Mind, its got the features and quality to kinda justify some of the pricetag. Having said that, if you are doing well enough to require a serious desk, then the ‘company account’ or recording proceeds would allow for such a thing comfortably.