DDX3216 as Control Surface - How impemented?

Getting Stuff Done How do I .... ?
#1

This is not really a “how do I” but I think it fits here best. I read about using the Behringer DDX3216 as Control Surface here: http://www.ardour.org/node/327

I’m wondering how this is implemented. I assume the simple way is to listen do it via standard MIDI CC messages. However, the DDX3216 only uses 7bit resolution this way. (values 0-127)

There is a SysEx documentation revealing that you can do the same thing via SysEx with a value range 0-1472 which would be much more precise.

#2

It can be implemented, and its not terribly hard to do, but somebody has to do it. I would suggest waiting until the Mackie Control protocol implementation is marked “pretty much done” and then that can be used as a good starting point. You might check that the DDX3216 doesn’t support the Mackie Control Protocol.

#3

I wrote the howto you in the manual. Unfortuanately I don’t understand the SysEx protocol, and I couldn’t find good help on how to use it on the DDX3216, so I just use MMC. If you discover a way to make it work so solo/mute buttons behave like they should I would be more than happy for you to edit/add to the howto.

Andy

#4

I guess the DDX3216 doesn’t do Mackie Control Protocol. At least it is not mentioned in the manual. Are there many people out there interested in using this console to control Ardour? After all they don’t manufactor the device any more and I can’t judge how widespread it is. I’m using mine as a 16 channel AD/DA with a builtin mixer. :wink:

The disadvantage of this mixer is that it doesn’t have a remote layer like the Yamahas. So all you can do is spent channels 17-32 for controlling your software. In my case, exactly those are spent for the 16-channel connection to the computer, that’s why I’m not using it to control Ardour at the moment.