MIDIbox 64

Created 2001-2002

Features

• up to 64 Pots or Faders, dynamic priorities: latency < 1 ms! :-)
• up to 64 Push-Buttons
• up to 64 LEDs
• one internal bank
• +16 external banks with every BankStick
• sends CC/Note/Aftertouch/PitchBender/ProgramChange
• Min and Max values, scaling over the whole pot range
• Meta Events allow you to define SysEx strings and more
• Normal, Snap (Soft-Takeover), Relative and Parallax Mode for pots
• On/Off, On Only, Toggle Mode for buttons
• integrated MIDI Learn Function
• Setups exchangable via SysEx
• Device IDs to address up to 8 boxes in a MIDI chain
• Menu Buttons
• Snapshot Button with Save/Recall function
• Shortcuts for the buttons (SFB) for faster menu handling
• LC-Display, different Display Modes
• dedicated strings for every pot can be saved in the BankStick
• MIDI-Merger
• MIDI event filter for the merger
• Optional RS232 Interface

Additional features of the MIOS based version:

• runs on a PIC18F452 under MIOS
• On-Screen editing of MIDI Events
• On-Screen editing of pot lables
• On-Screen editing of banknames
• up to 8 BankSticks can be connected (-> up to 128 banks)
• banks can be copied
• Remote Control via SysEx
• an optional global MIDI channel
• Morphing function which allows to fade smoothly between two pot scenes
• optional 8 CV outputs with MBHP_AOUT
• optional 64 CV outputs with MBHP_SHX8

The Hardware

The MIDIbox64 is based on the MIDIbox Hardware Platform. Documentation about the required modules can be found there. It is extremely expandable, you can use it as low-cost controller without display or buttons with just 8 or 16 pots (see here), or you can build a full-featured controller with LCD, 64 pots/faders, 64 buttons, 64 LEDs, a lot of BankSticks for using external banks (see here)...

Important Note: with the new MIOS based implementation it's possible to run the MIDIbox64 firmware on a PIC18F452. Many features which are listed here are only provided by this version, therefore it's highly recommended to use this processor and not the expired PIC16F877 anymore!

The Firmware

The software has been enriched by a lot of features in the last few years. Many ideas were suggested by MIDIbox users from all of the world, who use the box for the differentest tasks.
The PIC16F firmware (which will not be enhanced in the future anymore) is available as .hex file and can be burned into a PIC with a special programmer.
The MIOS based PIC18F firmware is available in the MIOS Download section as source code and preassembled .syx file. This firmware can be loaded into the MIDIbox via MIDI.

Configuration

If your MIDIbox is stuffed with a display, most parameters can be configured directly on the box. The integrated MIDI-Learn function helps you to assign MIDI events to the pots and buttons fast & easy. Optionally you can use the mk_syx script to convert a .ini textfile to a .syx binary SysEx dump file, which can be uploaded via MIDI. The script has been written in perl and runs under Windows, Macintosh, Be-OS, Linux, ...
Serge developed a Windows GUI which is available under miostools.midibox.org.
Here are some snapshots:

Want more?

At this page you will find an alternative firmware which converts the MIDIbox64 into a 16-track analogue style sequencer :-)

Download

Schematics & PCBs
File	Size	Description
MBHP	LINK	see MIDIbox Hardware Platform
Firmware
MIOS Download	LINK	MIOS based firmware for PIC18F devices with source code
PIC16F Firmwares	LINK	Firmware for PIC16F877 (expired, don't use it for new MIDIboxes!)
midibox64_sfb_table.txt	5k	This table lists all functions which can optionally assigned to the buttons aside from MIDI and Meta Events
ChangeLog	LINK	MIDIbox64 ChangeLog
.syx File Generator
mk_syx.zip	11k	Creates the configuration dump for MIDIbox64 Archive includes also some configuration examples!
sysex_implementation.txt	2k	Regarding the SysEx format
Editor & Download Manager
miostools.midibox.org	LINK	MIDIbox Editor and Download Manager by Serge
Walkthroughs & Tutorials
Walkthrough	LINK	Tor Arne Vestbø wrote a superb Walkthrouh for the MIDIbox64. You must see it! :-)
Report	LINK	Steven Thomas wrote a report about his TB3030+MIDIbox64 Sequencer Project. Check this site if you are searching for an extravagand enclosure!
Tutorial	LINK	The MIDIbox64 tutorial
Misc.
MIDIbox Forum	LINK	Support at the MIDIbox Forum
MIDIbox Wiki	LINK	A lot of additional informations on MIDIbox and MIOS
midibox64_controll_surface.dxf	45k	Front panel for MIDIbox64 in AutoCAD format by Peter
midibox_cubase_setup.xml.zip	3k	Cubase Remote Control Setup for MIDIbox64 by Tor Arne
MIDIbox Cubase Setup	LINK	Some descriptions about the Cubase setup by Dimitris
midibox_logic_environment.zip	18k	Sample Logic Audio environment for V4 and higher.

Copyright © 1998-2023, Thorsten Klose. All rights reserved.