intellabeam midi out

im using a pc based dmx lighting controller for my fixtures in place of our old intellabeam controller. my question is this... can i use the midi output function of my old intellabeam controller to send midi data to a midi interface connected to the new computer? i like the feel of the old controller and would like to map those buttons to buttons on the software. i connected the midi out of the controller to my midi router and so far i haven't been able to receive a signal. i turned the midi out on inside the controller. any assitance would be greatly appreciated! cheers!
-spinn
  • Hello, no this is not possible. The MIDI In functionality on the LCD or LED controllers is limited to receiveing MIDI Show Control commands from a MIDI Show Control system etc.

    The MIDI Out can act as a MIDI Out or a MIDI Through.

    When acting as a MIDI Out, it will only echo out the preset information played on the controller. If you play Preset 3, it will send out the information for Preset 3.

    When the MIDI Out is acting as a MIDI Through, it will send the MIDI signal from the Show Control System onto another controller, like daisy chaining the data lines on the fixtures.

    Is there a reason you cannot use the Intellabeam controller?

    Mitch
  • i don't want to use the intellabeam controller due to difficulty in programming... i replaced the i-beam controller with elation's compupro software & a pc. but i miss the feel of the i-beam controller buttons. since the i-beam controller won't generate midi data to control the software, it will probably get moved to our outside rig to control some trackspots.

    i think faderfox's lx2 will give me plenty of nice feeling/nicely laid out buttons for cueing scenes...www.sonicftp.com/news/images/faderfox_lx2.jpg
  • i have a semi-dead emulator controller... thinking about gutting it and adding a midi circuit board connected to the emualtor controller's buttons. i've never opened one up... think that's even remotely possible?
  • May I recomend the MLC-16 by NSI. I have been using it for years. Its simple, accepts midi and is really fast to program. A simple joystick and button console does 'on the fly' changes in a blink. 512 out and can be had on the net for about $600-$800.
    Please make sure you have the new e-proms! Most were issued with ver 126.06.:nono: Contact me or NSI for new proms. Its aint a Hog but I can do 80% of what a Hog 500 can do cheaply. I must have installed over 100 in clubs all over the south in the past 12 years.
    All with HES lighting as always.:D
  • Puffy,

    I've programmed the MLC-16D on a number of occasions and certainly think that it has it's place in the world, but I do want to take issue with your statement about it doing 80% of what a Hog 500 will. If my memory serves, it's a console with no faders and a 2-line character display that can only control 16 fixtures. It's going to be very tough to do anything that would compare to cuelist playback with it's scene system.

    Feel free to disagree, it's been a while since I've used one. I just want to make sure we're comparing apples to apples.
  • It's no hog thats for sure. But Spinnaker seems to like buttons and a joystick. For under 1k in a small dance club it rocks. Simple to use and works on the fly with modern dance excelently. Need another universe? Midi two together, takes me 45 seconds and Im ready to go. If I'm doing a rock show I have my Hog IPC and some playback wings for that.
    There Hog rules.:hogsign:
    In a dance environment with only 20 min to program for 2k people I'll take the MLC hands down and you wont see the same thing twice all night once I get one in freestyle mode. In 20 min I'd still be patching and makin pallets in the Hog.

    I agree with him what a pain it is to program the I Beam boat anchor.:09: By todays standards it's a joke. Back then, HES made great fixtures, not controllers. For him I think the MLC would be the correct desk. Its cheap and in the right hands kicks ass. I think he would take to its simple operation like a duck to water.
    It's about the right tool for the right job.:banana: Thats all.
  • u guys are talking apples & oranges... im talking a HES / Elation fruit salad ;) the nsi looks nice and might be a option for out outdoor system... i've already got the emulator controller and the elation software. i love the feel of the lightwave controller, and the ease & versatility of the elation compupro system. i have a "dead" emulator controller and i've decided im going to try this...
    www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_core_v3.jpg
    www.ucapps.de/mbhp_core.html

    i have the schematics of the emulator controller and the schematics for the midibox system. combining the button/led matrix & the analog joystick & knobs of the controller faceplate to the midibox system looks rather painless. i'll probably just use the faceplate and build my own rear half of the chassis with the proper ouputs. (make the unit shallow) im guessing with enough expertise in programming, i could program the stock components to output midi, but that is most likely way out of my league. the midibox looks like the affordable, within my capability solution for what im trying to do. i'll post pictures of the project as it progresses. thanks for the input guys! wish me luck! :D
    -spinn

    www.vinyladdiction.com/forum/emulator_small.jpg
  • haha! nothing to be impressed about yet! the only thing i've accomplished is getting the dead controller out of the shop =)
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