d8b new OS release

[Audioman]

Anyone who knows me knows that I do not ever pull back to provide any information you type, but you brought the wrong way.

The serial is overloaded only if you send all commands also unnecessary, otherwise it is very free.

Example the meter: if a meter passes from -2 to -4, not having to send the entire sequence of lit LEDs, and the LEDs spend, send only what's different in this case, probably just turn off an LED. Besides, the decay also helps him. A simple while loop, if you want to do it in c / c ++.

Try it, it works, I already have, as I indicated as X48 that is 48 meter, but there are other things that they have many more (it has a mixer with nixie 96 + 24 + 4) in the serial, and work perfectly.

The D8B send one of the plugin files directly to the DSP board, which loads it in a memory.

Each plug consists of three files: a DLL "windows style" that contains the graphics window WITHOUT bmp, rsc a file that contains the graphic, and a file mb and is the plug itself, which is sent via the serial memory DSP.

The first two files are "like intel", the dll in fact often has a structure very similar to a VST a UAD (you should guess why ...), and the last is directly written in ASM, and you can not disassemble using the X86 instruction set.

When you load a plug, the software of the "CPU" load the dll, the dll loads the graphics (file .rsc) and send the asm to the memory of the DSP (file .mb).

Then between CPU and DSP's only transit command: vu, levels etc. etc., exactly how it works for a VST, which sends or receives from the host "numbers", or rather, as a VST UAD, where the dll interfaces with the DSP PCI card, but in this case, does not pass even "sound", but transits only the commands, because the audio is already physically connected to the DSP and not provided by the DLL.

If you're afraid I disappoint, subscribe to the group "Mackie dxb 200 Digital Xbus" on facebook, and you can see how I'm used to disappoint.

[Audioman]

This is a part of the file .rsc.

Above are the names of contenutim bmp file, and visible in the red header of one of the contained bitmap.

[Audioman]

Part of disassembled dll

[Audioman]

Part of code in c++ (Parametics EQ), and part of the code for opening session.

[Audioman]

...and scrub wheel code.

[Old School]

Hi,
This is all very exciting and you obviously know what you are doing. I humbly ask that you consider freeing us from the Mackie motherboard. These boards are not made anymore and are increasingly hard to find. The fact that you have to use a particular video card and cannot load new drivers into the system is also maddening. Access via usb port would be wonderful, as would the ability to use a modern hard drive with no capacity limits. The ability to use 3rd party programs such as Melodyne would be most welcome, but I digress. At any rate, I would be willing to pay a considerable price to be free from the OEM motherboard. As for mounting a different motherboard, I am a machinist and that would be the easy part for me. Thank you for your work on this.

Have a blessed day in Christ,
Mike W.

[Audioman]

What I would do is allow (unfortunately might be required), change the motherboard with a more powerful, get rid of the ISA card (you can replace spending $ 10), to bring the system under Windows, and then allow any video card, multi-screen, ... touch anything that allows windows.

Motherboards are adaptable to the case (in order to maintain the original power supply), also they cost very little.

I would not mind a host VST integrated, I must first consider what.

For the moment, I can debug into a computer set up for this purpose, first I have to figure it all out, then you can begin the changes.

[munkustrap]

Hi

Normally i decided to stop the discussion and wait till i see first results, but your Last postings give me the feeling that you have really a basic knowledge to bring this project forward.

Also i want to give you some comments to your Last
Postings.

I only set the necessary LEDs of the Meterbridge to reduce bandwith, but never forget thinking as a musican, not a developer. What if you have an orchestra that starts with the first Note. 24 meters will rise up . Always calculate with the worst case to be save.

Next point is The daw. Cubase clears the meter automatically by sending the dedicated meter commands after pressing stop till All meters are cleard. Logic does not care. If you press stop your meter will remain. You have to clear it. This is not difficult but delays your development and needs testing with All dass.

Hint: make use of the d8b display and buttons before you
Add a Display and buttons to a microcontroller.

I will join your Facebook group, not to write against you.
I will comment if i can help you and i am interested in your progress.

Believe me, i am the most interested person that your project succeed. If you deliver a free solution that is perfect and covers All customers, i do not have to do support on my probox if everybody swaps to your solution.
For sure i will serve All my customers as long as they need help.

I know the d8b hardware perfect, except the dsp part.
I know the serial connection between the dsp and brainboard For audio meter an i know the serial connections between brain and cards For identification.
I hacked the Mackie firmware by using the hardware knowledge.

All the best For your project. I will follow you.
Cross the fingers For you

Best regards
Munk

[munkustrap]

Then between CPU and DSP's only transit command: vu, levels etc. etc., exactly how it works for a VST, which sends or receives from the host "numbers", or rather, as a VST UAD, where the dll interfaces with the DSP PCI card, but in this case, does not pass even "sound", but transits only the commands

exactly, and only some of these commends are interesting for me, I just want to be able to do a simple Routing from Inputs and Outputs. Additional maybe levels with faders and PAN to have a small monitoring mixing function for the musicans during recording.
To be honest I want to avoid using plugins. Only routing as the most users here want to use the console as DAW controller but they have a soundcard with ADAT IN/OUTs and want to use the AD conversion of the d8b.

because the audio is already physically connected to the DSP and not provided by the DLL.

thats what DSPs are for

I have to say that I was not aware that the "plugins" were loaded into the dsp board but I was wondering that there is no firmware for the DSP board, now I know why.

PS: I didn't found a free and not hacked disassembler for the DSP devices in the Internet, therfore I cannot "convert" the dlls, or hex file (console) to ASM which really would be nice.
Therefore I had to search each command in the hex Editor by the instruction set table of the DSP used in the brainboard.
Was not a joyfull way but for small changes it was possible.

best regards

[Audioman]

exactly, and only some of these commends are interesting for me, I just want to be able to do a simple Routing from Inputs and Outputs. Additional maybe levels with faders and PAN to have a small monitoring mixing function for the musicans during recording.
To be honest I want to avoid using plugins. Only routing as the most users here want to use the console as DAW controller but they have a soundcard with ADAT IN/OUTs and want to use the AD conversion of the d8b.

You can not as it is now.

To ask you to create external serial commands, the surface interpreters, and you have to modify the firmware of the mixer, in order to create / change the routing.

Example: if you want to add the ability to have the AUX pre or post EQ, you should create a serial command (eg suffix z), and tell the firmware "if the command comes xxFz, is pre, if it comes xx0z post".

The problem is to change the firmware.

thats what DSPs are for

I have to say that I was not aware that the "plugins" were loaded into the dsp board but I was wondering that there is no firmware for the DSP board, now I know why.

PS: I didn't found a free and not hacked disassembler for the DSP devices in the Internet, therfore I cannot "convert" the dlls, or hex file (console) to ASM which really would be nice.
Therefore I had to search each command in the hex Editor by the instruction set table of the DSP used in the brainboard.
Was not a joyfull way but for small changes it was possible.

best regards

Changes directly in ASM are not quite "comfortable", although perfectly feasible.

I got them, I do, but it is very different and quick, to work in C ++, and to reserve ASM parts for critical code, in terms of speed.

Let me give an example, always basing on the DXB: the original developers, had kept in C ++ around the equalizer, and with the original Pentium 4, you could have up to 48 X 4 parametric bands.

I have rewritten all the EQ in ASM, and I expanded: now with the same processor, you can get 96 + 24 + 24 + 2 X 8-band parametric (96 ch / 24 bus / 24 aux / LR).

I wrote in ASM only entire section devoted to pure calculation, while the rest remained in C ++, because it may turn on or turn off a band (set a variable ...) does not require calculation repetitive and challenging.

In snapshot, the example.

Part of ASM code of the Biquad eq

questo.jpg (Array KiB) Viewed 1501 times

Part of the code in C++ for Biquad eq

questo1.jpg (Array KiB) Viewed 1501 times

This eq as it is now.

questo2.jpg (Array KiB) Viewed 1501 times