How to use Rotary EncodersNOTE: The informations on this page are outdated since Rotary Encoders are natively supported by MIDIbox16E! Rasmus wrote:The idea with rotary encoders connected to the MIDIO128 is intended to have the abillity to send relative controller messages (increase-decrease). You will need to have a MIDI device wich can respond to relative messages. The advantage is that the rotary encoder will increase or decrease CC values from a given point in opposite to the continous control messages wich send a specific CC value 0-127 depending on the pot position, which in certain cercumstances is not very practical. It can work like this: in opposite to normal controller messages wich can send CC values from (0-127 dec) or (00-7F hex) the relative messages will repeating send pulses repeating the same message. A rotary encoder is in principle a little switch wich sends pulses (like pushing and releasing a momentary push buttom) when its rotating. It sends 6 pulses or more in one revolution. To have the ability to define which direction the encoder is rotating can be solved by having two rows of contacts wich are a little bit displaced:
___ ___ ___ ___ ___
Channel1 __| |___| |___| |___| |___|
___ ___ ___ ___ ___
Channel2 | |___| |___| |___| |___| |_
When comming from left side channel 1 has a high or low pulse first. When comming from right side channel 2 has the low or high pulse first. The pulses we will need is the point where both contactrows are high or low at the same time. And at the same time we can now have information about wich direction we are going by the help of a RS FlipFlop logic, which has followed the transitions before this state. Find the schematic diagram for the circuit here. The little curcuit that my good friend Arne and I have made have two inputs and two outputs. It will be used to determine wich input is comming first so that when both inputs are on, a puls will be send on the output, but only to one of the outputs, depending on wich of the inputs came first. To get the encoder to work together with the MIDIO128 we will need to use two inputs to use one encoder. The inputs could be programmed to send (f.eks) Note Events:
# Number # Event on logic 1 # Event on logic 0
###############################################
1 = 90 30 00 90 30 00
2 = 90 30 7F 90 30 7F
A useable message could be the data wheel-slider many midi devices will respond to this message. It will edit the value of the selected parameter of your device:
# B0 60 7F = data up
# B0 61 7F = data down
# B0 defines the CC channel to be send on.
# Other possibilities: B1, B2... BF
###############################################
# Number # Event on logic 1 # Event on logic 0
###############################################
1 = B0 60 7F B0 60 7F
2 = B0 61 7F B0 61 7F
Suitable contacting encoders can be found in farnell catalog under digital output potentiometers where channel a leads channel b by 90 degree!!! Optical encoders should work as well byt may need additional components to drive the direction detection curcuit! OK good luck with rotary encoders on the midio128 by Thorsten Klose Sincerely Rasmus P.S.: Farnell part # for tested encoders: 733-751 and 109-113 (expensive!) - if you find a cheaper source, please publish the link at the MIDIbox forum!  Remark from Thorsten:Here is an extract from a midio128.ini setup file which allows to control the MIDI software from Native Instruments like Reaktor or FM7 with 8 incremental encoders:
[TYPE]
midio128
# disable merger, this avoids feedback loops
[MERGER]
disabled
# Debounce time should be disabled in order to get
# a response time of < 1ms
[DEBOUNCE_TIME]
0
# NI software expects: B0 nn 40-ticks for decrementing
# B0 nn 40+ticks for incrementing
[MIDI_OUT]
1 = B0 00 3F B0 00 3F
2 = B0 00 41 B0 00 41
3 = B0 01 3F B0 01 3F
4 = B0 01 41 B0 01 41
5 = B0 02 3F B0 02 3F
6 = B0 02 41 B0 02 41
7 = B0 03 3F B0 03 3F
8 = B0 03 41 B0 03 41
9 = B0 04 3F B0 04 3F
10 = B0 04 41 B0 04 41
11 = B0 05 3F B0 05 3F
12 = B0 05 41 B0 05 41
13 = B0 06 3F B0 06 3F
14 = B0 06 41 B0 06 41
15 = B0 07 3F B0 07 3F
16 = B0 07 41 B0 07 41
A posting from Cubensis:I've just completed testing a relatively simple hardware extention to use rotary encoders instead of momentary switches (ie. for data dials, jogs, bank switches, etc). It uses 2 of the midibox's button inputs per encoder, one each for CW and CCW. The hardware extention itself contains only 6 parts for each encoder added (1 x 74HC14, 1 x 74HC74, 2 x 100nF caps, 2 x 10k res). I will have a pcb layout for a 5 encoder extention made soon, which i can give to thorsten to put online if anyone wants it. With the addition of a little firmware these button inputs could be used as infinite analog-sytle pots (still working on firmware for this). The hardware could be simplified further by moving the D-FF's functions into firmware but unless your gonna have 20 encoders, the D-FF's wont cost you that much extra and they offload the task from the PIC. Cubensis PS.: All info and circuit schematics were taken from this site http://www.interq.or.jp/japan/se-inoue/e_ckt10.htm so a big thanks to Seiichi Inoue. NOTE: The informations on this page are outdated since Rotary Encoders are natively supported by MIDIbox16E! Last update: 2024-05-08 |
