Posts by Uno4Kemper

Long time ago I mentioned in this other thread that I had been working on a "wireless display" for the Kemper. That was part of a larger project for creating a smart MIDI extension box. After following quite a lot of dead ends I am finally entering the last stage of a product design. It will look a little different than what I had in mind, because I didn't want to take any risks with regards to reliability.
So here's what the "TinyBox4Kemper" will be (it's a spin-off from a more general "TinyBox", which will be launched later on) :

- programmable MIDI extension box : can be connected to the Profiler MIDI IN/OUT jacks, senses all rig and effect changes in Performance Mode, and triggers any number of extra MIDI messages for each rig or effect state. This works no matter how you control the Profiler: with UnO4Kemper equipped FCB1010, or with Kemper Remote.
- "one-cable converter" for the FCB1010 : run 1 MIDI cable from the box to the floorboard, carrying 2-way MIDI plus power
- accompanying : a (free) easy-to-use editor, running on Mac and Windows. New concept : type your MIDI setup in plain text, using a smart text editor with "code completion"
- the software will also contain a webserver, hosting realtime status info of the Profiler. So you can open the browser on that same computer or on an iPad/smartphone which connects to the computer through Wifi, and display the current performance, active effects, tuner info etc. You can also remotely control the Profiler through the app.

Still no release date or price estimate available. But I just launched a new website, you can leave your email address there if you want to stay informed about the status of this project.

http://www.tinybox.rocks

Quote from Fireloogie

I'd love to place my tablet to a mic stand and switch the KPA via the tablet

Everything 's possible...

Quote from nightlight

Will we get this for the Little Giant as well?

Since the LittleGiant uses a 7-pin MIDI connector for phantom power and 2-way communication, it will be a perfect fit for the TinyBox. However with regards to MIDI handling the box will be overkill... triggering any combination of MIDI commands, depending on the selected rig, that's something you can already do today with your LittleGiant.

Quote from Deej09

Is it flash?

Indeed - uses a Flash video player. But I now updated the web page - direct link to the video file added, this should work on iPad.

Quote from whippinpost91850

or will it also work with the Kemper Remote??????

That's definitely the intention - else I would not mention it in this specific thread (see thread title...) I believe both the wireless display and the extended MIDI functionality (triggering any stream of MIDI commands depending on the selected rig) can be useful for Kemper Remote users as well as for FCB1010+UnO4Kemper users. In order for this box to work along with the Remote it is required that the Profiler keeps its MIDI communication protocol on the MIDI IN/OUT ports alive even when a Remote is connected. I can't test if this is the case (don't own a Remote) but I guess so.

I finally had the time to create a demo video on this "wireless KPA display". ( At work they just bought some iPad minis for testing - so I could borrow one of them and keep my wallet in my pocket for now ) The video just shows the display capabilities on iPad, Windows tablet and Android phone. It doesn't cover any of the advanced MIDI functionality which is also in the pipeline. (before anyone asks : this is a prototype - still a long way to go to turn it into a commercial product - and only being worked on during rainy weekends, like right now...)

I can't contribute either, since I have no musical legacy at all - but I have to say I quite like the picture on the eighties website of my favorite hometown metal band :
Ostrogoth It's all there, the haircuts, the outfits, the attributes (positioned correctly by the photographer), ...

EDIT : I almost forgot there was no such thing like websites in the eighties - the website design mislead me a little...

Quote from Nightwish2

(soon I hope)

No idea yet. Will mainly depend on availability of a low cost embedded webserver (several new possibilities lately, but most of them available on very small quantities only). So far I was mainly working on the MIDI extension part, since that is our "core business" at Gordius... The remote display extension started as a small experiment but I liked the result these last few days, so I probably won't release the MIDI extension without that extra feature.

Quote from Nightwish2

Do you plan on supporting both apple and android tablets

Yes. So far I tested with a Windows tablet, I guess I will buy an iPad mini soon for further testing. Still need to check it on my android phone - it might be possible to fit the user interface on a 5" screen too.

Quote from Hurricane

seems as if this could be the Initial KPA-software-Editor in further steps

Hm, an editor would be a totally different ballgame... I definitely won't have the time or energy to start that adventure. Last week I did have a look at the "Toaster" editor which is in the works - a huge job, very well done... So here's my message to @virango : when "donating" the result of such a huge job on github, you should definitely consider to add a "Donate" button somewhere, even if it will never fully compensate for the many hours you must have already spent on this. I for sure will donate, even if I will never use the editor myself (not being a Kemper user...) I did gather the info about how stomp types relate to stomp LED colors by looking at your source code. Thanks and kudos to you...!

Quote from Ingolf

So, when are your next holidays, @Uno4Kemper, Xavier?

Maybe I should find myself a medical doctor who can confirm that I'm mentally ill or suffering from burn-out or post-midlife-crisis or something....

Quote from whippinpost91850

Xavier, This looks awesome

Thanks Whippinpost.

While I was at it, I extended the application not only to display the current status, but also to be used as a wireless remote control. To me that's more like a gadget rather than something useful for a guitar player, but well - might be useful in the studio or bedroom... Major purpose would be to serve as extra display for the Kemper Remote or FCB1010 user.

With no more XMas holiday left it will take some time before I can create and post a video of it (also, will need to buy an iPad first I guess...). Here's what the app does right now :
- show stomp names, stomp ON/OFF states, colored stomp LEDs (both in browse and performance mode)
- performance mode : show rig names per slot, show unavailable slots, show current performance name (with support for "pending" performance loading when scrolling through performances)
- performance mode and browse mode : show current rig name
- realtime tuner display
Remote control:
- (de)activate stomps
- (de)activate tuner
- switch between performance mode and browse mode
- in performance mode : goto next/previous performance, select slot within current performance
- in browse mode : goto next/previous bank of 5 rigs, select rig within current bank

Actually that's exactly what I have been working on during Xmas holidays...
It won't be an app, it will be something running in the browser. This way it can be used on any tablet, smartphone or laptop.
It will be part of a MIDI extension which also will add advanced MIDI control to the Profiler (selected rig can trigger any programmable MIDI stream)
Something like this : http://www.tinybox.rocks/tinybox4kemper.html

Here's a screenshot of what I have today :
http://www.tinybox.rocks/images/kpa_display.png

Indeed, assigning a MIDI ProgramChange number to each rig is the way to organize rigs for Browse mode. With UnO4Kemper the floorboard will automatically select rigs in the order of assigned ProgramChange numbers when the Profiler is in Browse mode. With UnO firmware or Behringer firmware you just have to program the floorboard to send an ascending PC number for each switch in each bank.
I reviewed the UnO4Kemper manual and indeed found out that this was not clearly mentioned. I have updated the topic about Browse mode and uploaded a manual update to our website (UnO4Kemper manual). Sorry for the confusion!

Quote from Monkey_Man

Phwoaa... that's some heavy-duty shit right there

lol
If I may, I'd like to mention one more little feature, only because I see it being discussed right now in another thread over here
Although people may believe there is no device out there that could calibrate the kind of pedal mentioned there, the LGX2 does that, almost 10 years now. You can calibrate each connected pedal to have a configurable "switch engage zone" (at heel and at tip - although most commonly used with a tip switch of course). The pedal sweep is recalculated to give full range without the tip switch being pressed. The "switch engage zone" can be used to trigger any preset, as be it a "virtual switch". This gives the extra advantage that you don't need to run 2 separate cables as is normally required for those pedals with switch. 1 cable is enough, the physical switch contact is ignored, the "switch engage zone" is used instead to trigger any programmed effect.

(o by the way, if anyone would fancy a new LGX2, we would like to clear our stock before the end of the year, so we can offer a 20% discount for Kemper users!)
But now I do promise that I will no longer reply here - it might rightfully be considered indecent to brag about other brand products on a dedicated forum like this one. Sorry Kemper team - needless to say: Kemper Remote will always be the best when it's about controlling the Profiler, I keep telling that to every candidate customer of mine, be it Gordius or UnO4Kemper...

Quote from nightlight

It is unable to display the tuner like the Remote. This could be a negligible problem for some or a very big problem for others.

Hey nightlight,

the Gordius controllers can show the Kemper tuner on their display alright. You can see that in action here : GORDIUS LG2 controls the Kemper Profiler (around 0:40)
Problem is (or was - until today) that this only worked in the special "Kemper integration" mode, which turns the LG2 into a Kemper slave controller (much like UnO4Kemper or the Remote). In that mode the Kemper controls the Gordius LEDs, keeps effect states in sync, shows rig names and effect names on the Gordius display, and also shows tuner info. Apart from that you can define up to 625 macros, one for each rig in performance mode. This way each selected rig can trigger a stream of extra MIDI commands to control other gear.
Reading your great review today I realized that actually you lose a lot of the advanced Gordius functionality when activating this "Kemper slave" mode. Therefore I did a small upgrade to the firmware today. You can now choose to show the Kemper tuner info, or show tuner info plus rig names and effect names on the LG2 screen, without activating the full integration. Just drop me an email if you are interested in this firmware version - I still need to document how to activate those new "limited integration" modes.

Cheers,
Xavier
GORDIUS

Yes, that looks very interesting. If I had known about this seller I would not have gone through the hassle of creating something myself (with Belgian low volume labour/shipping costs...) I will definitely get in touch with him next time I need some special MIDI wiring solution for our products.

Quote from nightlight

how do I go back to the non-direct bank I was accessing

Press "D1" to go to Direct Bank 1, press "D1" again to return to the bank you were accessing. Same for "D2"

Quote from nightlight

Have they been discontinued indefinitely?

Yes. I still have plenty of them in stock, but shipping from Belgium is just too expensive for such low cost items. If you're located in EU, just email me, I can send you one. You will need to open up your LGX2 and reconfigure it for "2-way-communication", I can give you more info through email.

Quote from nightlight

Plans to come out with some new generation device?

Sure. But it won't be just another MIDI footcontroller. Might become something very interesting for Profiler owners though... would allow to add extended control of multiple MIDI devices to a current Remote + Profiler setup (or UnO4Kemper-FCB + Profiler setup). Will probably be launched later this year through a Kickstarter campaign.

There's lots of different ways to set up a Big Little Giant. One possibility is to go for the "maximum integration" with the Profiler, by using the approach described in the Links section of the Gordius website. In such setup, you actually don't need more than 1 single bank to control the Profiler (which is used in performance mode) : you get 5 slot switches + 8 stompbox switches, and the up/down buttons are used to browse through performances. The LGX2 has a built-in "macro" system - it allows you define 625 different macros, one for each rig in the 125 performances. Each macro can send any combination of MIDI commands. So with this approach you keep the Profiler as central place to organize performances, the LGX2 just acts as remote control for the Profiler, very similar to Kempers own Remote, but it can have extended control over any number of extra devices by using macro's which are triggered by the Profiler rigs. The 2 "Direct switches" give you direct access to another 2 banks of 13 switches. You could easily put looper control, taptempo, etc. in such Direct Bank - it's only 1 click away.

Another approach would be to program the Big Little Giant to control all connected MIDI devices the way you want, using multiple (up to 1000...) preset banks, each with 13 switches available. Then use 1 or 2 "Direct banks" for Profiler control (the Direct Banks are 1 click away from any of the preset banks). In this case you would program 2 of the switches in that Direct bank to scroll through Profiler performances, while the LittleGiant up/down buttons would be used in a standard way to scroll up/down LittleGiant banks. This approach adds the Profiler to the list of many controlled devices in your setup, as opposed to the first approach which rather keeps the Profiler as the "master",

Just to let you all know that UnO4Kemper firmware can now be ordered on a new website, which will be the central place to order both UnO and UnO4Kemper firmware chips. On the same website you can also order the "one-cable kit" which lets you connect the FCB1010 to the Kemper Profiler using 1 single MIDI cable.

http://www.fcb1010.eu

regards,
Xavier

Quote from WybZ

Will this be solved with UnO4Kemper 1.4?

I notice this is being mentioned in the "FW 4.0 beta experiences" thread as something the Kemper team is working on. So I guess it will be solved in a next Profiler 4.0 firmware release.